[Minghui 04/19/2001]

"Validate the Fa with reason, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and offer people salvation with benevolence" (Rationality)

Golden Lotus Press is about to publish three new books in a month:

• Falun Gong Stories -- A Journey to Enlightenment
• Falun Gong Stories -- A Journey to Ultimate Health
• Learning and Practicing Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance -- Peace Report of Falun Dafa

Below are their prefaces.

Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa) is a powerful, holistic practice that cultivates the mind, body, and spirit. It's origins lie in antiquity. As a form of traditional Chinese qigong, Falun Gong was for many centuries passed down in lineage fashion from teacher to disciple, unknown to the general public. In 1992 that would change. For in May of that year, Mr. Li Hongzhi, the practice's master, brought Falun Gong to the general public in northeastern China. It was time for the world to enjoy the profound benefits of this practice.

The practice of Falun Gong is based on the principles of the universe: Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Falun Gong's effectiveness in improving people's health and morality led the practice to spread--primarily by word of mouth--around the globe to over 40 countries in less than a decade. Since 1992 over one hundred million people have come to practice Falun Gong. They are from all walks of life and every imaginable cultural background. The major Falun Gong book, Zhuan Falun, has been translated into over a dozen languages and sold tens of millions of copies. The world has quickly come to know the goodness of Falun Gong.

Falun Gong has five exercises that facilitate deep transformation of mind and body. They are simple, easy to learn, and enjoyable to perform. What's more, they suit most people's busy lifestyles well, for the exercises can be done anywhere, anytime, and for any length of time. The movements help to quickly open the body's energy channels, and enable subtle energy to circulate smoothly throughout the body. Regular performance of the exercises typically results in stress relief, better energy, health improvements, emotional balance, better sleep, improved immune function, and increased fitness. The exercises are always taught by volunteers without charge and are open to anyone interested.

The practice of Falun Gong is much more than five exercises, however: it is about self-improvement. Practitioners cultivate their hearts and minds by eliminating negative "attachments" and striving to embody Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. As one's heart and mind become more pure and good, one's body undergoes proportionate changes. Mind and body are here inseparable. The principles taught by Mr. Li in his writings and lectures play a guiding role. Through their study and through performing the five exercises, one gradually assimilates one's nature to that of the universe. Spiritual enlightenment and perfect health become realizable aspirations with Falun Gong practice.

In this book you will find the personal stories of Falun Gong practitioners from many different backgrounds. These touching stories give insights into why people practice Falun Gong, as well as how this practice has improved the quality of their lives. They even illustrate how Falun Gong has enriched their lives with deeper meaning; most students of Falun Gong come to understand their life in a new light. We hope these stories might nourish your spirit and allow you to have a taste of Falun Gong. We dare say it's the next best thing to trying the practice yourself.

Falun Gong Stories -- A Journey to Ultimate Health

As the world enters the 21^st century, the perennial question of our ancestors continues to perplex us today: How can people free themselves from disease and illness, and cast off the suffering and fear they bring?

As biomedical research advances down the molecular and genetic paths, an increasing number of people are looking into alternative approaches in which ancient human wisdom and knowledge may have been preserved. According to information available on the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) Web site, the number of Americans using an alternative therapy rose from approximately 33 percent in 1990 to more than 42 percent in 1997. The total spending by Americans on alternative and complementary treatments exceeded $27 billion in 1997. In about the same period, the US government increased NCCAM's budget from $2 million in fiscal year 1993 to $68.7 million in 2000, reflecting the government's increasing interest in and support for researches in alternative healing.

Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong) is a powerful practice based on ancient wisdom, in which practitioners improve their mind and body. Since its introduction to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in 1992, it has brought dramatic health improvement and spiritual growth to more than 100 million people around the world. Those who were plagued by various diseases deemed incurable by modern medicine regained healthy bodies and reached a disease-free state. Many who were dying from life-threatening diseases were saved. Even patients once paralyzed stood up and walked again. The young became more energetic at work, and the retired could begin truly enjoy their lives after long years of struggle. From Falun Dafa cultivation, practitioners have gained a peaceful and tranquil mind. They are no longer afraid of encountering tribulations at work, in the family, or during other activities. Therefore, you will hear them claiming that they have no stress or depression.

Witnessing the dramatic health improvement and numerous miraculous examples of healing among Falun Dafa practitioners of all ages and ethnic backgrounds, the editors are encouraged to compile a collection of typical cases of recovery from various diseases, most of them being chronic and incurable, some even life-threatening. Our primary purpose is to help the public recognize Falun Dafa and therefore enable more people to benefit from this powerful cultivation system. We have to emphasize here that we are by no means attempting to promote a disease-healing system, nor are we trying to make a scientific report. Rather, we are presenting some factual phenomena for those who are interested to further explore, judge, or even experience themselves.

The main body of the book is composed of 40 vivid cultivation stories reported in various Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conferences and other occasions. The editors made revisions and adjustments to the stories so as to include only the parts relevant to health improvement, in accordance with the topic and the title of the book. However, since health improvement cannot be separated from change of mind-nature in cultivation, we purposely kept content in some stories that described improvement in moral character. All the stories represent the situation at the time they were written, which is provided after each story. Of the 39 individuals, 27 of them are currently residing in North America, 5 in Taiwan, 3 in Mainland China, 2 in Australia, and 2 in Europe. The individuals come from a wide range of backgrounds, from a 10-year-old school student to retirees of over 70, from housewives to highly educated professionals, including engineers and medical doctors. Due to the severe persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese government, we did not select many touching stories from China to avoid endangering any practitioners in China by publicizing their names. The three stories from China included here are already well publicized and are exceptions. The cases are categorized into eleven subgroups according to the characteristics of their illnesses so that the readers can easily locate cases of interest. In order to better bridge the readers into the stories, a connection between modern medicine and the disease-healing effects obtained from practicing Falun Dafa is discussed in the introduction. A summary of a health survey conducted among over 10,000 practitioners in Beijing by medical professionals and experts is included to further validate the effect of Falun Dafa cultivation observed in individuals.

Learning and Practicing Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance --

Peace Report of Falun Dafa

Throughout history there has been little more cherished than peace and liberty. Yet history has also told a tale of contrasts: The desire for peace and liberty on the one hand, and using force as the means of accomplishing it--however unlikely--on the other. The irony of fighting for peace and liberty has befallen countless nations and peoples, marring history with painful discord.

Yet history also remembers a number of great, noble leaders of high moral and spiritual qualities--individuals who saw that peace and liberty were not to be found through forceful means and coercion, so much as through looking inward at oneself. These individuals have sought peace and liberty by embodying higher principles, even perfecting them. They have brought about peace and liberty by exemplifying virtues such as truthfulness, benevolence, and forbearance, not by demanding it from others.

History has shown us the power of truthfulness, benevolence, and forbearance. While the seemingly strong and invincible quickly fade from memory, the virtuous and meek are long remembered for their achievements. We remember their sacrifices and treasure the lessons they have taught us about the power of principles. History teaches us that peace and harmony are ultimately accomplished by the benevolent actions of brave and upright people who are willing to suffer for the sake of higher principles. Principles cannot be touched, weighed, or measured. Yet principles, when exemplified, have proven powerful and enduring.

As we enter the new millennium, we witness, unprecedented in China, a mass civil disobedience movement by the practitioners of Falun Dafa. Not one person, but thousands of Falun Dafa practitioners step forward courageously, selflessly, to uphold the higher principles they know to be true. As China's regime seeks to erase Falun Dafa from the face of the earth, these practitioners are matching their oppressor's hatred and violence with Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance--the guiding principles of Falun Dafa. They do not fight back with harsh words or even physical means. Rather, they look within for their own shortcomings, and look to the world for support. They sacrifice daily the self-interests basic to human beings, including material interests, their jobs, their education, their futures, their families, their personal safety, and even their own lives. All this for the right to practice their beliefs, and so others may know the truth. Around the world, practitioners of Falun Dafa have joined in this cause. Through all of this, every practitioner has remained uncompromising in his or her commitment to peaceful resolution.

We, several practitioners in the United States, present this report so that you may understand this more fully. History is in the making, and it is truly something to remember.