Report from a Swedish Newspaper "Östran": Falun Gong Helps You Become a Better Person

The Swedish newspaper “Östran” published a long report on 11th of August 2003, entitled “Falun Gong Helps You Become a Better Person”. Here is a translation.

Truthfulness, Kindness and Tolerance are the main principles that Falun Gong practitioners follow. They were celebrating the fifth anniversary of the public introduction of Falun Gong [in Kalmar] with music, songs and speeches in Kalmar Park on a sunny Saturday. Though Falun Gong is a peaceful practice, practitioners have been suffering brutal persecution in China.

One way to become serene is to do the five exercises

Falun Gong was introduced to the public in Kalmar five years ago this Saturday, and since then practitioners have practised the exercises in this Park every Sunday morning.

Living in Stockholm for 13 years, You Xiuhua came to join the celebration activities for the fifth anniversary and meet her friends in Kalmar: “My back pain used to prevent me from walking beyond 15 minutes. My doctor told me the only solution was surgery but I faced the risk of becoming disabled. But after six months’ [Falun Gong] exercise, I recovered miraculously.”

From Tianjin, the third biggest city in China, You Xiuhua came to Sweden after her husband got a job here. Stories like You’s are not rare.

Many people begin their Falun Gong exercises in a hope of getting rid of their long-term illness. In Kalmar, Gunnel Edlund became a practitioner five years ago. Every Sunday, throughout the years, she and others are doing the Falun Gong exercises together in Kalmar Park.

Always Patient

“I feel I seldom lose my temper since I began to practise Falun Gong. This exercise is not only meditation, but also helps you to become a better person.” said Gunnel Edlund.

In the centre of the lawn, Anneli Gustafsson is telling people through a microphone why she chose to practise Falun Gong. “I feel I have become more patient - like right now when I’m standing here to ask my son to loosen the microphone line.” At the other end is Anneli’s son grabbing the microphone line, trying to stop his mum speaking while Anneli looks patient. Many practitioners from all over Sweden and even some from France came to celebrate Kalmar Falun Dafa Day. There are also some people sitting on the lawn, enjoying fruit juice and cake, and curiously watching the celebration.

Chinese People are being Persecuted

However, this exercise practice has received very different treatment in China. Practitioners there have been persecuted and tortured. Falun Gong practitioners believe that the immense popularity of Falun Gong frightened the Chinese leaders.

You Xiuhua said, “It is all because of power. The Chinese chairman Jiang is afraid of losing his power. Chinese people were deceived for decades in their speech and behaviour, first by communism, now by this Chinese government. Some Chinese in Sweden and I are blacklisted by the Chinese Embassy and we cannot get a visa back to China.”

She got to know Falun Gong in China but she does not want to go back. “I can hardly recognise my brothers and relatives in China. They care much more about money than their virtue. Many people have become so selfish now.”

There are about fifty Falun Gong practitioners in Stockholm and ten in Kalmar. At the beginning of 1999, there were about 70,000,000 Falun Gong practitioners in China before it was outlawed in June that year.

Facts about Falun Gong

Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, is a kind of Qigong.
Practitioners improve their Xinxing (moral standard) by cultivation.
The exercises consist of five easy to learn sets of movements.
Falun Gong is independent of politics and religion, and is accessible to every walk of life.
The three principles of Falun Gong are Truthfulness, Kindness and Tolerance.

Translated from Chinese at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200308/23708.html