(Minghui.org) On May 13, 2023, World Falun Dafa Day, Falun Gong practitioners celebrated in Düsseldorf and Köln, two major cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Practitioners told the public about the practice and called for an end to persecution in China.
Many citizens and tourists stopped to watch the practitioners’ demonstration. After learning about Falun Gong’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and the CCP’s persecution, people signed a petition to show support for practitioners and to protest the persecution. Many people asked where they could learn the exercises.
In Düsseldorf, practitioners taught children how to fold small lotus flowers. While the parents listened to practitioners introduce Falun Gong, the children learned the Falun Gong principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
Practitioners took a group photo to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day, congratulate Master Li on his birthday, and express their gratitude to Master Li for spreading Falun Dafa.
Falun Gong practitioners celebrate the birthday of Falun Gong founder Mr. Li Hongzhi in Düsseldorf
Falun Gong practitioners celebrate the birthday of Falun Gong founder Mr. Li Hongzhi in Cologne
Falun Gong practitioners demonstrate the exercises in Düsseldorf
Passersby talk to Falun Gong practitioners
Pain Therapist: I Believe What You Say Is True
After signing the petition, a woman quietly watched the practitioners do the exercises. She later sat down at the table folding small lotus flowers with children, while asking when and where the local practice sites were.
When practitioners talked about the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and the benefits of cultivation of the body and mind, the woman said: “These are very good guidelines. I believe that people have such spiritual beliefs that are very good for the body. I believe what you say is true.”
When asked why she was so sure, she replied, “I’m Schmerztherapeut [pain management specialist]. I know that spiritual things can really work.”
She told practitioners that she had seen cases where patients could not relieve their pain by taking a lot of medicine, only their own minds could help them.
“Although many good methods are not recognized by [German] health insurance, I know that meditation and calming oneself are very good for people.” She said Falun Gong combines very good ideological principles and gentle movements, “I believe the effect must be very good, and I am willing to try it.”
Salesperson: Learning Online with My Sister in Iran
Soheila, who works in sales, moved to Germany from Iran 23 years ago. As soon as she saw practitioners, she came over excitedly and said: “I was passing through here. When I saw your activities, I thought that I would not leave, I would stay here.”
It turned out that Sohaila had encountered Falun Gong a month ago. “I thought it was incredible to see you practicing quietly with your eyes closed in such a noisy crowd. [At that time] I took a leaflet, sat down in the park, went to the website on the leaflet, and began to learn about Falun Gong. I also practiced a few movements at home and felt more energetic.”
“My sister is in Iran. I also told her about you [Falun Gong] and sent her photos of the event and other information, such as the Falun Gong website. She also felt that this exercise was very good,” she said.
Sohaila told practitioners that she had found the teaching videos on the Internet, and had made an appointment with her sister in Iran to practice online.
“My sister told me that if there is more information about Falun Dafa, I must forward it to her, she wants to know more about you,” she said.
Knowing that it was World Falun Dafa Day, Sohaila expressed her great agreement with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, saying, “It is very good to pass on such a good exercise.”
Senior Practitioner: A Miraculous Experience Set Me on the Road of Cultivation.
Detlef, 67, began practicing Falun Dafa in 1998. He was also one of the earliest Westerners to participate in events. Twenty-five years later, Detlev still remembers his experiences in the early days of cultivation.
At that time, Detlev was at a low point in his life.
“It was 1997, and I had been in two car accidents, and then I lost my job.” Later, he was in very poor health, and sometimes could not get up because of the pain.
Detlev hoped to find a way to get himself healthy. A year later, he saw an introduction to Falun Gong on the Internet. At that time, he only knew that Falun Gong was very popular in China, so he wanted to try it. But, he wondered whether the exercises could have an effect on him, since Master was not around him.
What he experienced completely changed his mind.
“A few weeks later, while practicing the fifth set of exercises, I could clearly feel a slight vibration in my lower abdomen. It could only be that the wheel of law was spinning. Three months later, my celestial eye opened. Once when I was practicing, I suddenly saw Master right in front of me. Of course, he was in another space. His index finger pointed to my celestial eye. I think he was adjusting my celestial eye.”
“I was very shocked. I learned that there really is another space. Master can do a lot of things in another space.”
After a few months of practice, Detlev’s physical condition improved greatly, and many of his symptoms disappeared.
On July 20, 1999, the CCP began to persecute Falun Gong, and Detlev learned about it in Germany. “I was very saddened to see the false reports in the media.” From then until today, Detleff, like other Falun Gong practitioners, has been telling people the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution.
New Practitioner: I Have Been Looking for Dafa for Nine Years
Bayan, a new Falun Gong practitioner, wishes Master a happy birthday
Bayan, from Iraq, immigrated to Germany 28 years ago. A year ago, she entered the door of Falun Dafa cultivation. “I searched for Falun Gong for nine whole years,” she said.
“I went to Washington once in 2013 and saw Falun Gong in the square in front of the White House. There were old and young, and they were all practicing. I thought: Wow, how can those elderly people stay in one position for so long? Why are they so spiritual? I was desperate to find out, so I asked people what they were doing, and someone replied that it was Falun Dafa.”
“When I returned to Germany, I couldn’t remember the name of the exercise. I kept looking on the Internet, but when I entered the keywords such as meditation and exercises, I didn’t find it. Until last year, 2022, I occasionally saw practitioners' activities in downtown, and I immediately recalled the scene [in Washington]. I said to myself excitedly: I finally found it, this is it. I believe this was destiny's guidance.”
After taking up the practice, she has improved her relationship with a colleague: “I think she is very unfair, I work well, but she always accuses me. I often cried out with sadness. After practicing Dafa, I felt a lot calmer inside. Once she criticized me again, and I was no longer as sad as before. I could look into her eyes and explain to her with a calm mind and a peaceful tone. She then seemed to have changed her personality, and suddenly stopped being excited, and calmly replied, ‘Oh, yes.’ Since then, our relationship has improved. I found that by practicing Falun Dafa, I changed myself, and the people around me also changed.”
“I feel that since practicing Falun Dafa, my world has brightened. If more people practiced Falun Dafa, the world would be a better place. Thank you, Master!”
Young Dafa Disciple: I Hope that More Children Could Know Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance
Mai teaches two children to fold small lotus flowers
Nine-year-old Mai was one of the youngest participants in the event. Mai said: “I want to congratulate Master on his birthday, and I also want to come and help teach other children to fold small lotus flowers. The little lotus flower has the words Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance on it. I hope that when folding the little lotus flower with other children, I can also let them know the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
Mai said there are some differences between her and children who do not practice Falun Dafa. “There are children around me who have little patience to read a book. Some students often watch TV and play games, but they don’t exercise much. Unlike them, I read Zhuan Falun almost every day. I also like to do classical Chinese dance and practice it every day,” she said.
She said that dancing movements sometimes hurt, but she tells herself to endure and persevere. When she finally can do it, she feels very happy.
“I often reflect on what happened during the day before going to bed. I ask myself whether I followed what Master taught, and how I could do it better next time.”
“I think I’m happier than a lot of kids around me. Thank you Master for passing Falun Dafa to us.”
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