(Minghui.org) Polina was born in the former Soviet Union and moved to Israel when she was 17. In October 2023, war broke out in Israel. During the war, everyone Polina came into contact with felt anxious, helpless, fearful, and sad. She decided to bring hope and peace to people during this special period through a practice which originated from China.
How did Polina, who was taught since childhood to fight for survival and her own interests, change from a forceful woman to one who is gentle and compassionate, offering hope to people during the war?
Polina practices the Falun Dafa meditation.
Polina was raised by her mother and grandmother in post-Soviet society, where adults were taught not to rely on others, but to “fight” for their own needs. In the Soviet Union, women had to be strong and powerful, like the image of Rosie the Riveter on the famous American poster from WWII, with her fist raised high, determined to fight to the end, and extremely tough inside.
Her mother and grandmother were both very independent and powerful women. The prevailing values in society and in her family were not to “think of others first” or “care about others,” Polina said, but rather, “It always was about achieving things and taking care of yourself first and thinking about yourself. I now realize that these values were fostered and shaped by the communist regime.”
From Forceful to Gentle
Polina and her family
Even though she was taught to follow communist values, Polina always believed that human existence has a deeper meaning, and she searched for the meaning of life. She met Alex, now her husband, after she immigrated to Israel.
When they started dating, Polina noticed that Alex went to the park and practiced Falun Dafa. Alex told her about living according to the moral standards of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance, and taught her the Falun Dafa exercises. While doing the exercises, Polina felt a strong energy filling her body, and her fatigue and sleepiness disappeared. She was deeply drawn to the exercises and when she read Zhuan Falun, Falun Dafa’s main teachings, she found the answers she had been looking for in the book.
Polina and Alex married and had two daughters. Every day, she and her husband studied the Fa and practiced the exercises with their children. But as the children grew older and gradually came into contact with society, Alex noticed that they were getting polluted by society. So he decided to homeschool them. But Polina believed that the social environment of school was very important. She was worried that her children wouldn’t be able to make friends if they studied at home.
Polina studies the Fa and practices the exercises with her daughters.
Both husband’s and wife’s wishes were equally strong in the midst of disagreement. Polina said, “At first, I had a strong attitude and thought that my ideas were better and that I should do things according to my will. The education I received in a communist country made me strongly believe that I should not rely on or trust anyone, and I should always be skeptical and vigilant. But through studying Master’s teachings, I realized my mistake: I did not achieve the harmony of yin and yang in the family. Women should be considerate and gentle, and men should be strong and upright.”
Polina began to change her mindset and agreed to let her daughters be homeschooled. She said, “At home, I no longer compete with my husband for the role of leader—instead I slowly began to trust him. Through cultivation, I learned to let go and let him make the decisions.”
In order to facilitate her children making friends and socializing, Polina took them to classes such as piano and ballet. Two years later, the children took the national school exam. Their grades were excellent, surpassing students of the same age in public schools. Polina said, “My husband’s decisiveness is in line with the role of men: making difficult decisions and leading major changes. It was not easy for me to learn to rely on and trust him instead of fighting with him. But when I really cared about and supported him, our family became harmonious and beautiful.”
Hope in the Midst of War
On October 7, 2023, the Israeli people were attacked, and more than a thousand civilians and soldiers died. Children, women and the elderly were killed or taken hostage. “When the war started, it was very traumatic for Israelis, very heartbreaking,” said Polina. The shock of this horrific event plunged Israel into fear and depression.
Falun Dafa practitioners held an online exercise class to help fellow Israelis who are in the midst of violence and grief find a way to regain inner balance and peace. Polina volunteered in the class, teaching one class a week. To date, nearly 500 Israelis have learned Falun Dafa in the exercise classes.
Many people have thanked Polina for bringing them the wonderful experience of practicing Falun Dafa. One student said, “I was worried and stressed at first, but after practicing Falun Dafa, I feel calm and relieved!”
At that time, Polina worked in the human resources department of an international company. After receiving positive feedback from a large number of Israelis who participated in the online exercise classes, she wanted to let the company’s employees know about Falun Dafa. At first, the HR manager was unsure about whether it would work because she didn’t know much about Falun Dafa. Polina explained, “Falun Dafa teaches people to be tolerant, forbearing, and kind, and helps people stay optimistic and calm in the face of adversity.”
After listening to her, the manager agreed to hold a Falun Dafa class within the company and said, “You were radiating light when you spoke just now.”
Polina recalled, “I held two webinars for the company and everyone was invited. Nearly 100 people participated. My colleagues liked it very much. They said they felt a peaceful and powerful energy and hoped to have more opportunities to learn the exercises.”
The manager also sent a questionnaire to her colleagues, asking them whether they wanted to practice Falun Dafa regularly. They agreed. Since then, the company has held online group exercises once a week.
Once, a colleague said to Polina excitedly, “The Falun Dafa you are teaching is really good. I haven’t had the chance to join the group exercises yet, but I will definitely join.” Another colleague said, “Thank you! I joined once and it was great. I will definitely come again.”
Seeing the success of the online group practice, a senior sales manager suggested they practice the exercises together in the office and said that Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are a good way to resist the current turbulent situation.
A colleague from Hong Kong who is working in Europe contacted Polina privately after attending the online course and said, “It’s very interesting. I can understand the Chinese content in the course. Although you can’t understand it, you’re teaching me.”
Polina feels that people cherish the opportunity to learn and practice Falun Dafa and are benefiting from it.
“I started practicing Falun Dafa when I was 23 years old. I’ve been on the path of cultivation for nearly 20 years. I’m still growing and becoming a kinder person every day. Practicing Falun Dafa has made me a better mother, wife, employee, and daughter. It’s been a fulfilling and fascinating journey.”
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