(Clearwisdom.net) Five years ago, a young Czech named Peter first read the book Zhuan Falun while at his sister's. In amazement he said, "It says on the first page that the nature of the universe is Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance. Wow. Can that be? It is so simple, yet so real. Reading these words convinces me. That is the way it should be."
Peter, a young Czech interested in Chinese culture who became a Falun Gong practitioner
The first time he read Zhuan Falun, he found the answers to many questions that had puzzled him for a long time. He said, "The simple words in the book answered questions I have pondered all my life, such as what I should do with my life, my purpose in this life, and so on. I found the meaning of life and the path I should walk. Zhuan Falun provides the key—cultivating one's xinxing."
After reading the book, Peter began to live his life by the principles of Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance. He practiced what he learned in the book in his everyday life. He said, "I realized that I had done a lot of terrible things in the past and I felt very bad about it. I wanted to change and become a good person. At that moment, I looked at the cigarette in my hand and thought, 'I must quit smoking.' I never smoked again. Compared to the tremendous changes that have since happened to my mind and life, quitting smoking was such a small thing."
A few years later, he did have a fleeting thought to start to smoke again. But in his mind, smoking had become meaningless. His friends were amazed. Peter recalled, "Several years after I started practicing Falun Gong, some of my friends told me, 'You don't drink anymore, yet you can still enjoy parties and social occasions.'"
Besides being able to stop smoking and drinking, Peter also found a stable job and went to school in his spare time. This wouldn't have been possible before he started to practice Falun Gong. Peter was once a problem kid in his parents' eyes, so they were happy to see him change. Peter said, "My parents asked me what Falun Gong was about and how come it could effect such big changes in my life. I told them that whatever FalunGong taught was true. They had witnessed it with their own eyes.”
After practicing Falun Gong, Peter became calm and happy. His happiness and cheerfulness also had a positive effect on his friends. Peter said, "They no longer use profane language around me. They can feel that I strive to be optimistic and upbeat. I want those around me to change in the same way. I hope they feel better being around me."
When Peter started his practice, he learned about the persecution of Falun Gong in China and the torture suffered by imprisoned practitioners, people who were trying to do the same exercises he did. He couldn't understand why these terrible things were happening. He searched on the Internet, discussed with others, consulted with experts, and talked to practitioners who had escaped from China. Their experiences touched his heart.
At the beginning, he took the flyers that his older sister left at home and distributed them. Later, he met up with other practitioners in his city and began to give exercise demonstrations with them, later helping to expose the crimes committed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against Falun Gong, and telling congresspersons and other public figures about the persecution of Falun Gong. When the atrocity of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners was revealed, he and other practitioners publicized it on TV and in the newspapers.
In the beginning, people were shocked to learn about the persecution of Falun Gong, which had not been publicized widely in Western countries. Now, more and more people hear about it and more Czech people have discovered the value of Falun Gong. Many are very interested in Falun Gong.
Peter wants to tell the Chinese people, "Don't be afraid of the CCP and don't be afraid of having your own opinion. Most importantly, don't hold any negative opinion about Falun Gong because of the slanderous CCP propaganda. You should appreciate Falun Gong because it is part of your own culture.”
In fact, practicing Falun Gong has brought Peter knowledge of traditional Chinese culture. He said, "I got to learn more about Chinese culture, history, dance, philosophy, the different dynasties, architecture, the arts, and much much more. After learning all this, I have come to like Chinese culture so much more. And I still learn more about it each and every day."
