(Clearwisdom.net) On May 15, 2011, Falun Gong practitioners went to the Rosengarten (Rose Garden), a place of interest in Bern, the capital of Switzerland, to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day by doing the exercises together.
Falun Gong practitioners doing the exercises at the Rosengarten in Bern, the Swiss capital
Wishing Master Happy Birthday
Visitors learning the exercises
Among the practitioners who participated in the activity, many learned about Falun Dafa after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started to persecute Falun Gong. Drawn by Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the principles of Falun Dafa, they have started to practice Falun Gong.
New practitioner: I have found the key to human life through Falun Gong and learned how to face problems with a peaceful mind
Rahel started to learn Falun Gong just two days before. World Falun Dafa Day was the first time for her to do the exercises with others at a practice site. She felt very comfortable doing the exercises with other practitioners. She said, “I feel very goo—relaxed, trouble-free, and happy.”
Some time ago, she came across a Falun Gong truth clarifying newspaper. The five exercises interested her. She ordered a copy of Zhuan Falun. Although she has not finished reading it yet, she has already found answers to many questions she has had since childhood. “I think the book is very interesting. I had many questions when I was young. For example, I wondered why some people had such hardships but others didn't. Now I understand that it is because of karma. Another example is why we are here in the human world. Falun Gong has helped me find my true self.” Since starting to cultivate she has felt very good. She hopes that she can stick to it.
Rahel has noticed that her words and mindset have changed as well. She said that she used to get angry easily. In conflicts at work, she was unfriendly and often spoke insolently even she did not mean it. Now she has changed: “I can solve problems peacefully. I have started to control myself and think of others. I have really been thinking about how to better express myself and what better words to use. I often think that the other person might not be in good mood, just as I might not be. I have tried to deal with them calmly.”
Doing the exercises with other practitioners, she felt the atmosphere was very peaceful and is looking forward to the next group exercises.
Someone who has practiced for two years: Having cultivated Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, I can truly distinguish what is good from bad
Before the CCP started to persecute Falun Gong, many people learned about it when they saw practitioners doing the exercises together outside. Since the persecution started, in order to let more people know what Falun Gong really is and to disclose how the CCP cruelly persecutes Falun Gong and how it slanders Falun Gong with lies, overseas practitioners have held many truth clarifying activities in the city centre. They have set up booths to clarify the facts, put up displays of photos showing how practitioners are being tortured, distributed informational materials, and demonstrated the exercises.
Frank learned about a Falun Gong practice site offering free exercise instruction at the Rose Garden from an information booth in Bern two years ago. He has worked for different organizations and has seen that money can have a huge influence on people. When he found out that Falun Gong offered classes free of charge, without membership fees or dues, he thought that such a practice must be of great value. “Without being affected by money, everybody is completely independent. It is a personal decision if he or she wants to learn. It is out of their own willingness and motivation. No one comes just because he or she has paid for a year’s membership.”
His motivation for sticking to cultivation comes from reading Zhuan Falun. He had always wanted to be a good person. But what exactly are good people? He said, “From Falun Dafa, I have discovered the criteria for being a good person. I can say that I have already distinguished what is good from bad. I have also been deepening my understanding.”
Having practiced Falun Gong, he has found that he has become more poised. Cultivating according to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, he can think of others, be tolerant, and know how to handle relationships.
For the past two years, he has also started to organize activities for Information Day. He said, “I want more people to learn about Falun Gong. Perhaps there will be people who, like me, will want to practice after getting information from the booth.”
Frank's intent is the same as many other Falun Gong practitioners'. They hope that more and more people will learn the facts about Falun Gong so that they won't be deceived by the CCP’s lies.
