Inspiring and Powerful: Western Practitioners Share Their Experiences at the 2014 New York Conference

(Minghui.org) The 2014 New York Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference was held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on May 13, 2014. Master Li Hongzhi, founder of Falun Dafa, spoke at this grand event attended by over 7,000 practitioners from more than 50 countries around the world.

New Practitioner: “The World Will Be a Better Place with Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance”

Jason Eaton from Olympia, Washington started cultivating in Falun Dafa just over a year ago. The practice has offered him “many, many benefits.”

“I don't get upset at things very easily. I'm very calm at problems. I feel a lot more rational and clear. There were so many thoughts in my head. Now I'm a lot more clear-minded. I'm able to have more control of myself than sort of just going along with what other people do,” he shared.

“If everybody just tries to follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, then society will become better. That's exactly what society needs. We don't need more laws or trying to change society through government or something like that. It's more powerful than anything else to change ourselves on the individual level. Laws never change people's hearts. You have to change people's hearts on the individual level. That's the only way that the world will ever be a better place,” he continued.

Jason, 29, first heard about Falun Dafa through a friend in 2009, but only learned the exercises at the time. After learning the Fa in 2010, he became a serious practitioner a year later.

He explained the process, “I was searching for the truth. I was looking into a lot of different spiritual paths and religions. A lot of people had different explanations about the universe, spiritual things like gods, and things like that. But I don't know who's right. So I wanted to research what different people had to say about it.

“It took a very long time for me. I had to study the Fa a lot before I was convinced about it. I think that's what convinced me, because I studied the Fa a lot. I had a lot of doubts, but the more I studied, the more layers of doubts were taken away.”

He decided to attend the 2014 New York conference because he had never seen Master before, and never been to an event with so many practitioners, “I know it's a good opportunity to improve. I really want to start being more diligent. I think this will help me in my cultivation.”

Speaking of his conference experience, he said he obtained “A lot! The whole time Master was speaking, I was crying. It was very powerful.”

Jason said that he was inspired and motivated to be more diligent and catch up with veteran practitioners.

Veteran Practitioners: Inspired to Be More Diligent

“It was overwhelming. It was the first time [that I heard Master lecture in person]. I was moved. My heart was... It's a very very nice feeling. I was really moved to see Master,” exclaimed Theresa Swinkels, a Dutch practitioner who currently lives in Portugal.

She liked the conference very much, “We think for others. These are all the people who think the same. It's a very pleasant environment to be in.”

Mariekecos Vos from the Netherlands has been practicing Falun Dafa for seven years. She shared, “My space has broadened and become more calm. I feel like really relaxed. My whole body calms down. I was really inspired. I cried when I saw Master entering the stage. I could pay attention very well. I was very focused.

“My mind is very quiet now. It's hard to put it in words. I felt I was renewed and resolved to reach out to people more. I felt more clear how beautiful and precious it is what we are doing. I have concrete ideas like how to do my projects more like a practitioner. I have found really new resolves especially to do exercises more.”

Theresa echoed Mariekecos, “Especially to talk to people. When they don't know, to explain the facts to them. I had in my heart a promise to Master that I would even do more. I'm going to insist on it because it is for everybody that comes the time that we slack off a little bit. So this was a very big push to renewal.

“I strive to do better in my cultivation. I'm suffering also. But it pays off. We are happy in the heart. We are feeling at the same time very very clear, joyful, and at peace. Even the exercises with the legs crossed, it's painful. But at the same time, we feel joyful that we do it! We tolerate the pain to be a better person!

Theresa emphasized her resolution, “I can do more! That's what's so stimulating. You are meant to be more diligent than you thought you were.”

Jared Pearman from Canada shared his thoughts, “I have been cultivating since 2001, so more than 13 years. I think I definitely fall into the category of practitioners that over time have become less diligent. You get used to cultivating. You get used to the projects, and you stop having all of the righteous thoughts that are really required by the Fa to make things successful.

“When I look at some of the interference that my projects have encountered, or the slowness of things. I think it's because I have become too relaxed inside. Master's speech today was very encouraging for me to do better and to really make a breakthrough in my cultivation to be diligent again.”