(Clearwisdom.net) I can recall a time when my environment gradually changed and turned into an inhospitable place. There were evil beings in other dimensions and I was unable to rid myself of them.
That was the time when I stepped into Falun Dafa, and what this practice taught made a deep impression on me.
I began to practice Falun Dafa in April 1996. I understand that Teacher wants us to be rational in whatever we do, so I don't pursue supernatural phenomena or some spectacular event. After learning the practice and studying the Fa diligently, I realized that practitioners are to follow and assist Teacher in rectifying the Fa. Practitioners strive to return to their respective universes, which are rectified by Teacher.
Opposing the Persecution with Compassion
I went to Beijing to ask for justice for Falun Gong in 1999. My wish was to tell people about the power of this practice and that it is wrong to persecute practitioners! After I returned, my parents were in tears and chastised me. They were pressured greatly at their workplace and maligned Falun Gong with words, but did not mean it in their heart. After some time, they came to understand the wrongness of their actions and made amends.
One day, a 610 Office official wanted to talk to me. I thought this was a great opportunity to set things straight. I told him that I used to curse and fight, even in my childhood, but changed after I learned Dafa. Now, I'm polite and considerate towards others. I received by mistake more than 100 yuan in change when shopping or conducting business several times. I returned the money without a second thought. The more I said, the more the environment changed and it appeared that I had the upper hand. Finally I asked, "Isn't practicing Falun Gong good?" They were speechless. When taking me from the building, they quietly told me that they knew that Falun Gong was good, but they were pressured by their superiors and had no choice in the matter. I felt sorry for them.
Teacher said:
"Because the energy cultivated from a righteous way is purely righteous and benevolent, everyone sitting here feels an atmosphere of serenity and compassion...an everyday person within your field will still be restrained. Or if you are at home, you will also restrain others, and your family members may be restrained by you. Why is this so? You do not even have to use your mind to do this. This field is one of pure harmony, compassion, and right faith. Therefore, people are unlikely to think of bad things or commit bad deeds. It can have this effect." ("Demonic Interference in Cultivation," Zhuan Falun)
Teacher's words explained what happened to me. I used my compassionate energy field to restrain the 610 Office staff and no evil element could interfere. Then, I decided that I should envelope my living area with a compassionate energy field. I should not allow anyone to persecute or harass me. Since then, no evildoer has bothered me.
Before I became a practitioner, friends gave me the nickname "war criminal." This name suggested that I was fond of fighting with others and was not a compassionate person. After stepping into Falun Dafa, I used this nickname to remind myself to act like a practitioner, so that I would not return to my old ways.
After the persecution began, my parents were opposed to my contacting fellow practitioners. I sent righteous thoughts towards them daily, but without effect, until I read Teacher's words:
"In genuine cultivation practice one must cultivate one's own heart and inner self. One should search inside oneself rather than outside." ("A Clear and Clean Mind," Zhuan Falun)
I learned to look within and realized that my parents feared that I would be persecuted. Actually, their fear was mirroring my fear, an attachment that I still held deep in my heart. Now, I have gradually let go of this fear. Once, when I was going out, my father urged me to be careful. He also withdrew from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
I went through some sickness karma. I had many symptoms, including being itchy all over my body. I scratched and injured my skin, and my clothes were bloody. I could not sleep at night, so I sent forth righteous thoughts. Sometimes I could only sleep for an hour at night, so I sent forth righteous thoughts until it was time to get up. In the beginning, I feared that my parents would find out and they did. They told me to take medicine and I just said, "It is all right." At that time, I was really very uncomfortable and it was often most painful. I hit the wall with my head, wishing that pain would detract from the itch. Then I thought, "I have studied the Fa. I should use my enlightened side to eliminate all that is affecting me negatively." My mother said that I was "already sick despite being young," I did not argue with her. When I was fully recovered, she remained silent. But, when she became sick, I taught her the exercises and she ended up studying Falun Dafa.
Improving through Group Fa Study
There were times when we didn't distribute all of our truth-clarification materials. I said to fellow practitioners, "Let's study the Fa together. We should not be only busy doing things, as if we were just completing a task. Everybody held different degrees of fear, but the wish of studying together was also very strong. We divided into teams, with just a few to each team, so that it would not attract others' attention. We sent forth righteous thoughts before Fa study, and we became more diligent in studying the Fa.
Non-practitioners could play cards and chat together, but we should be more righteous in studying and sharing together. For that, we had to be rational and clear-minded. Then, a new practitioner joined our study group. Due to a shallow understanding of the Fa and a strong attachment to doing things, this practitioner was persecuted. In the beginning, I thought that this practitioner did not listen to my advice. When I looked within, I realized that I did not help the practitioner enough. New practitioners already have many tests. Therefore, we should help them to become steady. The righteous thoughts were there, but the environment was destroyed, and that practitioner's family members did not understand.
One time, a fellow practitioner talked about interference from the demon of lust. She could not pass the test. Her husband had affairs, and there were a number of other tribulations. I sent forth righteous thoughts to clear away the demon of lust. In turn, these demons of lust turned around to fight me. Besides each demon of lust were practitioners controlled by them and they were unable to eliminate them. The demons of lust said that the interference was caused by practitioners' pursuit, that they are here because of practitioners' personal choices and I should not eliminate them. I proceeded as a practitioner should and eliminated these demons. My deepest hope is that practitioners will become steadfast. There are many unpleasant things in the human world. Practitioners can't be controlled by these problems. Their thinking and behavior must take the Fa as the standard.
Letting Go of Attachments
I thought that I wasn't really jealous of anyone. However once I had a dream. In the dream I did things to validate Dafa very well, but others called me "Shen Gongbao," a person pursuing the Dao who had a very strong sense of jealousy. I was startled. After I woke up, I worked on eliminating my jealousy. I did have this attachment and had to eliminate it.
Practitioner A delivered materials to remote areas. Practitioners in that area had financial difficulties, so they could not afford to come and pick up materials. Gradually, they relied on others. This is the attachment of waiting, relying, and depending on fellow practitioner A to bring consumables for them. I shared with this practitioner many times and asked him not to go. He did not listen and spoke about this when he explained the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution. Every practitioner must walk his or her path. One can't let others do the walking for us. Our environment is created by ourselves, and the key lies in whether one puts the Fa-rectification first and foremost.
Practitioner B is a coordinator in another city and had a clear understanding on the Fa. Once he came to share his experiences with us. We were highly inspired. Then, I saw that he was so tired that his hand fell when sending forth righteous thoughts. I was saddened, especially upon seeing him travel great distances even during the cold weather. I told myself that this can't continue and that I must rely on myself. I also kept sending forth righteous thoughts towards him. Because too many practitioners relied on him, he was eventually persecuted by the old forces. This taught me not to rely on others. There were so many lessons. I thought that we should be clearheaded. Everyone should practice the Fa diligently, and then a formidable one body can be formed.
Technical Guidance
When I taught some fellow practitioners technical aspects needed in their truth clarification efforts, they were slow learners. Time was tight, but I could not let them see my impatience. I could only try my best, stand firm and patiently guide them. I often felt angry. However, I thought that this helped me eliminate my impatience. I also thought about Teacher's painstaking efforts in saving people.
I recalled that Teacher said in the "Fa Teaching Given to the Australian Practitioners" that they expected too much. But, sometimes I was still anxious. At those times I thought, "The Fa is already here, but I still pace back and forth. The technology is available to us, and we just need to teach people how to use it. We are lucky compared to some practitioners who had to learn on their own. Sometimes as I was too busy, I did not eat dinner until after 10 p.m. I thought that if I could choose, I would not eat and save the time and money.
I found many fellow practitioners who were unable to make the Fa a priority. They had a pile of reasons. Everyone talked about completing prehistoric pledges, but many people did not do their best due to selfishness and their emotions. I shared with practitioners based on their attachments, but nothing changed. I thought that these practitioners didn't clearly understand the current Fa-rectification process and their responsibility for saving people. Therefore, they could not be diligent.
I hope that fellow practitioners will make sure that they do not have regrets in the future. We all must balance the relationship between practice, family and work well and not neglect Fa-rectification work. We can't always put off opportunities when saving people. If everyone thinks of others first, acts from within the Fa and thinks about saving sentient beings, we will be able to walk on a solid path.
