(Minghui.org) With the Chinese New Year fast approaching, Falun Dafa practitioners in Taipei gathered at the Banqiao Civic Center on January 28 to read the Fa teachings and do the exercises together. Afterward they went to Huajiang Riverside Park and took a group photo to wish the founder of the practice, Mr. Li Hongzhi, a Happy New Year. 

During the group discussion, several practitioners shared how they align themselves with Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, as well as their experiences promoting Shen Yun. They are thankful for Falun Dafa’s benefits and blessings. 

Falun Dafa practitioners gathered at Huajiang Riverside Park on January 28 to wish Master Li a Happy Chinese New Year. 

Liu Binghua, who organized the event, said practitioners felt strong energy when they recited, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,” as a group. He said, “Chinese New Year is the most important festival in the Chinese community. We all appreciate what we have today and sincerely thank Master for introducing Falun Dafa to the world.” 

Mr. Liu shared that not only did he quit smoking, drinking, and playing mahjong, but he also became a better manager at work after he started practicing Falun Dafa. He added that after he began practicing, his coworkers said that he looked younger than his age. 

Engineer: Solid Cultivation

Lin Bingde, an engineer, started practicing Falun Dafa in 2004. Because he was so busy at work, however, he eventually stopped until he read Master’s recent article, “How Humankind Came To Be.” “Many things that people pursue, such as money and fame, do not mean much in the end. Cultivation practice and spiritual improvement are the most important,” Mr. Lin said. That is why he resumed practicing. 

Over the past few months, Mr. Lin feels that his xinxing (character) has improved a great deal. Whenever he encounters conflicts, he reflects on the teachings of Falun Dafa and tries to do better. Because his wife likes to express her opinion and criticize him, Mr. Lin used to always argue with her. After he resumed practicing Falun Dafa, he looked within to see where he could do better. They quarrel much less and his family became harmonious. His wife also said that practicing Falun Dafa improved her husband’s temper. 

Happy to join this gathering, Mr. Lin said he wanted to tell Master Li that he feels very fortunate to be practicing again. Although he encountered many difficulties in the past year, he knows they are part of the process since solid cultivation is most important. 

Mechanical Engineer: No Longer Tempted by Material Things 

Mechanical engineer Chen Hsin-hung said he used to be very selfish. Whenever there were problems at work, he always insisted that it was someone else’s fault. “I now handle problems without complaint,” he said. 

Mechanical engineer Chen Hsin-hung said Falun Dafa made him open-minded. 

Because Mr. Chen often insisted on his own opinions, he sometimes had conflicts with his coworkers. After he began to practice Falun Dafa, he became considerate of others. “My company has many employees, and they have all kinds of needs. Now when coordinating work, I no longer care about my personal interests. Master said, ‘We say that when you take a step back in a conflict, you will find the seas and the skies boundless, and it will certainly be a different situation.’” (Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)

Mr. Chen used to pay attention to appearances and was obsessed with brand name products. He already had many clothes, but he always wanted to buy more shirts. After he began practicing Falun Dafa, he eliminated his pursuit of fame and material temptations. He still dresses well but has stopped buying new clothes all the time. 

Mr. Chen was very happy to participate in the event to wish Master Li a Happy Chinese New Year. He said Master was very compassionate to introduce Dafa to the world and guide practitioners on their cultivation paths. “It’s not easy to resist all kinds of temptations in this chaotic world,” he explained. “Only Falun Dafa can truly change a person, help us understand the ultimate purpose of life and find our true selves.”

Chen also hopes more people will learn about Falun Dafa. People may have this or that kind of notion, but he said that by reading Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa, however, one can understand what the practice is. Practiced today in over 100 countries by about 100 million people, Falun Dafa is indeed different from what we find in everyday society. 

Overcoming Low Self-Esteem

Mudan is nearly 70, but she looks like she’s in her 50s. Seeing her now, it’s hard to imagine that she used to be shy and had low self-esteem. If someone had asked her to speak at an event like this before, she would not have said anything. 

But Falun Dafa gave her a new life. “I felt Master pushed me forward,” she said. She became an assistant at a local practice site and a team leader on trips outside Taiwan. “I was a little scared at first. But I will do whatever is asked of me. I feel that these are opportunities to overcome my shortcomings,” she explained. 

Mudan said she overcame her shyness after she began practicing Falun Dafa. 

Falun Dafa also brought her a happy family life. Mudan used to worry about her son, but he now practices Falun Dafa. “People who knew him said he changed 180 degrees. I no longer worry about him,” she said. Mudan’s husband did not get along with her mother. After Mudan began practicing and following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, her family now lives in harmony. 

Mudan always tells people about Falun Dafa so they too can benefit. “Many things in life are not eternal. Having a peaceful mind, and understanding why we came to this world are very important. That’s why I hope people will not miss this opportunity,” she explained. 

She hopes people in China will think for themselves instead of simply following the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) negative propaganda [Editor’s note: The CCP has been persecuting Falun Dafa since 1999]; otherwise, they will miss something very important—Falun Dafa.