Ireland: Lotus Flowers Bloom in an Irish Community

On September 29th, the Women’s Club in Greenhill, Dublin, invited Falun Gong practitioners to Greenhill Community Centre to perform the elegant “Lotus Flower Dance,” and demonstrate Falun Gong’s gentle and slow-moving exercises, and also teach its club members to fold paper Lotus Flowers.

One of the practitioners started by introducing why Chinese people are in particular favour of Lotus Flowers. "Lotus Flowers grow out of mud, but keep themselves unmarked; rise above rippling waves, but remain dignified. Though struggling against tough circumstances, Lotus Flowers keep themselves pure from the world and instead maintain their purity and innocence, which symbolises Falun Gong practitioners’ unyielding determination to continue with their cultivation. Faced with the brutal persecution, Falun Gong practitioners still persist in their firm belief in Falun Gong." The introduction was followed by the practitioners’ performance of the 'Lotus Flower Dance'. Their elegant dancing was enthusiastically applauded by the audience.

As the dance came to an end, the practitioners introduced Falun Gong, a cultivation method that enables a person to cultivate both his mind and body. Based on the universal principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, Falun Gong consists of fives sets of exercises that are easy to learn. This cultivation method brings great benefits to people’s mental and physical health. Other practitioners proceeded to demonstrate the five exercises and the audience focused their attention on the demonstration. In the meantime, the audience was bathed in a tranquil energy field coming from the practitioners. As the exercise demonstration ended, the practitioners received enthusiastic applause.

Next, the practitioners distributed coloured paper to the ladies seated at desks and then visited each individual desk to teach them how to fold paper lotus flowers. Having led a busy and hard-working life, the ladies were retired from their jobs. Most of them were good at crafts. In a very short time, they learned to fold paper lotus flowers with skill. They showed their gratitude to the practitioners for bringing them the goodness of Falun Gong and desired to invite the practitioners to their future activities.

In the autumn of 2004, one women’s club in the south of Dublin had invited practitioners to perform the Fan Dance and to demonstrate exercises. Since then, several other women’s clubs had invited practitioners to their activities. This is the fourth invitation. After experiencing the goodness of Falun Gong, the club members recommended Falun Gong activities to other women’s clubs. Though being suppressed in China, Falun Gong has been welcomed and appreciated by people worldwide. Meanwhile, practitioners are introducing Falun Gong to the whole world. Public support for and concern over Falun Gong reflect the Chinese Communist Party’s absurdity and brutality in its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.