Panorama of Events
Report from Japan
Nourishing the Body and Elevating the Soul
[Gunma] On April 10, 2001, the Gunma Center held
a Quan Yin Method video seminar and a vegetarian diet promotional
activity. Springtime in Gunma is usually chilly, but on that day,
the Sun appeared with a cheerful smile and made the weather comfortably
warm.
Fellow practitioners earnestly invited their relatives
and friends to the event, hoping to share with them Master's divine
love. In a cordial and harmonious atmosphere, we started the day's
activities by playing the brief video "Walk the Way of Love"
to introduce Master. This was followed by the videotape presenting
Master's 2000 lecture in Tokyo. After the video program, a Quan Yin
messenger elaborated on the Quan Yin Method and the purpose for which
we have come into this world. The guests showed a warm response to
the talk, with many enthusiastically asking questions and expressing
great interest in learning the Convenient Method and receiving initiation.
Next on the program was a vegetarian cooking demonstration
given by the Quan Yin messenger. In a short time, easily available
ingredients were used to prepare two vegetarian dishes that were appealing
in taste, aroma and appearance. After sampling the dishes, many guests
praised the food and announced that they would try preparing them
at home. A lady who detested the terrible odor of blood in meat was
extremely delighted. She told our fellow practitioners, "This
lovely vegetarian meat doesn't smell fishy. It is truly lovable, and
immediately acquired some vegetarian food to enjoy at home with her
family. Some guests desired to learn more, and wished that the Quan
Yin messenger had demonstrated more vegetarian culinary techniques
that day.
It is not easy to pursue a vegetarian diet in Japan,
and this problem has hindered many people wishing to practice the
Quan Yin Method. Through this kind of activity to promote vegetarianism,
we hope to help Japanese Truth seekers overcome this hindrance and
successfully become members of the Quan Yin family.
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caption (sp4-1-122.jpg, sp4-2-122.jpg): Fellow
practitioners in Gunma invite relatives and friends to the video
seminar and vegetarian cooking demonstration.
Report from Malaysia
Johore Bahru is Seeded with Spirituality
[Johore Bahru] Thanks to Master's grace, fellow
practitioners from Singapore and Malaysia were able to successfully
arrange a video seminar in Johore Bahru to share Master's teachings
with sincere Truth-seekers in the local area. The seminar was held
at the Hotel Grand Continental on March 24, 2001. There was plenty
of preparatory work, but it was very touching to see so many initiates
performing their duties with great enthusiasm and unity, each doing
his part and giving his best effort.
Early on the morning of the seminar, a heavy downpour
washed away the dust and dirt in the city, both tangible and intangible,
as fellow practitioners went into full swing with the preparation
work. The hall in the Hotel where we held the seminar, which was originally
rundown and damp, was transformed, and a new look emerged. The atmosphere
instantly turned into one of grandeur, with golden lotus blossoms
here and there and touches of gold fabric enhancing the area.
Master's paintings and Celestial Clothes were beautifully
displayed, and potted green plants and colorful floral arrangements,
created by one of our sister initiates, gave the final touch, producing
a lively, cheerful and welcoming environment. When all was done, we
were amazed to see the many hidden creative talents brought to light
by our fellow initiates. With Master's blessings, the resulting effect
was breathtaking! The mood was set and we were ready to welcome all
those with affinity to learn about Master's teachings. Sample booklets
and magazines were distributed to everyone who attended the seminar,
and very soon the hall was almost filled with guests.
The seminar began with a presentation of one of Master's
videotapes. While watching the video, the audience was so fascinated
by Master's words of wisdom that they watched with undivided attention.
After the seminar, many enthusiastically enquired more about Master's
teachings and many learned the Convenient Method. Numerous spiritual
seeds were thus planted in Johore Bahru.
The seminar ended with delicious vegetarian snacks being
served to all the guests, and many expressed their gratitude and appreciation
for our warm hospitality, departing with smiles on their faces. Thank
you, Master, for allowing us to participate in this fruitful occasion,
for teaching us to walk the way of love, and for giving us the opportunity
to help others and ourselves.
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caption:
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(ap5-1-122.jpg) Guests show great interest in Master's
publications.
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(sp5-2-122.jpg) Vegetarian snacks and drinks prepared
for the guests.
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(sp5-3-122.jpg) Audience members watching Master's
video with undivided attention.
Report from Indonesia
Thanking Master and Sharing Her Blessings
[Indonesia] In May 1998, the world was shocked
when riots broke out in Indonesia. During this difficult period, all
fellow practitioners in Indonesia were safe and sound through Master's
grace, and countless miraculous incidents occurred. In one instance,
in the capital city of Jakarta, mobs ransacked every house on the
street one by one, killing people and setting things on fire. A brother
initiate who lived in the area watched with terror as the mob came
only two houses away from his home. He was so terrified that he even
forgot to pray. All he could do was sit helplessly in the house. Suddenly,
Master's manifestation body appeared before him in extreme brightness.
When he later came out of samadhi, he found that the mob had vanished
without a trace.
In another instance, a brother initiate was on his way
home when the bus carrying him was held up by rioters. Normally, no
one could get away unharmed in such a situation. But miraculously,
he saw a huge beam of brilliant white light envelop the bus, which
drove away safely, without a single passenger getting injured.
After attending the 1998 International Retreat in Korea,
a sister initiate returned to Jakarta one day earlier than she had
originally planned. Because she was going home early, her parents,
who were on vacation in the country, also returned earlier than scheduled.
Later they received news that just after her parents departed, the
hotel where they had stayed was completely burned down! According
to their arrival schedule, her younger sister was supposed to meet
her and then their parents. But she made a mistake and went to meet
her parents before picking up the sister initiate. This error caused
a delay and they were unable to have dinner at the restaurant where
they had reserved a table. As a result, they escaped a great mishap,
because that restaurant was also mobbed that day.
These inconceivable miracles deepened the faith of Indonesian
disciples in Master. While grateful to Master and God, they also came
to realize that the only way to avoid such calamities in the future
is to elevate the spiritual consciousness of all their compatriots.
Only then can there be lasting peace and stability in the country.
Therefore, after law and order was restored, fellow practitioners
launched a video seminar in Jakarta. Its success encouraged them to
hold three subsequent seminars this year-in Yodyakarta, Surabaya,
and Bandung. On each occasion, the audiences responded warmly, and
many members registered to learn the Convenient Method. In the following
days, more people came to learn the Convenient Method or request initiation
into the Quan Yin Method.
One incident worth mentioning is that the video seminar
in Surabaya was held in the office building of a local newspaper,
the Java Post. When the publisher learned that Supreme Master Ching
Hai was a world-renowned Master, he took the initiative in offering
us two conference rooms instead of one, and also assigned reporters
to cover the event. The seminar drew a large audience and an enthusiastic
response from the participants, and several other newspapers also
carried reports on this successful seminar. They were especially amazed
that a video seminar held without Master's physical presence could
attract hundreds of citizens.
The success of these Truth-sharing efforts has bolstered
the confidence of Indonesian fellow practitioners in disseminating
Master's teachings to their compatriots, thus paving a bright future
for Indonesia.
Report from Costa Rica
A Retreat of Spiritual Joy
[San Jose] In order to commemorate the spirit
of devotion and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the people of Costa Rica
celebrated a holiday from April 11 to 13. The San Jose Center took
this opportunity to hold a three-day retreat, which attracted many
fellow initiates.
During the retreat, a dignified and harmonious atmosphere
prevailed at the Center, and fellow initiates felt the blessings and
love of God. Happiness showed on everyone's face. Thanks to Master's
love, we received the latest videotapes with Spanish subtitles just
in time for the retreat, which made it possible for everyone to watch
three full lectures by Master. One sister initiate said that the content
of the tapes happened to resolve her inner problems.
The retreat gave initiates an opportunity to gather
together and recharge themselves with God's loving power while walking
together on the path to the kingdom of God.
Report from Formosa
The Formosa National Religion Exposition
[Chiayi] This year, Formosa held its National
Religion Exposition from April 4 to 8 at the Tounan Stadium in Yunlin
County. A number of religious, spiritual, and folk religious groups
participated in the event, which was reminiscent of a miniature Kumbha
Mela (an annual Hindu pilgrimage). The Supreme Master Ching Hai International
Association also took part in this grand event at the invitation of
its sponsors.
The Exposition was held on the Stadium's huge, grass-covered
field. From the Hsihu Center, fellow practitioners brought a gigantic
oil painting entitled "The Sunshine Forest," which made
our exhibition booth stand out. It was a perfect match with the surrounding
green grass, as if the combination had been conceived in advance.
The result was a vibrant, heavenly scene permeated with God's love
that became the focus of attention in the whole venue!
During the exposition, a constant stream of visitors
came to our booth. One guest told us that, as he approached the booth,
he smelled a very delicate fragrance that soothed and refreshed him
from within, and thought that we must have sprayed the area with perfume.
Some visitors sat in our booth the whole day, their eyes glued to
the TV playing Master's videos. A woman who claimed to possess supernatural
powers told fellow practitioners: "You look like the children
of men and extraterrestrials." When she asked how she could contact
Master, a fellow practitioner pointed to a huge poster of Her and
said: "You can communicate with Master in your heart." Seconds
later, the woman's eyes turned teary, and she said, "Oh! I got
it!" In deep emotion, she walked away from the crowd to enjoy
her inner communion with Master. Some fellow initiates who had lost
contact with Master after being initiated many years ago, started
crying as soon as they came near Master's photo. They felt as though
they were long-lost children who had just found their mother, and
formed a very touching scene.
On the fourth day, fellow practitioners conducted a
seminar on the Quan Yin Method, and a Quan Yin messenger taught the
Convenient Method. During the five days of the National Religion Exposition,
all participating fellow practitioners were filled with divine bliss,
as they perceived the people's sincere aspiration for an Enlightened
Master and Her true teachings.
Pure Land on Earth Charity Fair
At the invitation of the "Fa-Shing-Pao-Lin Taiwan
Buddhist Association," the Supreme Master Ching Hai International
Association participated in the "Pure Land on Earth Charity Fair"
held on April 8 at the Chiayi City Baseball Stadium. The purpose of
the event was to help the Association raise funds for a shelter for
the elderly, needy, and disabled, as well as poor children.
Early that morning, fellow practitioners created a beautifully
decorated booth. In addition to offering traditional vegetarian snacks,
we also displayed Master's teachings and artistic creations. Sample
booklets and News magazines were distributed free of charge, so that
people would be spiritually enriched by Master's love and blessings
as they savored the delicious vegetarian snacks. The event was a success,
due to the concerted effort of fellow practitioners.
captions:
(sp13-1-122.jpg)Our exhibition booth at the National Religion Exposition.
(sp13-2-122.jpg)The sponsoring Fa-Shing-Pao-Lin Taiwan
Buddhist Association presents a certificate of commendation to members
of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association who participated
in the event.
Report from Formosa, Kaoping
Sharing the Truth in Liuchiu
[Liuchiu] Liuchiu rural township lies on an islet
off the southwestern coast of Formosa, about eight nautical miles
from Tungkang, Pingtung County. Its inhabitants are pure, simple,
and cordial. At the invitation of the Liuchiu administrative office,
the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association visited the
islet on April 9 to hold free medical consultations, a vegetarian
food sampling activity, and a video lecture seminar at the township
library.
Members of the local community earnestly participated
in the day's activities, forming a long line to obtain free Chinese
and western medical consultations, and packing the venue for the video
seminar. The nearly forty delicious vegetarian dishes at the food
sampling activity were equally welcomed, and earned universal praise
from the guests.
The earnest support of Magistrate Tsai of Liuchiu rural
township contributed to the success of this event. The local participants
had not shown such great enthusiasm for any activity or seminar in
the last four or five years, said Mr. Tsai, adding that the Quan Yin
Method is irresistibly appealing. He personally saw us off at the
ferry pier before we sailed back to Formosa, and thus ended an unforgettable
Truth-sharing journey.
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captions:
(sp9-1-122.jpg)The inhabitants of Liuchiu rural township earnestly
participate in the video seminar.
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(sp9-2-122.jpg)A long line forms at the free medical
consultation station, which is much welcomed by Liuchiu residents.
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(sp9-3-122.jpg)Crowds gather at the vegetarian
food sampling venue, where even gourmets are deeply impressed
by the delicious food.
Report from Canada
Wonderful Experiences While Serving
[Montreal] From March 2 to 4, 2001, initiates
from the Montreal Center participated in Montreal's 33rd International
ESP Psychic Expo. Each year, thousands of spiritual seekers visit
this exhibition looking for answers to their sincere inner questions.
This year, we decided to participate in the exhibition and introduce
them to the teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai.
From the very beginning of our preparations for the
Expo, we felt the hand of God working through our beloved Master,
an experience that many had had previously when doing Master's work.
Originally, reservations for booths at the exhibition were full, and
the organizer told us that we could not participate. Then, about ten
days before the event, he called back saying that two booths had become
available, and that we were welcome to join in. We therefore had little
time to prepare our booth. However, everything we were missing "magically"
fell into place, and we were able to get ready just in time.
During the Expo, people were very surprised to be given
free reading material and to discover a method of meditation that
they could learn free of charge, a rare occurrence at such an exhibition.
We also showed Master's videos, which attracted a great deal of attention.
On the day of the seminar initiates answered numerous
questions from the Truth seekers who stopped at our booth. We were
surprised at the level of some people's questions, for example, one
visitor asked about Master's transformation bodies. Others commented
that they saw light emanating from our booth, and that they were strongly
attracted to it. One clairvoyant even told us what a good person Master
was and encouraged us to keep following Her. He added that he could
see how much She was suffering, as if She were carrying the weight
of the whole world on Her shoulders!
We hope that we were able to serve as good instruments
for conveying Master's teachings, and that many souls who visited
our booth will find their way back home. But whatever the result,
we experienced great pleasure in working together to convey Master's
message of Truth. We got to know one another better and it brought
us much closer.
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(sp7-1-122.jpg)Fellow initiates from Montreal convey
Master's teachings, and learn how to be good instruments of God.
Report from the U. S. A.
Sowing Seeds of Love
[Los Angeles, California] Almost three years
have passed since Master lectured at the University of California
at Irvine. Since that time, Los Angeles Center disciples have been
conveying Master's teachings by hosting video lectures in various
ethnic communities in the greater Los Angeles area, such as Koreatown
near downtown L. A. and Santa Ana, a largely Hispanic area in Orange
County.
On March 17, 2001, we held a seminar at the Sanatan
Dharma Temple in Cerritos, California, which is home to a large Indian
community. The local residents were very friendly and many were well
versed in spiritual topics. As experienced disciples took over various
tasks such as hall rental, flyer distribution, and food preparation,
all lecture-related details fell smoothly into place.
Finally, the day of the lecture arrived. In the early
morning, disciples beautified the Temple, setting up a reception desk
and spiritual question-and-answer table, plus a lovely bookstore.
Master's beautiful pictures, paintings, and delicate lamps graced
the lecture venue and stage. The guests included both local Indian
residents and people of different ethnic backgrounds. We presented
"Forgive Yourself," a 1993 lecture, in which Master speaks
at another Indian temple. Our guests were so completely absorbed in
the video that it was as if Master had been there speaking personally.
Although our efforts in the Indian community drew only
a small crowd, it was our most well organized video lecture to date.
Master teaches us to strive for perfection in whatever we do, yet
to detach ourselves from the outcome of our work. The Quan Yin seeds
have now been sown in Cerritos, though not in large quantities. Like
a pebble thrown into a peaceful pool, the ripples will spread far
and wide. Some seeds sprouted instantly that day, others blossomed
afterwards, still others will bloom in another lifetime, and the rest
only God knows about for sure.
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(sp1-1-122.jpg)Fellow initiates from the Los Angeles
Center conduct a video seminar in Cerritos, home to a large Indian
community in Southern California.
Stray Souls Find Their Way
Home
[Indianapolis] During a rare visit by a Quan
Yin messenger to the Indiana Center from March 26 to April 2, 2001,
Indiana initiates organized three video seminars in one week to bring
the divine message to local residents.
The seminars took place at three libraries in Indianapolis,
the capital of Indiana. Weeks before the seminars, Indiana initiates
distributed flyers and posters around the city and put several advertisements
in the local newspapers, and during the seminars they served vegetarian
snacks and drinks. Some guests even attended all three seminars and
acquired Master's books and tapes for further study at home.
Two days before the last seminar, initiates from Canada
and five Midwestern centers--Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio and
Indiana-attended a two-day retreat with the Quan Yin messenger. Everyone
meditated well , and learned a great deal from both the Quan Yin messenger
and the seminars. Out-of-state initiates went home very inspired and
motivated to make plans for their own seminars in the near future.
The following weekend, the Indiana Center became more
active, with more members attending the weekly Convenient Method group
meditation session. May the lost children of God around the world
continue to find their way back to their Original Home!
(sp3-1-122.jpg)Fellow initiates from Indiana hold a
video lecture to convey the divine message to local residents.
The Yearning Souls Find Their Master at Last!
[New York] On March 23, 2001, the New York Center
held a video seminar to introduce Master's teachings to local residents.
Fellow initiates distributed flyers containing Master's teachings
throughout the city and announced the upcoming event on the Quan Yin
websites.
On the Morning of the seminar, after group meditation,
the work teams met at the venue, a high school auditorium. Initiates
enthusiastically participated in the preparatory work and Master's
blessings permeated the place. In less than two hours, the auditorium
was transformed into a beautiful and graceful site filled with flowers
and ribbons, as though it were paradise. In addition a large collection
of Master's publications, artworks, videos and lamps were displayed,
and many guests, attracted by Master's beautiful artistic creations,
lingered in the exhibit area. Initiates also offered various health
and organic foods at the vegetarian food booth. Delicious cakes and
sandwiches were available at the refreshment stand, their wide variety
and savory taste leaving many guests highly impressed.
The seminar began with an introduction to Supreme Master
Ching Hai and the Quan Yin Method. Then the audience attentively watched
a presentation of Master's 1999 lecture in Edinburgh, Scotland. During
the question-and-answer session that followed, many guests asked questions
about spiritual practice. Fellow initiates were elated when almost
70 percent of the guests decided to learn the Convenient Method! After
the Convenient Method meditation session, one of the trainees immediately
requested initiation into the Quan Yin Method. He had already maintained
a vegetarian diet and practiced different methods of meditation for
ten years, while in the half-hour meditation session that day, he
had had his first wonderful inner experience of Thunder and brilliant
Light. "Master is really great!" he said. Another guest,
a Korean lady, also shared her amazing experience. She saw the manifested
form of Master in the picture at the publications booth speaking to
her in Korean before the seminar! These inner experiences have once
again proven Master's omnipresence.
For New York initiates, this video seminar was a happy
experience of selfless devotion and mutual encouragement on the spiritual
path!
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(sp8-1-122.jpg, sp8-2-122.jpg)The New York video
seminar brings the message of Truth, virtue and beauty to delighted
guests.
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