2004 European Conference: The Best Gift of my Life

Facebook Logo LinkedIn Logo Twitter Logo Email Logo Pinterest Logo

Esteemed Master.

Dear fellow practitioners and friends of Falun Gong.

I am Uta Wiedemann, a sixty five year old lady. My husband and I first learned about Falun Gong in 1997. I remember vividly that I often wondered as a young girl why the grown-ups always looked forward to the weekend with much anticipation; I thought whatever could be the reason? I reasoned that one ages steadily, catches an illness, and at then end departs this world, or is there something else I have missed? Almost sixty years went by before I could make sense of this question about life.

I had a happy childhood in the former German Democratic Republic. I pondered further about the meaning of life after my fifty year-old mother, younger brother and I took flight to the West. Untroubled times were over once I approached the end of my twenties. First a skiing accident, then I suffered from back pains and other ailments. As if it was not enough, other hardships and adversities followed. My brother ended his life at the age of thirty. Déjà vu, the quest about the meaning of life returned in full force.

At that time I was ignorant about the principle of cause and effect and karma formation and elimination. The only thing that kept me going was “Work.” Therefore, I accepted additional assignments and often worked late into the night or on Saturdays. Bottom-line, I became afflicted with a very loud Tinnitus (constant ringing in the ears), cancer, change of life ailments, depression and debilitating sleep disorders.

Then, in 1993, my eighty nine year-old mother became bedridden after an accident and thus was in need of constant care. Rest assured, I felt it my duty to be the caregiver. I quit my job, but the twenty-four-hour care of my mother pushed me to my limits. I had to concede and take her to a nursing home, where she passed away within two-an-half years.

I was reduced to despair and thus continued my search for different stress-relief methods and philosophies. Naturally these methods distracted me up to a point, but nothing brought real relief in the state of my health or my frame of mind. To be honest, I was sick of all these so called miracle health cures.

In 1997 I learned of Falun Gong for the first time at the German Association for Traditional Chinese Medicine. My curiosity got the better of me as always. Therefore, I immediately tried the five Falun Gong exercises. The energy current and the harmonic movements were immensely fascinating to me and the associated music was of tremendous comfort to my soul.

Without hesitation I formed an exercise group in Munich. At that time the main book Zhuan Falun [Turning The Law Wheel] was being translated into German. I helped polish the translation. I couldn’t stop reading it over and over again. It was like a craving to constantly absorb all the new concepts within. Then I went to the 1998 Fa-conference in Frankfurt. Meeting Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, impressed me deeply. Listening to the Falun Gong practitioners experience sharing articles gave me that last push towards practising Falun Gong.

Thus, Falun Gong became an integral part of my life. My husband and I performed the Falun Gong exercises daily before going to work. Daily reading of Zhuan Falun was a given and my knowledge deepened continuously. Yet, although I practised daily, my left knee suddenly began to hurt. This stretched over a number of weeks. After uncertainty right at the beginning I just ignored it. Then, without noticing, the pain was gone as sudden as it appeared.

Because of the cancer I suffered from in 1993 I stayed away as much as possible from any fatty meat and egg whites. The doctors explained that I was genetically disposed, as both my mother and grandmother had come down with cancer. I let go of all my anxieties as I intensively and continuously read and studied the book ”Zhuan Falun.” I recognised that cultivation in Falun Dafa was the continuous process of letting go. I found myself sitting constantly in the observer seat, watching my actions and the responses by my fellow men. I slowly came to the realisation about the cosmic principle, “Good is rewarded with Good and Evil is rewarded with Evil.” This actually meant, “What comes around goes around.” My understanding improved continuously. My ability to discriminate deepened and more often than not I found that I was at the right time at the right place, doing what was right.

During the first months of my cultivation all my old illnesses came back. Finally they all disappeared, the tennis elbow, hay fever and other allergies, migraines, as well as my hip and cervical spine problems. I cancelled my fitness club membership. I no longer needed medical prescriptions, massages, physiotherapy and cranial-sacral therapy. I was no longer picky in what I wanted to eat, took no longer vitamins or other food supplements and my blood pressure normalised. The Tinnitus eased up and only acts up occasionally. Inner turbulence, uncertainties and stress no longer affect me. I no longer suffer from sleep disorders or mood swings. Interestingly, I discovered that during sleepless nights I could read the Fa [Law or Principles, the teachings of Falun Gong] and was much more energetic the next day, yet I had only slept three to four hours.

The result was that I could tell other people about all these wonderful experiences. Since three-and-half years I spend six evenings a week in a clinic that specialises in orthopaedics. I teach the Falun Gong exercises to rehabilitation patients who are recovering from knee, hip, intervertebral disc, or shoulder operations. I also help patients who come for a prophylaxis regime. On days when I am busy with something else, my husband takes over for me.

It takes only a few days before the patient report improvement. For example the itching in their legs disappear, they are able to sleep much better, can cope better with stress and have more energy and love for life. They even disclosed that they are able to bear the following day the therapy at the clinic with much more ease. They enjoy the harmonic environment as after the exercises we have an exchange of ideas. The patients have a hard time understanding the brutal persecution. Also, many of them had not heard of Falun Gong.

All beginnings are difficult. There were many disputes, scepticism, even hostility. Yet, I marched evening after evening to my own drums and visited the clinic. Sometimes I encouraged myself by repeating in my mind, “After three weeks, two hundred new patients will come and with them more opportunities to tell the truth about Falun Gong. I will be able to tell about the persecution and the preciousness of Falun Gong.

Within time the small advances mushroomed and allowed me to gain experience. I learned to accept the challenge, conquer my inner “demon” and never gave up hope that I would be able to manage all by myself due to the boundless grace of the Fa. It continues without doubt. New realisations provide new accomplishments. Unswervingly I continue understanding my trust in the Fa and knowing of Masters constant support, helping me break down boundaries. I never loose sight of my goal, and when I fail I won’t feel dejected, but continue striving forwards steadfastly.

Slowly, bit-by-bit, I’m building a trust relationship between the clinic staff and myself. I find on the blackboard a permanent placard, with information about Falun Gong and announcing the evening exercises. I was even given permission to distribute informational leaflets in the gymnasium. I have with me constantly the books “A Journey to Enlightenment” and ”Zhuan Falun.” Later on they also included every morning on the daily schedule, which they left on the breakfast table, with announcements and information about Falun Gong.

Then I dared to increase the exposure: I showed Master Li’s exercise instruction tape in the lecture hall. Later on I experimented further. I also showed the German language truth clarifying video,
“Falun Dafa - A Path to One's Original, True Self,” and “A Path of Compassion,” although I knew
perfectly well that many patients, because of their intense pain, were unable to participate for too long. Once I recognised this negative thought process and was able to eliminate it, all patience sat though all three films. This informational evening is now being given every three weeks, which is followed by a discussion. I let everyone know that they would find on the table free photos, as well as leaflets on a number of issues about Falun Gong, including the persecution in China, and cultivation issues.

Although I was not granted permission in the beginning, I’m now allowed to leave in a number of places at the clinic leaflets about Falun Gong and our newspapers. Recent I’m even allowed to leave exercise Cd's, as well Cd's with other themes and information about Falun Gong, including the persecution. If patients so desire, I will keep contact with them by phone, and will give them, if so wished and individually, informational material. Many read now the Jingwen’s Number one and two. As photo copying is getting kind of costly, I have changed recently to CDs. At this time I wish to mention those practitioner who support me in this and give them my deepest thanks.

Finally, I want to read the article of one interested person who has participated during ten of the exercise evenings.

My name is XY and I will turn sixty two at the end of this year. During November of 2002 I was given the best present of my life: Falun Dafa. My husband and I have resided for four years in Costa Calida, Spain. We flew to Germany for an operation, as my husband suffered from severe knee problems and subsequently participated in rehabilitation. A friend told me about Falun Dafa. First I was rather non-committal, but my interest rose after she told me about it in detail. Subsequently, she introduced me to a practitioner. She looked at me and I felt as if we had known each other for years.

While my husband was in rehabilitation at the orthopaedic clinic, I watched the introductory video by Master Li and was fascinated. The following evening I was busy learning the exercises at the clinic. After the fourth or fifth time doing the exercises, I could already feel the Falun [Law Wheel] strongly radiating through my arms. After that I had no doubt in mind that all what Master Li said was truthful. For the first time in my life I received answers to questions that already puzzled me in my youth.

• Why are we here on earth?
• Why is there so much injustice?
• Why are there so many poor, while others are rich?
• Why are so many hungry, while others discard the food?

I returned by plane to Spain with my husband, having received the new wisdom, carrying Master’s nine day video and the two books, “A Journey to Enlightenment” and “Zhuan Falun.” Since then I haven’t stopped to do all five exercises daily with the CD from Master and watch regularly the nine day lecture. After four weeks I suddenly saw one of Master’s Fashen. It flew like a picture on a slide through the room. I was fascinated. Firstly I didn’t realise what I had seen. Since then, whenever I watch the videos, I see Fashen everywhere. They are at times smaller and at times larger. I see lights, bright, round and radiant, and closed circles, as large as small plates, which loom on the floor or on the walls.

Yet, the most precious of all is my new found view of life. I treat people differently, with more compassion and patience. I feel secure and well cared for. This was reinforced by regular phone calls with practitioners in Germany, as well as through reading and learning the Fa explanations and Masters articles that were sent to me. I thus gained a deeper understanding of the Fa. Although I cultivate on my own I have highly profited from it. Therefore, I have started to tell people the truth and give them informational material. I also provide newcomers with easy to understand experience-sharing reports.

Thank you all for listening to me.

* * *

Facebook Logo LinkedIn Logo Twitter Logo Email Logo Pinterest Logo

You are welcome to print and circulate all articles published on Clearharmony and their content, but please quote the source.