The wide media coverage on the escalating persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Government has made Falun Gong known by more and more people around the world. People in the West wonder why the Chinese government has to suppress a peaceful exercise group so harshly. Through Internet, some people have got a preliminary understanding of Falun Gong after reading its introduction on web sites. People come to realize that Falun Gong is very unique and to many of them, this is what they have been searching for their whole life.
In many big cities, more and more westerners either go to practice sites or attend workshops and 9-day classes to learn Falun Gong. However, in relatively small cities or suburbs, there are not so many information channels as in a big city, nor are there many promoting activities conducted by Falun Gong practitioners. Therefore, the residents who have heard of Falun Gong only know about the persecution by the Chinese government. As to what Falun Gong really is, few of them really understand. Some residents may get some information from the web sites and know that Falun Gong is a good way to better one's health and mind but they do not have the opportunity to learn more about it.
The local governments and media also know little about Falun Gong except for the suppression. They lack opportunity to talk with or interview Falun Gong practitioners. In other words, they lack information on Falun Gong though they want to have their own reports other than copying from other major media.
We, the practitioners in Texas, learned from practitioners in California and start to spread Falun Gong to surrounding relatively small cities or suburban areas.
We went to Corpus Christi five times. The local TV station interviewed us for more than one hour. The local newspaper also covered our activities. At present, the new practitioners in Corpus Christi have organized their exercise practice and book study. In Harlingen, introduced by the positive reports on local newspaper, over 80 people came to a workshop, many were families. Just as Master Li says, "Those who have predestined relationship can awake to it and will come together one after another to follow the Tao and attain the Fa".
In Beaumont, there were only three people attended the first workshop. After local newspaper's interviews and their objective reports, 20-30 people attended the second class. Many of them have taken Tai Chi, Qi-Gong, Yoga, and meditation. One local resident mentioned that it's Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truth-Benevolence-Tolerance), the core of this cultivation that has attracted him. We are touched to see the people who attend the workshops or classes, as they are here to attain the Fa.
There are a few differences when spreading Dafa in relatively small cities comparing to big cities.
First, the local media are generally more interested in Falun Gong workshops or classes. Many reporters not only interview and talk with practitioners but also are interested in learning Falun Gong themselves. Their reports are objective, which reflect that Falun Gong is a unique and powerful cultivation way in traditional Chinese culture for better health and a more peaceful mind.
Secondly, people in small cities live a relatively relaxed life, so they have more time to take part in some interesting activities, such as Yoga, Tai Chi, or meditation. Thus they can appreciate learning Falun Dafa. Sometimes, they ask, "Why does the Chinese Government persecute Falun Gong?" We replied that "One is because the Government is afraid of so many people learning Falun Gong. The second reason is that Falun Gong is based on ancient Chinese traditional culture but the Chinese Government only allows its people to believe in Communism." After reading books and doing the exercises, these newcomers say, "This is nothing like a cult at all. It is unreasonable that the Chinese Government would label such an excellent mind-body-spirit cultivation method a cult."
Thirdly, as it usually takes us 1-2 hours, or longer, to go the surrounding cities by driving, we are not able to go to these cities too often. The new practitioners are eager to set up their own local practice sites. In more than ten cities, for example, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Beaumont, Waco, Killeen and Temple, there are local practitioners volunteered to be Falun Gong contacts.
Fourthly, there is a difference between people in small cities or towns and those in big cities: people in small cities are kind and honesty and they tend to have closer relationship and better communication among themselves. So it is easy to achieve spreading Dafa from person to person, from heart to heart.
When we are spreading Dafa in the suburbs, we often recall Master Li once said "I went to the countryside and small towns in the United States and saw so many kind people, kind Caucasian people." The cosmic climate has reached such a stage that many new Fa-spreading opportunities have been created. We should cherish and grasp the opportunities to let more kind people attain this Great Law.
Original Chinese text reported on 5-27-00
(Translated on May 29, 2000)
Category: Journeys of Cultivation
