(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners from the northern part of Taiwan came together on May 9, 2020, to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day at Taipei City's Liberty Square. They honored the occasion through doing the exercises together and a holding a photo exhibition. They also wished Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, a happy 69^th birthday.

Falun Dafa practitioners in Taipei gather at Liberty Square to do the exercises and promote the spiritual practice to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day.

Mr. Li Hongzhi first taught Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, in Changchun City, China, on May 13, 1992. Within a short time, the mind-body practice had spread all over China and to Asia, Australia, Europe and the Americas. Over the past 28 years, hundreds of millions of people have benefited physically and mentally from the practice.

To express their gratitude, practitioners in Taipei called out in chorus: “Happy Birthday Master! Falun Dafa is wonderful, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is wonderful!”

Falun Dafa practitioners celebrate World Falun Dafa Day by doing the exercises together at Liberty Square in Taipei.

Finding the Fundamentals of Life

Xiao Yawen, 78, has been practicing Dafa for more than two decades. Her complexion is rosy and she is in great physical condition. More than 20 years ago, she came across a group of practitioners doing the exercises in a park. For three days in a row, she stood there observing them. “I felt very peaceful watching practitioners do the sitting meditation. I had never felt like that before,” she recalled.

Xiao Yawen says her purpose in life is to practice cultivation.

Yawen had a wish: she wanted to practice Dafa and return to her origin. Her health improved tremendously after she took up the practice.

“I used to have severe high blood pressure. My blood pressure would shoot up whenever I got agitated, and my head would hurt as if it was going to explode. I also had chest pain and had to go to the doctor frequently. But after reading Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa, and attending the nine-day introductory class, these symptoms soon went away. My health is still excellent,” she said.

She said she feels that Master has been looking after her for all these years, giving her hints so that she can progress in cultivation. “I got rid of many attachments through studying the teachings continuously,” she explained. The profound teachings of Dafa helped her find the fundamentals of life. She expressed her determination to follow Master home and be diligent in doing the three things as required by Master.

Family Members Witness How Wonderful Dafa Is

Liu Meifang, 42, has many Dafa practitioners in her family. She was introduced to the practice by her sister-in-law who lived in Kaohsiung City. Her parents-in-law, husband and many relatives also took up the practice. Seeing their positive transformations, she naturally became a practitioner too.

Liu Meifang (left), husband (center) and daughter (right) practice Falun Dafa together.

“In the beginning, I didn't experience any great changes, but through following Master's teachings I learned to apply the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in my everyday life,” she said. “I became more considerate of others and began to share the workload with my coworkers.” Many of her coworkers observed the changes in her character and learned about the benefits of Dafa.

When asked what she would like to say to Master, she choked up. “I feel extremely fortunate looking back over my cultivation journey. My heart is full of gratitude towards Master. My husband and his family, including his parents, six brothers and sisters and their family members, all practice Falun Dafa. Even my daughter is a practitioner. We encourage and support each other in our belief. This is a truly precious relationship,” she said.

Grateful for Master's Salvation

Lin Junxu is very grateful to Master for the opportunity to practice cultivation.

Mr. Li Junxu, who works for Taipei Mass Rapid Transport, joined the celebrations for World Falun Dafa Day and did the exercises. He began to practice Dafa four years ago after witnessing how his wife had benefited from the practice.

“My wife is a primary school teacher. In the past she was weak and had many ailments. She had trouble sleeping and you could count on her catching the flu during the flu season. But after she took up Falun Gong, it was as if she had been given a new body. She has also become more thoughtful and kind. We don't argue or fight as much now,” he said.

Observing how his wife was always smiling and full of energy, Junxu, whose health was not good, decided to give Falun Gong a try. “I'm full of energy now. I am more relaxed and cheerful. I sleep well every day. Even if I sleep fewer hours, my energy levels are not affected. I am more focused and efficient at work too.”

Junxu is grateful for his improved mental well being. With hands pressed together in the heshi gesture, he said: “Thank you Master Li for teaching us Falun Dafa and the purpose of life.”

Zhan Jiayi says practicing Falun Dafa is the best thing in her life.

Zhan Jiayi's father is a Falun Dafa practitioner. Though she came in contact with the mind-body practice when she was a child, she did not understand cultivation when she was younger. She truly appreciated the benefits of the practice after stepping into society.

Recalling her cultivation journey, Jiayi, who is a journalist, said she returned to Dafa because she felt abandoned by the world. She encountered setbacks in life and had conflicts with family, coworkers and friends. She was tired of competing with others in all aspects of her life.

She remembered that while studying in university, her classmates would compare who is more popular and whose results were better. When they graduated, they were comparing who had a better job with a higher salary. She reflected on the implications of living like this for her entire life and wondered, “Do I want to pursue fame and fortune all my life? How tiring is that!”

After starting to practice Dafa again as an adult, she especially cherishes this opportunity. “I must practice cultivation to the end. As I have improved my character, I have come to have a clear understanding of one's goal and purpose in life. I'm more open minded and can accept people with different traits. With a different way of looking at things, I discovered how vast, abundant and varied the world is,” she said.

“I consider myself very fortunate; there are only 100 million people practicing Dafa and I am one of them. There is nothing better in life than practicing cultivation. Whether you encounter something good or bad, it is a good thing. Without the teachings of Dafa as guidance, one's heart would be moved by the ups and downs in life. Cultivation is the best way to improve oneself and help others,” she said.

Finding Courage to Face Difficulties

Tai Shuling received a copy of the Minghui newsletter while taking the train to work one summer day in 2002. She learned about Falun Gong through reading the newsletter and then went to the Minghui website. She learned that the practice teaches people to become exceptionally good people.

Tai Shuling turned into a person with self confidence after practicing Dafa.

“It is difficult to be a good person in today's society. How can one be a better person among good people? Out of curiosity, I mustered the courage to learn the exercises at a practice site. There were many phony qigong practices in Taiwan at that time. If it was a sham, I would leave at once. That's how I came to practice Dafa,” she recalled.

She said she overcame many fears after practicing Dafa. “I wouldn't be so confident today if not for Dafa. Perhaps I would suffer from depression, like many people today. I am someone who will retreat when I run into difficulties. Previously, whenever I had problems at work, I never thought of proactively resolving them. Through applying the principles of Dafa, I know what is the right thing to do and have the courage to face difficulties,” she said.

Regrets For Not Practicing Dafa Seriously Sooner

Ma Jialing hopes that more people will realize how wonderful Falun Dafa is.

Ma Jialing works in a technology company in Taipei. She learned about Falun Gong about 10 years ago through her brother, who is a practitioner. But she was trapped in sentiments and did not take the practice seriously. She decided to let go of her attachment to sentimentality in early 2019 and became a diligent practitioner. She shared that she has experienced significant changes physically and mentally after truly practicing cultivation. She has learned to look for her shortcomings and so things have become smoother at work; her relationships with coworkers have become more harmonious. She also recovered from constipation without taking medication. “I truly regret wasting 10 years of my life and nearly missing the opportunity to practice Dafa,” she said.

Jialing used to attend Dafa activities with her brother and his family. This year was the first time she has actively participated in Dafa events after becoming a diligent practitioner. She said she has felt a huge change in her mindset. “I have a clear purpose and feel a sense of responsibility in telling people about Falun Dafa. I hope more people will realize how wonderful this is and the environment in society will become kinder,” she said.

Mother-in-law's Change in Attitude

Yin Xiumei says she experienced a rebirth through practicing Dafa.

Yin Xiumei works for a local government in its tax unit. She confessed that she is an introvert and a boring person. She used to have an unhappy marriage. She was terrified of her mother-in-law, who would scold her for no rhyme or reason. Her husband ignored her, making her feel tense, dismal, and helpless.

In 2002, she attended a teacher's camp organized by Falun Gong practitioners. She was moved by a practitioner's cultivation experience and signed up for an introductory class on the spot. Her whole body felt uncomfortable during the class, but she persisted in going to work and doing her household chores. A week later her husband took her to see the doctor. Her temperature was 39.8 degrees Celsius, but everything else was normal. The doctor was puzzled as to why she had a fever.

She believed her situation was just as Master had said in his lectures and her body was being purified. She decided to practice Dafa and follow Dafa's principles. She gradually learned not to take her mother-in-law's rebukes or her husband's uncaring attitude to heart. Her mother-in-law's verbal lashings became less frequent and someone even complimented her to her mother-in-law, saying that she was an upright person.

“I'm very grateful to Master for teaching Dafa and giving me a new life. I'm always relaxed and joyful these days. I sincerely hope people will get to know how amazing Dafa is,” Xiumei said.

Prodigal Son Finds Dafa

Chen Junnan found a bright path in Falun Dafa.

Chen Junnan stepped into society at the age of 16 and soon started smoking and drinking. He also got into drugs for a short time out of curiosity. After completing national service, he became a gang member. When he reached his 30s, he wanted to stop wasting his life and tried to search for answers in religion, but his efforts were fruitless.

In October 2006, he was working at an aluminum door and window company when a coworker suggested that he attend a Falun Gong introductory class. The first day he couldn't find the venue and missed the class. The second day, led by his coworker, he attended the class and found that after getting home from the class, his 20-year addiction to smoking and drinking had disappeared. “When I did the exercises, my whole body felt relaxed. I felt very light when walking,” he recalled.

Junnan still remembers being impressed by how practitioners treated one another amicably while organizing an experience sharing conference. He had been practicing Dafa for around a month at the time and decided to help out at the conference. He observed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance through the practitioners' behavior. He believed Dafa can truly change people's lives and lead them onto a bright path.

“I thank Master for saving me. Dafa helped me start a new life,” he said.

Guided by the Principles of Dafa

Li Shiwen credits the principles of Dafa with teaching her the right values and giving her a calm state of mind.

Li Shiwen holds a Master's degree from Tainan National University of the Arts. She studied documentaries, and explored whether they were based on the truth, but she felt lost. “The more I studied the more ignorant I became. Many of the so-called truths are derived from one's perspective, so what is the real truth? I found the answer after practicing Dafa,” she said.

She found a job pretty easily after graduating in 2005. Another person who was recruited at the same time happened to be a Falun Gong practitioner. Shiwen began to practice Dafa because of this coworker's recommendation. She said she had been weak since she was a child and her limbs were always cold. The first time they went to the park to do the sitting meditation, her hands and legs felt warm. She then went on to attend a nine-day introductory class and became a practitioner.

Shiwen came from a single parent family. She was brought up by her grandmother because her mother was busy working to support the family. She envied people who grew up in a normal family with parents teaching them values. Without such an upbringing, she had to figure out herself what is right and wrong and how to handle setbacks in life. “When I'm in doubt, I will think of the teachings and act accordingly. Therefore, the more I study Dafa, the steadier my mind becomes. I feel it is such a great honor to be a Falun Dafa practitioner,” she said.

With the principles of Dafa as guidance, Shiwen gained the trust of her employers and was promoted to a managerial position.