(Clearwisdom.net) On Sunday the 10th of October 2004 the main newspaper of Puerto Rico -- El Nuevo Dia -- published a three-page article about Falun Dafa and the five years of persecution that those who practice it have been subjected to. The article focused on an interview with a European practitioner who was visiting Puerto Rico and was featured on the cover of their Sunday supplement 'Por Dentro.'

If one hundred million people are practicing the "art of cultivation," an oriental discipline that aspires to improve the quality of the body and the spirit, the big question mark is why the Chinese Government maintains a policy of persecution against its followers. We are talking about Falun Dafa, a discipline that originated in ancient China with the aim to improve every aspect of the human being: the body, the mind and the spirit.

It is not considered a religion nor a [slanderous term omitted], neither is it a hierarchical organization, even less so an organization looking for profit. "It is apolitical; it does not violate any structure whatsoever," says Pia-Maria Sandas, a former model from Finland who has practiced this discipline for five years and who was visiting our island last week.

Also known as Falun Gong, this art promotes the use of exercises and meditation in order to improve the quality of a human being's life. As well as the five basic exercises that should be practiced, this practice is not complete without integrating the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance.

Its resemblance to Tai-chi or yoga is evident, but only in terms of observing the practice of the exercises, Pia-Maria assures: "The essence of Falun Dafa goes far beyond."

"Starting to practice this discipline is like taking a shower to cleanse the body, the mind and the spirit. It influences the whole being in a very powerful way. Today I relate so much better with others, and my family has perceived my inner peace," affirms this young lady of thirty six years who currently resides between Madrid and New York.

Universal Principles

The principles of Falun Dafa are universal. They have nothing to do with race, age, ethnic group or culture. This form of "cultivation" has spread through the world in a silent but consistent way, and is now practiced in between forty and sixty countries after having been introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in 1992.

Falun Dafa was practiced in private for centuries in remote parts of China, where the technique was transmitted from Master to disciple, perpetuating through many generations. The practitioners of this discipline claim immediate improvements in their health, the purification of their minds, and an increased capacity to understand the world that surrounds us.

Falun Dafa has also helped many people to get away from bad habits such as addiction to cigarettes, drugs and alcohol, Sandas assures. "There are scientific proofs to support the benefits, the reason why also many doctors and psychiatrist have opted for this practice," adds the executive, who after having left a career in fashion modeling and television, currently works at an international level as the PR and Product Training Manager for an international cosmetic company.

"As a fashion model I constantly traveled, and with each passing day I found myself in a more and more superficial world, and I truly lacked internal peace. It was through my karate teacher that I discovered Falun Dafa, and I noticed that it was something very special that could be very good for me as well for humanity," she continues in a convincing voice.

The positive change that Sandas says she experienced was not something "magical," or the product of a "trance state" while doing the five basic exercises. "I suffered from a lot of depression and was very egocentric. My problems began to resolve little by little when I started incorporating the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance into my daily life, and later I started sharing this with others as well," she explains.

It was in this way she says she discovered an inner strength that she was not aware of. It fulfilled a need that she had not been able to fulfil before, and all this without having to pay a single cent. "The fact that it was free also caught my attention. It is something so beautiful that it does not have a price," she emphasizes.

Sandas also states that there is no special ritual. One session of exercises can last about 1 hour and fifteen minutes or more. They can be practiced any time of the day and in any place, including your home or your work environment.

The teachings of Falun Dafa are available on the Internet by visiting the webpage www.falundafa.org, where one can download the teachings, the explanations of the exercises and the music for the exercises and the meditation for free.

Cover of the newspaper's Sunday supplement	Double page article spread

The Persecution Has No Limits

July 22nd 1999 is a historical date for the followers of Falun Dafa. The Chinese authorities of the Communist Party outlawed the practice on that day, labeling it as "superstitious" and "bad."

A group of analysts and China specialists agree that there may be three main reasons for the persecution against the followers of the practice.

Six years after it began spreading there were 100 million practitioners in the country, becoming in this way the largest voluntary organization in China, even larger than the Communist Party.

On the other hand, it is believed that that many government leaders who specialize in ideological battles want to generate social unrest to therefore create a cause which can later serve them to gain political power. In addition, it is also believed that the central government maintains the belief that some sort of political rival or a "brain" that disapproves of Communism is behind Falun Dafa.

What is certain is that China, a leader in technology and industrialization but very poor when it comes to recognizing human rights, has taken this situation to a dangerous extreme. Sandas states that around one thousand people have been confirmed dead by torture while under police custody, although officially it was declared they died of natural causes or suicide.

The followers of Falun Dafa, when detained by the authorities, are exposed to tortures that include beatings, mutilation, rape, and injections with drugs that damage the nervous system, among other practices.

"Amnesty International has documented some cases and right now there are around one hundred thousand people in jails. This is the reason why a global effort is needed to support the cause," Sandas affirms, with the hope to generate awareness among the Puerto Ricans. "There are so many who have benefited and now we want to promote it. And it would be a crime not to say what is happening to these people."

Among the cases that the ex-model emphasizes most is that of Jane Dai, one of her best friends, whose husband died after being tortured for his spiritual beliefs. In a mission similar to that of Sandas's, now the woman travels the world with her small daughter Fadu Chen to tell her story.

"I know that it is possible to live without suffering so much. The key is in finding inner peace and wanting to share it with others. That is all we want to achieve with Falun Dafa," she said about the practice which has been praised by governments in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia.

Source: http://clearharmony.net/articles/200410/22813.html