(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners in New Zealand gathered at Wellington, the capital’s Cuba Street on May 15, 2021, to celebrate May 13th World Falun Dafa Day.
The celebration event this year received congratulatory letters from New Zealand’s Action Party, ACT’s foreign diplomat spokesperson, Mr. Brooke van Velden, Rotorua’s district councilor, Mr. Reynold MacPherson, and Waikato’s district councilor, Ms. Kathy White.
In the letters, the government officials expressed their support for Falun Dafa, and acknowledgment of Falun Dafa's principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. They wished success for the celebratory event. Councilor, Ms. Kathy White thanked the Falun Dafa practitioners for persisting in their kindness and tolerance, defending the freedom to speak and believe, and defending world peace.
Practitioners in New Zealand held a parade to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day.
Waist drum performance was welcomed by passersby.
Falun Dafa exercise demonstration was peaceful and graceful.
During the celebratory event, the waist-drum troupe’s performance was joyous, while the exercise demonstration by the Faun Dafa practitioners was graceful. The event was welcomed by passersby. The practitioners who were dressed in traditional Chinese costumes clarified the truth about Falun Dafa, and the ongoing persecution in China. At the gathering, three practitioners shared their cultivation stories.
Falun Dafa Practitioners Thank Master for His Benevolent Salvation
Diana Liu (right) cultivates in Falun Dafa together with her son.
Falun Dafa practitioner, Diana Liu, spoke of when she first started cultivating in Falun Dafa.
“When I opened the first page of Zhuan Falun,” she said, “I felt a tremor in my heart. The profound Fa principles in the book captivated me so that I finished reading all the Falun Dafa books within three days. I understood that the purpose of life is to return back to one’s true self. Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance is the universe’s characteristics at the highest level. It is also the only standard that measures if a person is good or bad.”
She continued, “I finally found an answer to my questions about life and the universe. I am just like a lost child who found the way home. I know that I found my life’s place to return to. I am extremely lucky.”
“Very quickly, I experienced the cleansing of the body that was mentioned in the book. My digestive system used to be very bad. Since I started cultivating in Falun Dafa, my health problems disappeared and I had never had any health problems since then. I am deeply grateful to Master.”
“Through studying Falun Dafa, I learned that we must be selfless. When conflicts arise, I will take a step back to think about the other party’s understanding. I try to understand his/her feelings and emotions instead of just caring about myself. Although sometimes I will be on the losing side, I can maintain calmness and a harmonic life, and no longer feel anxious and stressed out. I do not need to worry about tomorrow, and losses and gains will no longer face me.”
Diana continued, “My life became very relaxed and bright. Dafa bestowed me with true bliss and calm. Having a healthy body and a calm soul is the greatest guarantee of bliss. This is what humankind has been seeking their whole lives, but Master bestowed both of these to me. I am so lucky, thus I want to tell Master, thank you Master!”
Falun Dafa Taught Me to Become a Better Person
Ivy Guo was born in the 1990s and started to cultivate in Falun Dafa when she was in senior high school. This ancient traditional Chinese style of cultivation has brought benefits to her body and mind.
“Before cultivating my body I experienced problems. I often had migraines and I caught the flu easily. I was taking all sorts of Chinese and Western medicines and health supplements to improve my body’s unhealthy state. However, not long after cultivating in Falun Dafa, all the discomforts in my body disappeared. I truly experienced having a light body that is free from illnesses.”
Now, Ivy practices the five Falun Dafa exercises every day. “Falun Dafa not only cleanses my body,” she said, “ it keeps guiding me in how to become a better person. In my daily life and work, I try to practice the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. I learned how to look within, and to think about others’ needs first. It is Falun Dafa that changed my competitive character. When conflicts arose, I learned to take a step back. I try my best to think about problems from the perspective of the other person. Because of this, my manager trusted me very much and complimented me for my work.”
Falun Dafa Brought My Family a Healthy Body and Mind
Max Liu started cultivating in Falun Dafa together with his parents when he was 12 years old. He witnessed the fact that his mother’s illnesses, such as headaches and vomiting disappeared after she started her cultivation in Falun Dafa. In the past, his parents would often quarrel, but after cultivating in Falun Dafa, the entire family became harmonious.
Max and his parents have been cultivating for 22 years and everyone in his family has a healthy mind and body. He likes to meditate and do the exercises as this can make his mind and body relax.
Max remembers well, “The crux of cultivation is to follow the guidance of Zhuan Falun and abide by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance and to be a good person.” He said that he will try his best to do better in the future so as to repay his gratitude to Master.
Supporting Falun Dafa Practitioners’ Peaceful Resistance Against the Persecution
Enjoying the Waist Drum Performance
Anna Maria works in the New Zealand government sector, Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
She enjoyed the performance by the waist-drum troupe. When she heard that there is an over 80 years old elderly member in the performing troupe, she was astonished, “This is too miraculous,” she said.” They are full of vigor just like the youngsters who are 30 years old. I could not imagine that they were over 80 years old.” When Anna learned that they were able to have such healthy bodies and are full of vigor because of their cultivation in Falun Dafa, she immediately said that she wants to gain a better understanding of Falun Dafa.
When she heard that such a wonderful practice is prohibited by the China Communist Party (CCP) and the Falun Dafa practitioners in China will even be arrested, beaten and persecuted for their faith, Anna felt very alarmed and angry. She said that she wants to support the Falun Dafa practitioners in their peaceful resistance.
Hoping to Find the Time to Practice Dafa
David Hepburn is the business development manager of a construction materials company. He is from Scotland and came to New Zealand 35 years ago. He said that he first heard about Falun Dafa outside the Auckland Chinese Embassy. Many Falun Dafa practitioners were protesting against the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa at the time. He stopped and listened to Falun Dafa practitioners talking about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa.
David said, “I believe that Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance is beneficial to humankind and the entire society, and that Falun Dafa is good for people’s mind and body.” He hoped that he could make the time to practice Falun Dafa.
Practitioners are Kind People
Xiao Xue is over 30 years old. She came from Hunan, China. She said that in the past, she kept believing in the propaganda about Dafa by the CCP. After the Falun Dafa practitioners explained the truth to her, she realized that the Tiananmen ‘self-immolation’ incident was staged by the CCP.
Falun Dafa practitioners are actually kind people who do not take lives. Therefore, she quit the Communist Youth League. She said that she felt especially tranquil and nice when she is near practitioners, and she wants to share what she has seen and heard here today with her family and friends.
Practitioners are Terrific
A tourist from Australia said that he heard about Falun Dafa in Australia. He knew about the persecution of Falun Dafa that is happening in China. He felt that Falun Dafa practitioners are really terrific. They are always peaceful and rational and they never give up.
Another tourist from Christchurch said that he can see Falun Dafa practitioners doing the exercises almost every day. He expressed his admiration for them.
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