WASHINGTON—Over 3,000 Falun Dafa practitioners from around the world attended an experience-sharing conference at DAR Constitution Hall, in Washington, DC on Saturday. Among those who spoke at the conference was the founder of Falun Dafa, Mr. Li Hongzhi.
Mr. Li spoke for about 30 minutes to an attentive audience who frequently interrupted his remarks with applause. In his talk he discussed how Falun Dafa practitioners could improve. When he left the stage, the audience rose to give him a standing ovation and Mr. Li was presented with flowers by the conference’s hostess.
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) is a self-improvement practice that involves doing five meditative exercises and living according to the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Adherents describe Falun Dafa as a “cultivation practice”—through Falun Dafa the practitioner cultivates him or herself physically and spiritually.
At experience sharing conferences, adherents of Falun Dafa give talks about the challenges they have faced and the improvements they have made through their practice of Falun Dafa. The practitioners say they seek by recounting what they have learned in their path of cultivation both to improve themselves and to benefit those who listen to the talks.
Practitioners of Falun Dafa have reported extraordinary health benefits. One speaker at the conference told of how a chronic heart condition had been healed after she began practicing Falun Dafa.
All of the practitioners related in one way or the other how they have sought to improve morally. For instance, the last speaker at the conference, Mr. Dana Churchill of Los Angeles, described how he had come to realize that he had lacked true compassion and how he had then sought to become more compassionate in his dealings with others.
Falun Dafa, which Mr. Li first taught publicly in 1992, is now practiced in 114 countries. Practitioners from around the world came to this conference.
CONTINUED on Page 2...
Mr. Li spoke for about 30 minutes to an attentive audience who frequently interrupted his remarks with applause. In his talk he discussed how Falun Dafa practitioners could improve. When he left the stage, the audience rose to give him a standing ovation and Mr. Li was presented with flowers by the conference’s hostess.
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) is a self-improvement practice that involves doing five meditative exercises and living according to the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Adherents describe Falun Dafa as a “cultivation practice”—through Falun Dafa the practitioner cultivates him or herself physically and spiritually.
At experience sharing conferences, adherents of Falun Dafa give talks about the challenges they have faced and the improvements they have made through their practice of Falun Dafa. The practitioners say they seek by recounting what they have learned in their path of cultivation both to improve themselves and to benefit those who listen to the talks.
Practitioners of Falun Dafa have reported extraordinary health benefits. One speaker at the conference told of how a chronic heart condition had been healed after she began practicing Falun Dafa.
All of the practitioners related in one way or the other how they have sought to improve morally. For instance, the last speaker at the conference, Mr. Dana Churchill of Los Angeles, described how he had come to realize that he had lacked true compassion and how he had then sought to become more compassionate in his dealings with others.
Falun Dafa, which Mr. Li first taught publicly in 1992, is now practiced in 114 countries. Practitioners from around the world came to this conference.
CONTINUED on Page 2...
Ms. Cansin Goldring, a resident of Australia who is originally from Turkey, described the tribulations she had encountered as she sought to bring Shen Yun Performing Arts to Istanbul to perform. Her account was full of good humor and remarkable events. For instance, she managed in one day to meet in succession with four different Turkish governors, officials whom ordinary citizens normally have great difficulty getting to see at all, and obtained approval for the performance from each.
She had to go to such lengths simply to stage a theatrical performance featuring traditional Chinese dance and music because of the opposition of the Chinese communist regime.
Since July 1999, the Chinese regime has persecuted Falun Gong practitioners inside China and tried to suppress the practice of Falun Gong outside China.
Shen Yun’s performances have typically been sponsored by Falun Dafa Associations, and since Shen Yun began performing in 2006-2007, the Chinese regime consular officials have sought to interfere with the company.
Ms. Goldring’s story of pluck and determination helped show why the Chinese regime’s efforts at interference have almost always failed.
The experience-sharing conference was one of several events attended by the Falun Gong practitioners who had gathered in DC. On Thursday afternoon there was a rally on the Capitol lawn at which U.S. congressmen and heads of NGOs spoke about their opposition to the persecution of Falun Gong and on Thursday night there was a candlelight vigil at the Washington Monument honoring practitioners who have been killed during the persecution. Friday featured a parade through DC.
She had to go to such lengths simply to stage a theatrical performance featuring traditional Chinese dance and music because of the opposition of the Chinese communist regime.
Since July 1999, the Chinese regime has persecuted Falun Gong practitioners inside China and tried to suppress the practice of Falun Gong outside China.
Shen Yun’s performances have typically been sponsored by Falun Dafa Associations, and since Shen Yun began performing in 2006-2007, the Chinese regime consular officials have sought to interfere with the company.
Ms. Goldring’s story of pluck and determination helped show why the Chinese regime’s efforts at interference have almost always failed.
The experience-sharing conference was one of several events attended by the Falun Gong practitioners who had gathered in DC. On Thursday afternoon there was a rally on the Capitol lawn at which U.S. congressmen and heads of NGOs spoke about their opposition to the persecution of Falun Gong and on Thursday night there was a candlelight vigil at the Washington Monument honoring practitioners who have been killed during the persecution. Friday featured a parade through DC.
