Practitioners Hold Events in Los Angeles to Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day and to Thank Master

(Minghui.org) “They seem so peaceful,” Doreen Sorensen said as she watched practitioners do the exercises during the World Falun Dafa Day celebration, “What’s even more eye-opening is that there are so many people meditating here. They gathered here because they share the same faith. This is amazing.”

Practitioners displayed a banner that reads “Falun Dafa Is Good” at Santa Monica Beach on May 3, 2026, to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day (May 13), which is also the birthday of the founder of the practice, Master Li Hongzhi.

Falun Dafa practitioners at Santa Monica Beach on May 3

May 13 marks the 27th World Falun Dafa Day. On this day 34 years ago, Mr. Li  introduced Falun Dafa to the public. May 13 is also Mr. Li’s birthday. Falun Dafa is a Buddhist school cultivation practice that teaches its followers to abide by the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance to achieve mental and physical wellness. It’s been embraced in over 100 countries and regions.

Regarding the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, Sorensen said, “They are great values that everyone should abide by and safeguard. They will make the world a better place.”

In 2000, Falun Dafa practitioners designated May 13th as World Falun Dafa Day. Every year they hold celebrations around the world to express their gratitude to Mr. Li.

Falun Dafa practitioners doing the exercises together at Santa Monica Beach

They started off the day’s events by doing the exercises to soothing music. It was an eye-catching scene on a sunny day. Practitioners later took a group photo and said, “Falun Dafa practitioners in Los Angeles wish Master a happy birthday!”

Young practitioners gave a violin performance.

That afternoon, in addition to demonstrating the exercises, practitioners sang, danced, and played the Tang drums. Many passersby stopped to watch, and some learned the exercise movements.

Several practitioners talked about how they felt after they began practicing and how the practice helped them improve their mental and physical health.

Acupuncturist: Practicing Falun Dafa Offers a New Life Path

In 2011 when Christine Connor, an acupuncturist, first heard about Falun Dafa and the persecution in China, she was touched by how the practitioners remained steadfast despite the persecution, “I heard Falun Gong practitioners talk about how they suffered in the persecution. I noticed their demeanor and behavior were different from other people. The first thought that came through my mind was, 'What exactly was this practice that people are willing to risk their lives to defend?'”

She later attended a Falun Dafa workshop. “When I did the exercises for the first time, I thought, ‘Wow! This is what I’ve been looking for.’”

Acupuncturist Christine Connor celebrated World Falun Dafa Day with other practitioners on Santa Monica Beach on May 3.

Christine said that she studied Chinese medicine for three years when she was in her 30s, but couldn’t get a professional license. After she became a practitioner, she went back to school in her 50s and earned a Master’s and a PhD in Chinese medicine. She was very happy: “I never thought that I would be successful. After I became a practitioner, things just fell into place and happened to me naturally. My life has changed, and I switched to a brand new path.”

She follows Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance in her everyday life, “I started to view all of the hard work and tribulations as good things. I am utterly transformed.”

She wished Master Li a happy birthday: “I am grateful for your boundless compassion and everything you have given me.”

Young Practitioner

As Eileen Ho watched the little practitioners perform on stage, she recalled how she began practicing with her parents. She said she was thankful when she recalled her 29-year-long cultivation journey. “In 1997 Falun Dafa was widespread in China and there were a lot of exercise sites. My parents often took me with them to study the teachings and do the exercises. I was very little, but knew how to follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance and to be a good child. Falun Dafa has been rooted in me since then.”

When Ho was little, she often caught colds and had fevers. She suffered memory loss when she was two, “One day I was severely burned, and my ankles were damaged. My doctor said that I needed surgery or I wouldn’t be able to walk normally. The medicine I took messed up my memory. After I began practicing, my ankles healed without surgery, and my memory is fine now.”

She said Master Li has helped her stay healthy growing up. She successfully graduated from college, came to the U.S. for advanced degrees, and got a job. In her busy lifestyle, she followed the teachings of Falun Dafa, and stopped being impetuous. She remained kind and patient at work.

“The Buddha light has shined on me in the past 29 years,” said Ho, “I am so grateful. I wish Master a happy birthday!”

Amazing to Practice Falun Dafa

Grace Ky is of Chinese descent and from Vietnam, and she has practiced Falun Dafa for 25 years. “It’s hard to describe how wonderful it feels to be a practitioner,” she said, “People tell me that I look young for my age. Before I was a practitioner, I had no patience. Now I put myself in others’ shoes.”

Ky said that her health is great. She leads a fulfilling life and wishes more people could practice Falun Dafa, “There are many people practicing Falun Dafa in the world. You would know why and how wonderful it feels if you practiced.”