Fa - Family

My name is Bridget. I have been a practitioner of Falun Dafa for the past three years. I spoke at our last conference about the great improvement in my health. Now I am pleased to say that my outlook on life has changed from that of an everyday person to one of being constantly aware of the Fa and how to live according to the Fa principles. I am totally committed to cultivation which includes spreading the Fa, rectification of the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts.

I would like to speak to day about some of my thoughts on the Fa and the Family. These thoughts came to me after I had a very beautiful dream.

One night I went to sleep wondering what experience from my cultivation practice I could use to write an article for this conference. The following morning I awoke from my dream. In my dream I was in a most tranquil place, somewhere adjacent to a river. Many practitioners were there dressed in yellow. The atmosphere was one of purity, harmony and of a timeless nature. There was a sound of rippling water gently flowing and yet without speaking, too words filled my mind: - Fa and Family.

When I awoke these two words were clear in my mind. At the same time I was reminded of something I had read the previous evening which was that all matter in the universe exists for the Fa. Then it became clear to me how the Fa can spread through the family, also how spreading the Fa and Fa rectification can create a greater family of cultivators, all as one in our minds just as we were in my dream.

I would like to share with you some of my thoughts on the families to which we belong.

In my immediate family there is just myself and my husband Leo. We are both practitioners. We continually share our reading of the scriptures and our understanding of the Fa. We do our exercises together as well as going out to spread the Fa by distributing leaflets and clarifying the truth of the Fa by talking to people and answering their questions. We clarify the truth to everyone who visits our home. Many people remark on how we are looking so well which is always a good opportunity to tell them the reason for this which often leads to further explanation of the Fa.

When I write to family members abroad I include flyers and other information and always update them on our progress in cultivation. Together we visit Libraries over a wide area from our home to leave and make information always available to the general public.

Our extended family are all aware of the Fa through their relationship with us. One family member lets me know when her local library is running low in flyers. Others unwittingly spread awareness of the Fa through contacts within their work and everyday life. (Our family spans four generations). My sick sister has started to read Falun Gong; she tells me that she understands clearly what she has read so far. Overall the term Falun Dafa is quite familiar to all members of our extended family.

The next family I feel part of is the family of cultivators in Ireland and being at one with each member of the Falun Dafa fraternity here. We share our understanding of the Fa with each other, just as we share the common goal of spreading the Fa. Through being in a group situation the bond between us is strengthened. The road ahead in spreading the Fa in Ireland is becoming clearer each day.

I think often of the Chinese practitioners who, in the early days left their own families and their Motherland to bring the Fa to Ireland. I look upon them with deep benevolence from my heart. They brought the virtues of Truth, Benevolence, Forebearance to the Irish People and have given their all unstintingly over many years to spread the Fa all over Ireland. The spread of the Fa will be unstoppable with continued effort from us all.

My thoughts on the Fa and the family take me back to the Edinburgh conference. As a group of people I felt we were at one with each other. We made contact with many practitioners. The bond between us was instant. The atmosphere suggested an environment of pure land. We all interacted with ease, just as family members would.

There was an other aspect to this friendship. Leo, because of his disability uses a wheel-chair. The hostel comprised several floors and levels. However, all that was necessary for Leo to do was to arrive at the bottom of any staircase where he would be surrounded by many willing hands and physically carried to where ever he wished to be. In fact one destination was six flights up and presented no problem whatsoever.

The final family in my thoughts are the largest group of all. They are those practitioners world-wide who unite daily to send forth righteous thoughts when we gather in spirit across the globe. Included, and I salute them are the many Chinese practitioners on the mainland of China together with those who languish in prisons and labour camps. The power and the goodness of all our thoughts becoming one immense force for good must have an incredible effect on the evil beings throughout the entire Cosmos.

What of my dream and what message did I derive from it? I believe I received a clear message to never cease to clarify the truth to every person I encounter. By doing so I will give as many as possible the chance to be saved and perhaps join the greatest family of all. The family of cultivators in Dafa.
Thank You