(Clearwisdom.net) Greetings, Teacher! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
The Minghui website [Chinese version of Clearwisdom.net] is now soliciting articles for the 7th Internet Experience Sharing Conference for Practitioners in China. After reading many experience-sharing articles on minghui.ca, I felt myself falling behind in terms of cultivation practice. On the other hand, the experience-sharing conference is a form of cultivation practice that Teacher has established for us. It is something that Teacher requires of us for the sake of the Fa-rectification as well. In other words, it is part of every Falun Gong practitioner's cultivation practice. With Teacher's expectations in mind, I decided to share my humble insights from my personal cultivation practice with fellow practitioners. Please kindly point out anything that you should find inappropriate in my insights.
1. Do the Three Things Well, Cultivate Xinxing, Eliminate Attachments
Teacher has repeatedly emphasized the importance of studying the Fa. Only when we study the Fa well will we be able to send forth powerful righteous thoughts and clarify the facts about Falun Gong well for the sake of saving the world's people from the lies of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This is the reason why I have always prioritized my Fa study. I might not be able to study two or three lectures of Zhuan Falun, but I have been studying and memorizing Zhuan Falun every day. I make time every week to study Zhuan Falun with my child. In addition, I have been transcribing and memorizing Zhuan Falun on a daily basis. It might be time-consuming, but it is well worth it because the Fa will be branded into my memory. So far, I have transcribed Zhuan Falun four times and am in the process of transcribing it for the fifth time. You will have to do it in order to relate to the wonderful feeling of melting into the Fa that I have felt.
Sending forth righteous thoughts is a type of supernormal capability that Teacher has bestowed upon us Falun Gong practitioners. When we study the Fa well, we will naturally be able to use this capability well. In addition to the four set times daily, I silently recite the formula to send forth righteous thoughts whenever or wherever I can, in spare time. Then I send forth righteous thoughts. I have been truly inspired by fellow practitioners' articles pertaining to eliminating evil elements from other dimensions. I might not be able to see anything with my Celestial Eye, but I have steadfast faith in Teacher and the Fa. I have faith that I am capable of eliminating evil elements from other dimensions. After all, I must not allow them to continue the persecution against Falun Gong.
In comparison to sending forth righteous thoughts and studying the Fa, clarifying the truth is a bigger challenge. Yet, I have realized that it is no longer a challenge once I keep thinking about the sentient beings and overcoming obstacles. I cannot afford to use my work hours during the day to clarify the truth to people because I work in a private company. I use opportunities when I take taxis, go grocery shopping or shopping for clothes, visit relatives in the hospital or take public transportation to talk about Falun Gong in order to save people from the lies of the CCP.
One day while I was looking after my mother in the hospital, I made friends with two elderly women who shared the ward with her. Next I started to share important facts about Falun Gong with them, as well as their nurses. I told them what Falun Gong is really about, how it teaches practitioners to become better people and the miraculous healing power of Falun Gong. Finally I told them, "Everything you have learned on TV about Falun Gong is false. The real Falun Gong is not at all what the Chinese TV has portrayed. I am a Falun Gong practitioner. You have known me for some time. Do you see anything abnormal about me? Do I look like the type of person who would set myself on fire or kill people?"
They were astonished at first. "We can tell you are a good daughter by your speech and behavior." "That is because I have been practicing Falun Gong. It is Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, that teaches me to be a good person. Practicing Falun Gong will bring you nothing but benefits. I myself have benefited greatly from practicing Falun Gong. In fact, over 100 million people in China practiced Falun Gong before the CCP started persecuting it in 1999 because of Falun Gong's miraculous healing power. In addition to China, people from over 100 countries around the world have been practicing Falun Gong."
The husband of one elderly woman is a retired school teacher. He showed an immediate interest in Falun Gong and asked, "Now that I have heard your story, I am really interested in reading the books of Falun Gong. Do you think you can find one for me?" "Of course," I replied. "It is a predestined relationship that brought us together. If you are really interested in practicing Falun Gong, I will be glad to give you a hand." I always carry DVDs and booklets about Falun Gong with me. I immediately gave them some materials.
The other elderly woman quickly joined in the conversation. "I would like to have one too." "Sure. Why don't you read the booklets containing important facts about Falun Gong. Once you have decided to practice Falun Gong, I will be glad to give you each one. After all, Falun Gong books are precious. They should not be given away casually." In the next few days, Falun Gong became the main subject of our conversations. These people have also decided to quit the CCP and/or its two affiliated student organizations.
When my mother was about to check out of the hospital, I prepared for her ward-mates two sets of Zhuan Falun, The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa, Falun Gong exercise instruction DVDs and some other relevant materials. They wanted to pay for these materials, but I told them, "They are gifts to you as long as you sincerely wish to practice Falun Gong. You must cherish these materials. They are not something that are easily obtainable."
They looked very moved. "You are such a good child. Thank you very much." "It is not I you need to thank. Thank our Teacher. It is He that teaches us to do so. Every Falun Gong practitioner would have done the same for you." They looked very excited. I saw true joy in their eyes, expressing that they had been looking for Falun Gong for a long time. I believe the joy was beyond description.
There have been many such encounters. I feel sad to think so many people are still waiting to learn the truth about Falun Gong. There is no excuse for us to slack off. The CCP's poisonous lies have ruined so many lives. It is a terrible sin. It is imperative for us to take Teacher's words to heart and to conduct ourselves well as cultivators and walk steadily on the path of cultivation practice.
2. Bring Fellow Practitioners Back to Cultivation Practice
Teacher said,
"With human beings... when a being can obtain the Fa today in history, it's no ordinary thing--he's so fortunate! But as soon as he loses the Fa, do you know what he faces? It's really horrific, because when he fails to fulfill the major responsibilities and the huge missions that were bestowed upon him, then, accordingly, that's like the inverse of a being's Consummation, and he will truly have to enter the gate of no-life. You folks can't just go and abandon a person without trying hard enough. No matter what kind of mistakes someone has made, or what kind of a person he is, I still want to give him a chance." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference")
This passage of the Fa enlightened me to the importance of bringing fellow practitioners back to Falun Gong. It is what Teacher expects of us. It is also our responsibility to our fellow practitioners.
Before the CCP's persecution against Falun Gong began on July 20, 1999, I had an elderly neighbor who was a former volunteer assistant of a nearby Falun Gong practice site. After the persecution started, the Chinese police and the neighborhood committee repeatedly harassed her. Finally, she gave in to the pressure from her husband and children and gave up practicing Falun Gong altogether.
One day I decided to call her. I bought an MP3 player and installed Teacher's Fa lecture audio recordings, Falun Gong exercise music and Falun Gong music in it. I also brought with me a Chinese book called "Reminiscing on Teacher's Grace" and other Falun Gong materials. I called her home and began a long chat with her. I told her that Falun Gong has been widely received around the world and that Teacher does not want to leave anyone behind. At first, she said she could not practice Falun Gong because her children would not let her and the Chinese police had just reduced their level of monitoring her. But I did not want to give up on her. I held one thought: "I must bring you back to Falun Gong." I told her with a smile, "Aunty, look what I have prepared especially for you. Why don't you listen to this MP3 player first. If you decide not to practice Falun Gong again after you have listened to what is in the MP3 player and read all the materials, I will take them back." She agreed. After about two weeks, I paid her another visit. She was a different woman. With a big smile on her face, she exclaimed, "It's wonderful. My heart radiates like a well-lit house with many open windows. I shall practice Falun Gong and I won't be fearful of anyone this time. After so many years, I must cultivate well this time."
I was both excited and moved. She had finally awakened. Our good elderly practitioner had finally returned to Falun Gong. She has been very diligent now that she has started practicing Falun Gong again. She has been studying the Fa daily. She asked me to shop for a DVD player so that she can play the DVD of Teacher's Fa lectures, Shen Yun performances and the DVDs that clarify the facts about Falun Gong. When she watched the DVD of Teacher's Guangzhou Fa Lecture for the first time on her new DVD player, tears flooded her face. She said emotionally, "It has been so many years. Finally, I can watch Teacher's Fa lectures. I am back. Teacher, you must watch over me." I had to stop writing this article to wipe tears from my face too. I shall never forget the touching scene I witnessed when she expressed her longing to return to Falun Gong.
Nowadays, this practitioner has been busy with the three things. More importantly, she sometimes invites neighbors to watch the new DVDs about Falun Gong. She even managed to find former fellow practitioners and invite them over to watch the programs with her. With the help from Teacher, she managed to bring three former fellow practitioners back to Falun Gong. In addition, she had an elderly couple in the neighborhood read Zhuan Falun. One of them had already started practicing Falun Gong. Every once in a while, I would bring new truth-clarification and Falun Gong materials to this new practitioner. Each time she would tell me with joy, "It is all because of you that I have returned to Falun Gong. Thank you for awakening me." I always tell her, "Thank Teacher. It is because of Teacher's compassion and the Fa's magnificence!" She is living under reduced financial circumstances, but she has repeatedly offered to donate money to help sustain the truth-clarification materials production site. I have repeatedly declined her offer, but one day she insisted on making a donation. "This is just a small token of my appreciation," she said. "I cannot afford to donate more, but this is a little something I can donate. Please don't reject it because it is not much. Please accept it." I found myself unable to reject it. I had to fight hard not to let the tears flow down my face.
I have also run into a vegetable vendor and a barber who were both former Falun Gong practitioners. I encouraged them to return to Falun Gong and delivered Falun Gong books and truth-clarification materials to them. I also reminded them to cherish the precious opportunity. Teacher has been waiting for us. We are lucky to have found the precious Fa of the universe. I told them that we must follow Teacher to the end of our journey.
3. Our Truth-Clarification Materials Production Site Blossomed
A colleague at work is also a fellow Falun Gong practitioner. I established a secret truth-clarification material site at work although it might be just one out of a million sites in China. Because other practitioners in our area are capable of creating limited types of materials, we have been taking the responsibility of creating all kinds of materials, including Falun Gong books, DVDs, booklets and double-sided tapes. We have purchased all the required supplies. When fellow practitioners need materials, we are able to go online and produce anything they need. Our truth-clarification materials production site has become the largest one in the area. However, it does not attract any unwanted attention.
Because there are a few Falun Gong practitioners at work, we have together managed to help our entire company understand the truth about Falun Gong. Some of my colleagues have not decided to quit the CCP or its affiliated student leagues, but they know Falun Gong and its practitioners are good. We have been running our secret truth-clarification material site safely for four years in our friendly work environment.
We typically keep in touch with volunteer coordinators via email. We call each other only under special circumstances. All the involved practitioners have been working hard to sustain the operation. We produce materials based on a need basis. We are terribly busy at times, but it has been very fulfilling work. There is no hardship. We simply try to abide by Teacher's words and fulfill our responsibility and mission to save people. I thank Teacher from the bottom of my heart for arranging opportunities for me to carry out this glorious mission and make humble contributions to the Fa-rectification.
There are so many things to share. These stories may seem very ordinary, but they are true stories of my cultivation practice. I know I am falling far behind fellow practitioners, but I shall make my utmost to purge my flaws, to catch up with fellow practitioners and to be more diligent in my cultivation practice. I shall spend my limited time on saving more sentient beings, fulfilling my pledge and following Teacher to the completion of the Fa-rectification.
"When they return with full bounty,
The multitude of gods shall receive them."
("Stirred by Reflection")
