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A Great Public Response at a Martial Arts Festival
By the Seoul News Group
[Chungju] Chungju City in South Korea’s Chungbuk Province is famous for its splendid scenery, including the nation’s largest lake, Chungju Lake, and for its delicious apples. The region is also home to Korea’s traditional martial art called Taekkyon. Thus, from October 1-7, 2004, the City was host to the Seventh Annual Chungju World Martial Arts Festival, in which sixty martial arts teams from 34 countries participated, attracting 910,000 guests.
This year Korean members of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association participated in the Festival for the first time by operating three booths: one for meditation, another to promote vegetarianism and a third to showcase alternative medicine. And of all the booths at the Festival, the Association’s booths were the most successful and popular.
In preparation for the event, initiates from Centers all over South Korea, especially Youngdong, Seoul and Daejeon combined their efforts to make the affair successful. The Seoul Center organized the meditation booth, the Daejeon Center was responsible for the vegetarian corner, and two Seoul sisters provided free medical advice for guests at the third location, while residents from the Youngdong Center coordinated all the activities.
In the meditation area, Master’s videos were shown continuously on a large TV so that all the visitors could be enveloped by Her blessing energy, and Master’s artworks were also displayed in the booth so that guests could soak in their divinely artistic atmosphere. The initiates arranged numerous chairs for the visitors’ comfort and provided free coffee and tea for those watching the lecture videos.
Meanwhile, in the vegetarian corner, the Daejeon sisters and brothers offered free, delicious vegetarian food samples, and also sold reasonably priced vegetarian box lunches, which proved to be very popular with Festival participants.
A wide array of visitors from around the world was attracted to the meditation corner, including yogis and martial arts practitioners. And because the booth was constantly filled with people, the initiates could not teach the Convenient Method of meditation on site; however, the many eager guests who applied to learn the CM were taught at a special house in a different location, and everyone was extremely satisfied with the arrangement. In addition, some who learned the Convenient Method also applied for full initiation.
After conversing for two hours with a Youngdong resident, the head of a neighboring booth promoting yoga applied for initiation, and the director of the Hapkido Academy in Daejeon City also applied because he had long practiced Hapkido (a martial art form emphasizing self-defense), but experienced the limitations of a strictly physical practice and was looking for something to take him beyond the material realm, so he became very interested in the Quan Yin Method.
Moreover, a university lecturer from the U.S who had practiced many spiritual techniques such as yoga and Zen but sought something higher was introduced to the Quan Yin Method thought it could be the ultimate practice, took a sample booklet and a couple of days later also applied for the Convenient Method.
As the Festival came to a close, several Chungju City officials visited the initiates and said the booths operated by The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association had received much attention and interest, and thus the Association was invited to participate in next year’s Festival. The officials then added, “We greatly appreciate your efforts in contributing to the success of the event.”
In conclusion, the 2004 Chungju World Martial Arts Festival was a meaningful opportunity to share the Quan Yin Method and the benefits of vegetarianism with many residents of Chungbuk Province. During the activity, fellow initiates from all over Korea came together in joyful harmony and truly experienced the wonders of the Golden Age.
Sharing God’s Gospel is the Source
of True Happiness
By the Busan News Group
[Busan] From October 21-23, 2004, Busan City hosted the Busan NGO Festival in which The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association participated, along with approximately 120 other organizations.
The Association’s booth, set up by Busan Center practitioners, was located near the Festival’s main entrance so that the attention of all the visitors entering the gate was caught by Master’s clear, graceful voice through audio or video recordings. Many people were also attracted by Master’s beautiful photos and by the fellow initiates’ congenial manner.
The practitioners had initially set up a TV screen on a grassy field at the Festival venue so that guests could watch Master’s DVDs; however one of the event’s supervisors told them to move elsewhere. Thus the initiates were inspired to set up a tent theater featuring a projector and large screen in an area with long benches so that people could watch Master’s lectures in comfort and without interruption. The initiates deeply thanked Master for this magnificent arrangement!
Several visitors who watched Master’s DVD lectures asked the brothers and sisters spiritual questions while others discussed Master’s wonderful publications and the nature of vegetarianism.
During the Festival the Busan practitioners sincerely contributed their time and effort in sharing the good news about true enlightenment and eternal liberation with visitors. In describing her experience at the event, one sister-initiate said, “I personally feel the benefit of knowing the Truth so I try to share it with others as much as possible. As well as carrying out my work and family duties, I also like to devote my time to doing God’s work.” Even more inspirational is the fact that many local practitioners attend almost every Truth-sharing activity in the area with a similar ideal, so their hearts and souls are constantly filled with happiness and spiritual strength.
After this year’s highly successful Busan NGO Festival came to a close, all the fellow practitioners who participated gathered at the Busan Center, meditated together and then joyfully celebrated the 11th anniversary of Ching Hai Day.
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Cameroon
Events Date Book
To keep pace with the planet’s ongoing spiritual elevation, the local centers of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association are holding more and more video seminars and other Truth-sharing events worldwide.
You are welcome to join in these activities with your friends and relatives. For the latest schedule of our Truth-sharing activities, please visit the following URLs:
http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/latest_news/events-datebook.htm (English)
http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/ch/latest_news/events-datebook.htm (Chinese)