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A Little Message:
News No. 167
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| Panorama of Events
Fiji
God’s Love Knows No Bounds
By initiate N.L. Nelson, New Zealand (Originally in English)
[Suva] For many months prior, practitioners in Nelson had been discussing the possibility of sharing Master’s teachings in Fiji. Upon hearing Master’s loving instructions to share the message of Alternative Living with neighboring countries, we immediately booked tickets, destination Fiji. Within weeks, we distributed 40,000 Alternative Living flyers throughout these Isles. Often, we felt humbled when handing out the flyers as people would become totally transfixed by Master’s photo and momentarily become very solemn, even speechless, although they had little knowledge of any spiritual practice. In one instance a man made a beeline for an initiate through a busy crowded street without knowing what the fellow initiate was distributing. After some explanation, he said he felt strongly that this was exactly what he had been looking for within his heart for many years. That night he dreamed of a very bright light searching for him and then pulling him up and out of a dark dense jungle. He intuitively knew it was Master who had come to liberate his soul. Upon receiving the Convenient Method a few days later, he recalled this and had many other excellent spiritual experiences that we lovingly reminded him to retain as blessings from Master for himself. It was also a reminder to us initiates that the only real key to spiritual success is sincerity. Two Fijian cousins arrived at one seminar without any knowledge of the other’s intention to attend. Both received the Convenient Method and returned to subsequent seminars to eagerly seek more of Master’s wisdom, their faces beaming radiantly upon making contact with God. One of the cousins told us how light she felt after practicing the Convenient Method for just two days. In everything she did, she felt as if she was walking on air. With great emotion she said she knew right away that this was the true method for contacting God. Later she telephoned us in New Zealand and announced that her entire family of 16 people had now become vegetarian as a result of her practice and encouragement to follow the saintly way of life as described in Master’s teachings! A large section of the Fijian population originate from the Indian subcontinent and thus often have deep knowledge of spiritual texts and meditation. One Hindu lay preacher and expounder of the Bhagavad-Gita, who attended the seminar partly out of curiosity, was very satisfied upon receiving the Convenient Method and said he would like to study more of Master’s teachings. Another lady initially said she was content with her current form of practice. But upon turning to leave, she accepted the flyer when a fellow initiate gave her one more chance to take it. When later attending the seminars, she tearfully recalled that this was the moment that changed everything for her. With her face much brighter after learning the Convenient Method, she repeatedly thanked everyone for leading her to this great living Master. There were also many ‘coincidences’ or miracles that took place in preparation for the seminars. For instance, we went to Fiji to conduct video seminars but with no guarantee of having TV screens available. By amazing invisible arrangement, two large screen televisions manifested themselves just two days before the seminars. A local initiate couple who helped with the preparation were very happy to be involved with these blessed occurrences, and this, in turn, motivated them to practice more diligently. Their 16-year-old daughter, after witnessing so many miracles, requested to attend the seminar and learn the Convenient Method. Through many other stories we were reminded again and again that there are still many souls longing for direct contact with God in their daily lives. Our trip to Fiji was successful not only because we introduced Master’s teachings to many sincere God seekers, but it was also a reminder to us that only God’s undiscriminating love and grace can bring together members of such a diverse and often conflicting society to a singular purpose and universal understanding. Personally enriched by the experience, we are grateful to be a part of these endeavors and have committed ourselves to return to Fiji in the near future to further share Master’s teachings.
New Zealand
An Energy-Filled Day
at the Easter Sunday Fair in Mapua
By Nelson News Group (Originally in English)
[Nelson] The 25th annual Mapua Easter Fair was held in the small village of Mapua, on the South Island of New Zealand. For the second year in a row, enthusiastic practitioners prepared a mouth-watering variety of vegetarian foods for this large fair where 12,000 to 15,000 people were expected to attend. Our display of Master’s sample books and Alternative Living flyers was prominently positioned in front of our stand, and it created a great deal of interest. Many people were relieved to find us, as we were the only vegetarian food stand at the fair. Others were delighted to try vegetarian food for the first time. We had many opportunities over the course of the day to speak to people about becoming vegetarian and provide tips on how to prepare and cook vegetarian food. One woman told us she had been at a loss to know how to bake cookies for her three-year-old grandson who was vegan and diabetic; she was extremely happy to learn how easy it could be. Another woman who is involved with a group of people living as gypsies and traveling around New Zealand was very keen to find out how to become vegetarian. She was also interested in cooking tasty food to sell at their fairs instead of meat-based food. We suggested a cooking lesson with our group and she was very appreciative. Some of the people who stopped at our booth also came from different countries. For example, several Americans came by to buy our food and thanked us for being there. Some were longstanding vegetarians and were also involved in animal rights. Along with the Alternative Living flyers, we produced and offered complimentary CDs of the computer-downloadable movie, “Meet your Meat” (http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp). Many copies were taken. We were all hopeful that after watching the gruesome and heart wrenching facts about the ill treatment of animals that many more people will become vegetarian. As New Zealand is a meat and dairy producing country, it seems even more important to share the message of Alternative Living. We all felt very encouraged by people’s enjoyment of the healthy and tasty vegetarian food and were further heartened to see how many people who spoke to us came back again and again for more food and information.
USA
Sharing Master’s Blessings in Many Ways
with the People of New York City
By Brother-initiate Sheng-Yih Lee, New York, USA (Originally in English)
[New York] To raise public awareness about the benefits of vegetarianism, initiates have printed over 250,000 of Master's Alternative Living Flyers and have been distributing them throughout New York City and surrounding areas. Distribution efforts have focused on public places where many people can be found every day, such as bus, subway and train stations; weekend fairs; public libraries; movie theaters; shopping malls, and health and organic food stores. Fellow practitioners have witnessed the happiness on the many, many faces of those receiving the flyer. They also found that the owners of the vegetarian restaurants and health food stores welcomed the flyers, where multiple copies were left for people to pick up. Initiates also continue to check these locations periodically to refill them if the flyers run out. Moreover, many initiates have made use of email and the Internet as an alternative method of distributing the flyer. To reach the greatest numbers of people in getting this important message out, our flyers were printed in several languages to fit New York’s multi-cultural environment, and a full-size color ad of the Alternative Living flyer was published in several newspapers. Moreover, Master’s video lectures, which with Master’s blessing have aired on local cable TV stations since 1998, are being broadcast more recently with Master’s lectures on vegetarianism. Viewers in the six states of the Northeast can enjoy Master’s lectures from their home on cable TV every week. >From March 31 to April 2, Golden Year 3, the 2006 New Life Expo, one of the largest body-mind-spirit exhibitions in the North America, was held at the Hotel New Yorker. Sisters and brothers took the opportunity to share Master’s teachings with the public, and all fellow practitioners wore T-shirts with a printout of the Alternative Living flyer. With Master’s publications displayed on the table and Master’s DVDs on the TV screen, many people expressed interest in the Quan Yin Method, and some guests lingered for over an hour to watch Master’s lectures. On April 2, fellow practitioners joined the 10th Semi-Annual Wellness Health Fair at the Hilton Long Island Hotel in New York. On display at the exhibition table were Master’s videos, DVDs, News magazines and other publications, along with Her Longevity Lamps, which created a noble, elegant ambience. It was the first time fellow practitioners attended such an event in Long Island, which is around 62 miles (100 km) from Manhattan. Many guests gave us a warm welcome, and some happily told us they had already seen Master’s lectures on cable TV. Many guests read the flyers thoroughly and discussed with us how to improve their nutrition by switching to vegetarian meals. Some guests asked sincerely if we would hold video seminars in Long Island in the future and gave us their contact information. Through these on-going activities, we believe that the spark of enlightenment has been ignited in many people’s hearts throughout New York City!
Korea
An Elementary School Opens Its Doors
to Vegetarianism
By Gwangju News Group (Originally in Korean)
[Gwangju] On April 8, Golden Year 3 (2006), Gwangju initiates participated in offering vegetarian dishes to an elementary school and its schoolteachers, students and their parents. The school, located in Naju, a suburb of Gwangju, opened this year as an Alternative School. It has about 18 teachers and 90 students, including 5 initiates’ children. The school was concerned about the vegetarian children and began offering a vegetarian menu for them. So, when initiates asked if they could host a vegetarian party at the school, the principal delightedly granted permission and especially arranged it to be held on a Saturday. Teachers and parents were also invited. On the day of the activity, fellow practitioners first spoke about the benefits of vegetarianism before preparing the food. When the lunch was ready, the young students hurried eagerly over to the table that held the lovingly prepared dishes. All the children who tasted the various cuisines said their vegetarian fare was most delicious! The parents and teachers also expressed surprise at the food’s tastiness; they were amazed that it was possible to create such a variety of wonderful dishes using only pure vegetarian ingredients. Many parents, interested in their children’s health, said they wanted to learn to use vegetarian recipes that would be tasty and good for their children, and they requested to have a vegetarian cooking class in the future. This was the first-ever public vegetarian event held at a school for students, teachers and parents. Seeing that this made it possible for school children to learn about and experience the benefits of vegetarianism as part of their education, initiates are planning to offer the same activity at other schools.
Mongolia
Master’s Love and the Message of Truth
Grace Mongolia Miraculously
By Mongolian News Group (Originally in Mongolian)
[Ulaanbaatar] “Horses racing, families singing, plenty of sky and steppe for everyone, laughter, nature and hospitality together make Mongolia a land like no other.” * Here, in this land our Master’s love and blessings are truly evident. To our great delight, our local Centers have been established one after another and Master’s teachings have been shared with more and more people. Each time an initiation occurs, new and ‘older’ initiates gather together to celebrate their re-connection with the true Self and the transformation of their view of life. All express sincere gratitude to Master for enlightening them with true wisdom and liberating them from suffering and ignorance. After the most recent initiation, which took place in March, a performance followed with singing, dancing and recitation of spiritually inspired original poetry, to congratulate the newly born souls. Last year, with the help of our brothers and sisters from Korea, we were able to start several new Centers and informational places in other areas of Mongolia. Additionally, in the rural towns of Darkhan, Khutul and Zuun Kharaa, initiates have also opened vegetarian cafes. We are very grateful as these venues also provide an opportunity to share our Master’s love and wisdom with the public. Mongolians have a tradition of consuming many dairy products in their diet, which actually makes them more open-minded towards vegetarianism. So, with the efforts of our brothers and sisters who are promoting Alternative Living principles with zest, a number of nomadic herders in the countryside have recently begun transitioning to a vegetarian diet. Moreover, with Master’s blessings we have been able to translate the sample booklet and The Key to Immediate Enlightenment, Volumes 1, 4 and 6; most recently, we translated the News magazine into the Mongolian language. Initiates also continue enthusiastically distributing Alternative Living flyers, and many daily newspapers as well as spiritual periodicals have already published the materials given to them about the Quan Yin Method and vegetarianism. We express our sincere gratitude to our Master for making all these achievements possible. Thanks to You, many Centers have been opened and a large and ever increasing number of Mongolians have found the True Path of Enlightenment.
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| Poem
Temples We Are
By 16-year-old Convenient Method practitioner Iveel,
Ulaanbaata, Mongolia (Originally in Mongolian) A Temple I am A Temple you are A Temple we all are A Temple, we people are A Temple - not people, we are. We house the enlightened spirit of God within We are Temples who appear to be mortals, weak and ordinary We are Saints whose Godly nature is shown When we are kind, loving and happy. Buddha is not out there Buddha is not the statue at the Buddhist temple Buddha is not the flesh of your good old mother, either Buddha is within us, we who just do wrong deeds sometimes. Your mother is her own Buddha, not for you to worship Your ordinary body is your very own temple Temples we mustn’t go to for shelter and prayer True prayer it will be when you pray to your Self. You are a temple You house God within Love and Purity is you You are the Infinite Compassion.
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| Letters between Master and Disciples
Deep Yearning for Complete Initiation
By a half-initiate in China (Originally in Chinese)
Dear Master, Greetings to You! When I feel overwhelmed by difficulty, I pray silently to You for help. You bestow calmness on me, helping me accept the things that I cannot change. When I am about to lose faith and am afraid to move forward, I silently pray for Your grace. You bestow courage on me, helping me change the things that I can change. When I am confused and hesitant, I silently pray for Your guidance. You bestow wisdom on me, helping me make the right decision. Master, Your power is omnipresent. It is You who have revitalized the weariness in me. It is You who have taught me to lead a spiritual life. Each time I read Your books, listen to Your tapes or watch Your videos, it always cleanses my mind and soul. I want very much to cleanse myself of the worldly dust in order to become enlightened and know my Self Nature. Witnessing my grandmother, my father and my mother practicing diligently after their initiation, becoming more understanding, leading spiritual and noble lives together and becoming increasingly amicable and kind, I admire them very much. However, I am only half-initiated, and there is a yearning deep within my soul. I am anxiously waiting every day to receive full initiation and practice the complete Quan Yin Method. I hope I may soon be liberated from this ephemeral world and return to my Home in Heaven!
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| Creating a Compassionate and Vegetarian Global Village
The Worldwide Effort to Share Master's Merciful Message ‘Alternative Living’
Concerned about repeated outbreaks of epidemic diseases among animals and humans, Master has offered the world a fundamental solution to the problem by personally designing a friendly but convincing leaflet entitled “Alternative Living” to remind people to choose the vegetarian diet and stop killing in order to overcome global medical crises and save our fellow beings. Master has also instructed all initiates to share this message with their brothers and sisters in every corner of the world. In response, the practitioners have initiated an all-out effort to share Her words of love. Below are reports on activities related to this project conducted in various countries.
Middle East
Witnessing God’s Miracles and Love in the Middle East
By sister initiate Wang Wei-ying, Keelung, Formosa (Originally in Chinese)
Hoping to help convey Master’s compassionate message to each corner of the world, eleven fellow initiates from Formosa formed a team and went to distribute the Alternative Living leaflets in the countries of Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan. The team embarked on March 30, Golden Year 3 (2006) for their first destination, Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.
Beirut, Lebanon
We started distributing leaflets on the streets of Beirut on March 31. Not only did everything go smoothly, the positive response was remarkable. Almost everyone accepted the leaflet and started reading it; many discussed the contents with each other. Some people nodded to us with a smile; some gave us the ‘thumbs-up’ and said, “Marvelous!” Some even requested to help us with the distribution. When a police officer directing traffic on the road received our leaflet, he tipped us off as to where to find the crowded places. Drivers on the move stopped and asked for a leaflet; some even sounded their horn to catch our attention so that we didn’t overlook them. A lovely bus driver stopped to let us distribute on his bus. Almost all the shops let us affix the Alternative Living posters at the most prominent position outside their shops. Some offered to put up the posters for us, and we also left some leaflets at their counters for dispensing to their customers. Warmth and love permeated the streets of Beirut. In just seven hours, we distributed almost 10,000 leaflets. In the next two days, heavy rain and thunder shadowed Beirut. A wise taxi driver said to us: “The rain is just like God’s blessing….” Although pedestrians were scarce and we could only distribute from beneath the eaves on the roadside, we still encountered many people who expressed interest in the vegetarian diet, some remarking that the vegetarian diet has a positive impact on spiritual development. The torrential rain did not deter the passion of the local people, and some even volunteered to distribute the leaflets for us. In Beirut we were referred to a very famous English lady who once lived on the slopes of the Himalayas for 30 years, now has been living in Beirut for 18 years and has an ashram of her own. After learning of the purpose of our visit, she contacted us and asked many questions. In return, fellow initiates introduced Master to her. Upon leaving, she took with her a sample booklet and a thousand leaflets, and repeatedly expressed her wish to assist us. While we were on the way to Syria, she called us on the telephone again and told us with determination: “Observing that you have done so much, it is about time that we should also do something.” Before leaving Beirut, we paid a visit to their leading local English newspaper, “The Daily Star.” As a result, the Alternative Living message was published the next day in newspapers distributed throughout over nine Arabic countries in the Middle East.
Damascus, Syria
In the afternoon of April 3, we arrived at our second stop, Damascus, the capital of Syria. When we learned that permission was required for distributing leaflets in this country, our team leader, the tour guide, and several team members toiled very hard with negotiations, but to no avail. On April 5, we tried to break through this challenge by adopting another approach. We took a one-day tour with the tour guide. After we reached a Christian church that had a few shops nearby, all of us worked together. Some went shopping, others distributed leaflets. Our tourist guide, a very humorous person, also helped us with the distribution sincerely. At last we succeeded in disseminating God’s love to the people. That day we didn’t distribute many leaflets, but we had sprinkled some points of light in numerous places, which will subsequently extend and expand. This was exactly what we came here for! Before departing in the morning of the last day, we made good use of the precious time and went to disseminate God’s love at different road junctions. Unexpectedly, people accepted the leaflets eagerly, including the police constables. About a thousand leaflets reached the hands of the people in just 20 minutes! Two young beggars standing next to the bus station reached out their hands expressing their wish to help us distribute the leaflets, so we handed the remaining leaflets in our hands to them. When our bus slowly moved away, we saw that these two young angels were busy distributing leaflets by the roadside. At that moment, we witnessed God’s wonder and love power!
Tel Aviv, Israel
On April 7, we proceeded to the third stop of our tour, Tel Aviv, Israel. As Master had previously given a lecture here, everything went much smoother than the last two stops; even the weather cooperated by halting the rain. The local contact person, who had moved to England and came back specially for this leaflet distribution activity, prepared 100,000 leaflets in Hebrew, Arabian and Russian languages prior to our arrival. He also released the message of Alternative Living in the most popular weekly newspaper, which was a free publication that provided information about food, clothing, shelter, transportation and entertainment. Containing the Alternative Living message, this newspaper was delivered to households in five large cities on the second day after we arrived in Tel Aviv, meaning that 500,000 families in Israel received Master’s compassionate message synchronously that week. After working hard for two days, we distributed 44,000 leaflets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The Israeli people were broadminded and the ratio of people accepting the leaflets was very high. On the streets we met some people who were already vegetarians; they were glad to see that we had come to share this message and offered to help us distribute the leaflets. We also met a vegetarian who deals with alternative medicine. He emphasized that “food is the best medicine”; wise advice passed down from ancient times. Many shop owners gladly consented to let us place leaflets in their shops for their customers. In a big bazaar in Jerusalem, we met the owner of a bakery shop who told us excitedly that he had been a vegetarian for many years, yet he never thought of sharing this concept with other people. He was very grateful that we had come from afar to do this meaningful work, and said he would definitely join our distribution team the following day since he would have a day off. Actually he took a large stack of leaflets and started distributing immediately. We regretfully told him that we had to go to another destination on the next day and were unable to work together with him. Nevertheless, we left him with a large number of leaflets and asked him to help us in continuing to share this noble message in Jerusalem. In the Tel Aviv marketplaces, all the entrances were guarded by armed soldiers who looked quite intimidating. At first, they asked us not to distribute in the vicinity where they were guarding, but after some time, some soldiers who were not on duty also came to help us. When we were about to leave, they earnestly took photographs with us and asked whether we would come again the next day. One of the soldiers told us that he was also a medical student and would become a doctor to serve the world in the future. He found that the ideal we were sharing was splendid and asked us to give him more leaflets he could share with his schoolmates.
Amman, Jordan
We reached the final stop of our journey, Amman, the capital of Jordan, on April 10. About 97% of the local people are Muslims. However, our tour guide was a Christian, which was very rare. After reading the leaflet, he was deeply touched and expressed great gratitude to us for coming to his country to share such good news. In addition to arranging and negotiating everything for us, he also joined in distributing the leaflets and was as totally devoted to the activity as we were. Our work went very smoothly and the ratio of people accepting the leaflets was also very high. When putting up the posters, someone suggested that we should affix the poster on the big boards where banks placed advertisements in the bus stations, because, he said, good health is more important than money! The boss of a touring coach company allowed us to put up the posters on his buses. They became very eye-catching “mobile-ads.” In Amman there were two fellow practitioners who had just been initiated for three months. Both of them were graduate students at the University of Jordan and were eager to help with translation and art design for Master’s work. Their participation greatly improved our efficiency and they also rendered much help in arranging transport, food, and negotiating with the police. Every evening they went home after joining us for group meditation. The hotel we stayed in happened to be in joint operation with a college specializing in tourism and hotel management. Their principal received us in person and supported our vegetarian ideal with much vigor. The college is very famous in the Middle East; with many chefs and hotel managers in neighboring countries graduating from there we hoped that our visit could bring the concept of vegetarianism into their life and future careers. The manager of the hotel was a vegetarian and that evening he graciously prepared a delicious vegetarian buffet dinner for us. Our distribution on the streets of Amman was very successful, as we handed out almost 25,000 copies in one day! On April 12, accompanied by the Jordanian brothers, we went to the office of the local press and negotiated placing announcements in the local paper. Not wanting to waste this last chance, we put on the T-shirts printed with the Alternative Living message and went with our tour guide to the most famous sacred place in Jordan, Mt. Nebo, hoping to share God’s message with our utmost effort. Through the process of distributing the leaflets, we know for sure that Master’s love will continue to flow to each corner of the world.
Spain
Illuminating Every Corner of Spain
from Within One City
By Valencia Center (Originally in Spanish)
Every year, from March 15 through 19, the city of Valencia celebrates one of the most important festivals in Spain: Las Fallas (meaning “The Fires”). During this festival, which attracts people from all over Spain as well as from other countries, the city is filled with music, art, fashion, fantastic fireworks and, of course, people. Since the biggest days of the celebration fell on Saturday and Sunday this year, attendance was expected to be high. Initiates from the Valencia Center decided to make use of the occasion and hand out as many Alternative Living flyers as possible, to reach people from all parts of the country. Fellow practitioners from other cities such as Madrid, Granada and Almeria also joined in to help distribute the flyers. Throughout the week, brothers and sisters passed out leaflets to large numbers of people throughout the entire city. They quickly realized that the best places to access people were at the train and subway stations as well as the locations for that day’s festival activities: entrances to the fashion shows, the fireworks displays and the festival’s main monuments (giant sculptures created to represent the forces of creation and destruction). When the weekend arrived, initiates divided into pairs and began handing out leaflets in every major area of the city. With the help of Master, who motivated and gave them the strength to be on foot that long and to be surrounded by so many people, initiates were able to distribute more than 100,000 leaflets in five days! It could be said that Master’s message reached out to almost every corner of Spain from within one city. During the Easter holidays from April 13 to 17, fellow initiates conducted a series of activities in southern Spain near Malaga and Sevilla. Setting their base in the vegetarian restaurant run by a fellow practitioner in Malaga, they drove to surrounding areas to distribute leaflets in the daytime, and came back for all night group meditation sessions. In total, they distributed 80,000 leaflets in eight cities. The activity gave an opportunity for fellow practitioners from various parts of Spain to work hand in hand for the first time, enabling them to know each other better and work closely together. Additionally, it has built a good foundation for future teamwork related activities.
West Africa
Many Are Touched by the Message of Alternative Living
By Togo News Group (Originally in French)
Togo
As initiates from the Togo, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Porto-Novo Centers gathered together to distribute the Alternative Living flyer, they witnessed its impact, power, and beauty on those who received it. One woman who couldn’t read it herself asked for pamphlets that she could take to her children. An elementary schoolboy asked for some for his father. Another woman said that after she hung a flyer on the wall in her room, she decided to become a pure vegetarian and began to order soy-based and wheat vegetarian kebabs. One schoolteacher handed out the flyers to the school’s staff and pupils; the pupils then took them to their parents, who were happy to learn of the alternative vegetarian proteins that would allow them to alter their diet without risk to their health. As the flyers became more and more in demand, initiates handed out 1,000 at the University of Lomé. The curiosity of students was so great that the distribution lasted many hours and included a sharing of ideas. Many students at the university’s cybercafé visited the websites printed on the flyer to get more information about the vegetarian diet and Master’s teachings. Other students suggested opening a vegetarian restaurant or a new shop on the campus where vegetarian items would be readily available to help them be faithful to the diet. The distribution team went to the places where students purchased food and made vendors aware of the necessity to provide vegetarian food for students to purchase. With Master’s unconditional grace, the team also went to the corn fields around the campus to thank the farmers and commend them for the dignity of their farming profession, and to share Master’s love and blessing. After distributing the flyers throughout the neighborhoods, everyone embarked on the second part of their plan, which was to go to the most crowded places to share the Alternative Living message on a continuous basis. Initiates readily return to these places because they know that Master’s power and blessing must be available on every street corner, for all people to have the opportunity to be cleansed in the Ocean of love and blessing.
Côte d’Ivoire
In Abidjan, capital of the Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), initiates organized an Alternative Living distribution to be carried out in four sessions. The first took place at Sorbonne Place, an open forum that accommodates about 500 people daily for public discussions on political, spiritual, religious, economic and social matters. There, the flyers were distributed and discussed along with other information about the teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai. The positive comments made regarding the vegetarian diet proved the importance of the Alternative Living principles, and people were happy when they realized one can be a pure vegetarian at very little cost. The second session for flyer distribution was made on the public boulevard, to passers-by and to those awaiting a bus. A town hall welcomed the third session, where the message of the vegetarian diet overwhelmed the people who attended wedding ceremonies there. Parents, friends and newlywed couples alike received the message of compassion, love and non-violence toward all sentient beings as well as Master’s blessing for a happy marriage. The last session took place in the parking area, where the Côte d’Ivoire craftsmen union advocates were gathering to meet the President of Republic. Initiates seized the opportunity to distribute the flyers, which soon were in high demand. In essence, people received the Alternative Living message positively, without any problems. Many saw it as an opportunity that helped them realize a vegetarian diet does not cause one to risk illness because fruits and vegetables contain nutrition for good health and longevity. People also came to understand that all necessary protein can be obtained from foods like soy, corn, rice, nuts and beans.
Porto Novo (Benin)
On March 24 and 27, Golden Year 3 (2006), the initiates of Porto Novo went to two secondary schools to distribute Alternative Living flyers. Through Master’s love, practitioners were welcomed by the staff at these schools. At the first school, the teacher was so happy about the Alternative Living activity that he asked the pupils to keep the flyers as a souvenir. At the second school the flyer supply was gone within minutes; moreover, the staff asked the initiates to return later. Initiates were grateful that the Alternative Living message was welcomed so wholeheartedly in Porto Novo and noted that it may be because many Beninians know about vegetarianism, but do not know how to prepare vegetarian dishes.
Burkina Faso
Initiates distributed Alternative Living flyers throughout the capital city of Ouagadougou. After making banners with the message: “For a Better Health, Choose a Vegetarian Diet,” initiates also requested authorization from the mayor to organize seminars and place banners throughout the capital city. They currently plan to travel to the neighboring countries of Mali and Niger, where there are no Centers, to distribute the Alternative Living flyers and to share the good news of the vegetarian diet.
Philadelphia, USA
Spirits and Flowers Bloom Together
at the Philadelphia Flower Show
By the Pennsylvania News Group (Originally in English)
During the week of March 5 – 12, 2006, fellow initiates from Philadelphia, New Jersey and Maryland attended the Philadelphia Flower Show. This is the oldest annual flower show in the United States and is currently attended by over 250,000 people during the week it is held. Fellow practitioners stood at each of the doors of the large hall where the event was held and passed out flyers as people came in and out of the exhibit. During the week, local Philadelphia initiates distributed the Alternative Living flyers. On the weekend, local initiates went to other areas so that those coming from farther away could distribute at the flower show. Blessings were evident to all who distributed the Alternative Living flyers. One sister initiate reported that after one man looked at the flyer, he told her he felt it was a message from God. He had been trying to become a vegetarian but somehow still ate chicken and eggs. The moment he saw the flyer, he felt he really must become a pure vegetarian since he got this powerful message from God. Another initiate said that she offered flyers to two friends who were walking together. One took the flyer but the other one refused to take it. They looked at the flyer together and crossed the street. To the practitioner’s surprise, both friends returned again a few minutes later. This time the second friend asked for a flyer. She said she realized after looking at it that the Alternative Living flyer is very good, so they turned around and waited for the traffic light to change again in order to return for the second flyer. One lady said she had been searching for this kind of information for a long time already because she has diabetes. She said, “I came all the way here to get this flyer!” Several initiates who went downtown to distribute flyers also found that people were very receptive. Nearly everyone accepted the flyer as it was being offered, many saying “Thank you” and studying it with interest as they walked away. One person even tapped the initiate on the shoulder, pointed to the flyer and said, “Can I have one of those, please?” Another person was reluctant at first to take the flyer. But after she read it, she looked up (toward Heaven) and said, “You were trying to give me exactly what I was asking for, and I almost pushed it away. Thank you, God! Thank you so much.” She told the initiate that she had been longing to try the vegetarian diet and that this flyer was exactly what she needed. On the last day of the Flower Show, fellow practitioners had a chance to leave early since the crowds were diminishing. But everyone decided to stay until the last minute. They felt that giving each flyer was like giving a precious jewel containing God’s love. All the sisters and brothers who participated feel thankful for the opportunity to join in such a noble endeavor that could be made possible only by Master.
Korea
Love Life, Be Vegetarian
By Korean News Group
Recently, the Korean Centers established an “Alternative Living Promotion Team” for more efficiently and actively focusing on the long-term objectives in carrying out the Alternative Living project. The team enables the sharing of all appropriate resources and information to assist with disseminating the Alternative Living message throughout Korea. It also helps develop various ideas for sharing the message and provides support to all centers. The new team also opened an Internet board so that brothers and sisters can share information and opinions. The board additionally provides an activities schedule of each center so that everyone can know what each center is doing in advance and prepare for participation. Thanks to the Alternative Living activities, our society is changing drastically. Even the mass media has changed extensively. Before, we wished the media would simply mention vegetarianism but even a request for short coverage was difficult to get approved. Nowadays, without our request, TV programs, newspapers, and magazines bring up vegetarianism and animal protection time and again. For instance, TV journalists come to Seoul Center’s SM Vegetarian Buffet frequently -- almost every day– for vegetarian stories. A report on the Buffet’s vegetarian cats was shown on a TV program, and a popular monthly magazine “Hankyoreh 21” very recently featured the topic of vegetarianism as a cover story.
Seoul
On April 9, Golden Year 3 (2006) Seoul and Youngdong initiates joined together at the Yeoi-do Cherry Blossom Festival and promoted vegetarianism. Using colorful non-woven fabrics, dozens of initiates made very cute vegetable-shaped accessories such as strawberries, grapes, corn, etc., for hats or wearing on clothes. They made a total of about 100 accessories and also made picket signs with vegetarian slogans. Seoul Center’s main and second meditation halls were filled with devoted initiates working extra hard until 3AM after which they had a retreat until noon, and then about 90 sisters and brothers went to the festival and promoted the Alternative Living message. Everyone wore T-shirts in bright colors, saying “Love Life, Be Vegetarian.” They also wore cute vegetable accessories, and held pickets. As a group, they marched around the festival site, attracting great attention, and also distributing flyers. At the head of the group, they had a loud speaker playing an especially composed musical piece. The song, containing the Alternative Living message, was written by a brother, and sung by a professional singer. After the song, an upbeat and meaningful narration followed that was also recorded by a professional singer, who is also a sister. The narration provided a more detailed message about why people should be vegetarian. The song and narration repeated automatically and were entertaining and informative to hear. As there were so many people at the festival, the pickets did a very good job of making people aware of what we were saying. Overall, the atmosphere generated by the initiates was very cute and cheerful, in accordance with the festival, and so the people liked it. The response was great. TV journalists also filmed video-footage of the activities, and policemen thanked us for our efforts. Mothers even asked their kids to look at us and encouraged them to eat more vegetables and beans.
Busan
Busan Center put up large illuminated Alternative Living posters in the city’s subway stations. Initially they were scheduled to be up for only two months, but through the active support of fellow initiates these eye-catching notices will now stay for at least one year.
Gwangju
Since the bus is the most popular type of public transport in Gwangju, initiates took the initiative to promote the Alternative Living flyer on buses. The flyers appear on the back of bus-seats and initiates made a contract for the flyers to be displayed in 20 buses for one month. 10 seats per bus have been allocated for the flyer and the promotion on Gwangju buses will continue for about a year. On March 26, Gwangju initiates conducted a publicity campaign for “Alternative Living” and a vegetarian food sampling event. Many people joined the sampling and responded positively. Through this event, Gwangju sisters and brothers were able to see the change in people’s attitudes towards vegetarianism and respect for life, and feel Master’s deepest love that gave them the opportunity to serve others selflessly.
Chuncheon
On March 31, Seoul initiates went to Myungdong in Chuncheon City and joined with the local initiates to disseminate “Alternative Living” flyers to tourists. After knowing the noble purpose of the campaign, the Myungdong Shops Association allowed us to use the middle passage, so that we could conduct the publicity campaign in the best place. The initiates provided vegetarian food for sampling and it was so popular that the food was gone much faster than expected. In addition, the “Love Life – 10 Million Signature Collection Campaign” was conducted and in a short time 600 people had enthusiastically signed it.
Sri Lanka
Divine Love Sprouts and Grows in Sri Lanka
Recorded by sister initiates Zhu Yu-feng and Cai Wen-juan, Kaohsiung,Formosa Compiled by the Taoyuan News Group (Originally in Chinese)
Sri Lanka, situated to the southeast of India, is widely known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” for her beautiful scenery. On March 27, Golden Year 3 (2006), 22 fellow initiates from Formosa, fully charged with God’s love, travelled to Sri Lanka to share Master’s loving message of Alternative Living with the local people. The cheery atmosphere of the initiates immediately attracted the attention of the local people. They stayed with a local initiate, as arranged by a married couple serving as Contact Persons. Following the plan prepared by the Contact Persons, initiates were divided into three groups to distribute leaflets with local initiates at various crowded places each day. A Spiritual seminar with vegetarian food tasting was also held on April 2, the last day of their visit. In the early morning hours of March 28, fellow initiates began their mission, braving the passionate sun in Sri Lanka and a scorching temperature of 36.7°C. When their car stopped outside a dimly lit grocery store, their sweet and cheerful smiles were met with a quick consent from the storeowner that they may put up posters outside his shop. As soon as the posters were in place, they felt God’s divine love envelop and illuminate the shop. That day, fellow initiates distributed about 15,000 leaflets. Many of the simple and kind local people said that they had been vegetarians for a long time and asked for more copies to share with their friends. A greengrocer himself affixed a flyer on the most prominent pillar in his small shop. At a shopping center in Colombo, a local inhabitant accepting a leaflet saw Master’s photo on the pendant that the sister Contact Person was wearing. He liked it very much and asked who was the person in the photo. Upon hearing a detailed explanation from the sister, he excitedly exclaimed that Master was the one he had been seeking for a very long time. He wanted to be initiated as soon as possible and accepted the invitation to learn the Convenient Method the following day. He was the first would-be initiate in Colombo who found Master through the Alternative Living leaflet. Sri Lanka is a bilingual (Sinhalese and English) country. On the first day of the distribution work, the Formosan initiates noticed that some people spoke but could not read Sinhalese. Therefore, they asked the Contact Persons to have 25,000 copies of bilingual leaflets printed quickly. The next day, the results were even better as almost all the bilingual copies were gone in just four hours. Another 50,000 copies had to be printed. That evening, fellow initiates continued to distribute leaflets on the busy streets of Colombo. By the time their work drew to a close, they were both exhausted and thirsty. At that time, a local inhabitant was discussing vegetarianism and Master’s teachings with the Sri Lanka initiates. He was very fond of our group and invited the initiates to his home for a drink and further conversation. Fellow initiates accepted his sincere invitation and, in return, invited him to participate in the seminar on Sunday. March 30 happened to be an election day. Heeding the advice of the Contact Person, the initiates stayed in. Incredibly, a vegetarian and his friend paid them a visit. Their sudden visit without prior notice seemed to be an incredible arrangement by God. They strongly supported the vegetarian ideal and applauded the way the Quan Yin family was promoting vegetarianism. When the initiates were distributing leaflets the following evening, they noticed that a sister initiate was missing. Despite a careful search, she was nowhere to be found. Half an hour passed. Just when the group was becoming anxious, they saw a man walking towards them holding a leaflet in his hand. They hurried forward and asked where he had gotten the leaflet. His reply gave a clue to the whereabouts of the missing sister. Indeed, after a short while, they saw the sister walking leisurely toward them. It was very touching to know that she had not stopped distributing the leaflets even though she knew she had lost her way. During the distribution work, the initiates were most often asked from where they had come and what was the purpose of the leaflets. The questions were usually accompanied by confusion and interest. The initiates’ sincere replies and sharing of Master’s teachings often won admiration and praise from the local people, and occasionally earnest help with the distribution. Observing the pureness and joy on their faces when distributing the leaflets, the initiates knew that Master’s love had sprouted and grown in Sri Lanka. Doing God’s work always brings a lot of blessings for the fellow initiates. A nineteen-year-old boy who recently learned the Convenient Method also joined in the work. He was so shy that he remained in the car on the first day. Later, with encouragement from fellow practitioners, he gathered his courage and became a vanguard of the distribution team. After having handed out his share, he patiently waited for other fellow practitioners and constantly watched out for their safety. Confidence lit up his face, and from this noticeable change, fellow practitioners realized even more that the blessings derived from doing Master’s work could quickly elevate one’s level. On the last two days of the visit, April 1 and 2, all efforts were devoted to preparing for the seminar and vegetarian sampling event. Some Formosan initiates who had many years of experience on the kitchen team guided both foreign and local fellow practitioners in accomplishing various tasks, such as purchasing and preparing the materials, renting chairs and stoves, washing and chopping the ingredients, and even in flower decoration and the display of Master’s photos and publications. With Master’s blessings, fellow practitioners worked together closely to accomplish the difficult task of preparing sumptuous vegetarian dishes, desserts, and vegetarian cocktails. Some dishes that could not be found in Sri Lanka, such as dumplings and konnyaku (taro root-curd), surprised and impressed everyone. During group meditation on the last day, a Convenient Method sister shared her inner feelings. She had lost her husband in the 2004 tsunami disaster. Although she had started practicing the Convenient Method meditation one month later, she still felt depressed and felt she was living a miserable life with her children. However, three days before the Formosan fellow initiates arrived, she had a very intense feeling and perceived a revelation in her dream: Three days later, her country would undergo a quick, drastic change. She woke up feeling very relaxed. That day during the group meditation, she not only saw Master’s radiant form in her inner vision but also had many other wonderful experiences. Now the greatest longing in her heart is to receive initiation as soon as possible. While deeply touched by the aspiration and sincerity of the people in Sri Lanka, the Formosan initiates encouraged them to continue distributing the leaflets and sharing Master’s teachings and sincerely hope that all the people in this country will receive plentiful blessings from God.
Hong Kong
Combining a Spiritual Art Exhibition with Vegetarianism Promotions
By Hong Kong News Group (Originally in Chinese)
On Saturday April 1, Golden Year 3 (2006), Hong Kong Center held an exhibition with the title, “The Noble Art of Vegetarian Alternative Living”, in Xi Wan He Cultural Center attracting almost a thousand visitors. The exhibition combined Master’s art creations with vegetarianism and thus, presented the theme message of “Alternative Living” in an innovative way and fully demonstrated the beauty and the nobility of the vegetarian lifestyle. When the director of the Xi Wan He Cultural Center heard that the initiates were from a nonprofit organization wanting to promote vegetarianism, he was very supportive. It was he who suggested adding “The Noble Art of Vegetarian” to the title, thus linking the Alternative Living message with the art exhibition. What’s more, he offered a 35% discount on the rental fee of the hall. The exhibition hall was decorated beautifully under the attentive arrangement of the fellow initiates. The first exhibition area displayed nine of Master’s Longevity lamps, which radiated graceful gentle lights at the entrance. Next were Master’s paintings revealing traces of the spiritual journey, with 15 paintings on display, such as “Filled with Grace”, “Heavenly Flowers”, “Peaceful Time” and “Independent”. In addition, Master’s spiritual publications, poems, hard covered introductory books for Celestial Clothes and Jewelry, as well as other crafts were also on show. In front of each exhibition area, initiates were assigned to explain the meaning of the art works to interested visitors. The last area was for promoting vegetarianism. Along with 2 large size Alternative Living posters, pictures of common vegetables and fruits, more than 10 vegetarian cooking books, and fresh fruits and vegetables were also displayed in a creative way. The whole arrangement emphasized the theme “Alternative Living”. The practitioners in the kitchen group prepared more than 10 courses of delicacies in order to give the guests a chance to experience the tastiness of vegetarian food. Some guests came to the exhibition right after receiving a promotional leaflet on the street while wandering around with their families during the weekend; others received the tickets and notices a few days in advance and had been waiting for this day. All of them were surprised to find that the vegetarian dishes were so tasty! This was the exact purpose of the event, to change people’s preconceived idea about vegetarian food and let them experience the beauty of it. A lady took the trouble to stay in line twice in order to sample the food. She told an initiate, “These dishes are so delicious that I want to try them again. I know that eating meat is not good because we have to pay for the karma. From now on, I will cook vegetarian food for my family.” Initiates also offered free vegetarian recipes and information on the stores that sell vegetarian ingredients. During the exhibition, the “One World … of peace through music” concert DVD and other videotapes introducing Master’s art creations were played continuously. Master’s gentle elevating voice, blessed every guest that stepped into the hall. Thus, all the guests were immersed in a spiritual atmosphere while at the same time tasting vegetarian food. A few middle-aged guests spent a long time standing in front of Master’s paintings, silently appreciating the beauty. Then, they obtained the sample booklets and started to read quietly on the bench outside the hall. Initiates left them in peace to experience the divine atmosphere knowing that Master’s power was touching their hearts. Before the guests departed, initiates gave them environmentally friendly handbags with the Alternative Living flyer printed on them as well as small gifts, hoping that they could keep the beautiful vegetarian experience for a long time and share the message with more people.
Myanmar
Promoting a Loving Diet and Lifestyle in Myanmar
Recorded by Sister Jin Fang Zheng, Taipei Formosa
Reported by Taoyuan News Group (Originally in Chinese) Myanmar, located in the west of the Indochina Peninsula (in Asia), has a population of about 53 million people. Formosan initiates, after gathering information from various resources and consulting with the Burmese local contact person, decided to go to Myanmar’s capital city where many tourists visit, Yangon, to distribute Alternative Living flyers promoting a loving diet and lifestyle. On April 8, Golden Year 3 (2006), a group of 10 Formosan practitioners set off from CKS (Chiang Kai-Shek) Airport in Taoyuan, carrying 40,000 flyers and Master’s full blessing. By the afternoon the initiates arrived in Yangon city and immediately met with the contact person in order to gain a deeper understanding of the local situation. At first, for security reasons, the contact person suggested to entrust the flyers to the local temples and ask the temple personnel to share the message as the main channel of distribution. However, after initiates expressed their wish to personally deliver the flyers into the hands of local people, the contact person flexibly revised the plan. Instead, he led initiates to Sule Temple at the heart of downtown. There the Sule Temple personnel highly acknowledged the content of the flyer and gave initiates full permission to distribute within the temple. Within just 20 minutes, several hundreds of flyers had been disseminated. At dawn, the contact person again took two other initiates to the most famous Temple in Yangon, Shwedagon. As soon as they arrived, they were overwhelmed by a sea of people. The flyers were warmly welcomed by the crowds. Within an hour, over 10,000 copies were gone. The next day was a Sunday; feeling encouraged by the previous experiences, initiates formed 3 groups to simultaneously distribute flyers in different locations: the Sule Temple, the Shwedagon Temple, and other temples in the city. Shwedagon Temple was packed with crowds on Sunday. Upon arrival, the initiates noticed that people who came to worship appeared very sincere, thus it was easy to distribute flyers. Though the police guards tried to stop the process, some monks as well as people standing by encouraged the initiates to continue the distribution. The enthusiasm of local people touched initiates’ hearts deeply. Later, the practitioners only distributed at a few spots suggested by the Temple then the rest of the flyer sharing went smoothly. The acceptance of the flyers by crowds in the Sule Temple area was incredible. Many of them received the flyers in a traditionally respectful manner, by supporting the right hand with the left hand and using the right hand to receive. With their own initiative, many people came over to ask for the flyers. Some wanted more for friends and relatives, while others praised the contents of the flyer and expressed their wish to turn to a vegetarian diet. What impressed the initiates most was the sincere expression on people’s faces when they read the flyers. Even though many people had their hands full, none of them discarded the flyers. Some even volunteered to help with the distribution.
Although initiates who set out to distribute in the downtown area had been warned that it was considered a dangerous act to distribute flyers on the street, they still bravely carried out the mission. The response was surprising. Pedestrians as well as bus passengers were very curious and came over to ask for flyers. A driver friend even stopped his car and asked for one. More interestingly, a policeman also approached an initiate to obtain a flyer, which encouraged the initiates to distribute more enthusiastically to satisfy every extended hand and deliver Master’s love. A few homeless people and children offered to help, thus accelerating the distribution. With the assistance of local drivers, fellow practitioners managed to visit 8 temples and all of them not only allowed the initiates to distribute inside the temple, but also agreed to keep some for people to take. Thanks to the drivers’ help along the way, the initiates were able to overcome all kinds of obstacles and eventually handed out 27,000 flyers smoothly. On the third day, April 10, the initiates decided to publish Alternative Living in a local newspaper. An owner of a vegetarian restaurant recommended publishing in a popular newspaper “Weekly Eleven” which had high quality printing. The initiates immediately visited the newspaper company and to their delight, the staff at the newspaper company was very supportive of the ideal. After some discussion, they arranged for a full page public notice to appear in the newspaper for 3 weeks so that God’s love could be propagated to every corner of Myanmar. A friend of the initiates’ driver also informed them that their actions had attracted the local media’s attention and a newspaper even reported the flyer distribution activity in Burmese. Hearing the news, the initiates were very elevated. Overall, all the initiates who participated felt it a miracle to be able to smoothly hand out 40,000 flyers in a country whose political situation is not very stable. Though they encountered many problems and difficulties, all of them were smoothed out or solved finally. Miracles happened one after another. They understood clearly that it was due to God’s grace and guidance that they were able to complete the mission successfully.
Singapore
Contributing to the Planetary Fabric
of Love and Compassion
By Singapore News Group (Originally in English)
Singapore is a small island nation with a total population of 4.35 million. Each day, close to 1.3 million people take the mass rapid transit system (MRT) while 2.8 million people take the bus. To reach as many people as quickly as possible, initiates decided to launch the Alternative Living flyer distribution campaign by handing them out in the weekend crowds on the MRT network and the bus interchanges. Fellow initiates also distributed flyers at shopping malls located near the MRT stations. To catch those commuting to work via the MRT, initiates organized flyer distributing during weekday mornings at the central business districts, covering as many station exits as possible. Fellow initiates also emailed the Alternative Living message and corresponding web URL to their friends and relatives both in Singapore and overseas. The initiates came across people of various backgrounds. Among them was a Muslim woman whose husband had become a vegetarian recently after a business trip to India. Another gentleman had heard about Master before and was interested in learning more about Her. Some appreciated the flyer and asked for more copies to share with others. Yet another person happened to be an actor with the Mediacorp TV station who was already a vegetarian. He took a small stack of flyers to distribute to his work colleagues. The Alternative Living flyers were also placed at various vegetarian food outlets and restaurants. One person who worked in a vegetarian restaurant was pleased to receive copies of the flyers. He was conducting a vegetarian cooking seminar for school-age students and wanted to distribute the flyers to the class, which he said would complement it very well. Since he also planned to conduct more seminars for school students in the future, initiates were more than happy to supply the flyers; the impact on these young people could only be a positive one! Fellow initiates have also distributed flyers at temples, post offices, community centers, day care centers, schools and hospitals. In particular, flyers were given to cancer patients at the Singapore General Hospital. The initiates hoped the positive message of Alternative Living would help the patients feel more hope in learning about the great benefits of the vegetarian diet on human health. Apart from reaching out to Singapore residents, initiates also wanted to make contact with tourists. It’s estimated that close to 10 million people visit Singapore each year. There could be so many God-sent messengers in their midst! Thinking that most would be visiting Sentosa Island, a popular resort with various attractions, a group of fellow initiates went to find an ideal location there for flyer distribution. They chose the Underwater World, and what a great location it turned out to be! Based on a very positive response, brothers and sisters now plan to distribute more Alternative Living flyers to tourists so that Master’s love can return with them to their countries of origin. To date, Singapore initiates have covered almost the entire MRT network of stations and the surrounding areas. Meanwhile, fellow practitioners also have distributed flyers in their individual neighborhoods. With joyful hearts, fellow initiates happily serve in sharing Master’s love for all beings with members of the public, thankful that the response from the public has been so encouragingly positive. Although these small acts from each of us occur at different corners of the globe, a common Holy thread guided by our beloved Master weaves them into a gigantic fabric of love that we believe will soon blanket the entire planet. With the blessings of the Most High, our work together will surely quicken the pace of uplifting the collective consciousness of all earthly beings to greet the Era of love and compassion!
Indonesia
Happily Joining the Ongoing Effort
to Distribute Alternative Living Flyers
By Jakarta and Medan Centers (Originally in Indonesian)
In order to share the message of love with our fellow beings, Indonesian initiates have been contributing to an all-out effort to distribute the Alternative Living leaflets. After printing many copies, initiates began distributing them to as many people as possible by varied means, from handing out flyers personally to slipping them in daily newspapers. Two Jakartan sister initiates also participated in an event held at their children’s school, where they offered the students vegetarian dishes. Many of the students learned that vegetarian meals can be quite delicious and requested Alternative Living flyers and sample booklets to take home for further reading. Fellow initiates put up Alternative Living and the Vegetarian Nobel Prize Winners posters on the information boards of several universities. A Chinese newspaper helped us, free of charge, print the article, “Ten Reasons To Eat More Like a Vegetarian” that we had downloaded from the Quan Yin website. Since the project began in February, Golden Year 3 (2006), hundreds of thousands of leaflets have been distributed in Jakarta, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Medan, Denpasar and many other cities. Overall, the response has been heartwarming, and the work is continuing to this day because it is a non-stop project. We are very happy to be able to join this noble effort and truly hope that Indonesian vegetarians will flourish in number.
Master’s Letter to Fellow Initiates
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| Reflections on Spiritual Practice
Living Examples of Wisdom from Master
By Hsi-Quang, Taichung, Formosa (Originally in Chinese)
Some time back, cash cards were highly advertised on television. After seeing these commercials repeatedly for a while, I could not help but think that getting a cash card was tantamount to borrowing money, since it meant the bank would pay for my purchases at the time and only later would I pay back the bank. I remember Master once telling us that She always checks Her financial condition before buying anything. If She doesn’t have enough money, She doesn’t consider making the purchase. She does not borrow or pay by installment. This influenced my attitude toward cash cards. Every time I saw a cash card commercial on TV, I told my family, “Master does not encourage us to borrow money from others. Using a cash card is similar to borrowing money. Eventually we will have to return the money to the bank. Nothing comes free in this world. If we don’t learn to discipline ourselves now, imagine what might happen if we bought too many things to be able to pay back the loans?” I also patiently explained this to my daughter, whose young elementary school age made her more susceptible to influence by these commercials. Not long after this, several news stories suddenly appeared about people who were unable to repay the money they had used in advance through the banks. Since then, my family has learned the wisdom of Master’s living example. Even my little daughter now understands how we can learn and benefit much from Master’s words. As a parent, I feel closeness with my child every time I communicate with her through Master’s teachings, which she easily accepts. I thank Master very much for every opportunity that arises to learn from Her teachings in both word and deed.
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| Spiritual Interludes
Unexpected Benefits from Master's Lectures
By sister initiate Zhong Yu-feng, Taoyuan, Formosa (Originally in Chinese)
When we are initiated into the Quan Yin Method and begin to practice, we commence a lifelong learning process. When we encounter any problem in daily life, Master always helps us find a solution in Her publications around us. Here is one good example. A short while ago, my elder brother was so busy that he did not have time to water the vegetables we had planted at home. I started to think how wonderful it would be if there was a farming method that did not require irrigation. Sometime later, when viewing the 2005 Hungarian Retreat videos, I heard Master discussing different ways of farming with a brother initiate running an organic farm. The brother mentioned a special technique he used that did not require irrigation, fertilization or soil turning. This was just the right solution to my problem, even though I had reservations about whether the method would work in a place as hot as Formosa. Since there was no harm in trying, I bought some new seeds, weeded our garden, removed grass that had grown as tall as a person and placed them in the middle of a farming plot. Next, I dug two long narrow furrows alongside the wild grass heap and sowed the seeds in them. After a week, some of the seeds sprouted. Since the vegetables grew at different speeds, they could be harvested at different times. Therefore, I did not have to worry about having to harvest too much at one time, which could result in waste if we could not eat it all. This was just too perfect! It is possible to farm without having to irrigate, apply fertilizers and turn the soil! All I needed to do was dig furrows before sowing. A little rain came afterwards then the crop was ready for harvesting after a period of time! How grateful I am that God has helped me realize my dream. In this Golden Age, everything turns out as we wish. Through watching Master's discourses on videos, we derive unexpected benefits as well as spiritual blessings.
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| Master Says
Make Miracles with Your Positive Spirit
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Surrey, United Kingdom
If that kid (Master is referring to a 16-year-old boy in Rwanda who touched Her heart with his upright spirit), or any human being were merely a physical body, it wouldn’t be possible that he could think like that. There must be a soul behind it; there must be some great force behind it. Otherwise, an ordinary person under such dire circumstances couldn’t still have such an upright spirit and wouldn’t be so proud, not begging or anything like that. For example, one of the mothers had a baby who was very ill, and she didn’t have money. So she wanted to walk 20 miles and bring her to the hospital in the next town, in the bigger city, to beg them to help her somehow, if they would. But then a journalist coming by gave her and the baby a lift into town. And the journalist also gave her some money for the baby’s treatment. She was stunned. The native Rwandan looked at the journalist, very surprised and said, “But your lift was good enough!” These are really good people, very proud and very honest. And they deserve help. But this is just an example so that you know that if you just keep your positive spirit, miracles happen. Even if you’re still lousy and negative after you learn the Quan Yin Method, miracles still happen. Can you imagine if you’re more positive, with more faith, how much more powerful you can be? You bless yourself, bless your life, bless the whole world, bless the universe and make miracles happen everywhere, wherever you walk. So, do that! And it will happen. That kid, he was only 16, and he also spoke like that. The whole village wouldn’t talk to him and wouldn’t go near him because he and his family were so poor, saying that they weren’t very lucky or good or anything. But the boy said, “I will prove them wrong!” So he worked 18 hours a day at 16 years of age to nourish his five brothers and sisters and his elderly grandparents. He said he wasn’t afraid of anything, only that he might get ill, that’s it, so that he could not work. But meanwhile, he still studied things by himself, like in a book that he grabbed somewhere. And because of that spirit, miracles did happen. With only 30 pounds Sterling, he can buy a parcel of land and some goats, and make cheese and milk and plant vegetables, sufficient for the whole family. So the money I sent is more than a miracle. More than 10 times that I sent to him, apart from what was sent to other people as well. It’s just that he has a strong spirit. And he’s not even initiated; he’s not anything spiritual or anything special. He just wanted to concentrate on working to feed his family. Such a strong power like that could make miracles happen. It is a miracle for him because the whole family needs only 30 pounds to be independent forever. And he has more than that now. For that country, for that situation, it’s like a big fortune. For example, if you won 100,000 pounds all of a sudden, and all you needed was maybe 10,000 pounds, that would be a miracle. It would be the manifestation of a miracle. And this boy earned it because of what he said, because of the spirit of positivity within him and because of the sacrifice he made for his family. It’s so positive and still so strong that it can make miracles happen. So how much more could you make in your lucky situation, with the spiritual power that you’ve been given and you’ve acquired and continue to develop? We can make anything happen with mind power. Just think good for others and do good for others. That’s the miracle you’re making every day. You are the miracle! You are the miracle for other people, for yourselves, for the less fortunate. That’s what Heaven is made of. What else do you think Heaven is to that boy 16 years of age when he gets more than 10 times what he needs for the whole family, forever? What else do you think Heaven looks like, or a miracle is? So we make miracles all the time. We make them with our own hands because we earn money. And then with those hands, we can give life-sustaining power to some unfortunate people. We can comfort them with our thoughts, with our speech and with our loving kindness. These are all miracles that you’re making every day. And I’m proud of you that you’re doing that. Anytime someone needs you, you give. And surprisingly in our societies, there are still people who need us, not just in Africa. So we have a chance to do something every day. Maybe we just give 50 cents to a homeless person for warm tea, maybe one pound to someone else who’s sick and can’t work, maybe a cup of coffee for a neighbor when she can’t go out and maybe buying some medicine for her when she needs to go to the pharmacy but can’t. Maybe it’s just doing any little thing, because those are all miracles. To the people who can’t do it, they’re miracles. Just like you, when you want to come here but you can’t: So when you can, you say, “Oh, it’s a miracle!” (Everyone laughs) Miracles happen all the time. Miracles depend on what you need. To you, a miracle is just to go and see some strange woman, (Master jokes about Herself) not to earn any money or care if you don’t have any! (Laughter) That’s a miracle, a big deal miracle, not just a small one, that goes to you. To that boy in Rwanda, a 30 pound gift is a big miracle. And it was even more than that, 10 or 12 times more, enough for the whole family forever or at least for life, to build their life, whole and strong. Maybe the boy can open a business as well, not just goat cheese but maybe a farm or something. And he’ll also be able to send his brothers and sisters to school and buy medicine for his elderly grandparents and help other people later when he becomes rich. It goes on forever; it’s not just for him. Because someone helps him now, later he’ll help someone else. That’s always for sure! He will never forget the day that he needed, and he will understand the people who need. A person like that will not forget. So it’s not like I’m just helping him or his family. It will continue. The kindness will be redeemed as more kindness, and many people will benefit from that. And this is a good way; this is how we should live our life. We breed kindness. We nurture it, make it grow and spread it all over the world. And that’s how the world becomes better. It does affect us in many ways, not just in a spiritual way but in a physical way as well. The thing you may not know is that it affects the government, affects the leaders and affects the peace. It affects everything. For example, you see now more and more people are vegetarian, you see that the war in Ireland is finished, and that south Korea and north Korea talked – so many things that one cannot even remember sometimes! Even the emperor of Japan just read a loving and sympathetic letter to the whole world, saying how sorry he was and how much sympathy he felt for the victims of the war. This has never been done before. Maybe you think it’s because of economic or political pressure, but that has always been there. This is not the first time any nation has had pressure from anyone else, from another country or from an international power, and it’s not the first time the Japanese or any other country has had that. So it’s getting better all the time. Of course, there’s still the cleansing of the Astral. But the rest will be fine and strong and will get better all the time. Look at how far we have lifted, in all aspects. The disasters cannot be helped; that’s the karma of the Astral energy. But otherwise, whatever the improvements, it just gets better and better all the time. Could you have imagined before what we have now? (Master picks up a cell phone) Talking to a square piece like that, saying “Hallo!” then a guy from the other end of the universe answers you! And there are many other things. For example, you can concentrate 1000 songs into that small iPod. No one knows where it came from. Or, 300 songs in just a small stick, like a piece of chewing gum. That’s powerful! Nowadays, we can even see each other from a hundred thousand miles away, just by holding a square thing in our hand. We have video pictures, songs, DVDs, everything. And a person at the other end of the globe can see it like it’s right in front of them, but it’s right there in your hand. That would have been a miracle a hundred years ago or maybe even 50 or 70 years ago. So, life is a miracle all the time. If you look, you see miracles. It’s just that sometimes we take things for granted, wishing and washing for something else, which is not really important or necessary at all. The miracle is in your hands. When you go out, you work with the miracle that’s inside. You go out, work with it and you bring home miracles. And then you can spread those miracles all around you and around the globe. We have miracles all the time. The whole body is a miracle! Just make use of it, and make more miracles. If you don’t use it, there’s not much miracle except if you can see it. It’s good already. Don’t wait until you’re blind and think, “My God! I had a miracle before!” Appreciate it. Every day, thank God. Thank the Universe for its sustaining power so that the whole planet doesn’t drop into somewhere, so that the sun stays in the sky, so that the moon even comes out and says “Hallo!” to you every month on time, with no clock needed. Miracles are everywhere. The snow brings water for your garden and for the agriculture. Everything is a miracle! So don’t take them for granted, but use them to invest and make more miracles. Use your miraculous hands to make more events happen with more financial success. Then you can enjoy life and spread it out. And our life is simple; that’s why we can afford to help someone else, because we don’t need much. You use whatever you have, and whatever you have with you is a miracle. Even your hair: you can do a thousand things with it. Don’t wait until you lose it all and say, “Oh, my miracle’s gone!” (Everyone laughs.) We can see the world around us; that’s already a big miracle. Can you imagine if you didn’t have that? At night, when you’re groping in the dark, you know what it’s like to have the miracle of your ears so you can hear. Your health, all the tissues in your body functioning in harmony, that’s a miracle. When something goes wrong, then you appreciate that it was right before. Sometimes it’s late. But it’s good that your life and your body are in harmony together. The mind, the brain and the body work together to make you a functional, perfect human being. And you are beautiful already, very beautiful. You have everything; you’re lacking nothing.
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| Selected Questions and Answers
Give Unconditionally and Let God Take Care of the Rest
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Los Angeles, CA, USA, October 30, 1999 (Originally in English) Videotape #665 (Part I)
Q: Master, I often encounter beggars on the streets, and they ask for money. And I don’t know whether they want to use the money for food or for alcohol or drugs. What’s the spiritually noble thing to do in such cases? M: Give it to him just on the chance that he might be honest. Why do you suspect a man who has nothing? He can’t lose any more than he already has, and if he wants to lose his dignity as well, that’s his problem. Don’t worry. Just worry about whether you have compassion or not. Give to him with love. Give to a man who is in need and that’s it. Whatever he does or if he wants to cheat you, that’s his problem. I once saw a very cool picture in the newspaper. There were two guys sitting together who had both lost a lot of teeth in the front, but they still smiled with their empty gums. They were smiling very innocently sitting next to each other. The one on the left had a sign in front of him that read, “Why tell a lie? I need a pint.” And, “Make it 40 ounces.” He held it in front of him. And the other one next to him, also with no teeth and grinning very happily had a sign in front of him that read, “Me, too!” And people gave them money even. We should do everything unconditionally. Some people might cheat us, but just on the chance that they won’t, give it to them. They look so downtrodden and so undignified already, there’s no need to hurt them more by thinking that they’re bad.
Learn to be Compassionate from Small Ways
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Brisbane, Australia, March 20, 1993 (Originally in English) Videotape #337
Q: What should a non-compassionate person (someone who is not compassionate, but who recognizes that he is not compassionate) do with himself? Fake compassion or gain it in stages? M: I would recommend the second. [Laughter] If we don’t have it, then at least we start with learning. I wouldn’t say fake compassion, but learn compassion. Just like a student who has not been able to speak English, but he may repeat it from the teacher. Even though he doesn’t know the whole vocabulary in English literature, at least he learns a few phrases and memorizes a few pages each day until he completes his course. Each one has to learn. There’s no one who is a fake; it’s just that he hasn’t learned. No one has taught him, and he has not practiced the art of compassion. Try to do it in a small way and gradually increase until you’re completely being compassionate without knowing, without self-consciously being compassionate.
The Highest Realms Are Ruled with Love and Grace
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Stockholm, Sweden, May 31, 1999 (Originally in English) Videotape #655 (Part I)
Q: What is universal law? M: Universal law has two classes: One is the law of absolute love and grace, while the other is the law of action and retribution. When we’re in the higher dimensions of the Kingdom, then we have only love and grace; that’s the only law. But when we’re in the lower scales of the universe such as this physical dimension, we have to abide by the law of cause and effect. That’s what is meant by As you sow, so shall you reap in the Bible. So, most people who are not in contact with God have to suffer the law of cause and retribution. But for those who can ascend to a higher dimension, they enjoy only grace and love. God never judges us.
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| Pearls of Wisdom
Is It OK to Consume Milk?
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, New York, USA, August 4, 1999 (Originally in English) Videotape#664
I didn't say, “No milk,” just no meat, no eggs and no anything of killing animals. But with milk and dairy products, you don't have to kill to get them. It's just that I myself don't often use them. So when people ask me should they use them because they don't feel comfortable, then I say, “It’s up to you.” I myself don't like milk so much because of the way it is taken. But in some places like India, they take milk from the cow in a very humane and very normal way. Also, if you don't drink the cows’ milk, sometimes too much milk makes them suffer; it’s painful. But the way people do it with machines, and they feed them and then confine them: that I don't like. In most industrial countries, they confine the cow and they force her to take a lot of chemical substances to produce more milk. Or they force them and put some medicine to push them to make more milk. And then the consequence is that their bones are rotten and they can hardly support their bodies. Many of the cows in the U.S., their intestines fall down, their stomachs fall down, and they can hardly walk because their bones are so weak from producing too much milk. And that's what I hate about it. I don't think we should survive at the cost of anyone else's suffering, even suffering of the cow. I don't like the inhumane way that people treat cows. Also, they put too many chemicals into the body of the cow to make it grow bigger than it's supposed to. The weight is very heavy for the cow, and it can fall and get sick. And if its organs come out of its body, they don't even give anesthesia or anything when they want to stitch it back up. They just do the cheap job; any cowboy or anyone can come and just stitch it up like it’s something normal. I don't like all these inhumane and uncivilized ways of treating an animal, an animal who is beneficial to humankind, who is so kind and so gentle. That's why when I think of taking milk, I don't want it. I don't like to be reminded of the cruelty of us, of humankind. It’s not that I am fanatic, because people still need milk to survive. The children who sometimes the mother can't feed, they need milk. The sick people who sometimes can’t drink or eat anything else, they need milk. I’m not advocating fanaticism; it’s just that I hate to see any suffering. But milk is OK.
The Cow, Our Second Mother
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, USA,
December 25, 2001 (Originally in English) In the Bible, God said, “I made animals just to help you, be your friends.” They are really helping us. The cows help to fertilize the land, and to give milk to some children who don’t have mother’s milk, or give milk to any beings, to all the animals as well, and they give their cheese from milk. They don’t mind doing that, but in a natural way, not like now with a machine, so painful and all that. So, I rarely eat dairy products. Not that I’m fanatic, but I don’t like them since long before I even practiced the Quan Yin Method. I rarely take milk, or any dairy product. And actually, they are the second mother to many babies for many of us. Nowadays, most of us grow up with cow’s milk, so how can you slaughter your mother? In China and in Aulac before, in Asia, we had a second mother like that. Like the mother who is a wealthy lady and doesn’t want to feed the baby because it’s too inconvenient, then she always hired another mother who had a baby herself but had plenty of milk, so they both could drink from that milk. We call that a wet nurse. How can you slaughter a wet nurse like that? We even call that like a second mother, or nourishing mother. So how can you do that? In our country we were very grateful to these kinds of mothers as well. We called it, not wet nurse, wet mother, but maybe Godmother, or adopted mother, or nourishing mother. And we have respect for these mothers, too, second to our mother. So, it’s the same if we do that to the cows, as if you slaughter a mother who gives you milk. So, it’s incredible how people can do that. Really, sometimes I’m very startled at our ignorance of the nature of creation.
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| While on the Path
Daily Gifts of Happiness for a Quan Yin Family
By Sister-initiate Gisela C. Leal, Maracaibo, Venezuela (Originally in Spanish)
Since May 2003, when Supreme Master Ching Hai entered our lives and we received the rare and priceless gift of initiation into the Quan Yin Method of meditation, my family members and I have experienced many changes as together we follow this beautiful spiritual path and live in harmony day by day. For example, my younger brother Johan has awakened dormant abilities that he never knew he had, such as the ability to repair electrical appliances. Thus, each day is a happy one for all of us as we do what we need and wish to do and remain free in this world. The joy of being part of a global spiritual family and of knowing we are immersed in an immense, bustling universe is sometimes incredible! The Quan Yin Method is the path I wish everyone would follow, and the liberation Master provides us through this wonderful gift is not something we should waste, nor should we let material matters get us down, especially since we know that the Method takes us forever beyond the mundane world. The connection we have with Master and the love She gives us unconditionally is so magnificent that we would like to stay near Her and our brother- and sister-initiates every day. How pleasant life would be if there were no more selfishness in the world, and if human beings would not let life’s self-indulgent events influence them! But even if we think the day is far away when we can all live happily together, it is not. The thing to do in our case is to sow the spiritual seeds in Venezuela as our brothers and sisters have done in other countries. And I know that when we least expect it, wars will end as a result of our evolved consciousness when humankind becomes aware that we are all children of the same God. Master, I thank You infinitely for all the changes you have brought into my life, and I will never stop being thankful to the initiates who introduced us to the Quan Yin Method. Thanks to God and thanks also to every initiate I have come to know even by means of the Internet. Once more, thanks to You, Master, for entering and remaining in my life forever.
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| Series of Shining World Leadership
Enlightened Government Creating a Bright Future Reports according to Master's order and rating ♥♥♥♥♥♥ Norway
A Peaceful Country Continues Its Efforts
on Behalf of Peace
By Brother-initiate Ning Zhou, Oslo, Norway
Norway is a peaceful country whose harmonious nature has been shown through the peace efforts made by its government in many military conflict areas around the world. In fact, on several occasions Norway has been asked to serve as a facilitator for peace negotiations between warring parties, and has agreed in certain cases to take on this difficult and challenging task. For instance, in the current peace process in Sri Lanka, Norwegian facilitators are assisting the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) with the negotiation of a comprehensive peace agreement. On February 22-23, 2006, Norway facilitated the first high-level talks that had occurred between the two sides in the past three years. Taking place in Geneva, discussions focused on issues regarding a proposed ceasefire, its implementation and the next round of peace talks. In Sudan, Norway is an active supporter of the peace efforts being made under the auspices of Kenya and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional co-operation organization. Together with the UK and the USA, Norway is helping mobilize sufficient international support. This will give the forces of peace a superior advantage in the process. Norway has long held a central role in the peace processes of other countries as well. For example, the Oslo Process in the Middle East resulted in the peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians that was signed in 1993. Those efforts continue today as Norway chairs the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, a group of countries working to implement the Road Map to Peace. Moreover, Norway’s participation in the peace process in Guatemala resulted in a peace agreement signed in Oslo in 1996, and the vital work of implementing the agreement, which continues today. Norway is able to play a facilitating role in these peace processes because as a small country it has no vested interest in the conflicts. Its only interest is to contribute to a peaceful solution, a stance that the country has been known to express through its willingness to provide financial support for peace as well. The Norwegian government holds the progressive belief that the work for international peace and security is relevant to all, and that no country can simply leave it to the UN to find solutions to armed conflicts. Norway’s exemplary role in these worldwide peace negotiations makes it clear that all nations should join in and participate, especially in cases where the UN and the Security Council are not able to resolve a country’s problems themselves. Lastly, it is important to recognize that conflicts in even far-away countries directly influence the security and well-being of our own, because we ultimately are all one.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ The EU, Spearheading Alternative Energy Globally
By Florida News Group (Originally in English)
On March 8, 2006, the EU Commission President launched a proposal for a new European Energy Policy, entitled “A European Strategy for sustainable, competitive and secure energy.” [1] Despite strong lobbying from the traditional energy industry, the proposal lays the foundation for the EU to become the world's most energy-efficient region. Recently, the EU has become the world leader in alternative energy development, after spearheading the Kyoto Protocol, which came into effect in 2005 and which has completely transformed the global alternative energy market. The EU has set specific deadlines for member nations to convert to renewable energy sources, with a lofty goal of achieving 21% energy from renewable sources by 2010. The new EU energy policies are the direct result of the heightened consciousness of the EU people. In a survey released in January, 2006, 40% of EU citizens declared that they would be willing to pay higher energy bills if the energy was from renewable sources.[2] On April 2, 2006, the EU Commission launched legal proceedings against several members for failing to keep to deadlines. This remarkable act shows that the EU is willing to keep to its commitments and is a powerful example for other regions. EU citizens have done an immeasurable service to future generations of all nations through its courageous new energy policies. [3] |
| Positive Improvements on the Planet
China
Environmental Conference Heralds a New Era in China
By Florida News Group (Originally in English)
In April 2006, an historic event took place in Shanghai. Broadcast around the world on CNN, Chinese environmental leaders came together in the Shanghai Concert Hall and spoke openly about the environmental crisis in China. While such an event would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, it epitomizes the rapid emergence of a massive environmental movement in China. The new movement is a result of wise leadership in China. The State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), which was only elevated to ministerial status in 1998, recently announced plans to spend 156 billion USD over the next 5 years. Most remarkably, several months ago SEPA and the US EPA signed an agreement to work together to solve environmental problems. This created a truly unprecedented coalition of the world’s two biggest economies and biggest polluters. The SEPA-EPA agreement demonstrates the recent openness on the part of the Chinese government to working together with different parties to solve environmental problems. SEPA now also works closely with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in China, which were not even legal 15 years ago. In the last decade, the number of environmental NGOs in China has jumped from 1 to over 2,000. These groups gained sudden prominence in 2004 after environmentalists successfully blocked construction of a major dam in the Nu River, an action that inspired grass-roots involvement across China. Currently, all of these governmental and nongovernmental forces are coming together to clean up Beijing in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. This promises to raise environmental standards across the nation, as previous Olympic Games have done in Japan and Korea. The possibilities for large-scale environmental progress in China are almost limitless. Both within the central government and for the individual, China is experiencing a profound rise in environmental consciousness. There is widespread optimism among the Chinese people that the new millennium will bring to full fruition the ancient Chinese ideals of well-rounded prosperity existing in harmony with nature.
Major Changes around the World Northern Ireland
Historic Peace Development in Northern Ireland
By the Dublin News Group (Originally in English)
On July 28, 2005, a momentous and historic peace development occurred in Northern Ireland when the Irish Republican Army (IRA) formally declared an end to its three-decade long armed conflict with the British in Northern Ireland and pledged to pursue the goal of a united Ireland through "exclusively peaceful means." British and Irish leaders said they hoped the statement, brokered in negotiations between the IRA's political representatives and officials in London and Dublin, would revive the province's peace process and bring a final end to over 30 years of sectarian violence known as "The Troubles" that has killed more than 3,600 Catholics and Protestants since 1969. Since the peace declaration was made, the ancient animosities between the North and South of Ireland are becoming a thing of the past. Neighbors who once might have been enemies because of being split on both sides of the political divide are now finding that they can be friends. Catholics and Protestants alike have taken down flags and other symbols of religious affiliation so as not to offend their neighbors. Also, on April 24, 2006, political leaders from the D.U.P. (Democratic Unionist Party) in Northern Ireland for the first time in history took part in an inter-governmental discussion in Dublin to bring forth a peaceful solution to the struggles of the North. These are all definite signs of the ice melting. Everyone in both the North and South wants reconciliation and longs for peace more than ever before. Spain
ETA Declares a Permanent Ceasefire
By Pablo Monedero, Madrid, Spain (Originally in Spanish)
In 1936, a civil war in Spain resulted in a dictatorship (Franco, 1939-1975). Shortly after, a separatist group organized in northern Spain, calling itself ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna – meaning ‘Basque Fatherland and Liberty’). Since then the group has been continuously executing attacks all over the country up until the present time. However, in early 2004, ETA indicated that it was considering a ceasefire, and on March 23, 2006, the group announced its intent to stop all violence. This recent declaration in Spain, aside from being good news by itself, has also helped the government as a whole since the leaders working on this issue now receive the support and alliance of other political parties and leaders, despite their differing political views. As Supreme Master Ching Hai said during Her lecture in Madrid, Spain, on May 5, 1999: "Only enlightenment can destroy ignorance. Only God's love can nullify hatred. Only real brotherhood can dissolve the different conflicts and opinions among our brothers and sisters…. You help me. You bring God's love into this planet. You help me to pray together in silence to know God, to bring Hiers love and heavenly Kingdom to this planet." We are very happy to see the real brotherhood is eventuating with the grace of God. Sri Lanka
Heading for Peace
By Formosan News Group
For approximately the last 20 years, Sri Lanka has been caught in a civil war between two factions, the Sinhalese and the Tamilese. An estimated 64,000 people have died on both sides, and 700,000 civilians have been displaced. From the end of 1999 to early 2000, the Tamil Tigers launched a severe attack and ignited suicide bombs in the capital city of Colombo. As a result, panic and anxiety prevailed throughout the whole country, with fully armed soldiers patrolling and inspecting passers-by everywhere. At the moment of curfew and crisis, Master arrived in Colombo in 2000 and delivered an open lecture. Sincere Truth seekers came to greet Master despite the threat to their own security. Since then, the conflict has greatly subsided and the international community has shown much more attention and concern for the well being of this island. For example, in 2002 Norway acted as an intermediary and helped the two sides arrive at a ceasefire agreement, which enabled the start of negotiations. In February 2006, both sides met in Geneva to proceed with the first round of peace talks. Although some extremists were reluctant for the peace talks to go ahead and tried to create further conflict, both sides are still determined to go for peace. They expect the next round of peace talks to progress with fewer obstacles as the whole situation becomes more stable and secure.
The Golden Age Lifestyle A Visionary Housing Development that Supports Energy-Sustainable Living
By Brother-initiate John Hunter, London, U.K. (Originally in English)
As described in the article “Prospering in the Golden Age” (see News #161), many new technologies are being developed to meet the challenges posed by climate change, pollution and water shortages. Britain, like some other countries in the world, also faces additional challenges posed by high numbers of people who live in areas where there is a chronic shortage of land available for building new houses. To address this problem, the British Government is now actively encouraging the use of “brownfield” development, which calls for new construction to be the result of demolishing or re-modelling existing buildings. An interesting new housing development addresses the space issue, and more. Called BedZED (Beddington Zero [Fossil] Energy Development) by its developers, this approach combines many elements of sustainable living with the latest technologies to provide an ideal future-model community. The first BedZED development, located on a “brownfield” site south of London, has been designed with the aim of achieving zero net carbon dioxide emissions by avoiding the use of fossil fuels. This goal has been accomplished through a combination of energy efficient technologies along with the implementation of a wood-fueled heat and power plant to provide electricity and heat. Moreover, large areas of photovoltaic panels (solar power cells) installed on the roofs of the buildings provide sufficient power for 40 electric cars, reducing still further the use of fossil fuels. In constructing the development, the BedZED team was also determined only to use building materials available within a 35-mile radius of the site, thereby reducing the “embodied energy” of the materials (the energy used to manufacture, transport and assemble them). Also, any new wood used in building was obtained from local WWF Forest Stewardship Council-approved woodlands. The three-story high buildings comprise a total of 82 dwellings, each of which has super-insulation and south-facing glazing to provide useful heat gains in the winter. A sophisticated system of heating and ventilation also uses roof mounted wind-powered cowls along with plate heat exchangers that extract and re-distribute warm air. Backing on to the living accommodation are workspaces placed in the shade zones of the south facing housing terraces. Skygardens have been created on the workspace roofs, enabling each 3-story flat to have its own outdoor garden area, with good access to sunlight while providing well daylit workspace without problematic summer overheating. An additional building within the BedZED development houses is the combined heat and power plant, the electrical switch room and a glass-roofed plant room where the on-site water treatment facility treats all “black” and “grey” waste. Additionally, rainwater is collected, stored and recycled to reduce the need for externally supplied water. This building also contains the community health center, a nursery and café, plus a sports clubhouse and offices. The BedZED concept was developed over a five-year period by a team of architects, the BioRegional Development Group and a housing group. This community, designed to house approximately 240 residents and 200 workers, has the capability to support a carbon-neutral lifestyle, with all energy for buildings and local transportation supplied by renewable energy sources. Other “brownfield” sites used in similar manners could significantly reduce urban sprawl in the UK and other countries, while still providing amenities like play areas, communal and leisure facilities and adequate work space. This instance of a progressive living concept, which has already become a reality, surely has the chance to inspire further enlightened sustainable building.
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Combining Science and Vision to Progressively Eliminate the World’s Energy Problems
By San Jose and San Francisco News Group (Originally in English)
A past practice of burning the earth’s fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) has caused two of the major environmental problems facing our world today: climate changes due to global warming, and pollution of air, water and land. As a non-renewable energy resource, the supply of fossil fuels will continue to decline as they are used. The good news is that world leaders are now waking up to this situation. On December 9, 2005, in a speech at the U.N. Climate Conference at Montreal Canada, former US President Bill Clinton proposed a serious commitment to a clean energy future through worldwide implementation of energy-saving devices and hybrid cars, as well as solar energy and bio-fuels.[1] Master has long ago mentioned alternatives to fossil fuel use. On February 23, 1992, Master gave a lecture in Malaysia titled “Start with Nirvana and End up on Earth”:
There are several practical initiatives being explored to replace our use of fossil fuels and change our technology so that we cause less damage and can even restore the Earth.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficient technology aims to conserve all existing forms of energy usage. Energy-saving appliances have long been used in other parts of the world and are now becoming popular in the US[2]. The thermostat timer and “on demand” water heating are two examples. The thermostat timer conserves heating and cooling resources by using programmable temperature settings that can vary throughout the day or days of the week. The “on demand” water heater eliminates the need to maintain a large tank of water at a constant temperature because it heats water only when needed.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is often called an alternative fuel, but it does not exist in nature in its pure (H2) form, so it always has to be “generated” from some other material like methane (CH4) or water (H2O). Hydrogen is like an energy storage system, more like a battery than a true alternative fuel. Some companies have received government funding for research to develop hydrogen as a fuel. A company in Canada, for example, is developing a “solar hydrogen generator” that can produce hydrogen from methane using a high-temperature reactor heated by a solar mirror array. The resulting gas stream is H2, CO2, and water. This same company is also looking at ways to derive methane from the anaerobic digestion of biomass[3]. Fuel cells, which convert hydrogen and oxygen back to water and electricity, are now being incorporated into American and Japanese auto manufacturers’ research plans. Using fuel cells, electric motors rather than fuel-burning engines would power the vehicles[4]. There is also ongoing research to find a way to store hydrogen in a chemically stable form such as a metal hydride, which may eventually lead to a safe and economical method for widespread hydrogen use.
Biomass
Biomass, combustible carbon in the form of living vegetable matter such as trees, is the oldest form of energy on Earth. It has the great advantage over fossil fuels of being composed of carbon molecules that are already in the Earth’s atmosphere today, so burning it does not appreciably increase carbon dioxide-produced global warming. Some modern forms of biomass fuels are biodiesel, a diesel-like oil usually made from the seeds of plants; and ethanol, made from plant sugars. According to SOCAP (Society for Consumer Affairs Professionals) in Canada, biomass energy can be created from Canada’s forestry, agricultural, and municipal solid waste sources at a rate equivalent to 27% of Canada’s fossil fuel consumption as measured in 1999. Moreover, governments in Europe and other countries have encouraged people to switch from fossil fuel to mostly carbon-neutral biomass fuel. The US Department of Energy has also recommended soybean oil as a principal source of biodiesel. And in Malaysia, palm oil is used to produce thousands of tons of biodiesel each year. Biodiesel is especially suitable for developing countries because of its low startup costs and relatively simple production. In the US, most fuel ethanol is made into gasohol, a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. The large South American country of Brazil has been relying heavily on ethanol from locally-grown sugarcane to power its more than two million cars. As well as being carbon-neutral, ethanol produces no benzene or sulfur emissions. Brazil produces about 16 billion liters (3.52 billion gallons) a year, using 14.5 billion liters at home, with a growing demand from abroad[5]. The most promising method of producing ethanol is from the cellulose abundantly found all over the planet in agricultural waste such as wood chips, corn stalks, or switch grass. This technology is very easy to implement. More efficient cellulose-to-ethanol conversions that can be performed through the use of microorganisms are also being investigated[6]. ph Unlike fission, which splits uranium or plutonium into radioactive pieces to release energy, nuclear fusion purports to deliver power without radioactive pollution and works instead by joining two “heavy hydrogen” (deuterium or tritium) atoms into simple helium. The deuterium abstracted from one kilogram of seawater (one deuterium atom per every 7,000 hydrogen atoms) can produce as much energy as 300 liters of gasoline. Fusion, however, is a very difficult process to maintain on Earth, requiring temperatures and pressures found only in the interior of stars. Four countries -- Russia, France, Japan and China -- are currently working on developing an “Artificial Sun.” So far, Russian scientists have managed to reach the reaction temperature of 100 million degrees for short periods of time. China recently announced the completion of a similar project using superconducting fusion equipment that relies on high magnetic fields and powerful lasers to compress and heat fusion fuel. One Russian nuclear engineer has claimed that “thermonuclear fusion stations will be our future energy sources, and the unlimited amount of isotopic hydrogen in the world's oceans will be our fuel.”
Other Alternative Solutions
Other possible energy alternatives that are currently being studied throughout the world include the following: Solar Concentrators: Capable of concentrating the power of the sun up to 5,000 times. One manufacturer claims these concentrators can be used for heating, thermal-based air conditioning, electrical power generation, hydrogen production and other applications[7]. Thermal Depolymerization: A low technology process that can easily reduce organic matter to combustible oil and other useful by-products (see News Magazine #161). Photovoltaic: Solar cells and panels are becoming increasingly popular because they allow people to make their own electricity wherever there is sunshine. Research is being done to improve cell technology for more efficient electricity production. Geothermal: Sites found near volcanoes and hot springs provide a rare but useful method for capturing the Earth’s inner steam to drive turbines or provide direct heat. Wind: Becoming very popular in Europe and the US, wind generators are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. They can generate electricity at any site that has fairly consistent air movement. Tidal energy: Harnesses the great power of the sea to spin turbines and create energy, with potential for use in certain geographic locations, especially those near the ocean. All these technologies and new energy concepts are being developed in different countries throughout the world. Some are government-sponsored, while others are based in commercial investments. New energy technologies will be even more effective if they are met by people of the earth changing their concepts and attitudes of living, converting to a vegetarian diet and implementing changes based on compassion and love. In fact, as one recently published article has pointed out, a vegan diet contributes directly to the flourishing of life on Earth because it produces so little carbon dioxide, the gas associated with global warming. By contrast, a more highly animal-based diet such as that found in many parts of the United States, generates the equivalent of nearly 1.5 tons more carbon dioxide per person per year than a vegan diet with the same number of calories[8]. As disciples, we should encourage more people to join in spiritual practice, so they will naturally become more supportive, sensitive, and protective of the environment. As Master pointed out in Her lecture, “We Are Catching Up with Heaven” [News Magazine #138]:
These scientist-saints are already in our world, helping us enter a new energy era. We still have a long way to go from our current practices to the mature technology that harnesses energy directly from the atmosphere, as Master mentioned. Nevertheless, technologies can help improve the world if the world’s people have a high moral standard and high spiritual consciousness. During this period, we should raise our moral thinking and purify our behavior:
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| Master Tells Jokes
An East-West Connection
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, USA, February 4, 2003 (Originally in English) DVD#754
A lady had two daughters, both married, and she was bragging about her two son-in-laws. She said, “They both want me to visit them at the same time! The one in the East wants me to be in the West, and the one in the West wants me in the East!”
It’s Not My Fault!
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, USA, February 4, 2003 (Originally in English)DVD#754
A father who was remonstrating his kid said, "How dare you kick your little brother in the stomach!" And the son said, "It’s his fault, Father! Who told him to turn around?" The Most Patient Audience Member
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Florida, USA, February 4, 2003 (Originally in English) DVD#754
There was a man on the lecture platform who kept talking and talking. As he was talking, people in the audience began to get up and leave. After about ten minutes, there was only one man left. Finally, the man stopped speaking, and he came down and asked the other man why he remained to the end when no one else did. He said, "Well, I'm the next speaker."
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| Master Tells Stories
Practical Experience is Superior to Empty Theories
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Hsihu, Formosa, April 25, 1992(Originally in Chinese) Videotape #243
In ancient China, a general was dying and the king asked him, “After your demise, who would be an appropriate successor to you?” Then, instead of his own son, the general recommended someone else. Surprised, the king asked, “Your son has comprehensively studied military books since childhood. His strategic analyses are very convincing. Wouldn’t he be the most suitable candidate?” “No! No! That son of mine can only talk big,” said the general. “Although he’s well-versed in military theories, he has absolutely no practical experience on the battlefield. This is why I don’t recommend him.” However, when the general died the king didn’t follow his advice. He firmly believed that the general’s son would be superb, given his fluent responses and familiarity with strategic deployments and appointed him general. As a result, the son suffered defeat after defeat, much unlike his invincible father because he had no practical experience in warfare, and relied solely on military books for his knowledge. Conditions on a battlefield change constantly and can’t be countered by theories learned from books. Furthermore, geographical settings and climates differ from place to place so how can military theories apply to every battle? The enemy forces are different each time. The morale and physical state of our armies are affected by the climate and terrain at different sites so we can’t always “go by the books” when conducting a battle. The general’s son had never fought alongside his father and had no practical experience of his own so a victory was beyond him. The same applies to everything else we do. The more we do it, the better our natural responses become, and this gradually develops into a habit.
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| The Sentient World of Animals
Love is the Best Communication
By a resident in Hsihu, Formosa (Originally in Chinese)
In 1999, Master compassionately allowed the residents in Hsihu to go to the United States at the Florida Center to celebrate the Moon Festival. At that time, there were a few horses in the Center. On the day of the Festival, the female residents suddenly received instructions to dress up the horses, because Master and Her escorts would be riding around the Center to give everyone a delightful surprise. I was amazed to learn that there were horses there. I quickly jumped into the car that took us to the stable. It was a crude stable housing several horses. Despite my curiosity and love for animals, I quickly started to work. Time was short; two or three residents attended to one horse, and when the decorations were almost done, we were asked to hurry because the time was up. I tried to tie a big bow around the backside of the horse, but the horse was too tall for me to reach. I became very anxious! At that moment, I murmured to myself, "What should I do? I am just a little too short. How can I make it?" (spoken in Chinese even) Immediately after my murmur, the horse bent its hind legs and lowered its backside. I was both stunned and delighted, but I quickly finished my job. Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming emotion as if something had melted and dissolved, and that was followed by a continuous flow of bliss. Since that time, Master has repeatedly spoken about the spiritual consciousness of animals and the proper way that humans and animals should live together. However, only when we have experienced a real situation do we truly understand that communicating through love can save the lives of animals in an emergency. Each year during the seasons when migratory birds are on the move, some peculiar bird species appear at the Hsihu Center. Among them is a kind of large bird that hunts prey with its claws. One day, one of these birds appeared in the area where we live. While it tried to hide, it could not fly and so it fell whenever it tried to do so. It was probably ill or injured. It attacked approaching residents with its long, sharp beak, and fiercely refused pieces of apple and wax apple. I remembered that Master once said we could communicate with animals through telepathy and picture forms. So I sent an image message from my heart telling it that we loved it and wanted to have it treated by a doctor so that it could heal. After communicating with the bird, I walked over and lifted it into my arms. It leaned against me without resistance. We placed it in a paper box padded with cloth and quickly took it to the Wild Bird Society. The bird remained calm throughout the journey. The president of the Wild Bird Society found that one of its claws was injured. Unable to hunt for the last few days, it was starving and very weak. Having finished his diagnosis, the President immediately went out to buy some nourishment for the bird, adding with optimism that the bird would recover fully. Now, as I look back at the incident, if we had not heard Master's discourse about how to convey love and comfort to animals, we would not have been able to help this wild bird and save its life. My love for the world grows each day, for the Master Power, the Quan Yin Method, and the Divine Energy permeate all things, merging them into one, and activating more and more sources of love and joy in the world. I might have lived a million lifetimes, but the present one is the most delightful.
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| Master’s Words
The Power of Telepathy
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Surrey, United Kingdom January 2, 2006 (Originally in English)
You don’t have to be a psychic or a dog talker to understand the language of dogs. They understand you. They understand English, Russian, German, French - whatever you speak to them, they understand very well. Because dogs understand words by pictures, whatever words you speak form a photo or a picture in their mind. And that’s how they understand you perfectly clearly, with no mistake about it. In every language, every word has a symbol, invisibly. That’s also why I tell you to be pure in speech. Because it does have an impact on the people who hear it and it does have a real meaning. It does form a picture, and it does send some energy, bad or good, to the environment that you’re walking around in with it. So that’s why we have to be pure in speech and action, and thought as well. Everything has a reason. I am not trying to control you or anything; I am just telling you all the scientific evidence and scientific logic behind the precepts that we keep. Everything we think also forms some kind of picture that people can see as well. Some people can; not everyone can. Nevertheless, it will be around in the ether and people can perceive it. And the energy does stay. Depending on how strongly you mean it at the time of saying it or thinking it, it will last longer or it will last shorter. But, it will last. And sometimes it lasts for a long time, almost forever. You’ve heard about the curse from generation to generation: it’s true. The person doesn’t have to be a witch to form this kind of curse energy; it can come from some person with strong hatred or strong love or strong revenge ideas in his or her head. When he says it with all his mighty power, then it will come true, whether it’s a curse or a blessing. That’s why sometimes you go to a priest or some holy person and say, “Please, bless me,” or, “Give me some blessing.” Because it does work; it’s not superstition. Maybe in the future we won’t need television or anything similar; we can just tune in wherever we want, and the picture will come on. And that’s what telepathy is all about. Dogs and animals have more telepathic power than we do because we lost it. Many of us lose it, because through the complication of the survival network we have to think too much in physical terms, and do too much in the physical field and think too much about physical obligations because of survival. So, we are more and more physical every day, and that’s how we forget the telepathic self or the telepathic ability that we had. Some people still retain it, to the minimum or maximum, or half-and-half. Sometimes, in some instances, you seem to understand what your partner is saying, without his speaking it aloud. That’s when you collect a little scattered ability of the psychic power that you do have. Now and again, it comes out. And that is true. Can you imagine, if we hadn’t lost it all we’d have it all the time. But it’s also good in a way. Because if you have that power, you don’t always hear the good but you always hear the bad also. And that would be a little bit too much for us.
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| Helpful Tips
An Effective and Safe Disinfectant f
or All Sentient Beings
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Surrey, United Kingdom
January 2, 2006 (Originally in English) I have some vinegar spray, just for washing hands for my dogs. And I take a bottle of half-water, half-vinegar with me all the time. Sometimes in the restaurant, I use it to wash my hands; spray it on my hands and then wipe it, and spray on the public utensils, to disinfect them. And wipe it off, and then it’s clean. You know, like a dry-cleaning system: “Zzzt…!” It helps, and there are no chemicals. Vinegar is harmless; you could eat it, so it doesn’t matter. I carry a little bottle all the time. You’ve learned another trick now! And sometimes, you can spray around your window and so on. Or you spray some insect repellent, the non-toxic kind, around the window so insects don’t come through. Even mosquitoes stay away. The small insects stay away from your screen. But if you don’t have that, then you spray vinegar. It also helps because vinegar dispels all the smell, and they’re only attracted to smell. So instead of perfume, maybe you spray some vinegar, and then the mosquitoes won’t know if you’re a lettuce or a hot-blooded blonde. Maybe they think you’re a cabbage or a salad! (Laughter) If you have dogs, clean them with vinegar water only. And if you have dogs or cats or pets in the house, clean your house only with vinegar and water mixed. Now and again, if you really want it clean and you don’t feel sure, then clean with whatever you have to. But afterwards, you have to clean with water throughout so that no more chemical residues are left in the house because you could kill your dogs or cats that way. Not killed immediately, but it would make them suffer for many years. They cannot bear it. If you can hear your dog, they will tell you. So vinegar water, that’s all we want. Half-vinegar, half-water, to clean: Clean the dog’s body when you want to let them in the house. Clean the paws and everything with vinegar-water and a vinegar wet towel. And then after that, around the eyes, you have to clean quickly with water so it doesn’t smart their eyes. In the sensitive areas that have revealed or sensitive skin, then you have to clean it back with water immediately afterward so it takes away the sting. That’s the best! If you really cannot get vinegar on hand, you can use a baby wipe. But then wipe with water immediately after, so there are no more residues of the chemical, whatever it is.
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| Supreme Master Ching Hai’s TV Program
“A Journey through Aesthetic Realms” TV Series
National Monthly Broadcast on i: Independent Television
Reported by Entertainment Team, Los Angeles, USA (Originally in English) With Master’s blessings, the television program “A Journey through Aesthetic Realms” now airs every first and third Sunday of the month across the 50 states of America on i: Independent Television (formerly PAX). This program commenced on March 19, 2006, beginning with Part 1 of a 4-part special program, Africa: God’s Backyard. The airing time of 4:30 pm on Sunday is one of the coveted time slots on the network because of its popularity with viewers. With God’s perfect plan, the director of programming for the i: channel awarded this time slot for Master’s TV series based on the positive response to previous programs that were aired, namely, “The Real Heroes” and “The Peace Seeker.” Upon receiving the good news, brothers and sisters in America immediately began to work with fellow initiates in Formosa. A national campaign began with announcements in all major national and some international newspapers. Multiple Internet sites of our Association also announced the upcoming broadcast. Around the country, Association members distributed postcards for the show along with the Alternative Living flyer. As soon as the announcements went out, calls started coming in from all over the United States as well as Canada to inquire about viewing the program. From certain areas in Canada and Mexico that border the US (where the satellite network is accessible), the program will be viewable. After Part 1 of the program aired on March 19th, the phone began ringing immediately with people requesting copies. A number of the callers were mesmerized with Master’s teachings in this first episode of the TV program. One memorable conversation took place with a lady from Idaho. In an eager and sincere manner, she simply refused to be satisfied with anything else but a transcript of Master’s lecture from this program. A sample booklet would be nice, she said, “But does it have the transcript from ‘Africa: God’s Backyard?’ I want to read Her exact words from this episode! It’s so good. I want this one, I want this one!” The way she spoke was very earnest, like a child wanting a beloved present. Another man asked if there would be an “encore” to Part 1 any time soon. He had missed the program and said he really wanted to watch it. So he requested information for purchasing on DVD or VHS the whole collection of Part 1-4, even though he hadn’t watched Part 1 yet! One man who called from Southern California wanted to know more about Master’s teachings. With sadness in his voice, he said that he would be moving to another state soon and wouldn’t be able to catch the rest of the programs. However, he rejoiced upon learning that “A Journey through Aesthetic Realms” is broadcast nationally and that he would be able to watch it in Florida as well. An Indian woman from California called to say that she listens to holy people speaking around the world, but when she heard Master’s voice, she said, “I knew this was the real thing!” She didn’t understand why, but she felt Master’s voice was able to penetrate through her. The Association member on the phone replied to one of her questions with, “Supreme Master Ching Hai is straightforward in Her message,” and the woman spontaneously responded, “Yes, God is straightforward!” >From Indiana, an American lady introduced herself on the phone as a producer of four local television programs who was calling to ask permission to put the Africa program on her various shows. She said that when she first saw the announcement in the newspaper, she already knew that this was something she had to share with others. After watching the program, she said that Master’s message was so positive that it would be wonderful to have the opportunity to share it with more people through her shows. The i channel also aired complimentary promotional 30-second spots for “A Journey through Aesthetic Realms” throughout each day to alert viewers to the airing of the program. The night before Part 1 was broadcast, a lady had seen a clip of Master speaking. In that clip, Master said, “It is so simple, that every of us can do, because every of us is already God. Just look in a different direction, that’s all. And we can show you where to look.” The lady said she felt such power coming from Master at that time, and she said, “After hearing Her say that, I knew I had to set aside my other plans and watch the program the next day.” Still another viewer expressed that Master’s words were “pure Truth, simply pure Truth!” People were also touched to see the special report on the Association’s timely relief work for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. This included the footage of the ABC news coverage on the Association’s aid for flood evacuees. The grand finale of Part 1 featured Master’s beautiful singing in the premiere of the song, “Evening Dream,” a poem She wrote in Her earlier life. This song is one in a series that She spontaneously sang in a moment of divine inspiration. When Master sings or recites poetry, She instills into the verses Her whole heart and soul. Therefore, when people hear Her melodious voice, it touches them at the core of their beings. Many of the enthusiastic viewers wanted to buy the CD of Her singing, which was somewhat amazing because they were Caucasian and the song was in the Aulacese language! One fascinated American man from Michigan called in and asked: “Excuse me, do you have the song ‘Evening Dream’ on CD?” He had never known about Master before, but when he listened to Her song and read the English subtitles of the lyrics, he wanted to buy Her music album right away. We truly witness how Master’s blessings are imparted to sentient beings in all ways - through Her lectures, music, poetry, art and jewelry designs, among other talents – to reach people of all nationalities. At the end of the program, the Alternative Living flyer was also shown, thereby reaching millions of viewers across America. This will be an ongoing part of each program from now on to remind people to change to a more compassionate diet. Callers inquired about the flyer and asked to know more about it. By means of the television media, Master’s message is reaching the mainstream public at large. In today’s fast-paced society, it is rare for people to take the time to phone in and comment about television programs, much less to share positive input. So it was truly heartwarming to hear from all the viewers who enthusiastically called in with their feedback. Brothers and sisters with technical expertise have also made this program available on the Internet so that Master’s precious teachings can be accessed by even more people. Those who missed the show or who want to watch it again can now view it online at their leisure at www.peacethrumusic.com or www.godsdirectcontact.org. >From just the previous broadcasting of “The Real Heroes” and “The Peace Seeker,” there is already a growing following for Master’s programs. Now that “A Journey through Aesthetic Realms” is scheduled as a regular television series on a national network, people have a set date that they can expect to view the program, it will be easier for an even greater number of people to become captivated and follow the beauty and truth of Master’s teachings. In fact, many people are anxiously waiting to see upcoming broadcasts of the programs. In Her lecture in the Africa program, Master stated, “If our consciousness is more awakened and highly elevated, our Earth will continue more in splendor. If we continue the way we were or worsen still, then of course the consequence is obvious. We decide our future. There is no millennium, except now; we decide it now.” Based on the positive responses from callers, it seems as if the world is truly ready to be elevated to a higher consciousness through the grace and love of Master. We sincerely thank Master for this precious opportunity to share Her words and love with humankind. It’s such a joyous occasion, and we are forever grateful to Master for Her blessings every step of our journey on the spiritual path.
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| Vegetarian Era
♥♥♥♥ Firefighters Go Vegetarian
By Vincent Nguyen, Virginia Center, USA (Originally in English)
Texas is well-known for its cowboys with blue jeans, big hats and big leather belts with big buckles. It’s also known for its big meat eaters. So when five firefighters in the state capital of Austin switched to a vegetarian diet, it was a big surprise to the local people as well as the media throughout the United States. According to their website, www.engine2.org, the city of Austin now has “... women in BMWs pulling up next to the fire trucks, inquiring if they are the vegetarian firefighters.” To the women’s chagrin, they get the reply, “No, that's Engine 2.” A local restaurant created an entrée in their name: “Engine 2 Veggie Sandwich.” In addition, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) gave them the “Animal-Friendly Firehouse of the Year” award. It all started with a routine cholesterol test. The American Heart Association ranks anyone with a level of 240 mg or more as high risk. Specialist Rae, who was only 37 years old, learned that his cholesterol was 344. All the male members of his family except one had died of heart disease before age 60. Rae's father, the only survivor, had suffered a heart attack and then underwent triple bypass surgery in his mid-50s. After hearing of the blood test results, another member of the firehouse, Specialist Esselstyn, 43, convinced Rae to switch to a vegetarian diet. Esselstyn had been a professional triathlete for a decade before joining the firehouse in 1997. He became a vegetarian in 1986 and a vegan in 2002. Esselstyn's father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., had been a general surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, named by U.S.News & World Report as one of the nation's top four hospitals.[1] Dr. Esselstyn conducted a 12-year trial using patients who had been diagnosed with what seemed like terminal heart disease. The study showed that “...Even if all Americans kept their total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL, as recommended by the American Heart Association, millions would develop coronary artery disease.” The study concluded that, in addition to keeping cholesterol down, “a plant-based diet with less than 10% fat would prevent coronary disease from developing, halt the progress of existing disease, and even reverse the disease in many patients.” [2] To help his fellow firefighter make the switch, Esselstyn created delicious vegetarian food that included “Paul McCartney” enchiladas with spinach and portobello mushrooms. After tasting the food, another firefighter was convinced: Lieutenant Scott Walters also switched to a vegetarian diet. Next, the new vegetarian Walters made tofu chocolate pudding and gave it to another fellow firefighter who up to that time was a self-professed “vegetarian hater.” This in turn convinced him to become a vegetarian. At present, all five members of the Engine 2 team - James Rae, Rip Esselstyn, Matt Moore, Derick Zwerneman, and Scott Walters - are vegetarians. Their practices have come to the attention of many Austin citizens as well as the media around the United States. In speaking of his own vegan diet, Esselstyn said, “For compassion reasons and for environmental reasons, it's the best way to go. To think that a pig or a cow or a chicken has no more feelings than your dog or cat is ludicrous.” He also pointed out that factory farming practices are inhumane and destructive to the environment. Besides feeling better since switching to a vegetarian diet, Specialist Rae found that his blood cholesterol dropped to 196.
Solution to Energy Crisis:
Alternative Fuels and a Vegetarian Diet
By Florida News Group (Originally in English)
Following a vegan diet is even better for reducing greenhouse emissions than driving a hybrid-electric vehicle, according to a paper published April 12, 2006 in Earth Interactions, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. Professors Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin of the University of Chicago determined that following a vegan diet reduces CO2 emissions by 1.5 tons per year, versus 1 ton for switching from a conventional car (Toyota Camry) to a hybrid car (Toyota Prius).[1] A big surprise in the study was the energy cost of eating fish, which was nearly as large as that of eating red meat. This was due to the enormous cost of hauling fish in ships. Among biologists, fish and meat is often considered “cheap protein” for carnivorous animals. However, the opposite is true for human food production. For humans, the energy efficiency (energy output divided by energy input) of shrimp protein, for instance, is 0.5%, versus 510% for oats. Other animal products fall in the 3% range. Note that this only refers to protein and not other nutrients, for which fruits and vegetables are far more efficient sources.[2] The researchers point out that their study does not begin to take into account enormous long term energy costs related to the use of natural resources like water in the course of meat production. Dr. Eshel concludes, “We say that however close you can be to a vegan diet and further from the [average] diet, the better you are for the planet.”
A Revealing Tale: The Meatrix
By Brother-initiate Alistair Dark, Brisbane Centre, Australia
(Originally in English) In our everyday life, we are often not aware of issues that occur without news coverage or public involvement. We therefore are unable to solve the problems that we don't know exist. But this situation is improving, thanks to the initiative and intelligence of saintly beings blossoming all over our world. “Welcome to the Meatrix, the lie we tell ourselves about where our food comes from,” says Moopheous, a cow in a black suit and dark glasses, to Leo, a pig with his nose in the trough. Anyone who's seen 1997s biggest movie hit, “The Matrix,” will spot the parody immediately. The feature film describes a future in which humans live their entire lives plugged into an artificial world, the 'Matrix'. To them it seems real, but outside the Matrix they are actually being used as batteries for intelligent but soulless 'machines.' Similarly, the Meatrix is an artificial reality, based on the belief that the animals we rely on for sustenance live pleasant lives, grazing at leisure in the sunshine. The Meatrix, a short animated film by freerangegraphics.com, is a fine example of a few 'small' souls taking initiative in promoting awareness about issues beneath the surface of what we generally know. A vegetarian friend emailed me the link in 2004, and it was then that I was first made aware of how widespread factory farming is and why we should be concerned about it. The impact that The Meatrix has had since it started circulating in 2002 has been fantastic. It has even won a number of Internet awards such as the Webby, Interactive and EMA awards among many others. There is also now a sequel which deals specifically with factory dairy farming. Whereas the third movie in the hit Matrix feature film series was called The Matrix: Revolutions, the sequel to The Meatrix is called The Meatrix II: Revolting. Presented in the easily digestible form of an entertaining Flash animation (a type of cartoon for the Internet), The Meatrix makes its points clearly and quickly. The last of these is that consumers have the real power - something we should all remember. One brother recently made me aware that our spending choices are as powerful as votes. The one very unfortunate aspect of The Meatrix is that it does not actually promote vegetarianism. At the end of the film is a web page endorsing family farms that sell meat and eggs. So, although The Meatrix encourages one to look beneath the surface of everyday practices that may affect many people’s lives, it does not expose the real truth, namely that the killing of animals is completely unacceptable, not just the way killing is done for factory farming. I hope that when our world becomes more elevated to a higher level where love and compassion is the global consciousness, all cruel treatment to animals and killing will disappear. To watch the films, please head along to http://www.themeatrix.com and http://www.themeatrix2.com.
Continued list of Vegetarian
and Vegan Elite of the World
Actors & Film Directors
Health & Fitness Personalities
Models
Philosophers & Spiritual Personalities
Politicians, Statespersons and Activists
Singers, Dancers & Musicians
Sports Personalities
TV personalities
Writers, Artists & Poets
Journalists
Medical Practitioners
Scholars & Educators
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| Love in Action
Iran
The Future Prophet Has Come!
By Initiate-sister Sufi Banu, Vienna, Austria (Originally in English)
On the early morning of March 31, Golden Year 3 (2006), an earthquake shook the western part of Iran, in an area filled with small villages. As the construction of village homes can be very poor, with no iron or steel used to reinforce them, houses in up to 300 villages surrounding the earthquake’s epicenter were 30% to 100% damaged. The good news was that on this same night, many smaller earthquakes rattled this area before the major one struck. As a result, the mayor of the state was able to warn people by radio and TV. He organized cars with loudspeakers to go to the villages and warn the people. He also encouraged them to sleep outside that night. Many people followed his instructions and slept outside despite the cold weather. The result was despite the major destruction, few people died. On the morning of April 2, initiates went to the area to collect information about the supplies that were needed to respond to the disaster. Since we didn’t know anyone who lived in the earthquake area, a sister initiate had recommended that we contact a person who lived nearby, although this sister did not know him personally. After our arrival, we contacted this person, who had already been informed that we would be coming to render aid to the victims of the earthquake. He and his family greeted us warmly and offered to accommodate us in their home, which because of its location in the city had not been damaged. Later we learned that our gracious host was indeed the best person to help us in this matter. In his position as a wealthy farmer, he was well acquainted with the surrounding area and immediately after the earthquake had already voluntarily investigated all the nearby villages to determine where help was needed most. After our arrival he took us to the villages that had sustained the most major damage. He also had much information about the income of the villagers and who had the greatest need. He had a pure heart and worked with us day and night while maintaining his good mood during the entire project. We investigated the damage for one day and then informed the other initiate team in Tehran (the capital city) so that they could buy the necessary items and transport them to the disaster area. Since it would take one-and-a-half days to buy and transport all the needed items, we first purchased 6,000 bottles of water from nearby cities the following day, April 3rd, and distributed them in villages where the pipe systems were damaged and the people were in urgent need of clean water to avoid any disease. After everything was purchased, we prepared large bags with the most necessary items to give to those less fortunate. Thanks to God’s grace, we received help from seemingly everywhere. Our host’s family, their neighbors and friends all came and suddenly we had nearly 40 people helping so everything went very quickly. In addition, two factories lent us their trucks, free of charge. They were loaded, one after the other, and driven to the disaster areas. During our stay, the two teams were in contact by cell phone and organized where the next truck should meet the distributing team. In this way we didn’t lose any time. After distributing 1,000 bags of the relief items, we started distributing big plastic rolls to be used for protecting tents from rain and cold. On the last day, April 7 at noon, we finished distributing everything, including warm blankets. Everyone thanked us for our help; when people asked where we were from, sometimes we told them this assistance is from a lady who lives abroad and does charity work. All of them were amazed and surprised that a foreign lady was thinking of them and asked us to give Her their thanks and gratitude. Another amazing story came out of our stay. On our first day there, our host and his wife, who were practitioners of Islam, were surprised when they learned we do not eat meat. Since vegetarianism is an unknown word among most of the Iranian people, they didn’t understand its meaning or our reasons. After we gave a brief explanation, our host said, “But I enjoy killing a sheep and cutting its head using my hands. I was even a hunter some time ago.” So I thought to myself that he was just a hopeless person and it wouldn’t do much good to talk about this subject anymore. But one of the neighbors who was present was very interested and asked many questions, so we explained more deeply about vegetarianism. While we were talking, our host was mostly silent. Suddenly he picked up an ant which was walking on his little son’s pants and took it to the back yard and released it there. Coming back, he said, “Now I cannot kill this ant anymore.” Since he was smiling, I thought he was maybe making fun of us. However, the next day, he told us he wanted to become a vegetarian. Again, thinking he could not be serious, I was surprised to see that he was not eating meat at lunch. That evening, he said he didn’t want to eat eggs anymore, and we began to realize that he was serious. He said, “Everything you said is so true.” He then began asking about meditation and many other things whenever he found an opportunity, especially during the times we spent driving to the disaster area. On the third day, he learned the Convenient Method and was very eager to continue learning as much as possible during our stay at his house. His wife was also happy that he became a vegetarian. She said, “I think it is good for him.” She went on to stop her little son when he wanted to kill an ant, saying, “We don’t do those things in our house anymore.” At the end of the fifth day, our host asked us how he could get initiation! We couldn’t believe that a person who said he enjoyed cutting off the heads of animals became a strict vegetarian and wanted to get initiation in such a short time. Seeing this man’s pure heart while working intensely with him over the five days we were there, we knew that one of the reasons Master sent us there was because he was ready for all of this. After accommodating seven initiates in his house for six days, he was so sad when we were ready to leave, and said, “I don’t want you to go; it seems that I have known you for a long time.” When we thanked him for all his help, he said there was no need to thank him. Rather, he said, “I cannot thank you enough for the spiritual gift you gave me, you changed my life.” When we were first there, he mentioned that sometimes he sees the future in his dreams and that the things he sees do happen exactly that way in the future. One day he said, “I had a dream last month which I didn’t dare tell anyone until now. I dreamed that I became a friend of the future Prophet,” (Moslems believe that the last prophet will come in the future and rescue humanity) “and I was going up and up in the spiritual realms, and I became so holy...” Then, he stopped talking about his dream because he thought we might think him arrogant. So this dream was a kind of sign to him that his decisions about doing the meditation and becoming vegetarian were right.
We left feeling grateful for the success of the project, with no major obstacles. It was also a wonderful experience for Iranian initiates. Since most of them are new, it gave us an opportunity to work closely with each other, strengthen our relationships and learn a lot from each other. It seemed that we had come to help the victims of this disaster, but we were sure that this was only the surface of the story. We initiates and the many people who helped us received so much benefit and learned so much. All the non-initiates who worked with us were amazed and motivated by our spirit and Master’s power. Of course, many villagers also received packages filled with Master’s love, which will elevate their souls.
Expenditures for Relief Efforts Rendered to Earthquake Victims in Iran by The Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her Association (Currency: Iranian Tuman)
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| Media Reports
The Newspaper “ojo -- Mirada a la Actualidad”
San Jose, Costa Rica, March 1st to 18th, 2006
(Originally in Spanish)
Meditation Increases Brain Size
[Washington, D.C.] Meditation calms. Meditation relieves bad stress. Meditation helps to know oneself. And meditation, according to a research group from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School, increases brain size. Though this conclusion is as categorical as it sounds, there are pertinent clarifications. “The gray matter increase does not just depend on meditation itself, but also on the amount of time people spend meditating, and how deep the experience is,” explains Sara Lazar, responsible for the research. Then, brain size increases, but how much does it increase? According to Lazar and her colleagues from MIT, the increase of gray matter is from 8 to 16 thousandths of an inch. And, it’s worth repeating that it all varies with the time dedicated to meditation. “The data that we are working on, leads us to think that meditation practice does not just cause the gray matter to increase, but it also promotes adult brain cortex elasticity,” explains Lazar. In order to come to this conclusion, the researchers compared brain scans of 20 people, many of whom practiced meditation or had some training in abstract thinking, with 15 people who never meditated. They observed that the part of the brain involved in attention and sensorial processing increased its size in the first 20 people. According to Lazar and her colleagues, this discovery is interesting because the brain area that increased is exactly the same area that seems to decrease over time. To this point, it’s obvious that this finding provides more questions than answers to the scientific community. For example: Does meditation generate a bigger flow of blood in the brain? Does meditation postpone the aging process? Does meditation improve connection among cells? Aware of these issues, Lazar warns, “We still don’t have the answers to these questions, we need more time and more research.” But the truth is that this breakthrough is supported by earlier studies. There are some other interesting examples: a couple of years ago, Richard Davidson from Wisconsin University, dedicated to studying the brain of Tibetan monks, set up a research center with other American scientists at the monastery after an invitation from the Dalai Lama. What was the result? “Regular practice of oriental style meditation techniques improves the state of health, since it influences the immune system positively.” However, Davidson’s research wasn’t completely original when he began studying the neurological side of meditation. Some time earlier, Herbert Benson from Harvard University had found evidence of an almost conclusive point: that meditation counteracts the brain mechanisms associated with stress.
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| Elevation of the Soul
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s Latest DVD
DVD TV-1 (In English with subtitles in 23 languages)
“A Journey through Aesthetic Realms” TV program Walk the Way of a Living Saint Highlights: Touched by the loving example of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s selfless dedication, members and volunteers of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association have participated in charity services throughout the years, in the hope of presenting the love and care developed through their spiritual practice to benefit society at large. The first part of the film shows Association members in Formosa participating in recent environmental protection activities and disaster relief work for the 921 Earthquake, Typhoon Nari, etc. The latter half of the film follows Supreme Master Ching Hai’s visit to Africa. In 1999, the Supreme Master Ching Hai was invited to speak at the Parliament of the World's Religions, give a lecture tour, and hold an international retreat to pray for world peace. The film includes an excellent televised interview with the Supreme Master Ching Hai conducted by SABC, the largest television station in South Africa, and an exquisite dance performance by a group of South African Zulu children. Supreme Master Ching Hai’s latest CD
CD-CG08 (Spoken in Chinese)
The Relationship Between Material and Spiritual Life Group meditation at Hsihu, Formosa, November 20, 1988 Highlights: Why must we dress ourselves decently? How are we as individuals, related to the whole universe? How can we open up our Almighty Power within to bless ourselves? What should we do when we encounter difficulties in spiritual practice or have experienced fewer inner spiritual visions, and feel that we are regressing? In Her discourse, Master encourages us: “The Inner Master within misses us very much; She is more anxious than we are. She is there waiting, waiting for Her children to pass through that stage, that border; then it will be easier to care for and help them. Therefore, being able to see the Inner Master means we are halfway through, and so we might seem to feel more relaxed. However, even at that time we must not be lax, but should be more diligent instead!”
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| Holistic Animal Care
Happy Doggie – Celestial Clothes and Sleeping Mattresses for Dogs
As per Master’s compassionate instruction, the S.M. Celestial Co., Ltd. has produced its first-ever series of Happy Doggie – Celestial Clothes and Sleeping Mattresses for dogs, featuring a wide range of designs to meet the needs of dogs of all sizes. The Happy Doggie series, attractive in appearance and practical in its protective warmth, allows humans’ most loyal friends to enjoy Master’s loving care. Looking smart and elegant in their Celestial Clothes, these blessed canine friends are no doubt the most impressive dogs in the Golden Age!
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2006