They held me down and gave me the injection and the medications by force. The drugs were discharged from my body almost immediately via sweat and urine. They were discharged via all kinds of channels including my feet and palms. I did not feel any discomfort. Seven or eight people tortured me for a week. They forcibly administered drugs by injection and by force-feeding me pills every day. Having seen that the drugs had no effect on me, they said that I had strong resistance to the medication, so they increased the dosage every day.

I told a woman a couple of years older than me the facts about Falun Gong. She asked if I could call her. I agreed, but quite often when I called her, she was in a meeting. I learnt that she actually was a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official. I asked her, "You are a Party member, but you did not know about this?" She asked me eagerly. "What is it? Please tell me." After she found the truth, she was shocked and unable to accept what I told her. Through further contact and reading the Nine Commentaries, she asked me to help her entire family withdraw from the CCP.

When I prepared to go out to let more people know the facts, my heart started pounding even before I stepped out the door. When I walked towards people, my heart pounded heavily and I just said to people, "Remember that 'Falun Dafa is good' and 'Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance is good!'" I then gave people a pamphlet about the persecution and the pracitce and walked away in a hurry. I would hide if I saw the same person again. After several days of practising, my fear lessened. A few more days later and my fear had diminished some more.

The high school entrance exam put huge pressure on me. When I read Falun Dafa books, however, I realised how happy and lucky I was to have learnt Falun Dafa and so all the pressure disappeared. My exam grades were high enough that I was accepted by a high school, although I had missed many classes because of my illness. I knew Falun Dafa endowed me with wisdom. My schoolteacher said, "Xinling, I knew you had done your best, but I didn't expect you to do so well. I was worried before that you wouldn't get into high school, but now I'm no longer worried." My family also considered it a huge blessing.

Thinking about it really makes me feel ashamed. Master thinks of methods to let every disciple catch up. How can we let them fall? Thinking back on it now, every time I talked to him, inside I had already had some negative thoughts about him. I was not at all thinking 100% for his well-being, and thus this stopped me from showing him the power of a compassionate field. I also noted that I had allowed my competitive mentality to distract me from this purpose; there was always the thought of wanting to persuade others. This further weakened the purity of the energy field of our conversation.

When we talked to one another, the criminals no longer interfered. Once the practitioners saw the powerful effect of sending forth righteous thoughts, the other practitioners also took it upon themselves to report the time at the top of every hour. After a few days, we could talk openly with one another. Even when the police were around we also talked to one another, and they saw but did not interfere.

Looking at the influence of the elimination of Party culture in revealing the facts of the persecution, it is also very important. While online, I often see practitioners' articles reminding fellow practitioners that the news they spread needs to be matter of fact and unexaggerated. I agree very much with this reminder. I feel that only through eliminating old Party culture in our minds and actions can we achieve that form of unexaggerated reporting. Furthermore, if we do not pay attention to eliminating it, there will be negative effects in our efforts to let people know about the persecution.

Irena and Vladimir are a couple who live with their two children in the south of the garden state of New Jersey in the United States. They are Jewish and were born in Ukraine, they are a first generation of immigrants to the US. Irena was born in Lviv of Ukraine, which was a small town in Poland before being annexed by the former Soviet Union. The following is the cultivation story of her and her family.

One could say that Irena’s character had always been special. On buses in Lviv, many undesirable and dirty farmers were avoided; however Irena always looked at them with kindness. She even had the desire to wash them. As a teenager, she used to follow old women with heavy bags. She would silently lift their burden to help them with the weight. Her mother often told her, “You are truly unique.”

At first, my daughter only spoke to strangers about Falun Gong so as to let them learn the truth, but now she also talks about Falun Gong to her classmates. She even makes use of the QQ on-line chat program in Internet cafés to talk about Falun Gong to people on the net. She sends ancient prophecies to people on the Internet, and slowly starts to talk more and more about Falun Gong and how the persecution is absolutely wrong, as well as answering questions that are posed to her. One day, she came back and told me, "Mom, today I talked to a Communist Party member, and she told me that she is no longer against Falun Dafa."

When I was young, my mother often said, "Turning round is something not to be traded even for a thousand of pieces of gold." She told me to remember to turn round when I go out, in case that I might forget something; to turn round when I walk on the street, in case that I might miss something; if I do something wrong, I should courageously admit it; if I fall, I should pick myself up; remembering to regularly turn round to assess the things and people around me, because that is the most precious thing to have in life.

After reading Zhuan Falun quietly from beginning to end, I suddenly felt I was in another world. Many questions I had always held, for which I could not find the answers were suddenly lying right before me. I finally understood that the fundamental principles of this cosmos are Zhen, Shan, Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance). They are the highest attainment of the law of the Universe and the most fundamental law. These principles, Zhen, Shan, Ren are the criteria by which the cosmos judges good and bad. I came to see that to understand what is good and what is bad you just have to use these principles as a guide.

Then, I saw her entire body, all the cells, and her thoughts all focused on the word "eliminated." And the sound of the word "eliminated" broke through the roof reaching the sky. I was enthralled by her righteous thoughts, and my mind was a total blank. Suddenly, paper on the machine fed through smoothly the very moment she recited the second "eliminated." Wow! It really expanded my mind, and I really believe the effect of righteous thoughts now.

I don't know why I had always felt I had encountered more tribulations than others. I went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong four times, was sentenced to forced labour once, detained twice, and was abducted during the Chinese Communist Party's 16th National Congress. Though each time I broke out with the power of righteous thoughts, the tribulations kept coming, one after another.

I asked a fellow practitioner to teach me how to use the computer and the printer. Surprisingly, after only four lessons, I was able to surf the web, read articles and download and print materials. Afterwards, through practice and with the help of the fellow practitioner, I learnt to do paper-loading, speed printing, toner adding, and fixing a clogged printing head. From then on, I was able to print pamphlets containing Falun Dafa facts, Minghui Weekly, Teacher's lectures, and even the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. Watching flyers print out page after page, my tears kept falling. I never imagined that I would learn how to use the computer.

Finally, I decided to cross the creek. The fellow practitioner desperately needed to read Teacher's article. Through reading this article perhaps the fellow practitioner could really step forward and help in activities to let more people know the truth. So in my mind I recited Teacher's article, "Tathagata," and dashed into the icy cold water on my motorcycle. My motorcycle's engine stopped in the middle of the water and I fell into the water with my motorcycle. I crossed the creek and went to the practitioner's home. He looked at my wet clothes with surprise and asked why I still came when I had to cross the water. I told him, "Teacher's new article arrived. Even if there were a bigger obstacle I would still deliver it."

I have realised that I have to break away from the surface level which means that I have to do whatever I am doing not simply because it is my duty but from a righteous understanding, participating in the projects for the right reason. This is often easy to say but may be difficult to put into practice. From my own experience, I know that it is easy to slide into a downward spiral and to simply continue the same way we did before the start of our cultivation. Only when we understand the principles taught in Falun Gong can we do everything from the heart and behave as true practitioners.

With the help of an acquaintance of mine, I was able to recognise what I had done especially to my child and the burden I had put on her. She does not know anything about life yet and is longing for security, a role model, someone that tells her what is right from wrong. I recognised that I had to take charge and at last become a role model for her. I asked myself, what kind of role model had I been up to now and realised that I should not be surprised at all when Gloria cried a lot and was restless. She was my mirror image and showed me my innermost feelings, my restlessness, my chaos!

Soon after I arrived a young couple stopped and started looking at the pictures. After reading the articles exposing the cruel persecution of Falun Gong practitioners currently taking place in China, the young man, with his heavy eyebrows raised high and his eyes wide open, simply asked: “Do you need any help or money?” I explained, “What I am doing has nothing to do with money or donations. I simply want to highlight the atrocities that the Chinese Communist Party has committed against those who practice Falun Gong, something which has been hidden from the people of China.”

For fourteen days I did nothing else than tell people about the persecution, advised them to read the Falun Gong books and to practise the Falun Gong exercises. I saw for the first time our esteemed Master and was able to listen to His lecture on Falun Dafa’s principles in person. Not only was this very moving but I also met many practitioners from all over the world with whom I could share experiences about my cultivation with. As I remember, the entire stay was a precious period for me. Only, that day in New York was something else and not in the least pleasant.

Whilst browsing the Internet, I was shocked at seeing the photos of Gao Rongrong’s disfigurement. When I learnt that she had managed to escape from the hospital I felt happy for her as I believed that she would not be subjected to further persecution. I later learnt that she was caught again but I did not expect that the sad news of her death would come so quickly after her escape. It seems as if it were just yesterday when we were together studying the Falun Gong teachings and practising the exercises.

Recently a fellow Falun Dafa practitioner asked me about memorising the Falun Gong teachings, and my experience with it. I passed on my experience, and realised that my experience might benefit others also. My limited successes will probably not inspire others, but my failures might be helpful.

At first they and my co-workers thought that my Falun Dafa practise was just another quirk and they smirked whenever I was doing the exercises on the terrace during lunchtime. However, after I stopped smoking and using alcohol and drugs, some of them started to become interested in Falun Gong. By now, almost everyone in my firm has read the book about Falun Gong and our care facility has a practise site. My boss told one of my colleagues who has also started practising that he wishes more of the staff were practising Falun Gong. He once told me that he didn’t really trust me before, but that since I started cultivating, he feels reassured whenever I am on duty.

From then on, I stopped taking the pills and no longer use my blood pressure gauge. In less than three months after I started to practise Falun Dafa, my health fully recovered. Upon seeing the changes in me my friends were very surprised, and they all complemented me on my uplifted spirit. Now I can pretty much do all the chores around the house. I walk briskly and do not feel tired even after walking five or six miles. My miraculous recovery has made me truly appreciate the goodness in Falun Dafa.

I first apologised to the reporters at the end of the film. We made some mistakes and the presentation wasn’t perfect, but in our defence, this was our first press conference. I explained that we had undertaken this by ourselves and that we only were involved in this to help the innocent persecuted people in China. After which, my nervousness disappeared and I noticed that the journalists’ demeanour held great sympathy. The environment changed and there was an air of compassion.

It was as if I could not fathom the importance of what Teacher said. It was as if I watched everything as an “outsider,” and behaved as some sort of observer. For example, when local practitioners held discussions and planned activities, I distanced myself and waited for a decision to be made. At that time, I agreed with the decision and just moved with the tide. My constant excuse was that I did not quite understand the crux of the matter, because I was not yet fluent in the language

There are more than two thousand people of Chinese nationality living in Turin. Our activities to let people know more about Faun Gong and the persecution during the past years has enabled the Chinese people in the vicinity of Turin to see the truth about Falun Dafa and the facts about the persecution. Many Chinese people work as quarrymen in western Italy near the French border. Practitioners also made trips there to hold Falun Dafa related activities.

A policeman begged me to do a little work for him. He said that nobody who came into the detention centre dared to refuse to work. Even the family members who came to visit needed to work. I said," I told you the first time you interrogated me that I am not a criminal. I will not join the work and will not cooperate with you. Why do you want me to work? Criminals need to work. I am innocent. What's wrong with practising Falun Gong and being a good person? The policemen could not help letting me go. From then on they did not mention the issue of work to me.

Before the persecution of Falun Dafa started in China, there were very few people practising this cultivation way in Italy. Today there are many people who have a good pre-destined relationship with Falun Dafa, who have done really well in their cultivation and who have shown via their actions the power of the principles of Falun Dafa, “Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance”.

During my time at university, I arranged a time and a place where people could come and learn the Falun Gong exercises. Studying the Falun Gong teachings daily and practising the exercises were instrumental in my continuous progress. During that time I was placed first for a scholarship three years in a row. I was at the same time recognised as the “Three majors excellent student.” I am a great example of a cultivator performing outstandingly during their studies, at work and in anything else he/she attempts.

Many things that shouldn't have happened did happen because we hadn't done well. During this special historical period, Falun Dafa practitioners shoulder tremendous responsibilities. Our every thought influences whether sentient beings will be saved. Righteous thoughts and righteous action are not just talk; they are to be genuinely put into practise.

We have experienced how people really love these paintings. People who see them say out loud how beautiful they think they are. Some don´t seem to be willing to let go of them and have taken photos as a way to remember them and so that they can keep looking at them in the future. In delivering flyers, reception cards and posters, people are so happy, as though they have received a precious gift, which they indeed have. For someone just to look at a picture of these paintings can have a very positive effect on his or her being. The paintings speak the clearest language, directly communicating with peoples hearts.

In the process of our efforts to let more people know about the horrific persecution taking place in China against those who practise Falun Gong, we found that it is difficult for many people who live such a comfortable and free life in a Democratic country to imagine how evil the persecution against Falun Gong in China really is. When Falun Gong practitioners started to inform people about the persecution by holding real-life reconstructed anti-torture exhibitions in various places around the world, we thought that it would be a great idea. Through vivid demonstrations of the atrocities of the persecution, we can really touch people’s hearts, motivate their compassion, giving them a chance to come to know the facts about Falun Gong.

At the exhibition we also had a table where children and their parents could learn how to fold lotus flowers. There was always a crowd surrounding the table. This gave us a chance to tell people about the world project “Petals of Peace” and how it began; the principles of Falun Dafa and how in a very difficult environment practitioners in China can keep the purity of their souls – just like a gracious lotus flower emerging from the murkiest of waters.

I started my cultivation in Falun Dafa in the spring of 2000. I had been searching for several years for a system that could give me inner peace and answers to all the questions I had been pondered. After having read the Falun Dafa book, Zhuan Falun, a few times I now had all the answers.

I started a practice site in my town with the help from a fellow practitioner, we visited the radio station and the Municipality to clarify the truth. This is a special and relaxing little town in the countryside, where lots of tourists from the capital cities come on holidays. I would have thought that to do this by my self in my town, with so many judging eyes from the people here, would be impossible. But with Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance guiding my voyage I have found strength and peace in my heart, that peace I so longed for, something so special.

The prompt change stunned me, and my health began to show improvement in a very short period of time. The heavy feeling in my body disappeared, my usual headaches disappeared, and food no longer harmed me. I truly experienced a sense of relief all over my body. Furthermore, I really like to practise the exercises as they give me such a feeling of relaxation and comfort which rises from the bottom of my heart

One of the practitioners opened her eyes, waved and smiled to me welcoming me into the room, while others made space for me and found a cushion for me to sit on. This simple gesture touched my heart deeply, and I will not forget it. During the sitting meditation on this first day at group-practise, my body was filled with wonderful warmth, and I had an overwhelming feeling of finally having come home, and that this was the greatest, greatest gift.

The news about my parents that I had been looking forward to for so long turned out to be news that they had died from the brutal persecution! The evil Chinese Communist Party took their lives only because they believed in “Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance.” Again it was Master and fellow Falun Gong practitioners’ compassion that helped me through such a devastating blow

Good day! My name is Ben and I am from the United Kingdom, I have practised cultivation for about eight months and in this time I have had many interesting experiences. Today I am going to talk about a very good experience of informing people about Falun Gong and the persecution that is taking place by running a half marathon in a town called Reading in the UK.

I had organised with two German practitioners to pick up ten large waist drums and one small waist drum for Germany. Instead, at the conference I was given a mountain of items to take back to Europe and had almost no one to help me out. There were enough items for about fifteen people to carry and bring back to Europe. I only had the help of two others at the end of the conference. On top of that I had less than 24 hours to find a solution to this interesting problem.

The police said indifferently, "We know you are good people, but there are orders from above to arrest Falun Gong practitioners." A chief of the Political Security office in a Beijing police station said, "We are the dogs of the Communist Party." They brutally beat the kind and courageous cultivators who dared to speak the truth. Despite this, we still treated them sincerely. I told the police, "I have come all the way to Beijing to say just three sentences: Falun Dafa is righteous; my Master is innocent; and release all detained Falun Dafa disciples unconditionally."

At that point, I had no fear at all. The cell was very quiet. The "Big Brother" [the head of the criminal inmates] in the cell asked me, "Why are you here?" I told him that I practised Falun Gong and that I was arrested because I went to appeal for justice for Falun Gong. Then I told them what Falun Gong is and why we felt that we had to appeal. After that, the young man who hit me apologised to me. Everybody supported me in doing the Falun Gong exercises inside the cell, and would look out for me.

Some practitioners' families were persecuted by the CCP in its various political movements of the past. Their families were broken up and some family members were injured or killed by the CCP. Now they are persecuted by the CCP for cultivating Falun Dafa. So they tend to have sentiments similar to ordinary people's desires for revenge when they do things.

Because I could not relinquish the attachment, and I could not study the Falun Gong teachings at all, I remained in this state for some time. Possibly because I remained in this state, and I could not enlighten to the truth of the matter for so long, Teacher arranged it so that I would see a paragraph in my roommate's book: "One came to hell and walked on a bridge. When the person looked down from the bridge, they found the water was red like blood. There were a lot of snakes in the river and also some men and women who were being bitten by the snakes. At that time someone else told the person that those men and women were people who had sinned by giving in to lust."

To allow more precious Chinese people know about the truth, practitioners have covered the entire territory of Italy, from the Alps in the north to the Sicily in the south and from Venice and Bari on the coastline of the Adriatic Sea in the east to Naples on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the west. Although practitioners spent most of their time on the road and had to endure severe weather and hardships, our hearts were filled with solidarity and happiness when people in the world understand the truth.

As a matter of fact, lots of issues are emerging because of our own attachments. One day, when I looked in the mirror, I found that my face was very yellow. I immediately thought it was because of my liver malfunction and blood circulation being congested. Wasn't this all following mind-intent? When encountering illness tribulations, the first thing we should do is to negate it, and the second thing is to look inward and pay attention to every single thought.

My name is Katarina. I’m seven years old and I am from Switzerland. I have been practising Falun Gong for five years. The founder of Falun Gong, Master Li, always emphasises that we have to do the three things well every time. Firstly to study the Falun Gong teachings well, secondly to send forth righteous thoughts, and thirdly to let the worlds people know the truth. Today I want to tell everyone how I fulfil these responsibilities.

While I was unconscious, I felt that I was going to hell, but I immediately thought, "I must not die! My son is only one year old." Next, I remembered that I was a Falun Gong practitioner and Teacher was watching over me. Then I regained consciousness and started thinking, "What is the use of making a lot of money? I almost lost my life." After this accident, I began to treasure Falun Gong and started studying the Fa seriously.

I had cultivated hard for many years even though I still didn't understand the Buddha Law, which I wanted to know better. Moreover, I truly saw that the temple didn't have a pure environment. After practising Falun Dafa, I then understood the universal laws and the universal characteristic of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," which is the highest Buddha Law. Today I still hold on to several copper Buddha statues, because they were the ones that Teacher himself consecrated at my request. Here is how it happened.