(Shared at Florida 2001 Conference)

Annie Li, from China, and Laura Hatton, who is visiting from Tampa, made up part of the 30 people manning the Falun Gong float in the University of Florida's Homecoming Parade. Their dress is traditional Chinese.

My name is Laura and I am a Falun Dafa practitioner from Florida. When I first encountered some Falun Dafa practitioners practicing the five sets of Falun Gong exercises at a park in Tampa Bay, I was extremely pleased. I now know that they were "holding the wheel above the head" [A position in the second set of Falun Dafa exercises]. The air around them seemed somehow different, and they looked so peaceful. I read a description of the practice on a sign and I saw a notice, which said that anyone was welcome to join in and that you could learn the exercises for free. I set this in my mind as something very important and I resolved to go back again.

It took me awhile, but when I managed to go back to learn the exercises I was given a free copy of a videotape which showed the movements of the five sets of exercises. Thereafter, I practiced every morning before work and at night before going to sleep. It took me a long time to figure out some of the movements in exercise four, "The Great Heavenly Circuit", and I also found it hard to do the Buddha's hand gestures in exercise five, "Strengthening Divine Powers" which turn the Falun [Law Wheel]. By the time I showed up at the practice site again, I was ready to learn more, and I had really missed being there! The other practitioners were very helpful, and I felt very comfortable.

I received many benefits after I started to practice Falun Dafa and some of my early benefits were that I had increased stamina and mental alertness. I also slept better at night. After doing the exercises I would lie down to sleep and my body would feel as it did when I was young and healthy. I may seem young now, but this is the result of practicing Falun Gong.

During my latter years in high school, I had slowly begun to become physically less strong and this kept up until I was officially diagnosed with chronic fatigue. Due to an accident, I had whiplash and very sore muscles, and at that time I was undergoing two days of chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, and other treatments as well, every week! Before I found Falun Dafa, as a result of treatment from three health-care professionals, I thought that my health was returning. I was diligently going to all of these treatments, and I started to feel much better. I am very grateful to everyone who helped me during this time. I mention it to you here because, after two or three months of practicing Falun Dafa I didn't need any of this anymore. Actually, Falun Dafa brought such a great change in my body that I no longer need any medical treatment.

I found that practicing the five sets of Faun Dafa exercises is all that I really need. During "Buddha Showing a Thousand Hands" [The first set of exercises] I can hear joints popping back into place, and I can sometimes feel muscles repositioning themselves. This is of course just the beginning. The internal benefits I experienced result from my practice of Falun Gong. I am also able to benefit from a profound feeling of mental well-being as a result of doing the exercises. Since I have begun to practice Falun Dafa my patience has increased. My ability to be kind in difficult situations at work has also increased, and my behavior within my family has, for the greater part, improved. I am able to measure all of my feelings and thoughts that I come across with the teachings of Falun Dafa. The practice of Falun Dafa has also strengthened my more righteous qualities.

Teacher Li has given us many things! I need to continue arranging time to go to the practice sites and time to go to Fa [Law and Principles] conferences as I find that I benefit a lot from interactions with fellow practitioners. Falun Dafa brings to mind both nobleness and richness, and to be able to learn the practice of Falun Dafa is a blessing. I have seen that the virtue in Falun Dafa can enable the improvement of an individual's health. I will move forward with Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance, and I will strive to clarify the fact that Falun Dafa is good.