Germany: Practitioners Discuss Insights after Attending the 2008 Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference in Berlin

On November 16th, the 2008 European Falun Gong Experience Sharing Conference was held in Berlin. Many practitioners expressed that they were deeply moved by other practitioners’ touching stories, in particular the congratulatory messages from Master Li. A practitioner who had listened to Master Li’s lecture in Frankfurt some ten years ago talked about his own cultivation experience over the past ten years.

The 2008 European Falun Gong Experience Sharing Conference

Mr. Wu, a practitioner from the European Falun Gong Association, told our reporter, “When we first started our cultivation about ten years ago, what we understood was that we needed to be good people. Ten years later, I found that many practitioners have become more mature. Our cultivation ten years ago was personal cultivation. After the Chinese Communist regime started to persecute Falun Gong, our cultivation has proceeded to the stage of validating the truth. I can feel practitioners’ strong awareness of validating the truth with the mentality of saving sentient beings. The following verse written by Master Li in Hong Yin II, which was hung on the wall of the venue, is representative of our mentality: ‘Mercy can melt heaven and earth into spring; Righteous thought can save people of the world.’”

“As I remembered, there were over 900 people from 25 countries, listening to Master Li’s lectures in Frankfurt then. After entering the venue and looking around the audience, Master Li’s face was beaming and he sounded very happy. Afterward, Master Li mentioned that after holding so many Fa-conferences, it was the first time for him to see so many Western practitioners attending the event.” “Back then many practitioners, including myself, had only a limited understanding of Falun Gong. It is a very good phenomenon that many of those who attended the Fa-conference ten years ago have become steadfast cultivators now. It is meaningful in many ways. There were around 1,100 practitioners attending the experience sharing conference this year. Many of them came all the way from other countries such as Russia Ukraine, etc. Some Ukrainian practitioners took turns to drive for 24 hours to attend the Conference. They are really great and it is not easy to take leave from work for them.” Mr. Wu added.
Mr. Aleardo, a practitioner from Sweden, said, “The content of the sharing at this Fa-conference is very touching in various aspects. When the Fa-conference was held in Frankfurt for the first time ten years ago, the persecution had yet to occur. Today I was in tears, probably because my 'heart nature' has improved and the overall environment has been changed. I think we haven’t seriously contemplated to see what we can do in the future. It is great to be here today.”

Ms. Pirio, a Swedish practitioner who attended the nine day lectures given by the Founder of Falun Gong, Mr. Li Hongzhi, told our reporter, “The Fa-conference today is very special, as it’s been ten years now since Master Li lectured in Frankfurt. I was deeply moved by Master Li’s congratulatory message. I think practitioners have become more mature, since they have learned a lot from what happened in the past. Today, a practitioner from China talked about his cultivation experience and the persecution he underwent, including the cruel torture he suffered when he was incarcerated in prison. It made me feel very sad once I thought of China. I live in Sweden, and started to practice Falun Gong since 1995. Falun Gong is such a wonderful cultivation practice, but its practitioners are persecuted in China and many people are even persecuted to death. Unfortunately, so many Chinese people are still not aware of the fact in China. She continued. The objective of sending congratulatory message to us today was to encourage us to stride forward and become stronger, so as to save more people.” She also mentioned, “The best greeting was the one from Master Li. I think today we all listened to wonderful stories about cultivation and we have enlightened a lot as well. We should find our own shortcomings and narrow down the difference so as to become stronger to save more people.”

“The conference held in Berlin today is the first experience sharing conference I have attended. I have witnessed tremendous changes through my cultivation. After listening to Master Li’s congratulatory message today, I further understand Master’s compassion and his expectation for us. I hope that I am able to uplift my level to save more sentient beings. We were moved by Master Li’s great compassion,” Mr. Yang from Belgium said.

German practitioner, Bernhard, said “My first impression of Master’s greeting was that Master Li is very concerned about European practitioners.” “Many practitioners cannot live up to what Master requires of us and didn’t do what we are supposed to do. Master is hoping that we can do it better. Master must talk to us sternly as time is running out. I noticed that all the people in the venue were moved and I feel that we are too slow. When I first saw Master Li about ten years ago, I was so touched that I was in tears. I knew that what he said was true. He was so calm and compassionate, without the ordinary people’s sternness. He is a great Master, and I was deeply moved. I also know that Falun Gong is something special. Back then, I didn’t cultivate seriously. After seeing Master Li, I realised that what Master mentioned is definitely correct. I was deeply moved to the bottom of my heart. I felt that I was so lucky and my entire body was very heated. I didn’t know what has happened in other dimensions, but I felt something extraordinary. Probable it was because my knowing side has sensed something that I was continuously in tears.” As to the experience sharing conference, he said, “There are so many practitioner came here today. I think it is great. The stories shared were excellent too. I was touched by the stories shared by a Swedish practitioner about the organisation of the Divine Performing Arts’ performance in Sweden. She was responsible for the coordination of the project and thought that she was very important and compassionate. But it turned out that other practitioners were unable to cooperate with her. She referred to the internal organs of an ox. If each organ thought that he was important and unwilling to cooperate with other organs, definitely the ox would die immediately. It reminded me of the importance of cooperation. She found her attachments and enlightened to the importance of looking inward.”

Ms. Stetana, a Ukrainian practitioner who has been cultivating for six years, said, “The experience sharing conference was well organised, and the energy field was very strong. Some of the sharing was very touching, in particular, the one shared by a Swedish practitioner, as their experiences are similar to mine. I am so happy that the Divine Performing Arts are going to perform in Ukraine, as it can help us upgrade our xinxing level and improve our shortcomings in cultivation. Master Li’s congratulatory message made me feel that time is pressing. We must strive harder to save more people. It is a pity that only two Ukrainian practitioners could make it to the Fa-conference here, since others could not get a Visa.”

Anaoly, a practitioner from Latvia said that he felt the conference was very good. He said, “I was especially delighted to hear Master Li’s congratulatory message. It took 24 hours for us to drive to here. I started to cultivate in 1998. It’s been quite a long time and I always wanted to be more diligent. In retrospect, I have missed many opportunities of saving others and upgrading myself during the course of my cultivation in the past. I was very excited from time to time and sometimes very sorry. So there were many shortcomings in my cultivation.” A German practitioner Ms. Cai said, “It seems that every word mentioned by Master Li was for me. After looking inward and comparing myself with other practitioners just now, I found that I had many shortcomings. When I further reviewed myself, I found the problem was that I didn’t believe in Master whole heartedly.

A German practitioner Helga mentioned, “I felt that Master Li was talking about my situation. When listening to Master Li congratulatory message I always stared at Master’s portrait. It seemed that Master was talking to me directly, and his portrait seemed to be alive. I was so much moved and I think this is the most important experience sharing conference I have ever attended.”