A Path to Peace: Dr. Dana Churchill’s Story of Healing and Purpose #health #healing #meditation

As soothing music played, my arms lifted gently into the air as I practiced Falun Gong's Exercise 2 Alone in Portland's Hoyt Arboretum. Suddenly, a clear voice rang out, I will help you always. Startled, I looked around but saw no one. In that moment, a powerful energy surged through me, lifting me off the ground and filling me with a profound sense of compassion and peace. I realized I was having an out-of-body experience. When I awoke on the grass, I wept like a child. That night, filled with awe and conviction, I called my friends in New Jersey and said, I will never quit Falun Gong. My name is Dana Churchill. I was born in 1961 in Boston into a loving family. Three years later, my sister was born. On my father's side, our ancestors were Christians from England in the 1700s. My mother's parents were Jewish with roots in Russia and Portugal. After marrying, my parents stopped practicing religion but continued celebrating traditions like Christmas, Passover, and Hanukkah. My father was a professor at the City University of New York where he taught sociology and statistics. My mother owned a restaurant in Princeton, New Jersey. Both were Harvard educated and held high expectations for me. Although I inherited a sharp mind, my academic performance often fell short of their standards. I struggle with dyslexia and ADHD. And while math and science weren't my strong suits, I had a deep passion for sports, music, and foreign languages. In 1976, our family spent a year in Finland during my father's sabbatical. I attended high school there and learned some Finnish. Over the next two summers, our family traveled to France where I developed a growing interest in the French language and culture. After graduating from Princeton High School in 1979, I enrolled at Florida International University to study hotel management. I loved the lively atmosphere and spent much time partying and drinking. After a year, I dropped out and started working at several large hotels in New York and Miami. Throughout the 1980s, I balanced school and work. I spent six years managing my mother's restaurant and attended a culinary school in Brooklyn where I studied French cuisine and language, earning an associate degree. My parents weren't thrilled with my choices, but I followed my own path. In 1992, I began taking classes at Rutgers University while working at the Princeton Bio Center handling nutraceutical shipping and receiving. In 1999, I earned a BS in nutritional biochemistry and clinical nutrition. I was a fun-loving boy who enjoyed being with friends. In high school, partying, drinking, and smoking pot became part of my life. By 30, I realized I needed a change. In 1991, I quit drinking and smoking and joined the Princeton United Methodist Church seeking spiritual growth. Yet, for nearly a decade, I struggled to truly connect with Christianity and its rituals. One day in the spring of 2000, after a church service, I prayed to God asking him to show me how to become the best person I could be. As I pulled into the parking lot of my apartment, my landlord, Mr. Chen, happened to pull in behind me. He told me he was practicing something called Falun Gong and suggested that I look at it. He also lent me a copy of Zhuan Falun and an exercise video. I couldn't help but wonder whether this was God's answer to my prayer. Soon after, I joined a 6 a.m. group practice at Grover Park and weekly gatherings reading Zhuan Falun with several others. Six months later, I felt like a different person, calmer, healthier, and free from the chronic anxiety that had weighed me down. My hypertension also improved dramatically. For years, I had been taking three different medications to manage my blood pressure, which hovered around 150 over 90. Within three months of Falun Gong practice without medicine, my blood pressure dropped to 135 over 75. I also grew internally, learning to put others first, developing better study habits, and staying focused for hours without coffee. Most importantly, I gained lasting confidence and peace. In the fall 2000, at 39, I enrolled at the National University of Medicine in Portland, Oregon. With the inner strength from practicing Falun Gong, I was ready to pursue my true calling, helping people achieve better health. In 2005, I earned my N.D., naturopathic doctor, degree. While M.D.s treat with drugs and surgery, N.D.s focus on natural healing methods like herbs, nutrition, and exercise. Both paths require rigorous study in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, and pharmacology. These courses were tough, but Falun Gong gave me the stamina and clarity to persevere. In my second year, we faced 10 qualifying exams. Many classmates failed, but I passed all 10 on the first try. During the chiropractic exam, I panicked over unfamiliar questions and skipped to the next session. As I prepared to turn in my test, a loud, clear voice told me, go back to the exam. You did not finish. I returned to find six unanswered questions and completed them just in time. Without that reminder, I surely would have failed. Another time, during a physiology and biochemistry exam, I had a panic attack, tingling arms, numb hands, shallow breathing, classic signs of heart trouble. Fear overwhelmed me. My history of hypertension and my family's medical issues only made it worse. After the exam, I called my friend, RV Wong, and said I wanted to quit Falun Gong and just manage my health like others. RV encouraged me to stay the course and read Zhuan Falun more. I said I will consider his advice. Later that day, I went to Hoyt Arboretum, the largest park in Portland. As the sun set alone under pine trees, I practiced Falun Gong exercise. In the middle of exercise two, I suddenly heard a loud, clear voice. I will help you always. I looked around but saw no one. A powerful energy surged through me, lifting me off the ground and embracing me with compassion. When I woke up on the ground, I wept uncontrollably. That night, I called RV in New Jersey and promised I would never quit Falun Gong. In 2002, I met Cindy, a fellow practitioner in Portland. We married the following year. In 2005, after receiving my license, we moved to Los Angeles and I began my medical practice. Shortly after I moved to Los Angeles, I heard horrific news. The Chinese Communist regime was removing organs from living people, mostly Falun Gong practitioners, and transplanting them into others who paid a hefty price. After losing their organs, the victims would lose their lives. I could hardly believe it was true. How could a doctor knowingly perform such a procedure, killing one person to save another? When I was invited to join Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting as a board member representing the U.S. West Coast, I had to overcome my own fear to accept the role. But it was a decision I've never regretted. Falun Gong has given me so much. How could I not give back and help stop this atrocity? I dedicated countless hours and energy to exposing this crime. In 2020, I opened the Churchill Center in Fullerton, California, a network of private, integrative, and functional medicine clinics. We offer both conventional and alternative therapies, focusing on healing the whole person, mind, body, and spirit. In 2025, I launched the Doc Dana Show, a weekly podcast featuring individuals who overcame difficulties and made a positive impact to the world. At 64, I feel more energetic than I did at 32. Falun Gong has given me a healthy body and a peaceful mind. I no longer need medications or even the supplements I used to prescribe to my patients. I'm never shy about sharing my secret and always encourage my patients to give Falun Gong a try. If they eventually no longer need my care, I will be very happy.