A Chinese Lady's Experience of Coming to Practise Falun Gong in Austria

I began to practise Falun Gong in September of 2004. Today I would like to share with you how I came across and started to practise Falun Gong.

My husband is from Austria. In October of 1999, just three months before the persecution against Falun Gong began in China, my husband had completed his assignment in China and we moved to Austria. I had not heard of Falun Gong before the onset of the persecution, although more than 100 million people had already started to practise Falun Gong. After I finished my education, I began to work. I spent most of my time either at University or at work. During this busy time I had no contact with any Falun Gong practitioners.

After July 7th of 1999, I started to suddenly hear a lot about Falun Gong. I heard from watching TV, listening to the radio and reading newspapers that Falun Gong was a (slanderous term omitted) and was banned in China. I don’t need to tell you more about this, as you all know of the slanderous propaganda about Falun Gong spewed out by the state run media in China. As I did not know anything about Falun Gong I believed every word I was told by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and therefore held from the beginning a bad impression of Falun Gong.

I felt that it did not matter what the Chinese government claimed to be true or whatever the practitioners had supposedly done as it had nothing to do with me. I was not the slightest bit interested in politics. I also held no particular interest in cultivation practices or cultivating myself, therefore, I really did not think much about it. Then, we moved to Austria, far away from China and the inhuman persecution. Yes, I did hear on and off about Falun Gong, but it held no special interest for me.

Now, when I look back I think that it was predestined that I would start to practise Falun Dafa and that I’m here today sharing with you my path towards Falun Dafa. After moving to Austria I met the ‘L’ family who practised Falun Gong. Mrs. L and I took driving lessons at the same school and her youngest son is my son’s best friend in nursery school. One day, she handed me the Falun Dafa book Zhuan Falun and wanted to tell me about Falun Gong. I did not want to believe anything she told me, as my mind had been poisoned by the Chinese governments deceitful propaganda. Still with such thoughts, I viewed a video about Falun Gong, read some of the articles and talked to Mrs. L. about Falun Gong. After I had looked into Falun Gong a little more I changed my mind about the practise. I came to see that the CCP is deceitful, that practitioners are good people and that the persecution will one day come to an end. But, I still was not so sure about starting to practise Falun Dafa. Yes, I had skimmed through Zhuan Falun, but I thought everything I read to be superstition and ridiculous. My generation grew up in communist China and so we did not believe in the existence of gods or heaven. The founder of Falun Gong, Teacher Li, spoke about gods and other extraordinary things, which I just couldn’t accept. Finally, I just put the book on my bookshelf and forgot about it.

A year passed and soon it was September when suddenly my eyes began to really hurt. I had suffered from such pain for two years. I had visited two doctors, but they could not find anything wrong with me and they were unable to help me. At that time I heard that Falun Gong could heal illnesses. I thought, why not, I may as well give it a go and see if it can help with my problem. With a longing in my heart I took the book down from the bookshelf.

Just as Master said in the introductory text to Zhuan Falun, Lunyu,

“The Buddha Fa” is most profound; among all the theories in the world, it is the most intricate and extraordinary science. In order to explore this domain, humankind must fundamentally change its conventional thinking. Otherwise, the truth of the universe will forever remain a mystery to humankind, and everyday people will forever crawl within the boundary delimited by their own ignorance.”

I came to see that the people who read this book with the attitude of an ordinary person, cannot quite understand it. Therefore, I gave up my notions and tried to read the book without my previous mindset, the point of view I held until that point in time.

After reading Zhuan Falun quietly from beginning to end, I suddenly felt I was in another world. Many questions I had always held, for which I could not find the answers were suddenly lying right before me. I finally understood that the fundamental principles of this cosmos are Zhen, Shan, Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance). They are the highest attainment of the law of the Universe and the most fundamental law. These principles, Zhen, Shan, Ren are the criteria by which the cosmos judges good and bad. I came to see that to understand what is good and what is bad you just have to use these principles as a guide. I came to understand the meaning of karma and how one can convert karma. I could now see why people fall ill and the fundamental cause of illness. I learnt the relationship between loss and gain. I learnt the meaning of xingxing (mind or heart nature, moral character) and that if one wanted to rise in levels, one has to improve ones xingxing at all individual levels, and so on. After reading Zhuan Falun I was thrilled. I had finally found the true reason for our existence and so I held the highest regard for the practice of Falun Gong. Therefore I decided that I would start to practise Falun Gong.

Within a short period of time I felt improvement in both body and mind. I became quieter and more tolerant. I started to meet with other practitioners so that we could practise the exercises and exchange experiences. We help each other. I feel as if we are all one big family. I am elated that I have the chance to practise Falun Dafa, a feeling that I'm sure each and every practitioner has at the beginning of their cultivation.

I often think now that this was my destiny. If I were still in China, given the persecution and the critical situation, I would not have dared to practise Falun Dafa. If I had not been acquainted with Mrs. L. I would never have even thought about starting to practise. I would not have found the opportunity to learn the truth about the persecution, nor would I have believed or accepted it. Today I’m really glad to be here, having the chance to exchange my experience with all of you.

To be honest about it, I did hold a number of concerns. I came to understand that cultivation is extremely serious and most difficult, especially in today’s Fa-rectification period. But I will never regret that I chose to step on this path. I will do my best to do the three things Master asked of us well. This is all I have to share with you today. Thank you for your kind attention.

Originally in German: target=blank> http://de.clearharmony.net/articles/200504/23669.html