PureInsight | November 5, 2006
[PureInsight.org] I once heard
two fellow practitioners talking about their experiences when they called a
workplace that persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in China. These two
practitioners have strong righteous thoughts and had almost never gone
through the stage of carrying a fearful or competitive mentality when
they first started to make the phone calls. They thus were able to
clarify the truth naturally and calmly. But in my experience, they are
the exceptions. Many practitioners don't do as well when they call
China to clarify the truth. Recently I had twice seen fellow
practitioners making phone calls to clarify the truth; I feel that if
practitioners pay more attention to their conversational skills, the
results would be better.
We all know that we shouldn't use human notions when Dafa practitioners
perform tasks that validate the Fa. Therefore, some practitioners pay
little attention to using proper techniques or approaches when they
call people in Mainland China. My personal feeling is that not using
human notions to validate the Fa does not mean we should neglect or
ignore the proper techniques or approaches to doing things. It is
especially true for those practitioners who consider it pursuing
trivial things and not in the Fa when others mention ordinary people's
techniques. They even consider them as limiting and confining. Some
practitioners really do not know how to make phone calls to Mainland
China to clarify the truth. They seem to be doing the same thing over
and over again even after one or two years of making phone calls. How
can we just sit by and wait for these fellow practitioners to raise
their levels? This reminded me of what Teacher said about Zen Buddhism
in Zhuan Falun: "How do you practice and cultivate yourself without
being taught and guided?" I feel many practitioners do need to make
some improvement by acquiring some proper conversational techniques. If
there is room for improvement, but we do not improve ourselves in
validating the Fa, isn't it being irresponsible to Dafa and sentient
beings?
We know everybody has his or her character. Some speak so fast that
listeners cannot catch what they say. Some speak in a long and tedious
manner without a focal point. Furthermore, many of us have formed the
poor habits of interrupting others, speaking very loudly, or speaking
as if we are arguing with others. These kinds of habits might become so
natural that we don't realize we do that. Actually, one of the
so-called conversational skills is to realize one's problems when
talking and make changes accordingly. Ordinary people consider
communication skills an art and a form of acquired knowledge.
1. Respecting others
Developing good communication skills is related to our xinxing
cultivation. It is even based on our xinxing cultivation. When we
communicate with others, the most important thing is respecting others.
This is showing the most basic courtesy. Let me illustrate my point
using a simple example. When we make a phone call, the first thing we
should do is to be considerate of what the other party is doing. Maybe
he is busy at work or sleeping. Even if he is not doing anything,
we should say politely, "I am sorry to intrude" as an opening remark.
It is rude to start a conversation without making a polite opening
remark at the beginning. Even if the other party is someone who has
persecuted Dafa practitioners, we shouldn't neglect the most basic
manner. "Respecting others" also shows the good bearing of a Dafa
practitioner.
2. Paying attention to the reaction of the other party
Some practitioners talk to others like force-feeding a duck when they
clarify the truth. They just pour out a whole bunch of information,
without considering whether others can absorb it or even know what is
going on. It is better to let other know just one thing, instead of
giving them a whole bunch of information they cannot absorb. There is
also the issue of local accent. It is unavoidable that a Taiwanese has
the Taiwanese accent and other may not be accustomed to it. It is
better if we speak slowly at the beginning and pay attention to the
reaction of the other party.
3. Mutual engagement
We all know that we should do our best to clarify the truth
meticulously. Since we need to be meticulous, how we engage others and
carry on the conversation becomes very important. The concept of mutual
engagements is to let others have an opportunity to express his or her
feeling or feedback. We cannot let others just listen to us. It is
necessary for both sides to communicate in order to have a long and
free-flowing conversation.
4. Avoid being diametrically opposite
Maintaining a positive mutual engagement is not to directly oppose the
other party, at least not in terms of our attitude. My personal feeling
is that we should avoid using certain words like evil and illegal,
which may cause the other person to develop hostility against us right
away. Since we are saving people, it is better to go along with their
attachments when clarifying the truth to them. Once, an official at a
610 Office hung up on me as soon as he heard the word "persecution."
When I first started making phone calls, many people hung up on me.
That person gave me an important massage. Some practitioners handle
this issue very well. They don't use such words at the beginning. But
once the other party is willing to listen more, they will cite the
facts related to the persecution and crimes committed by the evil
party, and sternly express their attitudes to the other party.
5. Acceptance (Trust)
When they call China to clarify the truth, some practitioners behave as
if they are chatting with old friends. It is a good way to clarify the
truth. Chatting let the other party feels that we are not accusing them
or forcing them to become defensive. This way, we can create trust with
them. Of course, this is just one of the methods. We cannot simple chat
about other things and go off our subject. Our goal is to clarify the
truth, not make friends or validate ourselves. When we are dealing with
people that persecute Dafa practitioners, if we cannot let them feel
our benevolence, at least we shouldn't let them feel we do not have
enough benevolence.
6. Listen attentively (Do not interrupt others)
Listening attentively is an important concept in communication. It is a
more difficult thing to do when we phone China to clarify the truth,
particularly when we deal with people from organizations that persecute
Dafa practitioners. They often say nothing other than the poisoned
ideas of the Communist Party culture. In this situation, it is very
easy to get bogged down in an argument. Once a fellow practitioner
talked to a 610 Office employee. He listened attentively until the
person had finished. He then expressed his viewpoints to counter the
other person's points. They finished their conversation peacefully at
the end. Before they finished their conversation, the person asked him
who he was. When the practitioner told him he was a Dafa practitioner,
that person was very surprised because no other Dafa practitioner had
talked to him in such a manner before. As a result, that person had a
new understanding of Dafa practitioners.
Of course, we need to be rational and clear-headed when we talk to such
people. They may give excuses, distort the facts, or change the
subject. My own feeling is that no matter how the other party tries to
cover up the facts, we need to focus firmly on such topics as the
Tiananmen Square self-immolation incident and the very nature of the
evil party. Looking from everyday people's viewpoint, those things are
the main reasons behind the persecution. We need to expose them and
allow them no room to hide.
Conclusion
Having good communication skills when making phone calls to China is
actually starting from the concept of "treating everyone with
compassion" and applying it. Some practitioners feel that they do not
need to have any skill at all when they make phone calls to clarify the
truth. Some can convince people to quit the CCP by simply reading a
manuscript. It does happen. It is possible that the practitioner has
very strong righteous thoughts, or the phone call was "the last straw
that crushes the camel to death." Besides, it also depends upon how one
reads the manuscript and how the manuscript was written. Even though it
is acceptable to read a manuscript, if one's manner or tone is not good
or if one just changes a few words, the outcome may not be the same. If
there is a room for improvement, why shouldn't we make improvements?
Although the concept of communication skills is a term of everyday
people, to a cultivator it is a basic cultivation process. It is
because it clearly tells us that we need to let go of our fundamental
attachments and consider others. It also enables us to let go of our
attachments of hostility, hate, and competitiveness, and to
improve our patience and demonstrate our kindness as cultivators.
Teacher said in "Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles: "So in
other words, whichever field you might be in, when you are able to
improve your skills, that is a reflection of your having continually
risen in realm. And people can see that you are a good person and
someone who cultivates his or her heart and mind. From the vantage
point of human beings, you are becoming a good person. As a result of
studying the Fa and cultivating your inner self, you do better and
better, and gods give you the wisdom you deserve and give you
inspiration so that you can come to realize a lot of things while you
study, create better things, improve your technique, and reach beyond.
Think about it, in human society, this can be done in any legitimate
occupation, can't it? While you do well at work, you are cultivating
yourselves--can't you improve that way? In today's society, I could
choose any form as the format for your cultivation and enable your
cultivation to be a success."
What Teacher said here let me realize that even though developing
skills is a principle of everyday people, when we learn them, we will
not be limited by it. It is because we have Dafa to guide us. When our
minds are in the Fa, we will be able to continue to transcend our
levels.
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2006/10/20/40549.html
