On Monday, March 20, 2000, more than five hundred fellow practitioners of Falun Dafa and myself peacefully gathered on the grass in front of the United Nations building to perform our daily morning exercises. We had come together from all over the world, approximately 60 from Canada and even more from the United States, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Sweden, the former Check Republic, Russia, Korea, China and Japan. Taiwan had a delegation of 175, and of course the hearts of the millions of other practitioners who had stayed at home were all with us, as I know my heart is always present at the various
experience sharing conferences that I am unable to attend. I felt quite fortunate to be present for this conference in Switzerland.
We came together to share our experiences, in a formal setting of the International Conference Centre with simultaneous translations in six languages on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, and again in free discussion groups that met after dinner in various locations at the hotels and hostels where we stayed.
Earlier on when we had attempted to procure the conference room at the U.N. conference building, the only available two days happened to be the Monday and Tuesday preceding the UN Human Rights conference where U.S. made Resolution concerning Human Rights Violations in the Peoples Republic of China.
Nothing happens by coincidence.
The world press were present to observe the practice of Falun Dafa. Because most of the world is aware that China has been attempting to squash Falun Dafa by arresting practitioners by the thousands and detaining them without cause or reason, the European press was alerted to our presents in Geneva. True to their form, the government of China's Ambassador to Geneva held a press conference denouncing our practice, slandering
us with the most ridiculous untruths. However, on the same page where the Geneva Tribune reported the obviously blatant disruptions of truth, they also reported on how beneficial Falun Gong is in it's gentle yet powerful movements, which purifies the body, allowing practitioners to live a stable and healthy life, free from stress and emotional upheavals.
Personally, as a practitioner of Falun Dafa since October 1998, I can testify that I have not been ill for even one minute since I began my practice. In fact my previous back problems have disappeared. I've easily given up smoking and all related chest pains have dissipated. I can run up four flights of stairs and feel light as a feather doing so. Quite a contrast from before, when even a one flight walk up usually left me breathless.
I sat listening, nodding in agreement with these other practitioners relating their experiences since beginning to practice. How each had experienced profound healings, or those who had easily abandoned bad habits, and others whose bodies miraculously re adjusted and re aligned themselves without anyone physically manipulating their bodies. All through the daily practice of these gentle exercises and teachings of Falun Dafa.
In the evenings, after a simple yet delicious dinner prepared by a few of our generous female practitioners, we would join various discussion groups. I met with the English practitioners from the U.K. and the U.S. We spent the evening discussing the translation of Zhuan Falun ( Turning Law Wheel ) the teachings of Falun Dafa, the same book which I ordered from the Ottawa Public Library in September 1998, deciding at that
time to make the fundamental change of mind that is required to embark on the understanding of the Universal Law of Zen Shan Ren ( Truth Benevolence Forbearance ). After much discussion we agreed that apart from a few minor translation errors, the book should remain as is. After all it was this book that attracted us to the practice of Falun Gong in the first place. Based on the Law lectures of Li Hongzhi, Zhuan Falun has been translated into ten languages to date, all done by volunteers.
Throughout the week our time was dedicated to discussion and sharing based around the Great Law. I met so many wonderful people, old friends and many new ones. Discussing the situation in Asia with Munroe from Taiwan, I was told that practice has become more difficult since the Chinese Government has threatened to impose embargoes if the smaller Asian countries don't cooperate in their attempt to crush Falun Gong. All
because millions of people, the same people referred to in the country's name, "The PEOPLES Republic of China, " have adopted a practice which can only stabilize its citizens.
On Thursday, our final day of practice on the lawn facing the United Nations, where once again more than four hundred Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated our peaceful exercises, a guard was asked why so many people were allowed to congregate with only a few police to monitor their activities. The reply came, "We know these Falun Dafa people, they're very peaceful, they don't require any supervision."
Editor's Note: This article reminds us of another scene during Geneva Falun Dafa Conference in March. In the U.N., a guard has been in charge of security and safety for all kinds of protests and rallies for several decades. He said, "I've been doing this for so many years, and have never seen so peaceful a rally. Please tell your friends from the remote -- they will surely have good luck and they will have good result."
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Category: Experience Sharing Conferences
