(Clearwisdom.net) Excerpt: I am a teacher, and I'm generally rather busy. Working on the three things daily is not that easy. But, as long as I follow Master’s arrangement and requirements, I'm supported by the supernormal power and mighty virtue of the Fa.

When it comes to the global morning exercises, dawn is around six a.m. in summer and eight a.m. in winter in my area. It is not that easy for non-practitioners to support their family members' participation in the global morning exercises. My own family was like that. Despite the interference, I get up on time for the exercises.

- By the author

Greetings Master!

Greetings fellow practitioners!

I am happy to be able to submit an article to the Eighth Internet Experience Sharing Conference. I have been cultivating in Falun Dafa for sixteen years, but at one time stepped away from the practice. Thanks to Master’s compassion and help from fellow practitioners, I returned to practicing Falun Dafa. I am deeply grateful for Master’s Fa, which has enabled us to get to where we are today. Practitioners that are involved with the Clearwisdom website and practitioners in my area have helped me to better understand the Fa. When comparing past to present, and myself versus non-practitioners, I feel extremely fortunate.

I would like to share my cultivation experience with fellow practitioners and give Master a snapshot of my cultivation path.

1. Stepping away from Falun Dafa

I started practicing Falun Dafa in August 1995. Quickly I transitioned from getting to know the Fa to diligently studying and practicing, as well as introducing the Fa to people. When I studied the Fa, I always felt that no matter how hard I tried, I still couldn't quite understand it. There were many things talked about during group Fa study. Without my realizing it, my desire to do other things was getting stronger and stronger. When the persecution started, I felt completely lost and my human notions took over. I didn’t think of Master or Dafa, as I returned to the life of a non-practitioner.

Around July 20, 1999 when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) initiated the persecution of Falun Dafa and its practitioners, I held great fear in my heart, as well as many other attachments. I was torn by the desire to practice Dafa. But, holding on to the human way of thinking, I could not escape the traps laid by the CCP. I was controlled by the wish to stop practicing. In my dreams, I fell from the great height of a steep mountain, step by step. Was I afraid of dying? No. But, the horror perpetrated by the CCP made me forget about Master’s Fa. I forgot that everything else is nothing compared to the boundless Fa. I didn't understand that the most evil persecution in human history was precisely the most important period for Dafa disciples to validate the Fa.

Then, my mother, a practitioner, kindly pointed out my shortcomings. When I began reading Zhuan Falun again, my fear diminished. I knew what to do. Master and the Fa gave me strength and courage. At the end of the year 1999, officers from the local police station came to my house. For the first time, I said without feeling anxious, “What you are doing is harassment. It is having a negative impact on my work. This type of visit is like cutting someone’s leg and then saying, ‘It is bleeding. Bandage it quickly.’ Then, two days later, you come back and ask, ‘is your wound better? Let’s open it and take a look’ Then you open up the bandage and open the wound again. Then you say, ‘It isn't healed, put the bandage back.’ Your visit is just like that.” The policemen were speechless, left and no longer harassed me.

I left the practice because of my many strong human attachments and forgot about the Fa. When a practitioner does not have the Fa, he is just like an everyday person. With only human kindness, righteousness and courage, it is difficult to break through the illusions, traps and lies put forth by the CCP minions.

2. Getting Back on My Feet with Firm Belief in Master and the Fa

In the beginning of the persecution, police vehicles often drove around me. I thought it was good thing, because it was a good opportunity to get rid of fear. When police cars followed me, I rode my bicycle in a leisurely fashion. Moreover, the more police followed me, the less police followed other practitioners. From another perspective, though, the police kept following me day after day. Freedom is my right. I should have the courage to be free. When I began to think this way, I finally understood some meanings of “Dafa Is All-Encompassing.”

A policeman approached me, trying to say something, but hesitated. He beat around the brush and said it was too difficult to follow me. I said confidently, “How hard can it be? It's just between the workplace and home. My work hours are fixed. Isn’t it easy to follow me?” I didn’t say anything about my free time. I thought it was my personal life. There was no need to answer to anyone. I also told him indirectly that I was familiar with the law. Later on, I realized that when I try to convey this kind of message, I must be very clear in my own mind that I am a Dafa practitioner, and any life must obey the Fa in words and action. When I went on a walk, my non-practitioner family members were not happy. I said, “I have the right. You are welcome to come with me.” When I have the Fa in my heart and insisted on doing so, people around me came to accept my actions.

From diligent Fa study, I came to understand that one must walk openly and be aboveboard in order to clarify the truth and validate the Fa.

At the beginning, I felt that some people looked at me with suspicion. However, I understood that I had never done anything that is harmful to society. Master taught us to be a good person, and it is my right and choice to practice Falun Gong. If you don’t understand me, it is because you don’t know the facts and I need to talk to you and help you understand. I follow a routine in my daily life. When I walk, I recite Master’s Hong Yin.

Slowly, my outward appearance exhibited my understanding of the Fa, which brought to me more opportunities to talk with everyday people. Given the CCP's red terror and dark hours during which lies were and still are spreading everywhere, if it weren't for Falun Dafa, it would be very painful to just to walk out of the door. When I walk the streets in an open and aboveboard manner and tell people about the wrongful treatment I was exposed to, and how Falun Gong was wrongfully treated, I find that those who hold a negative attitude or had harmed Falun Dafa lower their heads and pass by me quickly. I often hold the thought that as I am a person on the path to godhood, I ought to have self-confidence and pride.

I always take the lead when facing hardship. When there is a conflict with colleagues, I first look for my own shortcomings. When facing difficult problems, I remember the verses,

“Wisdom is Enhanced and Powers Strengthened ... The Heart is Harmonized and Body Lightened” ("The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa")

Dafa disciples’ wisdom improves day after day. Master will provide a solution. When it comes to fame and material gain, I always give others the opportunity. Therefore, my environment at work is relatively relaxed.

When I first chose to practice Falun Gong, it was because I was deeply drawn by the Fa in Zhuan Falun. Whether the circumstances are favorable or not, I should only follow Master’s Fa unconditionally. Therefore, my colleagues prefer to work with me. Since July 20, 1999, they have been surrounded by lies about Falun Gong, so they see me as a window to Falun Gong. They listen, watch, and think. People know in their hearts that the CCP has, throughout its existence, turned the truth upside down. Intellectuals are more aware of these fallacies. People don't display their own thoughts because they are terrified of the CCP's merciless persecution. Many people choose to sit on the sidelines. But they all can tell right from wrong and good from bad. Some people are prejudiced against Falun Gong because they don’t know the truth or haven’t thought it through. As long as I can keep righteous thoughts and do well in everything I am supposed to do, my work environment will be favorable. At work, I understand that my practicing Falun Gong is on the mark. One time, someone spoke disrespectful words regarding Master and Dafa, and I immediately corrected him. Afterwards, I patiently explained to that person the facts about Falun Gong.

Dafa disciples live among everyday people, but do not seek people’s understanding and sympathy. Instead, we strive for them to hold in their hearts that Falun Dafa is good and Truth-Compassion-Forbearance is good, so that they will have an opportunity to be saved. For several decades, people have been brainwashed. The question is about how to help them choose to side with goodness. It is difficult for them to believe that Dafa is good, when they are facing lies everywhere. We must persistently clarify the facts about Falun Gong and we need to help them see the goodness of Falun Dafa.

We eat the same food, have the same kind of jobs and live in similar homes. What is different is that I am always healthy, full of life, brave, tolerant, and my words always match my actions and are built on truth. When we follow the standard of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in all affairs, big or small, our path becomes wider and wider, and we are able to do the three things without much difficulty.

It is unavoidable to take business trips with colleagues. No matter whom I share a room with, I always get up and do the exercises during the global practitioners’ exercise time. One time, a mid-level manager turned on the light, looked at me and went back to sleep. The next day, he merely said to me that I was truly unusual, and others didn’t seem to care or understand what he meant.

There was an incident at work, which had to do with promotions. I was put on the candidate list. A colleague went to my boss and mentioned my being a practitioner. Someone from work called my family and applied pressure. Later, the CCP office director approached me and said, “I was asked by the Secretary of the CCP Committee to talk to you. Someone reported that you practice Falun Gong.” I asked him, “Who saw me practicing Falun Gong at work? I can tell you clearly that I won’t practice Falun Gong at work.” I said this because of work regulations. At the same time I wanted to advise them that freedom of belief is my right. In fact, the person had seen me talk to police openly, so he didn't pursue it any further.

Later, I went to talk to the Secretary of the CCP Committee. He had just been transferred to my work unit and was avoiding me. He spoke of this and that, avoiding the real issue. He was trying to assess my state of mind. I was relaxed but careful with my responses. When I saw him the next day, his facial expression was unusual. He was not comfortable because our previous discussion did not meet his objective. The facts make it hard for him to argue for the evil party. I also felt sorry for him for not knowing the truth earlier. I realized that he was very interested in what I had to say, which is a good thing. The officials of the evil party know very well about the nature of the evil party, but they only speak the truth when they feel completely safe. In fact, most of them feel great pain, but they dare not speak of it.

I know that the relaxed environment at work is gained by believing in Master and the Fa, and insisting on validating the Fa.

3. Walking Every Step Well and Studying the Fa Well

During the first half of 2001, my workplace did not give me any real work due to the persecution. In reality, I felt it was because Master saw that I had the heart to cultivate in Dafa, but I was behind in Fa study, so Master arranged for six months of diligent Fa study. I studied Zhuan Falun and new articles by Master during and after work. I regularly downloaded experience sharing articles from the Minghui website (Chinese version of Clearwisdom).

Master often reminds disciples to study the Fa more, and if one studies the Fa diligently, one can improve. When I remember my words and actions around the time of July 20, 1999, I feel deeply ashamed. If only I had had a little courage when facing the persecution, I may not have left a stain on my cultivation path.

Cultivating in Dafa is not that difficult. Why? Because of the mighty virtue of the Fa. When we study the Fa diligently and remember the Fa at every moment, we can then feel the mighty virtue of the Fa.

I am a teacher and I'm generally rather busy. Working on the three things daily is not that easy. But, as long as I follow Master’s arrangement and requirement, I'm supported by the supernormal power and mighty virtue of the Fa.

When it comes to the global morning exercises, dawn is around six a.m. in summer and eight a.m. in winter in my area. It is not that easy for non-practitioners to support their family members' participation in the global morning exercises. My own family was like that. Despite the interference, I get up on time for the exercises.

When it comes to educating young people, it is important to teach them basic virtues. Since I practice Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, it is crucial to teach students the meaning of this. When students are being difficult and refuse to listen, I tell them, “Do you know where your teacher’s salary comes from? It is from a tax paid by your parents. To put it plainly, it is your parents who are providing for your teacher. If I did not teach my students well, I would feel guilty.”

When there are conflicts among students, I tell them about tolerance, forbearance and kindness. When a student has friction with his parents, I tell them about sincerity and filial piety.

When we talk about bad things happening in society, I tell them about goodness being rewarded and evildoing being met with retribution. Using traditional Chinese culture to influence the environment, I let people know how I think and what I advocate. They can then decide for themselves if I'm like the kind of person portrayed by the CCP media when slandering Falun Gong.

With this kind of thinking as a foundation, it becomes very easy to clarify the facts about Falun Gong later. Especially when I speak of the staged Tiananmen Square self-immolation, people can understand and accept what I say. For a while, many of the students who had graduated earlier asked me what I was doing. In their minds, I should have been persecuted by the evil party. When I tell them the facts about Falun Gong, some become afraid of this or that. But, as soon as I tell them about my current situation, it is usually much easier to talk about Falun Gong and to advise them to withdraw from the CCP and it is affiliated organizations. Occasionally someone would be particularly afraid of listening to the truth. I use my mind to eliminate the evil factors behind him and then say, “This is for your future. I am not afraid, what are you afraid of? Am I not doing fine?”

I don’t have a regular schedule for distributing truth-clarifying materials, posting flyers or talking to people face to face. I use whatever opportunity is presented to me. Many times I have faced an opportunity while in school. Sometimes when I followed a preconceived plan closely, I found there were many problems to be resolved.

The Buddha Fa is boundless and Master has arranged everything. As long as we walk our paths carefully, we can experience the meaning of the Fa and realize that Master cares about us disciples deeply.

One time, I went to a fellow practitioner’s place in a mountainous area. By the time I returned home, it was dark. There was no car that could help me get back and there was a portion of a mountain road that was particularly hard to pass. But I didn’t get anxious. Then, a taxi came up behind me. I waved, but it didn’t stop until it was over ten meters beyond me. The driver may have just been cautious. He gladly listened to me telling him the facts about Falun Gong and agreed to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.

A few years ago, one of my classes was about to graduate and all of the students had withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. In my dream, I saw a field divided into different sections, with some growing wheat and others vegetables. Each piece of land looked neat and was growing well, and the humidity was perfect. I believed that Master was encouraging me to teach my students well.

During a recent vacation, many people around me encouraged me to learn how to drive. Should I or not? Time is so important to me, as I should not waste a single minute. After thinking it over, I decided to learn to drive. The first day, the driving coach found a reason to scold me. Although his words were harsh, he didn’t insult me. Not matter what he said, I kept smiling and didn’t talk back or explain. I was only thinking, "Is this because I shouldn't be here? Or, do I have a shortcoming that has to do with not wanting to be criticized?" At that moment, I saw Master smiling in my mind. I understood that it was right not to argue with him. Master’s smile was telling me that I have a task here. I quickly adjusted my relationship with the coach. I was able to master the necessary skills. He likes to think about and discuss different matters, and we talked about many things. He generally agreed with my points when it came to important issues. During that period of time, I met predestined people every day and advised them to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Among them, there were college students, high school students, government officials, factory workers, and migrant workers. One low level cadre in a factory was wearing a CCP insignia. He immediately took it off after I told him the facts about Falun Gong. Most cadres from government agencies know clearly the truth about Chinese society. They usually withdraw from the CCP and its affiliates as long as you clearly tell them the facts.

The above is only a snapshot of what I have experienced. Please kindly point out anything that does not align with the Fa.