Report from the First Inland Northwest Experience Sharing Conference

Hongfa in Spokane

Practitioners from all over the Inland Northwest gathered in Spokane the weekend of Oct 13-15 for the first ever Pacific Northwest Experience Sharing Conference. Glad hearts were opened Friday afternoon as we met fellow practitioners we'd only known by email, or heard about. As we hung banners and set out books and flyers, newcomers who had read of the conference in a newspaper article joined us, and practitioners from around the northwest showed up to help.

During group practice that evening, a lone practitioner who had never practiced with a group before, and who shared her story, with tears of joy, after the practice ended joined us. As we shared a delicious home made dinner, Master Li seemed to smile approvingly from his portrait, which overlooked the room. That evening we heard practitioners' stories that truly touched our hearts and opened us to new understandings.

On Saturday, a perfect autumn day, we practiced our exercises at beautiful

Riverfront Park. The Experience Sharing Session on Saturday afternoon brought tears to the eyes of listeners, as our practitioners opened their hearts and shared their cultivation experiences with us, and during an open sharing session, even more practitioners had the opportunity to tell us about their cultivation experiences. In the afternoon at a short session on sharing the Fa we talked about new ways to spread the Fa (and not spread the Fa), and how to help Master Li rectify the Fa without falling into a negative message. A light dinner together gave us a last opportunity to talk with new friends, before we all traveled back to our communities with new light and new understanding. Sunday group practice at Coeur d'Alene was a wonderful two hours exercise session. After that, showering in the warm sunlight, we had a nice talk about Dafa. Practitioners sat and exchanged experiences on sitting cross-legged, and Dafa conferences, and agreed that the time was too short for that wonderful weekend. During the weekend, practitioners from the immediate area, as well as from Montana, the Seattle area, southwest Washington, and as far away as Minnesota came to be part of our lovely sharing session. Thanks a lot to all of you for your great contribution to our meeting. Without you, nothing would have happened. Maybe you can come next year, to meet and share the blessings of the boundless Fa with us. And mostly, thank you to Master Li for bringing us this precious Fa, and for smiling on us all weekend.