(Minghui.org) Practitioners from over 30 countries attended the 2015 Falun Dafa European Experience Sharing Conference in Austria on September 20. Among them was Raymond, a Latvian barista who started practicing Falun Dafa just last October.
This 22-year-old is happy to share how Falun Gong changed him.
Raymond distributing information about Falun Gong at Stephansplatz in Austria on September 19, 2015.
A Pamphlet and a Book
“It was about a year ago when I was passing by a fast-food restaurant in my hometown. Some [Falun Gong] practitioners were meditating there and one of them gave me a pamphlet,” Raymond recalled. He glanced over it and put it in his bag.
Raymond was interested in reading spiritual books at that time. Not long after meeting the practitioners, he went into a bookstore and looked around. Upon noticing a book with a golden cover, he bought it—which turned out to be Zhuan Falun. After reading several pages, he went back to the pamphlet he'd received several days earlier—sure enough, they were discussing the same thing.
Raymond visited the falundafa.org website and began to learn the exercises. He then found a local practice site and joined the other practitioners, participating in the group exercises.
Improving Mind Nature
Besides doing the exercises, Raymond spends lots of time reading Falun Gong books. “I am also trying to memorize Zhuan Falun and now I am able to recite the section titled 'Why Doesn’t Your Gong Increase with Your Practice?'” He said this book explained everything.
Raymond said the practice of Falun Gong and Falun Gong's principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance have uplifted his mind nature, especially his relationship with family members and in his work environment.
“I used to have a bad temper and sometimes ran into conflicts with others,” he explained. He had even stopped talking with his mother and moved out of the house. “It is the Falun Gong principles that remind me to look at things from a different perspective,” he said.
Gradually, Raymond learned to treat others with respect and compassion, and with no negative feelings. He became more considerate and tried to be a better person by aligning himself with the principles of Falun Gong.
“Working as a barista is also a challenge for me,” Raymond said. “At my workplace I used to forget about being a practitioner. Memorizing Zhuan Falun keeps reminding me to act in accordance with the Falun Gong principles.”
“Right now, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance means everything to me,” he said.
Telling Others about Falun Gong
Shortly after he started doing the exercises with other practitioners, Raymond learned about the suppression in China. After reading Minghui and other websites, he decided to tell people about Falun Gong and the persecution so that the atrocity could be stopped.
“I often tell people what Falun Gong is and why we like it so much,” Raymond said. “I then explain why and how the Chinese Communist Party has banned Falun Gong, as well as the mistreatment that innocent practitioners have suffered.” After talking with Raymond, many people signed the petition calling for an end to the brutality.
Raymond said that the recent European Experience Sharing Conference in Vienna was a great experience. “I am really excited to meet so many practitioners here and do the exercises together.” He could feel the strong energy field that made him feel calm with a purer mind.
“The most important thing is, I am so grateful to Teacher for introducing Falun Gong so that people across the world can benefit from it,” said Raymond.
Raymond talks to a passer-by about the persecution of Falun Gong in China
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