(Minghui.org) The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) hate propaganda targeting Falun Gong has caused many Chinese people to misunderstand practitioners and the practice, and some have even participated in the persecution.
To help people have a positive opinion of the practice and demonstrate the beauty of Falun Gong, I strictly follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in everything I do. That way, people can see that Falun Gong is good and know that practitioners are trustworthy, kind, and patient.
Beginning Cultivation
I am from northeastern China, but moved to a city in Hebei Province in 1997 to find work after my company stopped paying me. I needed money to pay for my medical treatments. I became very ill after my son was born, so I had to stop working.
My husband and I started practicing Falun Gong towards the end of 1998, and I became healthy again.
In the beginning, I only did the Falun Gong exercises and rarely studied the Fa. When the CCP began its persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, I didn't stop practicing, but I wasn't sure how to inform people about Falun Gong and the persecution.
My son, who also practices Falun Gong, once got a burn on his face that miraculously healed without medical treatment. That opened the door for me to tell people about his recovery and to show them that Falun Gong is a good cultivation practice.
Clarifying the Truth Through My Actions
I once worked as a janitor at a hotel, and tried to be an exemplary employee because Falun Gong teaches practitioners to do their job well.
I always cleaned my designated areas thoroughly. When my co-workers were busy, I helped clean their brushes and other cleaning tools, and mended the seams or replaced missing buttons on their uniforms. I also helped clean the cafe even though it wasn't an area I was supposed to take care of. Everyone praised me, saying that I had a good heart. When opportunities arose, I told them the truth about Falun Gong and the persecution.
The hotel manager often got complaints from guests that the lobby was untidy, so he transferred me to take care of it. After that no one complained. Both my manager and his supervisor were very pleased with my work.
One day, my manager praised me, saying, “You are such an excellent worker. You are dependable, kind and honest.” I took the opportunity to clarify the truth. He said, “Someone told me about Falun Gong before, but I didn't believe them. I believe it now because you have told me.”
The manager once scolded the waiters who were slacking off, “You youngsters are good-for-nothing. Look at her, what an excellent worker! You should all practice Falun Gong!”
I once had a long conversation with a waitress at the hotel. She said, “I have seen TV reports about Falun Gong. It's awful. Some practitioners throw themselves out of buildings, and others commit suicide.”
I asked her if she thought I was a bad person. When she said that I was very nice, I told her that Falun Gong forbids killing and only teaches people how to be more kind, honest, patient, and considerate of others. I also told her about the lies the Party fabricates about Falun Gong to deceive people, particularly the staged self-immolation incident on Tiananmen Square.
She finally understood that the self-immolation incident was staged by the Party to get people to hate Falun Gong.
During the ten years I worked at the hotel, I had three different managers. Two of them accepted the truth about Falun Gong and quit the CCP and its affiliation organizations.
One of the managers even asked me to work as her babysitter because I was trustworthy. I politely declined her offer because I needed time to study the Fa and clarify the truth to more people. She then asked me to refer another practitioner because she witnessed through me that practitioners are dependable and trustworthy.
The third manager refused to listen to the truth about Falun Gong and the persecution and didn't want to quit the CCP. I eventually quit my job after the manager told me to write a guarantee statement to stop practicing Falun Gong.
I found a new job as a janitor in a small residential community the next day. I worked there for three years until I found another job at a building supply store. I always did my job well, and told them the facts about Falun Gong to my colleagues.
One time it was raining and a colleague didn't bring her umbrella, so I gave her mine. When she told me I was nice, I told her it was because of Falun Gong. I said, “I wasn't always like this. I used to have a bad temper, and was unhappy. It was Falun Gong that changed me. It's really my Teacher who has taught me to be kinder.”
She then mentioned that she would like to read Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Gong, to understand how it changed me.
I gave her a copy of the book, and she told me how wonderful it was before she even finished reading it. She also told her husband, “There is a very nice woman at my workplace. She looks great for her age, and she practices Falun Gong!” However, her husband didn't want to listen to her because he believed in the Chinese regime's propaganda against Falun Gong.
She then told him that I used to work as a janitor in the same community he currently works as an engineer. When he went to work the next day, he asked my former coworkers about me, and everyone praised me. He then believed his wife.
Looking Within to Eliminate My Attachments
I have spoken the truth about Falun Gong to many people, including my friends, relatives, and former classmates. However, if I start to feel pleased with myself, the people I try to tell the facts to become unreceptive. I then send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate my attachment to vanity.
When I shared this with fellow practitioners, they suggested that I look within and find my attachments. After looking within, I realized that I sometimes argued with people I was trying to save and that I am too attached to my ego. As a result, people didn't want to listen to me.
I recently went through sickness karma. When I didn't improve in a few days, I asked for Teacher's help. I then remembered Teacher's words:
“Calmly reflect on how many attachments you have
As you get rid of human mentality, evil is naturally defeated”
(“Don't Be Sad” from Hong Yin II)
Teacher also said,
“Disciples’ righteous thoughts are strong
Master has the power to turn the tide”
(“Master-Disciple Grace” from Hong Yin II)
I began to seriously look inward. I was shocked and somewhat frightened when I found many attachments I had previously overlooked, including zealotry, vanity, fear and complacency, not wanting to hear criticism, impatience, etc. I also realized that I was too emotionally attached to my son.
Teacher said,
“In this world, humans all are lost,
Attached to fame and gain,
Ancients, honest and benevolent,
With a calm mind, happiness and longevity complete.”
(“Let Go of Attachments” from Hong Yin)
This poem reminded me that practitioners shouldn't be lost if they want to transcend the secular world. After finding and eliminating my attachments, I recovered quickly from the sickness karma.
I have fallen behind many practitioners who are cultivating diligently. I must study the Fa more and cultivate myself better in order to speak to people with a purer heart.
Category: Improving Oneself
