The central concept of Falun Gong is the falun. While in traditional Chinese Buddhism falun means the "wheel of law" or "wheel of dharma," here the word refers to the center of spiritual energy in the human body, akin to a chakra. It is located in the lower abdomen and can be awakened (or "installed") through a set of exercises (see Falun Gong Practices).
The falun is regarded as a microcosm of the universe; once it is installed into the abdomen, it rotates continuously. When the falun turns clockwise, it absorbs energy from the universe into the body; when it turns counter-clockwise it eliminates waste from the body. Some Falun Gong practitioners whose "celestial eye" (tianmu) is open, can see the falun, which looks like the Falun Gong symbol.
On a more esoteric level, Li teaches that demonic space aliens seek to destroy humanity and, since their arrival in 1900, have manipulated scientists and world leaders.[#5]
[#5]: Encyclopædia Britannica. See also "Interview with Li Hongzhi," Time Asia, May 10, 1999.
