While at work one day, a fairly new practitioner came in for lunch and she began to share with me an experience. She said that she wrote to the Chinese Consulate in our neighboring city concerning the unlawful persecution taking place in the Mainland. She then went on to tell me that she was sent a package back in the mail from the Chinese Consulate. In the package she received videos and written materials (in both French and English) slandering Falun Gong. The new practitioner told me that she planned to write the Consulate again, in response to the material that she received. I was moved by her story and thought to myself, "How could such material (hate propaganda) that slanders Falun Gong be circulating in and around the city and country in which I live. It immediately struck me that somehow I had to rectify this situation before it goes any further. So I began to write a letter to the Chinese Consulate directly pointing out the fact that such propaganda in our country is against the law and unacceptable. The tone of the letter was direct and a little on the harsh side. After writing the letter, inside I felt determined and solid like diamond. This determination would be the energy that would set the stage for my unplanned visit to the neighboring city where the Chinese Consulate is located.
Being Christmas Season and around the same time as I wrote the letter, I received notice from our fellow practitioners in the neighboring city that there would be a three day Fa study and practice. I then made arrangements with my work and boarded a bus. Departing the city where I reside, it was warm with spring in the air, although here at the end of December it is suppose to be the middle of winter. Upon arrival three hours later in the neighboring city, the ground was covered in snow and I found myself in a winter wonderland. After arriving where practitioners were meeting, I found myself inside indoor botanical gardens filled with luscious trees, plants, flowers, fish ponds, flowing water, walkways, bridges, and birds flying in the air. It was as if I had just traveled through all four seasons in a blink of an eye.
Together we studied the Fa and practiced the exercises. We shared experiences amongst ourselves and sent forth righteous thoughts at the Chinese Consulate. We traveled into the Chinese community and handed out truth clarifying material. At group practice I shared with the group the letter I wrote to the consulate officials; we discussed how we could improve. While at the Consulate, I decided to go inside to speak with someone about Chinese Culture. The lady spoke to me through an intercom and told me that I would have to come back tomorrow morning. Since I had planned on leaving that evening, I insisted on speaking with someone then. After much effort, I let go of the attachment and proceeded to leave. Upon walking out, a young Chinese couple came through the doors. So I stood around to see if they would get in. They were also told to come back the next morning. So I took the opportunity to hand the young couple a Chinese newspaper that clarifies the truth about Falun Dafa in China. Wherever I go, I carry with me both Chinese and English truth clarifying material since my current vehicle used is two legs. I stayed another night, and that evening, together with two fellow practitioners, we shared experiences and understandings.
The next morning another practitioner and I made our way to the Chinese Consulate. She remained outside to send forth righteous thoughts while I went inside to speak with a consul official. Once inside, I found a display stand filled with hate propaganda material on Falun Gong. Going through some rounds of emotion of fear and anxiety, I slowly gathered all the evil's lies and deception into a large pile, and walked out the doors. Once outside, I placed the evil's material underneath the fellow practitioners vehicle. I then proceeded with peace and an unmoved heart back into the consulate. Once inside I waited in line with righteous thoughts to make an appointment to speak with a consular official about Chinese culture. A few minutes afterward, a gentleman came out to greet me with a smile. He handed me his card and told me that he was in charge in dealing with Chinese culture and events. We entered a small conference room, where we would then engage in a deep conversation.
I told the official that within the past year I have grown fond of Chinese culture and would like to find out more from his background and perspective. He then began to tell me that Chinese culture dates back 5000 years, which sounded very familiar to me, as just a few weeks prior, our group hosted Miss Zhang Cuiying's art exhibit, which holds 5000 years of Chinese history through art. So after listening attentively to the consulate official, I then shared with him my experience with Zhang's recent visit to our city. I shared with him how I learned, that in order to hold onto such an ancient traditional way of painting, that the artist has to value virtue first and foremost. Miss Cuiying told us that all her teachers have lived more than one hundred years, that Chinese art requires the painting to represent the inner nature and beauty of the painter, and that every brush stroke carries with it the painter's own message, so the painter must also have a high standard of virtue and mind nature. I shared with him how Miss Cuiying's paintings were the most beautiful I have ever encountered. I asked him if he had the opportunity to attend her exhibit while she made her way through his city. He told me that he was not informed about it, and that he would have liked to attend.
Our conversation went on for one hour. Through our conversation we were able to make peace and hear each other's voice. I learned through our meeting, that he was in no way my enemy, but a soul waiting to hear the heart of Zhen, Shan, Ren. For the last fifteen minutes of our meeting I began to talk about Falun Gong. Before he could get onto his defensive side and talk notions of propaganda, I gently told him how within the past year of practicing Falun Gong my life had been deeply touched. I shared with him my personal story and let him know that it had taken me a long time and some distance traveled to reach him. I asked him to leave everything on the other side of the door behind, so he could listen to the inside of his heart for a moment. He listened to my story in a calm manor, although with a mind filled with deceit, some hesitation did arise. He wanted to know why one particular practitioner comes everyday outside the consulate to practice. The steadfast heart and determination of a cultivator is seen. He wanted to know why local practitioners would not rather go to a park to practice, instead of outside the consulate's doors. Righteous thoughts and actions is what the evil fears most.
The official asked if I had looked into their propaganda material, as he himself had not yet fully awakened to the truth. He then tried to open his mouth with slander, but saw that it could not move the heart of a cultivator. After seeing this, he then made our conversation brief, so he could leave in a hurry. As we shook hands, I told him that I would like to make future contact, so I could give him more information on Zhang Cuiying's story. I then proceeded to wait in line for a visa application for China. After seeing this, the consular official then pulled the lady behind the counter aside to talk with her. After reaching the window to ask for a visa application, the lady was very uneasy and frustrated. I kept a righteous mind as she asked me why I was traveling to China. I responded with a clear mind, and told her at first I did not know why, but after maybe to teach. I left with a visa application in hand and traveled safely back home.
After arriving back home, I began to enlighten to my experience more deeply. Remember how our neighboring city had their group practice in Botanical Gardens filled with beautiful trees, flowers, water, and birds flying in the air? Their inspiration has carried over in our city. Now we have a second practice location with walkways, flowing water, plants, trees, and birds flying in the air. This environment has opened yet another door for cultivation practice.
Now getting back to my meeting with the consulate official. If I would have spent time pondering on things before I went into the Consulate, like what I was going to say, what he was going to say, or what the outcome was going to be, I may have created unnecessary fear, anxiety, and stress that would have prevented me from going in. So in this case, the state of wuwei (non-action; inaction; without intention) acted as my saving grace.
Through the experience, I was able to witness the power of genuine righteous thoughts. It showed me that there is an open invitation around the world to meet personally with officials, allowing them an opportunity to experience for themselves the righteous mind and heart of a cultivator in person. That fear is an attachment and when faced with a righteous mind and within our field, all evil completely disintegrates. It shows us that these individuals have been infected the most with the evil's poison, lies, and deceit. It shows us that at the surface level, they are simply repeating evil propaganda that they themselves have been brainwashed with. But at a deeper level, they could very well be, sentient beings that are waiting to be saved by Dafa. Each one of us cultivators has the ability to shine our light of Truth and Compassion to everyone we come into contact with, even if it is the Ambassador or Consul General of a Chinese Consulate or Embassy. By placing ourselves aside, we can allow Chinese Officials from every level, to see that we are in no way hostile or against them or the Communist Party in any way. Instead, we can present ourselves in person and show the dignity and goodness of Dafa, by connecting with their hearts instead of their polluted minds. Even if distance seems to separate us, we still have the opportunity to show sentient beings the dignity and goodness that Dafa has brought out in each of us, by sending them something as simple as a letter, fax, or e-mail. It is also a great way to increase our Xinxing (mind or heart nature; moral character) through the process of cultivation during this special period of Fa-rectification.
So after sharing my original letter that I wrote to consul officials with the rest of local practitioners in my city, I received invaluable feedback. My original letter was in fact too harsh, brief, and not Compassionate. After looking inside, I found that what I was facing was indeed no small, insignificant, task or job. I was on a path with a sacred mission in this extremely precious period of Fa-rectification. At this moment while writing this sentence, it has become even more clear.
The following letter is what was mailed to each Consul General and Ambassador in every Country around the world that has a Chinese Consulate and Embassy. After digging inside through some attachments of laziness and impatience, this is what I wrote. A fellow practitioner did the translation and we sent it in both Chinese and English.
Dearest Consular & Officials,
I'm a western Canadian Citizen writing this to you with my heart and sending this to you with the few dollars that I make working in a Caf?and Bar. I have no personal motivation other than sharing with you a journey of my life within the past year. I had a friend translate this letter into the Chinese language so that it may be more convenient for you to read. This letter will be like no other letter you will ever read, because it has taken many generations to get it to you. I ask you to please place all other things aside for a moment, because a time like this may never arrive again for you. It is about why you are where you are and why I am where I am. It's about letting go of everything you've ever known to see the heart of a genuine soul risking their life at every second of the day so that you may come to know the truth and real story that lies right here before your eyes. It is the story that millions in your country are risking their lives daily so that you may come to know the truth, the truth about Falun Gong. I know what happens when you hear Falun Gong--for the sake of your soul, please stop to hear the voices calling across the country for you to hear the truth. Please stop before you think any further.
As a westerner, I was always open to other cultures, their traditions, and their values. I searched within my own culture to try and discover the true inner meaning of myself and the purpose of my life. Working my way through the corporate structure I reached a pinnacle in my career and became a manager in one of Canada's most prestigous Casino's and Showrooms. My future was bright and the road ahead looked smooth sailing. My salary and standard of living for a 25-year-old young man was more than average. Looking back on your path, you probably always found that you were ahead of yourself, striving to further advance in your own career. In my situation, everything I was striving for soon came to a sudden stop as I fell deathly ill at mind. I came close to taking my life while suffering from the state of Manic-Depression. I lost my job, my career opportunity, my salary and all my desire to live. My dreams and future were shattered.
I made a trip to see a long lost friend. While visiting, he handed me a copy of "China Falun Gong" that he had printed from the Internet some five years prior. When I arrived back home I sat down and began to read through the book. While I was reading, a sudden sense of relief and inner peace came through me, as if my mind and body were being cleansed from the inside out. My mind became instantly clear and alert again. The strangest thing occurred. Everything that was currently going on in my life, along with all of my life-long questions had direct answers one after another as I continued to read through the book. I'm telling you, it was truly as if I were reading through the story of my life. Later I would find that this is something common among those who have come to practice Falun Gong. I then began to teach myself the exercises from the illustrated instructions in the book. I located some practitioners in my area who were practicing and I have continued to practice ever since.
The things that truly stood out for me, was that I did not have to sign my name within any organization or on any membership roster, and that I was free to come and go within the group as I wished. Another thing I found amazingly odd, was that I did not have to pay any money, nor would the practitioners accept any money from me to learn the practice.
They were solely there from the goodness of their hearts and the depths of their souls. So it was left up to me to experience and practice on my own the boundless world of Falun Dafa. I was told nothing, or directed by nobody to act on anything but by my own free will. Writing this letter to you, over a year later I now know. Even though thousands of miles separate us, one thing that can't separate us is our hearts. Even though I've never met you, or have had the chance to shake your hand, I ask you to please ask yourself why I'm writing this to you. Is it because I need something from you, or just so that you would also have this chance to position yourself well in this very special period of time?
To make this valid, I have taken to the road and traveled across Canada and through the United States of America to discover that the phenomenon of 100 million people gathering together from over 60 countries practicing Falun Gong is no fairy tale. I have witnessed the severe brutality and torture that fellow practitioners have been enduring in China, because I've seen and met some of these people myself. People from all corners of the globe have traveled to China, and they all have real life stories of their own to share on the truth of the persecution on Falun Gong. Have you been to the dark dens of the Chinese labor camps to witness the pain of being beaten to an unconscious state with boots continuing to break through your flesh while driving you to the state of death? Have you seen your wife or daughter be thrown into prison to be stripped naked and left to be raped by a group of prisoners? Please don't be fooled by the slander and fabrications that have been made to drag you into hell along with them. For the sake of your soul, please don't be fooled. I will not go into any further details, because the grotesque details are so brutal that it may cause difficulties in your sleep.
Since beginning the practice of Falun Gong, my life is one without stress, anxiety, anger, or depression. My family life has improved greatly, with a more in-depth understanding of one another, without the tension and senseless arguments. My ability to focus and work with a clear mind has dramatically changed, as I'm doing things that I would never have dreamed of doing before. Please stop to ask yourself deep down, have you thought of anything more about Falun Dafa, other than what has been repeated to you through the line of persecution? Do you truly know why this is an event in which our history books will never forget for ages to come? Have you personally come to know the profound inner meaning behind Dafa, behind Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance, other than being told that it is a cult? This is written so that you may weigh such questions, as your answers shall certainly play an important role in your future. You know right from wrong, and you know good from evil. You have yet another opportunity to position yourself well under this circumstance.
We have already witnessed history and the bloody massacre on Tiananmen 89' which was covered with lies, greed, deceit, and power. The world has been watching and has seen that even a powerful country along with all the money it has spent in this demonic persecution cannot truly change a true practitioner's heart once he comes to know the true meaning of life. Have you ever thought what role you may be playing in all of this? Have you ever thought to step aside for one moment, apart from your job, to ask yourself deep down if you stand for righteousness or for the power of something that will fade away with the passing of time?
An old ancient Chinese proverb says that goodness will be rewarded, and evil will meet with evil. I ask you to please not be fooled, as our life is much more than what meets the eyes. Please know Falun Dafa is good, for the sake of your soul; please know Falun Dafa is good!
My Heart Filled Regards,
(name withheld)
A World Citizen and Falun Gong Practitioner
