(Minghui.org) The community in Frankston, a coastal suburb in Melbourne, is representative of Australia’s diverse and multicultural population. Practitioners from Australia, as well as people from the UK, Ireland, Malaysia, Turkey, Poland, and Romania, come here every Monday to do the Falun Dafa exercises.

Dafa disciples of various ethnicities in Melbourne wish Master Li a Happy New Year!

Although Melbourne has been under lockdown for the past two years due to the COVID pandemic, practitioners have continued to maintain the practice site in Frankston while following government restrictions. They introduce the benefits of practicing Falun Dafa to local residents and raise awareness of the ongoing persecution in China.

Many people are attracted to the melodious exercise music and say they can feel the pure, calm, powerful energy field as practitioners do the exercises. When they learn about the brutal suppression in China, they express support for practitioners who are peacefully resisting the atrocities. Many ask what they can do to help end the persecution.

As practitioners at the practice site recalled how they started to practice cultivation, they all said they are grateful to Master for everything he has done for them. On the occasion of Chinese New Year, they send New Year greetings to Master and resolve to try their best to share with others how wonderful Falun Dafa is.

Practitioners from the Frankston practice site in Melbourne wish Master Li a Happy Chinese New Year!

Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life

Dafa disciples at the practice site in Frankston did the exercises together and sent their best wishes to Master Li for a Happy Chinese New Year.

Juliana Turcu was a sculptor and curator in the Modern Arts Museum in Romania before she moved to Australia. She began to practice Falun Dafa in 1997. She and her family were one of the first Western practitioners in Melbourne.

“My daughter gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun. After reading it, I was drawn to Master’s teachings. I said to my daughter, ‘Do you realize how important this book is? How serious this cultivation way is?’ My daughter had the same thoughts as me.

“Soon after I began practicing Falun Dafa, all my gynecological problems and physical discomfort went away. Since 1997, I have not had any health issues. I will be 76 this year—but I have not seen a doctor for 25 years. My whole attitude towards life changed.”

She quit her alcohol addiction. It was only then that she realized how harmful alcohol was to one’s body because Master opened her celestial eye. She said, “I can actually see that when people drink alcohol, certain bad things control them.

“I felt more rational. Practicing cultivation changed my life completely. I am full of energy and I am fit. I am happy and relaxed every day. It is amazing not to be bothered by external matters, especially in today’s troubled times with the pandemic because I found purpose and meaning in life. I work hard and cultivate diligently every day. I hope everyone can live by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.”

Juliana Turc wishes Master a Happy Chinese New Year. She thanks Master for leading her to the path of cultivation and a life of joy.

Soothing Exercise Music Helps People Find Inner Peace

Natalie Durkovic wishes Master Li a Happy Chinese New Year.

Natalie Durkovic, an experienced trainer who was introduced to Falun Dafa by a good friend, began to practice in 2005. She said, “I was looking for a cultivation way to help me balance my life. I tried many things before I found Dafa.”

She suddenly had a strong desire to contact a good friend while traveling overseas. “As soon as I returned to Australia, I contacted him. He told me how wonderful Dafa is and that it is free to learn. I knew this was what I had been searching for.

“My friend gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun and asked me to read it three times. After reading it, I felt everything in my body change for the better. Bad things were removed, leaving the good things.”

Natalie said she was tormented by lung disease before she began practicing. She was afraid she would not live to see her son grow up. “Soon after I started practicing Falun Dafa, I recovered completely. Through studying the Fa regularly, I was able to deal with life’s problems rationally. My perspective on life changed as Master revealed the truth on the universe and this world. Guided by the teachings, I am able to live a carefree life.

“I learned to be kind to myself and to treat others with kindness, because I understood the significance of my life. Now I treasure every being.”

Natalie started to go to the Frankston exercise site in 2006. “We do the exercises by the beach and it is wonderful. During the lockdown, many people go out to exercise because they feel unwell and they are drawn to us.

“They sit down and listen to our exercise music. They even share with us the unhappy things they encounter. They’ve said that, by sitting next to us and listening to the peaceful, soothing music, it helps them find inner peace. I found this peace through practicing Falun Dafa and I hope everyone can benefit from the practice like me.

“I would like to wish Master a Happy Chinese New Year. Thank you for everything you have done to lead us back to our true origin.”

Doing the Exercises Outdoors Gives People Hope

Alex Joseph sends New Year greetings to Master Li.

Alex Joseph works as a social media manager. He moved to Australia from the UK with his wife in 2019.

“I found Falun Dafa on the Internet in 2012. I was looking for a cultivation way that included meditation. To my amazement, my wish came true. I found a video clip of Master Li doing the exercises and the words ‘Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.’ I knew this was the cultivation way I had been searching for. I knew Falun Dafa was an upright practice when I learned it was taught free of charge.

“By reading the teachings and doing the exercises, within a short period of time, all my anxieties, depressing thoughts, and feelings of self-doubt disappeared. I became more confident and at peace because I let go of my selfish attachments. Now, I can treat people around me with kindness.”

Joseph has been doing the exercises at the Frankston practice site for nearly two years. He said, “In the summer, the scenery around us is breathtaking. We do the exercises by the beach, and people can see us when they stroll along the pier. Some come over to take a flier. Others stop in their tracks and ask us about Falun Dafa. We also tell them about the persecution in China.

“Some residents said they felt encouraged by our actions. In the past two years, Melbourne was put under one of the strictest lockdowns around the world. At one point, we were not allowed to go outside at night and only two people could go outdoors to do the exercises at any one time. Yet we never stopped doing our exercises outside. People said they felt encouraged by our unwavering spirit.

“In the cold winter, when nearby residents leave their homes to go to the beach for a breath of fresh air, they can see us. They sit down to listen to the exercise music. A man once said he felt uplifted after listening to our music. A woman said she found hope watching us do the exercises.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to practice Falun Dafa. I wish Master Li a Happy Chinese New Year.”

Many People Want to Learn Falun Dafa

Cansin Goldring wishes Master a Happy New Year.

Cansin Goldring is a teacher from Turkey. She found a practice site in Melbourne in 2001 after watching a documentary on TV introducing Falun Dafa.

She said, “The Falun Dafa practitioners in Australia in the documentary spoke about the persecution practitioners in China are enduring for refusing to give up their belief. They also shared how wonderful it is to live by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I did not know anything about cultivation, but at that moment, I had a strong wish: I wanted to learn Falun Dafa.”

Goldring used to have severe heart disease, but a few months after she began practicing, she recovered and has been healthy ever since.

She said, “I try to go to the Frankston practice site every week. Many local residents and visitors pass by the area. They are very interested after seeing us do the exercises.

“People approach us, wanting to learn this beautiful, tranquil exercise. I think everyone in the world should practice Falun Dafa. The world needs Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and people will benefit from it because these are universal values. If you ask me what my wish for the new year is, that would be to end the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of practitioners. I hope all practitioners can practice Falun Dafa freely.

“I consider myself lucky to have found Falun Dafa many years ago. I found purpose in life. I sincerely wish Master a Happy Lunar New Year and thank him for giving me health. I will try my best to let more people know about Falun Dafa.”

Stuart Martin wishes Master a Happy New Year.

Stuart Martin started to practice Falun Dafa 21 years ago in 2000. He said, “My mother and I found Falun Dafa at a health expo in Melbourne. My mother first took up the practice. I saw all the positive changes she went through and decided to practice it, too. I was 18 then.”

Martin used to be allergic to many things and his spine was crooked. “Within a short period of time, all my allergies went away and my back became straight. I used to be very thin. I gained weight after practicing Dafa. Since then, I have been fit and healthy.

“I go the Frankston practice site in the summer. It gets very busy and people often ask us to learn the exercises on the spot. People frequently stop to ask for more information and take fliers. It is an excellent location to interact with people as there is the beach and a pier. People can come here for picnics and take their dogs out for walks.

“I recall one time when a woman was so moved she wanted to hug every one of us. I feel that if we persist in doing the exercises here, it is an inspiration to people to return to their normal lives after the pandemic. We talk to them about the teachings of Falun Dafa. The world would be a better place if we can help more people understand the universal values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”

“I wish Master a Happy Lunar New Year and thank him for guiding me on the path of cultivation.”

You Can Resolve Any Problem by Following Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance

Garry Kearns wishes Master Li a Happy Chinese New Year.

Garry Kearns worked for a health website before he retired. He began to practice Falun Dafa in 2016 after a friend told him about it. He was practicing other things when the friend sent him a passage from Zhuan Falun. He immediately understood that Falun Dafa was a righteous way and that Master Li is a true Master. He then watched Master’s lectures in Guangzhou.

Garry said he threw away everything in his home related to the ways he had been practicing. “By reading Zhuan Falun, I knew I must change my ways.

“I only weighed 51 kgs before I practiced Dafa. I had problems with my thyroid, I had no strength in my back. On top of that, I had skin cancer. I realized all this was caused by karma. After studying the Fa for one week, I felt full of energy and my weight increased. My mind became clear and I was able to let go of many bad thoughts.

“My life changed tremendously. I got along better with others because I stopped judging everyone. I worked hard to get rid of jealousy and resentment. I was willing to listen to other peoples’ opinions. I learned to respect everyone, especially my family and friends.

“In Zhuan Falun, Master answered my questions about science and history, opening my vision and giving me wisdom. I saw the truth of the broad universe. I follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in my life. Although these three words appear simple, they can solve any problem.

“I wish Master a Happy Chinese New Year. Thank you for teaching me the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It can bring people a beautiful future.”

Thank You, Master, for Giving Me the Most Precious Gift

Patrick Murphy wishes Master Li a Happy Lunar New Year.

Patrick Murphy works at a railroad safety company. Born in Ireland, he moved to Australia with his family in 1977 when he was 5.

Around 2004 and 2005, he had questions about who he was and the meaning of life.

“I was not able to understand things that were happening in society. I had no goal in life. After finishing a project, I lost my job. I then went to the library to borrow some books and one of them was Master Li’s Falun Gong.”

The book astonished him. “I photocopied all the images of the exercises in the book and began to mimic the movements. I did not know there was exercise music then nor did I know if anyone else was practicing Falun Dafa in Melbourne.

“A few weeks later, everything changed. My life began moving in a positive direction. I began to realize everything Master said in his book was true. I did not yet have a computer so I returned to the library to look for more information on Falun Dafa. I found the practice site in Frankston.”

The first time he went there, practitioners told him Zhuan Falun was the main book. “The next day, I got a copy and read it from cover to cover in one day. I knew I was able to let go of everything in this world. The principles taught in the book were an eye-opener for me.”

Practitioners at the Frankston practice site invited Murphy to their home to watch Master’s taped lectures in Guangzhou. He began to read one lecture in Zhuan Falun and do the five exercises every day.

“I recalled one time at the practice site, a four-year-old girl wanted to learn the exercises. I taught her the movements and was surprised by how focused she was. She asked her mother if she could give me a hug because she was so grateful to learn the exercises. It is a special memory for me.

“I am fortunate to have found Falun Dafa. It changed my life and made me understand my true purpose in life. Thank you, Master, for giving me the most precious gift. Happy Chinese New Year!”