In recognition of the Chinese New Year, Falun Gong practitioners from Melbourne, assembled at Kings Domain Park to send holiday greetings to Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong.
At the event, three practitioners talked about their experiences cultivating Falun Gong and expressed their appreciation to Master Li.
Marie Helene Lambert is a speech pathologist from Canada. She and her husband drove 60 miles to the event with their two young sons.
Marie started to practice Falun Gong in 2009 with her then-boyfriend when she visited Melbourne. Back home in Quebec, Canada, she went to the local exercise site.
“My cultivation journey didn’t really start until I read Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Gong,” Marie said. “That made me realize how special Falun Gong is. I’ve changed. My view of the world changed. I knew that I’d found something really precious.”
Following the guiding principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, Marie found that her relationships improved.
“When I have conflicts with my husband, or my sons don’t listen to me, I look inside for my own faults. I change my thoughts and calm down and then the conflicts usually disappear. My thoughts and behaviors are now closer to Truthfulness,” she said.
Marie feels that Master Li Hongzhi is with all practitioners all the time, protecting and guiding them on their cultivation journeys, so she wanted to take this opportunity to thank Master Li for all he has given her.
Hang Nguyen, a Vietnamese interior designer, started practicing Falun Gong in 2016. A friend of hers was so seriously ill that the doctor said she only had one year to live. By practicing Falun Gong, however, she recovered and encouraged Ms. Nguyen to join her.
Nguyen downloaded Zhuan Falun, which is free of charge, and was deeply touched by the teachings.
“This was what I had been looking for. Since I was very young, I had looked for a great master to teach me how to be a genuinely good person. I couldn’t find one in Vietnam. Every time I felt tired or angry, I wished I had a master, who could guide me to a place where I could find peace,” she said.
Nguyen told her mother, sisters, and many friends about Falun Gong.
“Falun Gong has had a profound impact on my life. Now I am trying to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. When I do, I find a lot of things are very simple. Before, my thoughts and behaviors were complicated and my life was complicated. But, now, everything is simple. I have found my true self. I don’t have to conceal my real self.
“The people I know are happy to see the way I’ve changed, especially my father. I had a bad relationship with him before. We always fought and could not even have a conversation. But now, we can talk calmly. He supports my practicing Falun Gong,” Nguyen said.
“I cannot express my appreciation to Master Li in words. Without his teachings, I don’t know what I would be like now.”
