(Minghui.org) On the morning of May 8, 2021, Falun Dafa practitioners from the Dallas-Fort Worth area came to Russell Creek Park in the city of Plano to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day and the 29th anniversary of the public introduction of the practice. They also wished the founder of Falun Dafa, Mr. Li Hongzhi, a happy 70th birthday.

Falun Dafa practitioners in the Dallas-Fort Worth area congratulate Master Li Hongzhi on his 70th birthday.

On May 13, 1992, Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, taught the practice to the public for the first time. Since then, 100 million people worldwide have reaped its benefits. In the year 2000, May 13 was designated as World Falun Dafa Day, and this year marks its twenty-second year. Falun Dafa practitioners in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have gathered annually in early May to celebrate this sacred day and express their gratitude to Master Li.

Practitioners in the Dallas-Fort Worth area celebrate World Falun Dafa Day by practicing the exercises at Russell Creek Park.

Practitioners unfurled a large banner saying “Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day” and did the exercises in bright yellow T-shirts and white pants. The beautiful sight attracted residents who came to the park to ask for information about the practice.

People were attracted by the group practice and came to learn more.

People Happy to Learn about Falun Dafa

Carolyn, who lives in Euless, Texas, was jogging in Russell Creek Park while waiting for her children who were attending a race when she ran into the practitioners. After talking with them, she was very interested and said she would give it a try when she got home.

A pedestrian named Steven came to learn more about Falun Dafa and said he would come back with his wife to learn it later.

The practitioners taught people how to do the five sets of exercises and talked about the benefits of living by Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Practitioners also told them about the ongoing persecution of Falun Dafa in China.

“I Am So Lucky to be Able to Practice Falun Dafa”

More than twenty years ago, Ms. Zhang received her MBA in the United States and was offered a coveted job at a prestigious technology company in Texas. Her career was going well, but she had many unanswered questions about life. She wondered if life was about getting a good job, a house, a car, forming a family, and saving for retirement. While many people pursue these things, Ms. Zhang was skeptical that this was the meaning of life. She was also unclear about how to live morally.

One day in 1997, she saw an advertisement for a free Falun Gong seminar in a local Chinese newspaper, so she went to learn the practice. When she got home and gave the first set of exercises a try, the symptoms of a bad cold she was suffering from disappeared as if they had never happened. She felt that this practice was so amazing that she began to read the main book of Falun Gong, Zhuan Falun. The book explained that by following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, one can have their mind and body purified and return to their original self, which is the purpose of life.

After she learned Dafa, Ms. Zhang feels energetic and healthy. She strives to be a better person and measures her behaviors against the standard of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. She feels that her life is fulfilled and peaceful. When she runs into conflicts at home and at work, she remembers the teachings of Falun Dafa, considers others before herself, and treats people with tolerance.

“As I continue to cultivate, my character is improving and I realize that any hurdle or difficulty is an opportunity to improve myself. I often ask myself if there is anything I can do to improve further. I can see things from a broader perspective. I am able to take things lightly and let them go easily. Work and life have become smooth and harmonious,” she said.

“I’ve become more efficient at work since I learned the practice, and I think of others first at work. When there was a shortage of staff in the finance department, the company asked me to take over the job of finance manager while I was in charge of operations. This was unprecedented in the company. I accepted the challenge without complaint and with optimism,” she said. Now, her global operations continue to perform well, and the team has had blockbuster sales.

Ms. Zhang and her daughter participate in group exercises to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day.

Ms. Zhang often brings the goodness of cultivation to the people around her. Whenever she has an opportunity, she introduces Falun Dafa to her colleagues and superiors. When it comes to her children, she also talks with her daughters in accordance with Dafa’s principles; now both of her daughters have taken up the practice. Ms. Zhang reflected, “Looking back on my 20 years of cultivation, I am grateful to Master beyond words, and I am so lucky to be able to practice Falun Dafa in this life!”

Chinese version available

Category: Dafa Day Celebrations