(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners had a booth at the Body Mind Spirit Expo in Tampa, Florida, June 10-11, 2023, where they introduced the many benefits of Falun Dafa to the public. 

Nate, a young man from Tampa, had not expected to experience such a meaningful weekend. He had seen an advertisement for the expo and decided to check it out. He said he had wanted to give other qigong practices a try, since he had practiced qigong in the past. He was drawn to the Falun Dafa booth after seeing practitioners at the booth in their signature yellow T-shirts near a banner that read “Falun Dafa, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” and a poster of a woman doing Falun Dafa’s fifth meditation practice. When Nate stopped at the booth, a practitioner greeted him and talked to him about Falun Dafa.

Practitioners at the Body Mind Spirit Expo introduced Falun Dafa to the residents of Tampa, Florida.

Nate told a practitioner that he had been searching for a qigong practice that could guide him toward a higher level of cultivation. The practitioner told Nate that Falun Dafa is a cultivation practice of both mind and body, and gave detailed information about the basic principles of Falun Dafa. Nate was very interested. 

The practitioner then taught Nate Falun Dafa’s five sets of exercises. Nate was impressed by the soothing and relaxed exercise movements and decided to attend the longer presentation given by Falun Dafa practitioners. He also took the contact information about an exercise site close to him. 

Nick, a Falun Dafa practitioner (right), teaches Nate the fifth exercise, a seated meditation.

The expo attracted many people, and local residents came in groups to inquire about Falun Dafa. Many had already learned about qigong, Tai chi and yoga in the past and wanted to find out more about Falun Dafa.

Practitioners told people that Falun Dafa was the most popular and well-received qigong practice in China in the 1990s. “Millions of people were seen practicing Falun Dafa in different parks all across China after the introduction of the practice in 1992. However, this is no longer the case since the launch of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) nationwide persecution of Falun Dafa in 1999. The CCP instigated a long, ongoing and brutal persecution,” a practitioner explained.

A Falun Dafa practitioner from China gave his personal account of the persecution. He stated that the CCP brainwashes Chinese people by preventing them from having the freedom of thought, and it controls their freedom of belief. Some people were moved to tears after hearing about the brutal persecution, and the perseverance of Falun Dafa practitioners. 

A Falun Dafa practitioner shares his first-hand experience of the persecution.

A room was designated for practitioners to give a 45-minute Falun Dafa presentation, where they introduced the practice, taught the exercises and answered questions. Participants enjoyed learning the exercises. Practitioners also shared how they’ve benefitted from practicing Falun Dafa. 

Participants in a special session learn the second Falun Dafa exercise.

People learn Falun Dafa’s first standing exercise. 

Lisa, from St. Petersburg, Florida, told practitioners that she is a Buddhist. She was in tears upon learning of Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

Jessie, an Asian woman, stated, “I understand and admire practitioner’s faith in Falun Dafa. The principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance embody a high realm and not everyone is able to achieve this state.”

Another woman had picked up a Shen Yun flyer when she stopped at the practitioners’ booth at an earlier health expo. She had actually gone to see Shen Yun, and she shared, “Watching Shen Yun changed my life. I am grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to watch Shen Yun.”

A couple was touched and in tears after listening to practitioners discuss the persecution in China. They were glad that they had not missed the practitioners’ booth. They live close to a group practice site and expressed interest in learning Falun Dafa.