After being involved with several anti- torture displays I wish to share my understandings and experiences surrounding these truth-clarifying activities. I would also encourage more practitioners to share their personal experiences so we can all benefit and improve as we continue to hold these displays
Understanding the solemn nature of the Exhibits
After watching practitioners go through the process of preparing for the exhibit, having their make-up done, and taking on the roles of police and torture victims, it was obvious that this was a difficult thing for practitioners to undergo. Each day they would have to endure the sun, painful positions, and mental tribulations to re-enact these scenes. The act of our fellow practitioners taking on these roles is one of immense compassion. During this period of time when the old forces, dark minions and ordinary people are doing the most disrespectful thing--persecuting Dafa disciples--practitioners have the greatest mercy to allow themselves to be displayed in these terrible positions to save sentient beings. To my knowledge, in no other time in history have beings reenacted their own persecution to let ordinary people come to know the Truth. It is truly unprecedented. Therefore, we should not treat these exhibits as casual affairs. It is best to conduct ourselves in the most upright manner, and show the dignity of Dafa disciples at all times. While in costume during our roles as police and torture victims we should concentrate fully so that people can come to understand the truth. We should not play around, eat, or become lazy during the exhibit. If we treat these exhibits as casual truth clarifying activities they will lose their effectiveness and become a matter of routine. Only by truly having the right heart can the exhibits be successful.
In addition, the make-up and costumes should look as realistic as possible. As with everything else we do as Dafa disciples we should try our best to a good job. When the make-up is properly applied ordinary people are very touched and moved by what they see. If the make-up is not believable or the police costumes do not look real, then people may misinterpret our purpose or simply laugh at what they see. When the make-up is applied well one can see the striking difference between the "good" practitioners and the "dark/evil" police. We are "painting" a scene for ordinary people's minds to see. We should try our best to leave them with a long lasting impression.
The Importance of Creating and Maintaining Torture Displays
The evil is extremely afraid of the torture displays. One practitioner shared with me that even when they are in storage they take on the role of repelling the evil. When practitioners use their hearts and righteous thoughts to build these display items they become Fa implements and are weapons that can be used to eliminate the evil anywhere they are set up.
In "Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference" Master said, "
That kind of person no longer has anything righteous, and when you talk to him he can't accept it since whenever he accepts a little bit, a little bit of him has to be destroyed--whenever he accepts a little bit, a little bit of him is destroyed. If he completely accepts it, then he's completely destroyed, because he is evil."
My understanding from this is that when the evil or the beings controlled by the old forces are faced with what they have done through the torture displays, it immediately eliminates them. They cannot stand to see the horrible sins they have committed against Dafa and its disciples. So not only do these exhibits allow people to know the truth of what is happening in China, but they also clean out all the evil beings in other dimensions when they come to interfere with our activities.
Building a Powerful, Unbreakable Mechanism
During the Democratic National Convention, a large torture display was set up in our city. Each day began with setting up the torture displays, doing the make-up, setting up group practice, and a small group to send forth righteous thoughts continually. This created a strong field that became stronger as each day progressed.
The torture display was held in a different location, and arranged differently each day. Every day a mechanism would form around the site that brought sentient beings to us. When the exhibit moved, the people just followed us wherever we placed it. For example, we had several days in the same location in Copley Square Park (a park in Boston) and then we were scheduled to relocate to our regular local spot in the Boston Common for the last 3 days. The Parks Department called the night before and asked if we could move to another spot closer to the main street. Without any questioning we agreed and ended up with a wonderful location that brought many people to our site. Many practitioners remarked that this new site was better than the original one. Even if you looked over to the location where we were supposed to be, there were no people all day, so it appeared that this new spot was a better choice.
The next day we set up in our original assigned location and many practitioners commented that this location was unsuitable, that we should go back to yesterday's spot, why don't we talk to the Park's Department, etc. But, if one looked to where we were the day before there were no people- even though it was along the main street! It simply didn't matter where we set up. The people came right to wherever we were.
It is my understanding that when an event is properly formed in another dimension and everything is in place, a system forms. This system or mechanism revolves, drawing ordinary people to the event site, cleaning out the evil, and saving sentient beings.
When this mechanism forms completely it is unbreakable and no being can interfere with it. During the DNC activities in Boston each day this mechanism developed, grew, and completely formed. It in turn formed a larger mechanism which was made up of the previous day's components. The very last day during the DNC this mechanism was so powerful everything unrighteous completely dissolved inside it. It was almost impossible to have any tribulations in this field. It pulled people from all over the city to where we were set up. If one was on a roof or in the sky you could see people streaming toward the park. It was a Thursday afternoon and I had never seen so many people downtown. They were coming from everywhere. People brought their friends back to see the exhibit, while others came because they heard from other people about us. I also heard from a practitioner that someone in a helicopter saw our exhibit from the sky and came to see what was going on there.
Ways to Clarify the Truth at the Exhibits
After having spent a number of weeks at different torture exhibits I have been exposed to many different practitioners' approaches to clarifying the truth. I would like to share a few of them.
One approach was to use a tape recording that played behind the exhibit talking about the various torture methods used in China against Falun Gong practitioners. I think this a very good way if there are only a few practitioners available to talk to people. This tape can be an effective means to give people more information, but a live one-to-one interaction I have found is best at the exhibits. When there are practitioners at each exhibit explaining the facts it becomes like a tour, and it enables one to completely explain what is going on. Public speaking, where practitioners take turns sharing their experiences through a microphone is also another good way to reach people passing by the exhibits. Regardless of which way was used at the exhibits, simply having peaceful practitioners' music playing in the background always seemed to improve the field and the overall harmony during the truth clarification.
The People Need Something to Do
At the torture exhibits in our city and other regions many practitioners have remarked that everyday people are very moved by what they see and immediately wish to do something to help. In the past, we as practitioners have been limited in our attempts to provide those that want to help with something concrete to do. Of course they can sign a petition, or write a letter, but for many that is not enough, nor does it calm people after they experience this type of exhibit. This is where we can point them towards Friends of Falun Gong and Petals of Peace. They allow people an opportunity to join activities that can help to end the persecution. Having a table where people can learn to fold lotus blossoms or talk to a person at a "human rights" table enables people to help and come to understand more from another angle besides just the persecution or the practice. It makes sure that there is a little something for everyone to be a part of when we hold these events.
When all these components are in place like the torture exhibit, practicing the exercises, sending forth righteous thoughts, having practitioners clarifying the truth face-to-face, and "how to help" tables, it leaves no gaps and provides a great atmosphere to save sentient beings. Of course the anti-torture display can be set up anywhere and be successful regardless of whether these things are in place, but we should be mindful of what works and what doesn't. We should experiment with new ideas and not limit ourselves. It is also quite good to ask people what their feelings are about these exhibits to help us improve their effectiveness. After all they are the audience.
These Anti- Torture displays are powerful truth clarification tools. They shouldn't be done as if we are showing a movie or handing out a flyer. From my understanding, they can open a window to a person's heart; we should not treat them lightly. By continuing to improve these exhibits and increasing our understandings surrounding their importance, we will be better able to save more people.
The above is my understanding. I welcome any feedback or areas that I may need to improve.
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Category: Journeys of Cultivation
