Toronto: Minghui School Holds First Young Practitioner Conference

(Minghui.org) The Toronto branch of the Minghui school held its first experience-sharing conference for young practitioners at the Scarborough Civic Center on Saturday, July 1, 2023. Fourteen young practitioners, five teachers, and four parents spoke of their cultivation experiences.

The young practitioners talked about how they put the teachings of Falun Dafa into practice every day including learning how to restrain the urge to play, getting rid of the desire to keep up with classmates, being able to tolerate and give in to younger siblings, eliminating excessive reliance on electronic devices and so on. The adults told how they remembered to pay attention to their conduct and to be good role models for the children as well as overcoming difficulties and bottlenecks in education.

Truly Cultivating Oneself

Miao Miao, eight years old, has practiced Falun Dafa all her life. Through reading the teachings, she learned to be considerate of others.

One time, Miao Miao’s parents took her brother and her to a popular store. There was an activity for children where a man blew up balloons, made them into different shapes and gave them out. One of the organizers saw Miao Miao watching quietly and asked the man to give her a balloon. She declined the offer. She did not take the balloon even after the woman asked her twice.

Her parents were puzzled as Miao Miao had been watching the activity for a long time and seemed to like the balloons. She said, “I loved the activity but I wanted to let others have a balloon.” As they left, Miao Miao saw a child who came late receive a balloon.

Miao Miao said she took part in parades and walked along with the adults when she was five. However, she was unable to complete the whole journey then. Her parents carried her when she became tired.

When she was six, she was able to walk the entire parade holding a banner. She usually carries a banner with her older brother and several young practitioners. She and her brother don’t chat or speak much while walking the route. She said, “It’s because we are not here to play but to clarify the truth. During some parades the sun beat down on us and it was hot, but I seldom stopped for a drink because I wanted people to see how well Falun Dafa practitioners conduct themselves. Sometimes spectators shouted or swore at us. I was a little afraid when I was younger but now, I am no longer scared because I know these people were manipulated by bad beings in other dimensions.”

Later on, Miao Miao joined the fairy maiden team. The maidens don’t talk, drink water or rest during parades. She said, “I was able to do this before I was invited to be a fairy maiden. When Mother asked me, ‘Do you want to tell everyone you have a beautiful fairy maiden costume?’ I said no need because that would be showing off.”

Now, Miao Miao attends grade three in a public school. Her classmates don’t practice Falun Dafa. She told them about Falun Dafa and the persecution in China. “I tell them the evolution theory is wrong, humans didn’t evolve from apes, and Gods do exist. They agree with me. I also tell my friends that Shen Yun is a wonderful show and they should go and watch it.”

Not Retaliating When Beaten or Sworn At

Sheng Yuan is 12 this year and has been practicing cultivation with his family since he was little. His sharing that day was on how he let go of his resentment towards his younger sister. Conflicts often happen. He said, “Our constant arguing made my parents exhausted. Yet, whenever I tried to change my ways, new problems emerged and the conflicts intensified. I could not control myself, and I argued with my sister.”

One time, he read a poem titled, “Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong” in Hong Yin III. “I let go of my anger and resentment at once. I decided to memorize this poem so that when conflicts arose in the future, I would be able to control myself. After I memorized the poem, I gradually learned to endure during conflicts. When my sister scolded me, I stopped arguing. When she hit me, I did not hit back. I discovered I can tolerate being treated unjustly.”

Sheng Yuan also realized he should not only be tolerant of his sister but in relationships with others too. He said, “Now, I want to extend my tolerance to every single moment instead of being able to endure at certain times. I hope to be tolerant of classmates, and teachers in school.”

Learning to Do the Exercises with a Focused Mind

Ju Zheng, eight years old, is a grade two student in the Minghui school. In 2021, he attended the summer camp organized by the school and felt fulfilled because everyone did the exercises and read the Fa every day. After the summer holidays, he told his parents he wanted to continue studying at Minghui school. Although he lives far away from the school, his parents supported and respected his choice.

The students meditate for one hour every Friday. Ju Zheng said, “I often opened my eyes when I did the exercises. I could not sit still and my mind wandered. I even disturbed others. When the teacher discovered my problem, she came up with a solution: She asked the head of a senior class to accompany me while I did the exercises.” Ju Zheng knew the teacher’s intention was to help him do the exercises with a quiet mind and agreed to the arrangement.

He said, “The senior schoolmate sat behind me when I did the exercises. There was a mirror beside us. He could see my every movement and corrected me when my gestures were not up to standard. He also reminded me when I opened my eyes.”

This method proved to be effective. Slowly, Ju Zheng was able to calm his mind. He began to enjoy doing the exercises. “Now, I feel comfortable when I meditate. I also feel my hands floating up and down when I do the third exercise. The more relaxed I felt, the more I wanted to do the exercises.”

However, when the senior schoolmate was unable to do the exercises with Ju Zheng, he could not restrain himself. He began to open his eyes and even scratched himself. He said, “I knew I should not do this. When the schoolmate helped me, I controlled myself. When he was not around, I slacked off. I was not truthful. I should not do well in front of others so that they would praise me. Doing the exercises properly is something I should do. It has nothing to do with whether people are watching me. This is something I need to work on.”

He concluded his speech by saying, “I hope I can do better. When I study the Fa or do the exercises, my mind is quiet.”

Teaching Children to Be Selfless and Considerate

Wang Wen sent her two-year-old son to Minghui school as early as 2003. In 2006, the first batch of teachers at the school quit for personal reasons. Wang Wen thought, if there is no cultivation environment like the one at the Minghui school, how will the children walk well on the path of cultivation? From that year on, she took on the responsibility of looking after young practitioners at the group Fa study in Toronto every Friday.

In the beginning, she had no experience as a teacher and the children did not listen to her. Her patience lessened with time. As she had to take care of the children during group Fa study, she missed out on listening to the other practitioners talk about their cultivation experiences. Without a group cultivation environment, she became exhausted.

Just as she was about to give up, a practitioner who used to be a teacher in China moved to Toronto. She came to work in the Minghui school and Wang Wen could join the group Fa study. Later, as more and more teachers as well as parents joined the Minghui school, the environment for young practitioners improved. On Fridays, the teachers took turns attending group Fa study. More children came to study the Fa on Friday as well.

Wang Wen talked about how she teaches the children to be selfless in everyday life. “Once, at a picnic, I made scallion pancakes which the children loved. I asked my son Cheng Cheng to give each student one. There was nothing left for my son. He said to me sadly, ‘Mom, there goes my lunch.’ I told him, ‘Do you remember what I taught you, the more you share, the more you get?’ I told the other children, ‘Cheng Cheng gave everyone a pancake, do you have anything to share with him?’ The children took the food they brought and handed it to my son.”

She often ran into similar problems while taking care of the children, “At first I did not know how to handle things. Gradually, Master Li (Dafa’s founder) gave me wisdom and I knew how to guide them to deal with problems using the principles of Dafa. I regard the children as fellow practitioners.”

Inspired to Be More Diligent in Cultivation

The conference attendees were touched and warmly applauded the young practitioners.

Linker said, “These young practitioners make me feel that I can learn from them. For example, they spoke of being attached to certain foods. We adults often treat such attachments as a small matter and ignore it. I loved to eat BBQ but when these desires take root in the heart, it is hard to relinquish them.”

Jonathan said, “When the young practitioners talk about their attachments, it is obvious they know what attachments they have for example: Jealousy, zealotry, or showing off. They actively got rid of these attachments. I thought that was very touching.”

Kate said, “I was moved and kept crying because the sharing by the students as well as the teachers are pure. The children’s conviction towards Dafa is so strong.”

Xiao Ce said, ‘The sharings by the young practitioners are pure and simple. I felt that the children nurtured by the Minghui school are pure. This is an example for us adult practitioners. If all children go to Minghui school, there is hope for humanity.”

Jillian said, “The teachers said that, as educators, while dealing with children, they constantly reflect on their cultivation and overcame many human notions. Such education methods are impossible in everyday society because the teachers at Minghui are always looking at their shortcomings and improving their moral character before teaching the children.”