(Minghui.org) Approximately 200 practitioners from across India gathered in New Delhi on July 14-16 for the 2017 India Experience Sharing Conference and to commemorate July 20, 1999, the date when the persecution began. There were also 12 practitioners from Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, and a practitioner from the U.S., who happened to be in New Delhi on business.

The 2017 India Experience Sharing Conference in New Delhi.

Before the event there was a report in one of the leading Indian newspapers, titled “India to Celebrate Falun Gong,” which drew attention to the practitioners' events and the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Practitioners did the exercises together on the morning of July 14 and studied Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Gong, afterward. They then rehearsed for the march the next day.

Practitioners doing the exercises together at Lodhi Gardens.

The Falun Standing Stance

Meditating at Lodhi Gardens

In all, 17 practitioners shared their cultivation experiences at the conference. Below are some who shared their experiences.

(clockwise from top-left) Vinod, Vimal, Razia, Sarika

Razia shared how, being born in a Muslim family, her parents were liberal and did not force her to observe any religious rituals. She was seeking her spiritual path, and her spiritual guru had told her that, at the right time, she would find her cultivation path.

Once she was introduced to Dafa and started reading the books, her initial understanding was on the surface level. But as she faced many xinxing tests and as her understanding deepened, she underwent physical purification. However, her physical discomfort never occurred when she was doing Dafa activities. Her husband’s death brought about many conflicts about property with his relatives, but she found strength in Dafa to handle them calmly. She realized that cultivation is a life-long process and there will be no end to xinxing tests.

Vimal shared how, when she read Zhuan Falun the first time, she was fascinated but was a little apprehensive, wondering whether the society that she lives in would accept it, since anything not proved scientifically would be considered “blind faith.” However, without her realizing it, many of her health problems just disappeared. Through hints in her dreams, Master helped her to overcome the test of lust. She realized that, as a Fa-rectification Dafa disciple, she has to do the three things diligently, and she started participating in different Dafa projects.

Vinod shared that he realized that nothing is a coincidence, and everything is arranged by Master. He once made a profit on the resale of a dish antenna but returned the difference to the buyer and had an opportunity to clarify the truth. Another time, he took the opportunity to show the goodness of Falun Dafa when a motorbike rider rammed into his car. He was calm and showed concern about the motorbike rider, who was at fault, and even paid for the damages to the motorbike to the owner.

Mr. Vinod feels that it is important to validate the Fa in all situations. Wanting very much to be able to work on truth-clarification projects full-time, and still make a living, he gave up a well-paying job to be manager of New Tang Dynasty (NTD) in India. The challenges are many, but he remains undaunted because he has faith in Master’s arrangement.

Sarika shared how she overcame her fear of motion sickness and traveling on winding roads. She feels that Master has arranged her cultivation path. She recounted her encounter with the Chinese police at the India-China border when she and other practitioners had decided to send righteous thoughts near there. She felt a little bit of fear, but also a quiet sense of achievement because they were able to make Chinese soldiers aware that Falun Dafa is practiced in India, too. She realized how important it was for everyone to send strong righteous thoughts whenever possible to end the persecution.

Tania, a Russian practitioner who lives in Pondicherry, shared how she was inspired by practitioners who were “in Dafa 24 hours a day.” They had broken through the attachment to sleep and rest. Tania herself had, after years of not watching movies, started watching movies for relaxation, and realized that it was interfering with her cultivation. She realized that, because of her omissions, she was not saving sentient beings. She recalled what Teacher said:

“Clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings are what you need to accomplish. There is nothing else for you to accomplish. There is nothing else in this world that you need to accomplish.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2015 New York Fa Conference”)

This has made her firmly resolve to do better.

Chitra shared, that during her 16 years of cultivation, whenever she slid into a comfort zone, Master gave her a “stick warning.” When she got involved in big Dafa projects and her fixed ideas and notions were exposed, she could then accept that others had better skills and organizing ability, and she could let it go. She said she was going through the same tests again with the establishment of NTD (New Tang Dynasty) in India. She realized that, with each project, it’s not about the success we have to achieve, but, instead, the process of coming together and letting go of self, which is the key. She said with the tasks at hand she asks herself, “Have I behaved like a practitioner should?”

Other speakers shared their miracles and health benefits in Dafa cultivation, the importance of Fa study, how looking within is key in cultivation, and how they feel that Master arranges everything. Many shared that they always felt that Master was beside them.

In an informal sharing, practitioners who had come from outside of India shared from their hearts, and Indian practitioners gained new insights and could relate to their xinxing issues, which are universal. The visiting practitioners said that they had pleasant memories to take home and would like to come back and assist in any Dafa projects in India.

Many practitioners shared that they benefitted from the experience sharing and said that they want to become more diligent in cultivation and save as many sentient beings as possible, as time is pressing.