(Minghui.org) The Domestic Security Division in my local area carried out a large-scale arrest of Falun Gong practitioners late on the afternoon of June 7, 2012. More than ten practitioners were taken into custody. I was one of them.
I thought of Master’s teachings and kept them in my heart. I reminded myself, “I’m Master Li Hongzhi’s disciple. You have no right to persecute me.” I didn’t confess to anything, and I refused to sign anything. I did my best to deny the evil’s persecution, and didn’t cooperate with the officers.
I was sent to a police station that night. I kept speaking to officers I came into contact with about the truth of Falun Gong. In the beginning I was a little concerned. But I was gradually able to eliminate my fear and successfully help the officers who were monitoring me to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. I didn’t sleep that night and I kept sending forth righteous thoughts.
Looking Inward While in Tribulation
I was transferred to a detention center the following night. I burst into tears as soon as I got there. I cried not because of fear, but because I felt bad for not following Master’s words and doing well in my cultivation. I felt that my wavering cultivation state had caused this and that it was hurting my family.
After I stopped crying and calmed down, I asked myself, “I have Master and the Fa with me. What am I afraid of? Nothing!” I recited Master’s poem,
“Imprisoned as you are,
don’t be sorrowful or sad
Carry on with righteous thoughts and actions,
and the Fa is with you
Calmly reflect on the attachments you have
Remove your human thoughts
and evil will naturally die out”
(“Don’t Be Sad,” from Hong Yin Vol. II)
I calmed down and began to look inward. I found many attachments, including the attachment of zealotry, the mentality of showing off, jealousy, the competitive mentality, and affection for fellow practitioners.
Before my arrest, I was able to persuade quite a few people to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations every day, and I distributed a large number of truth-clarifying materials. I began to feel I was very capable, and looked down on some practitioners without realizing it. When I spoke to practitioners who I felt hadn’t cultivated diligently, my tone was really different, as if I was above them. Although later I realized my tone was not right, I didn't do anything about it.
I also noticed I had become fond of one coordinator. We frequently worked together and I brought her tasty food. If I didn’t see her every day, I felt uncomfortable. I even defended her when other practitioners criticized her. When I saw her mentality of doing things, I didn’t point it out because I didn’t want to upset her. The affection between us was just everyday people’s sentimentality. The coordinator was also arrested.
I realized that I had fallen behind in my personal cultivation. Although I studied the Fa every day, I often fell asleep while reading, and it took me two or three days to finish one lecture in Zhuan Falun. I didn’t pay attention to this, and instead wrongly thought that I would be fine as long as I went out to talk to people about Falun Gong every day. I totally forgot that cultivation is about eliminating our human attachments.
When Master’s new teaching, “Watch Out for Breeding Demons in One's Own Mind” was published, I read it. But I thought Master was talking about other practitioners, instead of studying it carefully and applying what Master said to myself.
Thinking back, I realized that all of this led to my illegal arrest. I decided to correct myself and remove my human thinking. I kept reciting the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts.
Clarifying the Truth to Rectify My Environment
The second day after being sent to the detention center, I said to a guard, “I’m a practitioner. I want to do the exercises and send forth righteous thoughts.” The guard replied, “No, that's not allowed here.” I said, “It will not bring you any trouble. It's what I should do as a practitioner. You may report it to your supervisor, and if she has any questions, direct her to me. You don’t need to worry.” The guard agreed.
I was able to send forth righteous thoughts, and I practiced the sitting meditation. I was kind to everyone and often helped others. I seized every opportunity to tell the inmates the facts about Falun Gong. There were more than 30 inmates detained with me, and three of them understood that Falun Gong was good. All the other inmates successfully withdrew from the CCP and its affiliates. Several inmates understood the truth and deeply believed that Falun Gong was good. They all received good fortune, their terms were reduced, and they were released early.
The head of the guards came to check on detainees on the third day. She told everyone to recite the detention regulations and the so-called report words. When it was my turn, I didn’t say anything. She asked, “Why don't you say it?” I said, “My Master told us to act within the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.” She said, “Okay, sit down.” She criticized and punished each inmate who failed to recite the regulations and so-called report words, except me. I realized that as long as one is thinking within the Fa, the evil can’t do anything.
That afternoon the head of the guards asked me to come to her office. I thought, “Great opportunity! I wanted to explain to her about Falun Gong and ask her for a practice environment.” When I went there, she reminded me of the detention regulations, and asked me not to do this and that. I said to her, “We are not enemies. I won't bring you any trouble. I'm exercising my freedom of belief by practicing freely.” I told her the facts about Falun Gong, and shared with her how I greatly benefited from practicing. I could see she agreed with what I said. But she didn’t say yes immediately.
I realized that I had begun talking loudly. I caught it and realized it was my competitive mentality. I immediately sent forth righteous thoughts to remove my bad thoughts. Meanwhile, I kept it firmly in my mind that I would not cooperate with the evil, and I denied the evil’s persecution. In the end, the head said yes to everything I demanded. I could do the exercises and send forth righteous thoughts. I didn’t need to obey the detention regulations or follow their report procedure. She also stopped bothering me.
I Walked Out After 29 Days
On the fifth day the guards told me to sign a letter that would add an additional 30 days to my detention term, but I refused. On the tenth day, I was taken to an interrogation room. I still refused to sign anything or give them any confession. One guard said, “You can believe in religions or Buddha, but you cannot practice the exercises.”
I was a little concerned after the interrogation, as I wasn't sure what they'd try to do next. An inmate who could see things in other dimensions said, “I saw a man standing next to you.” She continued, “I have some supernormal abilities. I can see a man in a suit standing next to you.” I thought of Master. I asked her to describe the man. The man she described was the same as Master’s image in Zhuan Falun. I realized that this was a hint from Master reminding me not to be afraid, and he was encouraging me. Master was with me all the time, taking care of me and protecting me. Words can't express my deep appreciation for Master’s compassion.
The guards came to interrogate me again around the 20th day. I refused to listen to them. They showed me my mom's picture, attempting to threaten me. I didn’t look at it. The officers were amazed and said, “She’s really powerful!” In the end, they told me that they would sentence me to one year of forced labor. I said loudly, “I do not acknowledge your persecution. I request an appeal.” The guards wrote down what I said. When they were about to leave, I asked them if they would bring my request to higher-level authorities, they said yes and left.
I returned to my room and sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate all their persecution. I asked Master for help. At that moment, Master’s words came to my mind,
“It is known that what actually causes people to become ill is seventy percent psychological and thirty percent physiological. Typically, one experiences a mental breakdown, the mind cannot handle it, and one suffers a heavy mental burden before the illness’ condition drastically worsens. It is usually like this. For instance, there once was a person who was tied to a bed. They took one of his arms and claimed that they would slit it to make it bleed. Then they blindfolded his eyes and scratched his wrist once. (He was not at all cut and bleeding.) A water faucet was turned on so that he could hear water dripping, and he thus thought that it was his blood that was dripping. The man died shortly afterwards.” (Lecture Six from Zhuan Falun)
I felt my body tremble and I immediately realized that it was a hint from Master. What I just encountered was all false, and I shouldn't be afraid. Instead, I should firmly deny it. Afterwards, I became more steadfast and concentrated. I continued reciting the Fa, sending forth righteous thoughts, and telling people the truth about Falun Gong.
Officers from my local police station came on the 29th day. I asked to go home. They said they would let me go after they took me to the Domestic Security Division. They took me to the Domestic Security Division office, and the officials explained that the arrest order was made by the city government instead of the Domestic Security Division. They gave me a long, nonsensical explanation, trying to shirk their responsibilities, and asked me not to expose them on the Minghui website. I realized that Fa rectification had come to this stage, and the evil couldn’t do anything.
So under the compassionate care of Master and the power of Dafa, I walked out of the detention center with righteous thoughts and righteous actions. Master and the Fa guided me and helped me during this tribulation. Thank you Master!
