(Minghui.org) “I used to have many headaches related to family arguments, especially with my child,” said Lonn. “Thankfully, my parents and younger brother—all were practitioners—gave me lots of advice. So I began to practice Falun Dafa as well.

“After reading Zhuan Falun and doing the meditation exercises, my mind became more peaceful and the surrounding environment also miraculously improved. I was so happy and grateful,” she added.

Lonn was one of the 24 practitioners who shared their stories during the 2014 Mid-USA Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference on July 27.

As in previous years, practitioners from Illinois and nearby states, including Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Kentucky, attended this event.

The 2014 Mid-USA Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference was held in Chicago on July 27, 2014.

Minds Uplifted

Jeanmarie, a practitioner from Michigan, was very eager to let people know about Falun Gong, both the health benefits and that fact that it is being severely persecuted in China by the communist party. She and other practitioners collected signatures at supermarkets and farmers’ markets, calling for support for H. Res. 281 to condemn the brutality, especially live organ harvesting.

“I was often moved when collecting signatures,” she said. “So many people wanted to help us.” During the process she also noticed her omissions and tried to improve as much as possible. “When practitioners work together as one body, it is really powerful,” she said.

A Western practitioner shared her cultivation experiences.

Andrew and Conan were among those who have practiced for more than 10 years. Both of them read their papers at the conference.

Andrew said he heard about Falun Dafa when he was a college student. “I had tried several types of Qigong previously before coming across Falun Dafa,” he said, “After comparing them and thinking it through, I decided to practice Falun Dafa, because it is way better than other systems.” He said Falun Dafa helped him identify a lot of attachments and to get rid of them to improve his xinxing.

Conan spoke more about his experience as a news reporter. He learned to overcome difficulties and new challenges. “It is Master's teachings that guide me through on my cultivation journey,” he said.

Nate is a practitioner from Missouri. “I have practiced for over two years. My family members and many of my friends noticed the changes in me. They were very surprised, in a good way,” he said. He talked about following the Dafa principles, both in his daily work and in projects that help more people learn about Falun Dafa.

Older Practitioners Share Their Experiences

The conference attendees were of all ages and from all walks of life. Elderly practitioners, in particular, are very thankful for the health benefits that Falun Dafa has brought to them.

Mr. Yang, 79, lives in Chicago. “At this age, I have no hearing or vision problems at all,” he said. He also recalled being in a severe car accident. Without seeing a doctor or taking medicine, he recovered quickly and completely: “It was like a miracle.”

Mr. Yang also talked about making a flower float for a parade that introduced Falun Dafa to people. “It required lots of teamwork. Later I realized that, whenever we run into difficulty, it means we need to let go of attachments and improve further in cultivation. It is critical for us to have a righteous mind; otherwise, there is no way we can overcome these obstacles.”

“From the bottom of my heart, I know all my wisdom and skills come from Dafa,” said Mr. Yang.

An elderly practitioner sharing her story at the 2014 Mid-USA Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference

Three ladies over 80 years old also shared their stories: Ms. Zhang and Ms. Yu from Michigan, and Mr. Kang from Missouri. They all looked much younger than their age and full of energy. “We have to pay attention to personal cultivation as well as telling the facts to people, so that they will see through the Communist Party's lies and have a better future,” they said. Their sincerity and compassion earned warm applause.

Stories from New Practitioners

The Chinese Communist Party has persecuted Falun Gong for 15 years, with harsh suppression inside China and media propaganda around the world. But that did not stop people from learning Falun Gong and benefiting from the mind and body improvement.

“I was very fortunate to become a Falun Dafa practitioner,” Lonn said. After attending the 2013 Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference in New York, she had a better understanding of what cultivation is. “It was because of Falun Dafa that I am now more open-minded and positive, with compassion,” she said.

A new practitioner sharing her story

Mr. Cheng from Minnesota first heard about Falun Dafa in 1998. “Although I did not practice it back then, I did pay attention to the persecution closely through the years,” he said. It was not until late 2012 that he realized Falun Dafa was special and precious. Shortly after that, his wife also became a practitioner. “I felt bad for the decade I wasted,” Mr. Cheng said with regret, “but I will work harder.”

Something similar happened to Ms. Song from Michigan. She read Zhuan Falun in 1995, but did not start to practice immediately. “It was in 2009 that I really became a genuine practitioner. By then I felt so good, like a child finding the way back home.”

Mr. Qiu, a new practitioner from Ohio, found Zhuan Falun as he casually browsed the Internet in 2013, “As I was reading it, I was shocked by how profound Zhuan Falun was, ‘Wow, this book is great! It is exactly what I have been looking for.’”

“I have learned a lot since then. Besides improving my xinxing, I also began to tell others about Falun Dafa. It is so wonderful - people should not miss it,” he explained.