Ever wandered into Parc Ciutadella on a Sunday, longing for a peaceful patch of grass? This is a challenging feat. After all, you might get run down by a pram-pushing mom racing to the Zoo or knocked into by a runner going full-speed to the tune of “Eye of the Tiger” during your pursuit.

Turn towards the entrance of the Zoological Museum and a silent group of people clad in bright yellow T-shirts practice something similar to Thai Chi. Their small oasis of meditation and exercise is quite baffling. Then again, according to Chinese meditation philosophy, each individual has the power to drown out noise and turn up the inner silence-- easier said than done.

These peaceful park beings are practitioners of Falun Dafa, also called Falun Gong, a millennia old Chinese discipline of Qigong. Consisting of five slow and harmonious exercises that benefit health, increase vitality, alleviate tension and increase spiritual development, they congregate every Sunday morning.

Free for anyone to join, Falun Dafa has helped more than 100 million people in over 70 countries. Unfortunately its popularity has also brought sadness to the serene and harmless workout.

When it began in the 90s in China it quickly garnered a large following. The government quickly became suspicious, thinking it was a forum for more than just exercise. Their suspicions turned into violent reactions with Falun Dafa followers imprisoned, put in concentration camps and the like. To this day, there are still prisoners and others with permanent injuries from the tortures. Luckily in Barcelona, people are free to practice in peace.

Sundays 10am Parc Cuitadella

www.falundafa.org