Falun Dafa, a system of gentle exercises and meditation, is becoming popular in various schools in India. While students enjoy the exercises, teachers vouch for improvement in behaviour and academic results of students. The schools also appreciate that the practice is not related to any religion and is taught completely free of charge.
Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong) is an ancient spiritual practice of mind and body. Introduced to public in 1992 by Mr Li Hongzhi in China, today Falun Dafa is being practiced in more than 114 countries around the world including India. Falun Dafa includes five gentle and effective exercises that help purify one’s body, relieve stress and provide inner peace.
Falun Dafa has been introduced in over 80 schools in and around Bangalore. Bangalore’s association with Falun Dafa goes back to the year 2000, when Lalita Bai, a sociology lecturer from Bapu Composite College, learned this practice while on a personal trip to Singapore. “Since I benefited tremendously from it, I thought it would be also beneficial for the students to practise Falun Gong,” remarks Ms. Bai. “I feel really energised after exercising. While meditating, I feel a divine energy rotate with great force around my palm for a few seconds.”
The National Schools Association of India held their 50th anniversary celebration in 2007 in Bangalore, which was attended by principals from high-achieving private schools across India. On this occasion, Falun Dafa exercises were demonstrated to the participants. After demonstration, principals from more than 60 schools expressed their interest in learning the practice, including some universities.
In Chintamani Town, not far from Bangalore, Mr Verkey, principal of Jyothi School, taught the practice to teachers and students after he himself experienced the miraculous healing effects of Falun Dafa. Mr Verkey revealed that his health condition was poor before he learned Falun Gong, but after cultivation practice, he experienced great physical and spiritual changes. He therefore promoted the practice to teachers and students.
Mr Verkey informed that before practicing Falun Gong, the students at the school had only average academic results, and many were disobedient and exhibited poor behaviour. However, after practicing Falun Gong, the students with bad attitudes changed their behaviour, and academic results at the school saw a general improvement. The positive effects were easily observed.
Headmaster of Byreshwara School, in outskirts of Bangalore city, describes many instances of students who had transformed after being introduced to Falun Dafa. He mentioned about a boy who was the son of a mason who had helped build the school. The boy, a problem child with poor scores, was turned away by all the nearby village schools. The mason approached the headmaster and requested to enrol him to his school. After practicing Falun Dafa exercises with other students for a few weeks, the boy calmed down and started doing well in his studies. He did well in his final school exams and is studying in a city college.
Falun Dafa is gaining popularity in many schools in and around Nagpur. The principal of Jijamata High School and Junior College arranged for practitioners to teach the exercises to students in both the high school and the college-level classes at the same time. The principal and teachers praised the principles of Falun Dafa, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and asked many questions. Many members of the school’s academic staff told the practitioners that they wanted to learn more about the practice.
Falun Dafa has been introduced to many schools in and around Leh, Laddakh. The schools include large and small ones, the smallest having only 17 children, and the largest thousands. In all of these schools, the five exercises of Falun Dafa were practiced by the children and teachers. Children showed great interest in learning the exercises. Many asked their PE teachers to allow them to continue doing the exercises at school in the future.
In May 2012, Falun Dafa was introduced at a well-known school in the city of Varanasi during the school’s annual summer vacation camp. The exercises were taught for several days to students of the primary section. On the last day, when the children were asked what they had learned about Falun Dafa, many made simple, but very moving comments like, “Falun Dafa teaches us to be honest,” “I feel very energetic when I practice,” “I feel very peaceful in the meditation,” and “Falun Dafa teaches us to be good, to think of others, to be truthful, not to tell lies, and to tolerate.”
Indian Falun Dafa practitioners have been selflessly introducing this unique practice across length and breadth of the country. The practice is helping students get good health, calm their minds and get good academic results. To know more about Falun Dafa, please see www.falundafa.org or www.falundafaindia.org.
