(Clearwisdom.net) The New York 2008 Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference was held on Saturday, May 24, 2008 at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. More than 5,500 Falun Dafa practitioners from around the world attended. At 2:20 p.m., our compassionate and great Master came to the conference and taught the Fa for about one and a half hours. Master Li emphasized the importance of looking within and improving xinxing.
As revered Master entered the conference hall, attendees immediately stood and greeted Him with a standing ovation and resounding applause. No one resumed their seats until Master gestured to everyone to sit down. Practitioners from mainland China and around the world extended their gratitude and greetings to revered Master during a question and answer session.
Students from the Feitian Academy of the Arts presented Master with bouquets of fresh flowers as he was preparing to leave the stage. After leaving the main conference hall, Master visited a secondary conference hall to greet practitioners there, and asked them to relay His greetings to their fellow practitioners back home when they returned.
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The large crowd of over 5,500 was accommodated in two conference halls. Twelve practitioners shared their cultivation experiences at the conference. Their topics covered the Divine Performing Arts world tour, the "Uncompromising Courage" Art Exhibition, selling advertising for the media run by practitioners, cultivation in everyday life and work environments, truth-clarification at a Nine Commentaries Quit the CCP service center, and so on. The practitioners shared how they cultivated themselves and assisted Master in Fa-rectification.
The conference hall was stately and elegantly decorated. Above the main stage was a banner reading "2008 Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference in New York." Falun emblems and revered Master's Fa portrait were hung in the center of the main stage. Two vertical banners on both sides bore transparent golden characters on a blue background, reading,
"Compassion can harmonize Heaven and Earth, ushering in spring
Righteous thoughts can save the people in this world"
("The Fa Rectifies the Cosmos," Hongyin Vol. II)
Attendees had dressed up for the conference and were radiant with smiles. The fragrance of flowers on the stage permeated the hall.
At the beginning of the second half of the conference, an hour-long documentary film about Divine Performing Arts was shown. It recorded in detail small stories of how Divine Performing Arts developed to become mature with amazing speed, with Master's personal participation and guidance. Both teachers and students take continuously purifying themselves and assisting Master in Fa-rectification as their mission. Their spirit of "Let joy be found in hardship" ("Tempering the Will," Hongyin) and their actual practice were truly moving.
"Divine Performing Arts" is the Grace of Divine Beings
Mr. Chen Rutang, conductor of the Divine Performing Arts orchestra, shared how he looked within and improved himself while conducting the orchestra, and how he learned to let go of human notions, truly listen to Master's instructions, and do better in offering salvation to sentient beings.
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Mr. Chen said that the two Divine Performing Arts dance companies received rave reviews during their world tour. On the surface, it looked like perfect coordination of the performers, lighting, choreography and backdrops; but behind-the-scenes, it was actually Dafa's mighty power, and Buddha's enormous grace. He feels extremely fortunate to be able to be part of it. During the world tour, he noticed that the audiences perceived the marriage of music and dance as seamless.
His personal understanding is that genuine divine charm is the grace of divine beings. It contains special and unique inner meaning, which human language fails to summarize. On the stage, the dancers and vocalists performed, but actually divine beings were performing. What emitted was compassion, and energy that is able to save people.
During one performance, one musician played slower than he conducted. He became angry, and was ready to criticize him. Somebody reminded him and said, "That performer felt extremely upset." Mr. Chen recalled Master's Fa principles that we should be considerate of others in everything, and always think about whether others can bear it. At the same time, he found his selfishness, which reflected in his personal consciousness, personal authority, and being self-centered. So he found the musician and had an open conversation with him. Later he also shared this matter with the whole orchestra. The orchestra musicians found a way to cope with similar situations in their future performances.
As a conductor, Master requires him to coordinate with the dance performances. In the beginning, he did not understand it quite well, but later, after accompanying the dancers numerous times, he found that dance performances must have the top priority. When digging deep inside himself, he found his self-centeredness. So he decided to memorize the more-than-20 full scores for the shows. He had to rely on some small slips at the beginning, but later, under Master's guidance, he listened to the recordings many times, and soon he had a breakthrough. After that, he conducted all the performances without the help of scores, so he was able to conduct while watching the dance performances. He drew the following conclusion: He had not understood Master's instructions at the beginning because of the hindrance of his human notions.
Korean practitioner Ms. Quan also shared her achievement in the Divine Performing Arts Orchestra. She found that her personal participation in performances helped her experience the beauty of Dafa music. Every note was a manifestation of Master's Fa and every performance was different from the previous one.
Western practitioner Emily, also of the the orchestra, shared that we must let go of self. When she made mistakes during a performance, it was because her human thought focused on how to validate herself. When she used her divine side to perform, and maintained firm and strong will, not allowing the evil to interfere with offering salvation to sentient beings, everything would go smoothly and she did not feel tired.
Spreading the truth widely while promoting Divine Performing Arts
A Falun Dafa practitioner from Germany shared that it was the truth of Falun Gong that opened the theater doors. The Divine Performing Arts show in Munich on April 18th and 19th of this year was a great success. As soon as the curtains were drawn, the show was met with continuous applause and cheers. Every introduction of a program was met with applause. At the conclusion of each show, the audience gave a lengthy standing ovation, and the curtains were re-drawn three times in response. The reason for the performance's success was that it was a show without Communist Party culture. During negotiations with the theater, the truth of Falun Gong was the first point of introduction, and practitioners also told the theatre personnel that Divine Performing Arts has a mission to revitalize traditional culture, while the Chinese Communist regime destroys traditional culture. While the Chinese Consulate attempted to interfere with the show, they told the venue holder it was a show composed of Falun Gong practitioners. However, in reply, the venue holder said they knew this from the beginning. Full of righteousness, the theater personnel resisted the interference from the Chinese Consulate. They even published in many German newspapers a photograph of the Vice Consul attempt to impede the show; in fact this was a way to promote the Divine Performing Arts show free of charge. Many people came to see the show after they learned the truth about Falun Gong.
The joy of a new practitioner in obtaining the Fa: an inevitable event in life
Jeffrey from New York works as a department director of a large corporation in New York. He has practiced Falun Gong for only six months. Jeffrey shared that he would cultivate his entire life. He came to the realization that his experience sharing was written not for himself, but for those who helped him obtain the Fa, and the people who would become future practitioners.
In the past, Jeffrey smoked a pack of cigarettes per day; he drank alcohol on a daily basis, gambled, he even swore and cursed at people. Upon learning of Falun Dafa and Master Li, within a short time, he had watched and listened to the complete Fa teachings from Master Li. Since he began cultivation, Jeffrey has quit smoking and drinking altogether, and gotten rid of all his bad habits from the past. He no longer feels tired and drained. At the conclusion of his sharing, Jeffrey said with much heartfelt emotion, "I do not think it was a coincidence that I met the practitioners; it was an inevitable event of my life."
Finally knew what it felt to be free of illness
Mr. Zheng, who lives in New York, obtained the Fa in 2006, from Falun Dafa books which his sister-in-law brought to him. In his spare time, Mr. Zheng began to read Zhuan Falun and learn the exercises. After only one month, he discovered with much surprise, his body had experienced noticeable changes. The discomfort which he had felt for many years disappeared without a trace, and a bony outgrowth in his heel became much reduced. To his wife, Mr. Zheng said, "I finally know what it feels like to be light and free of illness."
Colleagues waiting for me to clarify the truth
John Nania, a Falun Dafa practitioner from New York, shared his experiences in balancing work and cultivation. As an Internet consultant, his supervisor once expressed extreme discontent toward John's work. After he shared with other practitioners, John enlightened that he should put more effort into his work, and instead of just giving his time, he needed to work whole-heartedly. If one does not do well in everyday work, it is a failure of one's responsibility toward society, and opportunities for truth-clarification would also be lost.
Falun Dafa practitioner from New York, John Nania
At the end of his sharing, John said, on a deeper level, he knew the reason for his supervisor's anger: "Because they were waiting for me to clarify the truth, which I had not done." He also shared, "Now I do well at work, and use all opportunities to clarify the truth, so every person would know Falun Gong practitioners are the best employees. It is not losing my job and salary that would be the most serious issue, but losing the opportunity for truth-clarification to those with whom I meet through work."
Clarifying the facts on a large scale for the "Uncompromising Courage Art Exhibition"
A Falun Dafa practitioner from Israel shared that practitioners successfully applied to hold the "Uncompromising Courage Art Exhibition" at the biggest university in Israel. The exhibition was held with great success on the first day, during which many students from China also saw it. However, due to interference from the Chinese Consulate, the exhibition was forced to close ahead of time. Practitioners responded by clarifying the truth to higher levels of staff in the university and collecting petitions on the university grounds. They received great support from professors and students throughout the school after the truth was spread widely. Through contacts with the media, a major newspaper in Israel exposed the intervention from the Chinese Consulate. Through legal channels, practitioners also brought a lawsuit against the university department involved with the matter, to convey to them the unjustness of their actions in handling the issue. Upon learning of the situation, a nearby university invited the "Uncompromising Courage Art Exhibition" to be held on their campus.
Persist with spreading the Nine Commentaries until the Chinese Communist regime disintegrates
In the afternoon, a paper was presented by practitioners who persisted with truth-clarification at the Quit the CCP service table in Flushing. This Quit CCP Service table was established in early 2005. Nearly every day since that time, practitioners have displayed information boards to clarify the truth, and persuade Chinese people to withdraw from the CCP. Even though most practitioners at the location were 56 or older, through sharing on the Fa, they came to understand that old age and level of education were not to be obstacles for truth-clarification. They had many touching stories.
On one occasion, two Chinese exchange students sat on the staircase opposite to the service table. A practitioner greeted them and spoke of the beauty of Falun Dafa, how heaven will eliminate the CCP, and the necessity to declare one's withdrawal from the CCP in order to wipe away one's CCP brand. The students changed their attitudes, and filled out Quit CCP forms with sincerity. Before they left, the students took truth-clarification materials, and expressed that they would spread the truth about quitting the CCP to other people.
On the streets of Flushing, a student from Las Vegas became very excited as he saw information boards about Falun Gong exercises. "This is what I am looking for!" he said, and wanted to learn the exercises straight away.
The older practitioners who persisted in truth-clarification at the Quit CCP Service table discovered that as long as there was the wish to save people, Master would make arrangements. When the time came, everyone would have the ability to speak well, clarify the truth, and persuade them to quit the CCP.
With regard to recent events in which the Chinese Consulate attempted to incite hatred through the manipulation of organizations linked with CCP special intelligence, exchange students, and hired thugs, to maliciously attack and verbally abuse Falun Gong practitioners at the Quit CCP service center, these practitioners shared that in order to save sentient beings, they would overcome any obstacle, no matter how difficult. They would not retreat, but instead, continue to persist in their display of great compassion at the Flushing Quit CCP Service table, until the CCP has disintegrated.
After reviewing Master's Fa teachings, the experience sharing conference came to an end at approximately 7:00 p.m. Falun Dafa practitioners who attended the conference expressed that they would take what they had gained back to their own environments, and walk well in the remaining steps on their journey of cultivation and truth-clarification.
