PureInsight | July 4, 2005
[PureInsight.org] Starting today, I have to make my son to eat on his own. If he should refuse to eat, I will not feed him. In addition, I will not allow him to have snacks between meals. I must not spoil him any more.
I got up early this morning and practiced Falun Gong exercises. After I drove my kids to the Chinese school, I went to the parents' room and began reading. I planned to read a little bit of Zhuan Falun and a little bit of a classical Chinese literature. But as soon as I started studying Zhuan Falun, I felt very refreshed and peaceful right away, and did not want to read anything else.
Lately I have felt that my vision is getting worse. It makes me uncomfortable when I read. I thought perhaps it is because of my dry eyes. Lately my cultivation state has not been good. I have not done any of the Three Things well. Perhaps my reduced vision had to do with my reduced cultivation state?
While I was studying Zhuan Falun, I stopped twice to check on my kids. I had to bring my son from one classroom to another and then I needed to check if they needed anything during the break.
I was studying Zhuan Falun in the parents' room with two other parents. One of them was an elderly man and the other was a young mother like me. They chitchatted with each other while reading newspapers.
After each class, I would check on my kids and went back to the parents' room. While my kids were in the second class, the young mother asked me, "What are you reading? A novel?" I showed the cover of Zhuan Falun to both of them, and then they started asking me questions about Falun Gong, such as "How does one start practicing Falun Gong?" and "Besides practicing the Falun Gong exercises, is one required to read Falun Gong's books?"
I started introducing Falun Gong to them. At first, I told them the benefits of practicing Falun Gong. "I have been practicing Falun Gong for over four years," I said. "I have never been ill, not even a cold. Practicing Falun Gong also helps me become good-tempered and agreeable. Falun Gong purifies its practitioners' bodies and mind. Therefore, Falun Gong practitioners are very healthy." I also told them that my older sister, who had had menstrual pause, started having menstrual periods again after she started practicing Falun Gong.
They were all ears. It seemed that they did not have any adverse thought about Falun Gong, or at least they did not express it. They also asked me the difference between Christianity, Buddhism and Falun Gong, as well as the reason why the Chinese Communist Party decided to ban Falun Gong. I answered all of their questions.
At first, they said that it does not matter which religion one chooses to have because all religions promotes kindness. "That is true," I said. "If a religion truly promotes kindness. Take my mother as an example. She considers herself as a Buddhist because she goes to Buddhist temples to offer incenses to Buddha. However, my mother worships Buddha in order to pray for Buddha's protection and for a better life. She does not pray Buddha for Buddha's help to become a kinder, better person." I also shared with them my thoughts on the reason why many Christians today are not really following the Bible in their daily life. They agreed with me.
The elderly man asked, "Buddhists believe in Buddha. Christians believe in Jesus Christ. Whom do you believe in?" I replied, "We believe in our Teacher and we believe in Falun Gong's principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. I explained to them that Falun Gong is different from Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity, so it is inappropriate to judge Falun Gong according to the context of Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity.
As I was promoting Falun Gong to them, my vision began to improve. I concluded that I should take the opportunity to bring my kids to the Chinese school to promote Falun Gong. My kids have been attending the Chinese school for over four years. Most of the time I would practice Falun Gong exercises and ignored everyone around me while my kids were in the classes. I shouldn't have been so selfish. I should have interacted with people and introduced Falun Gong to them.
Four years have passed, but no one at the Chinese school improved his opinion of Falun Gong. I blame myself. I have failed to think of others. I was too selfish. I only thought of my own need to practice Falun Gong exercises and to study the Fa.
I did not know how to begin to introduce Falun Gong to other people, but now I know a good natural way to bring up the subject of Falun Gong. From now on, I will go to the parents' room and sit with other people at the same table. When I study Falun Gong's books, I am sure that people would ask me questions about Falun Gong. As long as I expect people to come ask me about Falun Gong, I am confident that people will do so. On the surface, I have sacrificed my valuable time to practice Falun Gong, but I will now have more opportunities to mingle with everyday people.
It is not sensible to give them too much information at a time. It is important to give the audience the right amount of information for them to digest. The key is persistence.
Kind thoughts made me feel very refreshed and comfortable. I believe that when we assimilate to the universe's characteristics, we will feel light all over the body.
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2004/7/6/28030.html
