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Assimilating into a New Cultivation Environment as Quickly as Possible

February 02, 2007 |   By a Falun Dafa Practitioner from Toronto

(Clearwisdom.net)

Respected Master, greetings!
Fellow practitioners, greetings!

My sharing today is entitled "Assimilating into a New Cultivation Environment as Quickly as Possible." I started my cultivation practice in 1996. I arrived in Toronto in August this year. I will share with you some of my experiences and understanding on cultivation since my arrival a few months ago.

I. My Feelings Upon My Initial Arrival in Toronto
As soon as I left the plane, I saw the clear blue sky. I breathed the fresh and free air of Toronto. I thought about the fact that just some ten odd hours ago, there were still dark clouds clustered in the dark blue sky over my head in a place where the evil filled the air. I realized that I had now reached a brand new cultivation environment.

When I met up with my youngest aunt, I couldn't wait to ask her about the cultivation environment of the overseas Falun Dafa practitioners. Not long after, I was informed about the Divine Land Marching Band, how fellow practitioners had clarified the truth in shifts at the Chinese Consulate in Toronto, and many things about the three media. All of these were things I didn't know when I was back in China.

When I learned that there was a group Fa-study at Toronto University on Fridays, I wished it was Friday that very day. The Fa group study is one of the forms that Teacher has given to all practitioners, and which has become almost impossible in Mainland China. The persecution launched by the evil has made it difficult for Falun Dafa practitioners to even meet, let alone study together.

Finally, the sacred time for group study came. I accompanied my aunt to the University of Toronto. Seeing so many practitioners entering the classroom, I felt as though I was meeting with a roomful of relatives and was very excited. The grand scene of the Fa group study brought me back to the times before 1999, before the evil had launched the persecution. At that time, I was very young. I would go with my mother daily to participate in the Fa group study and watch Teacher's videos, while at the same time we shared our experiences and understandings enlightened by Falun Dafa and discussed how to eliminate all of our attachments and how to assist Teacher in spreading the Fa well. What we share at present, overseas among all the fellow practitioners is how to clearly clarify the truth, validate Falun Dafa, save sentient beings, and how to make ourselves upright during the Fa-rectification. All kinds of thoughts swelled up in my heart and I was deeply impressed by the free environment of overseas practitioners.

II. Joining the Divine Land Marching Band
A month after I arrived in Toronto, I joined the Divine Land Marching Band. When choosing a musical instrument, I was told by many fellow practitioners that the trumpet was not easy to learn. The trumpet is supposed to play the main melody and is the most needed in the band. Knowing that it is hard to learn, I was stirred by human thoughts without even hearing the second half of the sentence. I told myself, "Since the trumpet is so hard to play, it will weaken the power of the band if I can't manage it well, plus I may not be in the parade as soon as I wish." I have a good sense of rhythm, so it might be easier for me to play the saxophone or the bass drum. Without my knowing, my aunt chose the trumpet for me. I was really a bit vexed and complained why she didn't ask for my opinion. She said "No, I did not, but are you afraid of the difficulties you will encounter in playing the trumpet?" I think it was Teacher that used my aunt's words to enlighten me. I finally accepted the trumpet as my instrument. When I looked within, I found the attachment of pursuing the easy way and the fear of difficulties which were interfering with me.

When I held the trumpet in my hands for the first time, I was delighted. Feeling that I had a friend with me, the excitement kept me from thinking too much about whether it would be hard or not. I adored it so much. Every day, I longed to get home as soon as possible after school so I could play my trumpet. I looked forward to playing it well so that I could participate in parades with fellow practitioners to validate Falun Dafa and save sentient beings. When I first received the trumpet and was ready to practice, I could feel that Teacher had strengthened me with wisdom and righteous thoughts. Every day when I practiced I could accomplish a lot and the practicing process solidified what Teacher has taught me. As long as I practice more, I can grasp it. I feel that I've improved quickly.

I realized that practicing the trumpet is a process of cultivation. As long as we eliminate human notions and are diligent, we can make improvements. To think about which instrument is hard to play, or which is easy for young people to learn, or that people without a basic knowledge of music learn slowly, are all human notions that interfere with Falun Dafa practitioners. They should be all rooted out. I have enlightened that when Teacher granted each Dafa practitioner with a Fa implement, everyone of us was given abilities and powers. To practice a musical instrument is to conform to the law and the state of the human world. It is just like the enlightened beings needing to start their cultivation all over again when they descend to the human world to save the people. As long as we have righteous thoughts, and are aware that we are practicing the great Fa, our divine side will take effect. And there will be no way for the evil to interfere.

The first time I took part in a parade, while walking in the procession, I was fully aware that I was validating the Fa and saving sentient beings. At that moment I truly felt the mission I shouldered as a member of the Divine Land Marching Band. Every parade of ours received a good response. I think this is because when Falun Dafa practitioners are together, their energies are strong, and the music they play is pleasant. I feel deeply happy for the people who heard, saw, and cheered for our band.

III. Study the Fa Well and Clarify the Truth
Teacher said in his new article, "To the Australia Fa Conference":

"In order for Dafa disciples to walk their paths well and do the three things well, they must study the Fa well and take Fa-study seriously."

Teacher also said in this same article:

"That is because the Fa is the foundation; it is what's fundamental for Dafa disciples; it is what ensures everything; and it is the avenue by which a human being journeys toward godhood. Thus I would like to take the opportunity of this Fa conference in Australia to tell all Dafa disciples around the world: Whether you are a new or veteran student, all the same you must not neglect Fa-study on account of being busy. Don't just go through the motions when you study the Fa. You should study with a concentrated mind, and you must really be studying."

Thinking back on my ten year journey of cultivation, whenever I could not pass a test, or my cultivation state was not good, the reason was that I didn't study the Fa well and also did not have Fa in mind. With so many things to do now, if I do not study the Fa well, I will fall into a state of completely doing things with my human side. I will easily feel entirely exhausted. I think of practitioners in Mainland China inside labor camps, whenever there is a chance, they will recite Zhuan Falun for other practitioners. Those practitioners who had just learned the Fa and those whose houses were searched were eager to read this great book.

At present in Mainland China, Falun Dafa books are not available. I remember how excited a new practitioner was when he received a copy of Zhuan Falun from my mother who had copied it by hand. Before leaving China, I also gave my mp3 player with Teacher's lectures on it to a new practitioner who had just started cultivating.

Teacher said,

"Study the Fa and gain the Fa,
Focus on how you study and cultivate,
Let each and every thing be measured against the Fa.
Only then, with that, is it actually cultivation."
("Solid Cultivation," Hongyin)

In Mainland China, our fellow practitioners never neglected Fa-study in that tough environment. Compared to them, I see my shortcomings. I should do even better to get rid off my laziness and all the other evil which interferes with my Fa study. I must cherish the Fa study environment here.

To clarify the truth is also one of the three things that Teacher requires of practitioners. On the first day of the new semester at the University of Toronto, I went to distribute truth-clarifying materials and gained many valuable experiences. Many people were walking on campus, and fellow practitioners tried to give out those materials to them. Many of them received it with gratitude, some even took the materials with both hands and bowed which really touched me. Being blinded and poisoned by the atheism of the evil Party culture, many Chinese people do not believe in gods and display indifference for human life.

When the persecution was just launched back in the year 1999, my family members and I, and many fellow practitioners around, were all illegally detained. It pained my heart to learn that some fellow practitioners were tortured to death, to see practitioners walking shakily who had suffered from several rounds of torture, to know that some practitioners were arrested and sent to labor camp several times, and to think of the practitioners forcefully taken into the labor camps! Never, ever will I forget any of those scenes. Teacher said in his new article,

"Throughly Dissolve the Evil":

"As a result of the righteous thoughts that Dafa disciples have put into validating the Fa and saving the world's people, the complete dissolution of the evil beings and elements that play a negative role and persecute Dafa disciples is taking place."

I was enlightened that Fa-rectification has entered into a new stage, and we still fall short in eliminating the dark minions and rotten demons that are instrumental in the persecuting of Falun Dafa disciples.

IV. Encouraging People to Quit the CCP and Its Affiliated Organizations
As for helping people to quit the CCP, I should say I haven't done well enough, for I've failed to initiate making the phone calls, but only took a few opportunities to clarify the truth to some of my former classmates and teachers. I really see that some Chinese people at my age are poisoned. In fact, they are poisoned daily by the evil Party culture without even knowing it. Ever since they were born, they have been living in that environment. Nowadays the contents of elementary school textbooks for students in China are almost exactly the same as those twenty years ago; there is no essence of traditional Chinese culture, but only the evil Party's propaganda and brainwashing. For example, when the teacher asked one of my Chinese classmates in the language school where I now study, whether the Chinese people have the right to vote, he answered without any hesitation, "Yes." So I asked him when actually was the last time he voted and his reply was, "How can I get my turn at that!" Then I asked him who should vote and he couldn't answer. I continued, "Just think about how the American president got elected, but everyone knew Hu Jintao was coming to power one or two years even before he became the President. Do Chinese people really have voting rights?" He thought for a while and then said, "It makes some sense now."

Once, I spent an entire night clarifying the facts to another Chinese schoolmate. Finally, he agreed to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. As I was about to say goodbye to him, he added, "It is because of the human rights problem that I agreed to quit, but in terms of the economy, there are natural cycles of ups and downs." I could find no other way then, but he did get saved by quitting. It was 3 o'clock in the morning and I had a parade the next day, so with no further discussion, we ended the conversation.

The nine classmates in my class are from six different countries. Now, they all know that the Chinese Communist Party is very evil and incompetent. I should mention here that the entire credit for this need not go to me, for during the course of clarifying the truth to them, I felt that except for some of the Chinese people, the people of the whole world already know the evil Party's autocratic and vicious nature. What I did only made them understand that the CCP is much more vicious and incompetent than they thought.

Though I continue to clarify the truth, compared to fellow practitioners in Mainland China, I feel I lag far behind. These days, I get e-mails from my mother every day asking me to help people to quit the CCP on their behalf on the Internet. It's always more than one name, and the longest list had 169 names. When I see an alias like 'Fo Yuan' (predestined relationship with the Buddha), I feel as though I am actually seeing a new life before me. Thinking of Falun Dafa practitioners in Mainland China on rain soaked nights, wearing rain-coats, singing "Coming for You" and with truth-clarifying materials on their backs, they go out to save sentient beings. Thinking of them distributing truth-clarifying materials to police stations with their clean and pure minds, thinking of the exciting scene when my mother and I found a new approach to distributing truth-clarifying materials, thinking that inside a delicately wrapped parcel there are some shining truth-clarifying materials, thinking that they have kept on clarifying the truth without rest, I feel that I have fallen behind and have not kept pace with the Fa-rectification process. Our fellow practitioners in Mainland China must keep very strong righteous thoughts. Failing that, the evil forces would make excuses to carry out their persecution. Even in those cruel surroundings, they still do not forget the "three things" Teacher asks us to do. Why can't I pick up the phone to clarify the truth? Is it out of fear or worry? Or is it just out of my attachment to seeking comfort, fundamentally? Each time I hear my fellow practitioners share their experiences on helping people quit the CCP, I had a kind of wait-and-see attitude to check out if other practitioners would make their move. I never thought of how I could be better involved and take action. When I look inward, I ask myself, "Have I slacked off now that I am in a better environment? Have I failed to keep in mind that I am a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple? Have I always remembered that as a Falun Dafa practitioner, I should do the three things well? Thinking this I break out in a cold sweat all over. It is time for me to pick up the phone and call China.

V. Conclusion
Time flies and in an instant, I have been in Toronto for three months. I came to understand deeply that for a Falun Dafa practitioner, wherever he or she is, solid cultivation is of vital importance. We have to try our best to do the three things that our Teacher requires us to do under any conditions. I realized that though my cultivation environment seems to be getting better, how I keep cultivating diligently in the new environment is Dafa's new and higher requirements of me. I'll make every effort to study the Fa, and try to merge myself into the new cultivation environment as soon as possible.

Finally, I'd like to cite Teacher's words in Essentials for Further Advancement - "Melt into the Fa":

"As a student, if his mind is filled with nothing but Dafa, this person is definitely a genuine cultivator. So you must have a clear understanding on the matter of studying the Fa. Reading the books more and studying the books more is the key to truly elevating yourself. To put it more simply, as long as you read Dafa, you are changing; as long as you read Dafa, you are elevating. The boundless content of Dafa plus the supplementary means--the exercises--will enable you to reach Consummation."

Please be kind enough to correct me if there is anything improper.