(Shared at 2001 European Conference)

My name is Walter Krickl, from Stuttgart, Germany. I have been practicing Falun Gong since November 11, 1997. I still remember very well that day. We were a small group. A female Chinese practitioner, who was studying in Hohenheim at that time, showed us the fifth exercise. During the exercises, I felt an inner tranquility. On my way home, my car came suddenly to a standstill when I was driving up a hill. I had run out of petrol. There were more than 200m to the top of the hill. After reaching the top of the hill I could coast down to my house. But I did not know if I was able to push the car to the top of the hill. After an hour and a half I finally made it and was very astonished. Did someone push together with me? Where did I get this extra energy? I came to realize that something extraordinary had just happened.

A deep inner voice told me that I had found the right way. I have not been disappointed up to today. My health is always improving. My cholesterol level, which was somewhat high, has decreased and my blood sugar level, which was far too high, has come down to normal for two years now. My family doctor was very surprised and has phoned to suggest a blood sugar test. I do not see any reason for that. I have been living free from pain for three years now, except for some body purification reactions like diarrhea or the flu, which come almost regularly after a Falun Gong Conference.

In my family I am the only one practicing Falun Gong, but the atmosphere within our family has been significantly improving. My two daughters have come to see what Falun Gong is all about and they helped me to collect signatures, though the seed has not come up yet. Master says, "You can not force Yuan Fen (predestination)." In the beginning I was very excited and acted like a missionary, of course, without any success.

As soon as I committed the slightest error, my wife and daughter criticized me. I quickly realized that I could convince others only when I set an example myself. Then success came quickly afterwards. More often I observe that my family leans towards values like truthfulness and forbearance without having read Master's book. That shows to me that I am on the right path.

Due to a grave stroke of fate, my enterprise went bankrupt. As a shareholder, I lost my whole fortune. In the end, there were more than half a million Deutschmarks of debts left for me.

At that time, I said to myself, "It is no shame to fall down, but it is a shame to stay lying on the ground." In cooperation with a nonprofit counseling center for indebted persons and with the help of a consistent way of life, I managed to get rid of my debts. I am sure, without Falun Gong and the help of our Master, I could not have it escaped from this situation. I am very grateful to him for all this. It was a very important phase of my life and contributed a great deal to my cultivation.

Regarding the developments in China that have been taking place during the last two years, my strokes of fate seem more or less mild. How much inhuman sufferings the Chinese practitioners had to bear during this time: from humiliations to the loss of their jobs and their belongings, the enormous psychological pressure in the labor transformation camps and the brutal deaths from torture. I feel deep sadness reading about the latest events in China.

The most useful thing I can do is to step forward, spread the Fa and rectify the Fa, as well as to inform the public about the truth and to enlighten the people concerning the events going on in China.

During the last 12 months I have organized two info-days in Stuttgart, and together with other practitioners, I take care of two practice sites in Stuttgart. In the course of our latest signature collecting activities, we were able to collect more than 1,500 signatures together. In the beginning, I judged the Fa-rectification and the spreading of the Fa by means of old concepts. But we have never demanded anything for ourselves. There is no interfering with politics. It is part of people's sincerity to stand up against any violation of Human Rights and to demand the right of freedom of belief.

I have realized something: to raise the Xinxing level, it is necessary to examine Zhen-Shan-Ren every day. I am conscious of the fact that I have to go quite a long way to reach Consummation. Still, sometimes I feel like I'm at the beginning of my cultivation. Having overcome a pass and mastered a test, I feel happiness and satisfaction in my heart. Every time dissatisfaction or bad thoughts come up, I try to ask my heart. I always get the right answer from there.

I am also very happy that I received the Fa in this epoch when the demonic difficulties are biggest. Master says, "You may not let up." We should continue to do the things we have to do more profoundly. Do really well every step towards Consummation.

Finally, I want to recite one of Master's poems:

I thank you for your attention and wish you all to go the way to Consummation in a sober and dignified manner.