It was a bright and sunny morning as we set out on the long journey to the most northern tip of Ireland, which is right on the edge of Europe and juts out into the wild Atlantic Ocean.
Our hearts were happy and a little sad at the same time. We were happy with the great prospect that lay before us, but sad because it was the third anniversary of the ban against Falun Gong in China. We were also aware of the events taking place in Dublin that we would be missing: the gathering of all the Irish practitioners in the City Centre to spread the Fa, send forth righteous thoughts, be addressed by prominent politicians and other friends of Falun Dafa, march through the city to the Chinese Embassy. We regretted missing these great activities, yet we too were embarking on a special mission, a mission that ended up having a profound effect on many individuals and propelled us forward significantly in our cultivation.
We arrived at Clonmany Community Centre at about 1 p.m., delighted to see a large poster proclaiming that there would be a talk on Falun Gong and a demonstration of the exercises at 2 p.m. Our hosts warmly welcomed us. There were lots of people about; the perimeter of the centre housed several stands offering all kinds of alternative ways of attaining better health. We had time to spare, which we used to distribute flyers and talk to several people. Talking with the people allowed us to get the feel of how people were thinking and to find out what they knew about Falun Gong. The results were surprising. One young man said he travelled over sixty miles to hear about Falun Gong. He went on to say that he knew all about the persecution, but nothing about Falun Gong itself.
At 2 p.m. sharp our turn came and an announcement was made through the public address system. Gradually the seats began to fill up in front of the stage. We switched on the Pudu music, after which a serene and tranquil environment began to take shape. Two kind men helped me from my wheelchair onto my special seat, which I had brought along. I was handed a microphone and, wearing our Dafa yellow, I began to speak. I explained to the audience, which by now was quite large, the significance of Falun Dafa in the world today, the importance of the three virtues: Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, and how to become a better person and the need to begin to be aware of and put into practice these virtues in our daily lives. I then summarized the recent events and current situation of Falun Gong in the world today and the events leading up to the persecution. Hearing the truth about the persecution visibly affected the audience, and by this time most of the booth attendants had left their posts to watch our demonstration. We displayed the books Falun Gong and Zhuan Falun, explained how and where they could be obtained and talked briefly about the power contained within them. I then asked for questions, which I calmly answered according to my understanding of the principles of Dafa.
We then demonstrated the five exercises, which concluded our presentation. I thanked everyone for coming and hoped they would obtain the books and begin the practice.
We thanked our hosts for giving us the opportunity to share with so many good and kind people. As a mark of our respect we presented them with a copy of Falun Gong and Zhuan Falun, which were graciously accepted and the gesture received warm applause by all present.
We continued talking with the people for some time. We distributed flyers and CD's to all who requested them. There were a lot of children to whom we gave Dafa greeting cards. We were continually answering questions and telling people about our own cultivation experiences. Everyone remarked on the beauty and gentleness of the exercises and the Pudu music. We became aware of the great hunger that is in the hearts of the people for something peaceful and righteous. At the same time our own cultivation was being tested. The lesson of doing all things according to Dafa was reinforced in our hearts. We bade farewell to the good and kind people of Clonmany and promised to return.
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Category: April 25 Events
