St. Albert Marks Falun Dafa Week

The St. Albert Gazette, Wednesday, March 07, 2001
St. Albert, Alberta, Canada

Across the world, practitioners of Falun Dafa rise in the early morning hours, meet in a park and move in unison through disciplined physical and mental exercises.

St. Albert has proclaimed Falun Dafa Week from March 5 to 11. The Edmonton Falun Dafa Society celebrates this ancient practice of meditation and exercises, also known as Falun Gong, by hosting an introductory workshop at the St. Albert Public Library on Saturday, March 10 from 10a.m. to 4 p.m.

The ancient practice has grabbed international headlines lately, as followers endure persecution from the Chinese Communist Government. The government, unsettled by the large numbers of practitioners, initiated a crackdown in July 1999. Since then, thousands of people have been arrested, jailed without trial, tortured and killed.

The Falun Dafa Center, which disseminates information from its New York headquarters, estimates that 50,000 people have been detained, about 10,000 have been sent to labor camps and 150 people have been jailed for terms up to 18 years. More than 600 people have been illegally sent to mental hospitals and 160 people have died in police custody.

The full day workshop this Saturday begins with an outdoor group practice on the St. Albert promenade bordering the Sturgeon River. Following the outdoor practice, the group will complete the session watching videos and participating in a discussion and experience sharing at the St. Albert Public Library.

"There is better quality air outside," said Chi Yeh, coordinator for the Edmonton Falun Dafa Society. "Falun Dafa helps you improve self -healing and physical health and inner peace and stress relief."

Falun Dafa is a traditional Chinese practice that improves mental and physical wellness. It revolves around five sets of gentle exercises and meditation designed to incorporate and develop the mind, heart and nature.

Practitioners attempt to achieve spiritual enlightenment and inner tranquility using the principles of truth, benevolence and forbearance in daily life.

Falun Gong originated in prehistoric China and "was passed on to a few selected disciples one on one, generation to generation, "said Yeh. Master Li Hongzhi introduced the practice to mainstream China. Today there are about 70 million practitioners in China alone and 40 countries worldwide that offer instruction.

Ironically, practitioners of other spiritual exercises, such as tai chi, continue to remain unharmed. Yeh speculates that the Communist government's opposition stems from fear. "Any organization or group or philosophy that is different from government ideology is found unacceptable. If the government wants to bring down a group, they fabricate false evidence."

He emphasizes that Falun Dafa is non-political, using exercises and meditation as techniques to live in peace with one's self and harmony with the universe.

The drop-in Falun Dafa workshop is free. For additional information call 990-xxxx.