(Minghui.org) I'm a veteran practitioner who began practicing Falun Gong in 1997. Although I have fallen many times, under Teacher's protection, I've been able to continue my cultivation path up until today. Even though I'm far behind those who are truly diligent, I have obtained some understandings at my level. I'd like to share them with fellow practitioners.
Looking Inward and Experiencing the Wonders of Elevating in the Fa
When I first began the practice, I had a good cultivation environment. I had a lot of time to study the Fa, copy the content of the Fa, and notice that I was upgrading my xinxing level. At the time, I didn't know how to look inward, and simply remained in the state of “one should not fight back when being punched or insulted.” When in a conflict, although I was able to forbear on the surface, deep down I would be upset and think, “Why did he treat me that way?”
Something happened in 2004 which changed my passive state of cultivation. I was establishing my home as a small truth-clarification materials copying site. Practitioner A and I planned to set up the equipment. We both agreed that practitioner B was older and was not suitable to do this kind of job, and that she should not have any equipment. I felt that I was being responsible to Dafa. Two days later, we had a group Fa study and a sharing conference. Three practitioners criticized my decision and one of them didn't allow me to explain myself. I tried to calmly forbear, and apologized to practitioner B.
Two days later, Teacher's lecture “Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference” was published. After reading it a few times, I knew I had to eliminate the attachment of not wanting to be criticized. There is no coincidence when it comes to cultivation. Since then, I understood a Fa principle: “Our practice has a focus and truly points out those attachments. By abandoning them, one will make very rapid progress in cultivation.” (Zhuan Falun) I realized that all the tribulations and hardships we encounter are arranged by Teacher to help us get rid of our attachments, because “Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” (Zhuan Falun) Since then, I learned to look inward. Over the years, I paid attention to every little thing that happened to me. I didn't look at the surface of things or at others, I just looked inward. Looking inward is truly wonderful. I treated every test and tribulation as an illusion and looked inside to find my attachments. Consequently, cultivation became easy and I truly experienced the joy of elevating my xinxing level.
Completely Negating the Old Forces' Arrangements and Interference
I began to take care of my grandson when he was six months old. I conducted myself according to the Fa and treated him as a young practitioner. Every day, I had him listen to the Fa. He has been healthy for the last three years and hasn't taken any medication. His grandfather used that fact to validate the Fa. Two years ago in November, my grandson became ill several times, and had a fever and was coughing. I thought it was interference from the old forces. Thus, whenever my grandson had a fever and coughed, I would send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the interference, and the results were good. A few days later, the fever and coughing recurred. Although I got rid of the interference after I sent forth righteous thoughts, they would recur again. One day I realized, “I have been acknowledging the interference and arrangements of the old forces from the very beginning, and sent forth righteous thoughts to get rid of them. Wasn't I trying to elevate myself from amidst the tribulation arranged by the old forces? Because I was not clear on the Fa principles, I brought forth ordinary people's problems and let my grandson suffer. I should have looked inward from the beginning. Did I have sentimentally toward my grandson? Was it because my grandson had been very healthy, and thus, I developed the attachment to zealotry and wanted to show off?” Had I looked inward based on the Fa and walked the path Teacher arranged? If I truly had, then the bad elements could not have interfered. Once I understood the Fa principles, my grandson was no longer ill.
Now I truly understand Teacher Fa principles in “Teaching the Fa at 2004 Chicago Conference”:
“When you encounter ordeals during your cultivation, you have got to cultivate yourself and look at yourself--that doesn't mean acknowledging the ordeals arranged by the old forces and trying to do well amidst the ordeals they've arranged, that's not the case. We negate even the very emergence of the old forces and everything that they've arranged; we don't even acknowledge their existence. We're fundamentally negating all of their things, and all of, and only, the things you do while negating and getting rid of them is mighty-virtue. It's not that you're cultivating amidst the ordeals they created. Rather, you are to walk your own path well while not acknowledging them, not even acknowledging the elimination of their ordeals' manifestations. (Applause) So looking at it from this angle, what we need to do is completely negate the old forces. Dafa disciples and I don't even acknowledge the manifestations of their last-ditch efforts.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference”)
Dafa is Miraculous, Righteous Thoughts Are Powerful
Once, I was making truth-clarification materials. As soon as I stopped, seven policemen broke into my house. They illegally searched my house and arrested me. Because it happened so quickly, I didn't have time to put things away, and the two printers were still on the table. I immediately sent forth righteous thoughts and asked Teacher to help. The policemen searched all over the place and did not see the printers. One policeman kept touching the printer but didn't seem to notice it. My family witnessed the miraculous power of Dafa.
When I arrived at the police station, I clarified the truth to two young police officers. I urged them to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations and they both agreed to it. The young policeman had a serious backache, and the young policewoman had a bad cold, runny nose, and was coughing. I told them, “From now on, you should earnestly recite 'Falun Dafa is good, and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good!' And you will experience the miraculous effects of Dafa.” I asked Teacher to save them. Within two minutes, their sickness symptoms disappeared. I witnessed the miraculous effects of Dafa and the power of righteous thoughts.
I ran into an elderly practitioner the day before I was released. I asked her, “When are they going to release you?” She said in about ten days. I told her, “What they say does not count. Only Teacher has the final say! Let's leave tomorrow.” That afternoon, the elderly practitioner's blood pressure reached 220. The next day we were both released from the detention center. We witnessed another miraculous effect of Dafa and the power of righteous thoughts.
Many practitioners have experienced similar incidents. I'm sharing the above stories to show the miraculous power of Dafa and to thank benevolent Teacher!
The path towards the end is becoming narrower; thus, we should not slack off. We need to help practitioners who are falling behind. We have a lot of responsibilities as people with predestined relationships are still waiting to be saved. Recently, Teacher emphasized that we should study the Fa with a calm heart. I'm truly ashamed that Teacher has been worrying about me these past years. From now on, I want to be more diligent, fulfill Teacher's requirements, walk the final path well, and live up to the expectations of Teacher and of sentient beings.