(Minghui.org) After taking up the practice of Falun Dafa, many people have become much more disciplined in their daily lives. They have adhered to the principles of Falun Dafa: Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Guided by the Fa, they are able to resist common practices in today's China such as taking advantage of social welfare programs.
Below is an article written by a Dafa practitioner in China.
Diligence in Doing the Exercises
For many fellow practitioners, doing the Falun Dafa exercises every day is not an issue. For me, however, it has been a test every day, because I have been disabled for several decades.
After I started to practice Falun Gong, the days of unbearable pain were long gone. But some leftover symptoms still affect my daily life. The muscles in one of my legs have atrophied. My knees can support me if I stand up straight, but not if my legs are a little bent. Four of my toes are crooked and have developed thick calluses, which makes it hurt to walk or stand. Sometimes they hurt even when I sit.
Yet I have managed to never skip doing the exercises. No matter how my leg and feet hurt, I always get up at 4 a.m. every day. Before I start, I clean my hands and face and straighten my clothes. Once the exercise music starts, I try my best to stand up straight with a lot of respect. I know that doing the exercises is part of our cultivation. Master and other gods are watching us. It is truly an honor.
I try to do every movement accurately. Since I have to balance mainly on one leg, I sometimes falter or even fall during certain movements. But I still do all five exercises every day and then send forth righteous thoughts at 6.
Defying the Societal Trend of Taking Advantage of Medical Welfare
Medical expenses are a huge financial burden on my employer. They grow larger each year. Leaders have difficulty budgeting for such expenses. Employees with medical bills are worried about when they can be reimbursed. Everybody, from supervisors to staff, complains. It has been like this for 20 years.
Most of the employees where I work falsify their medical expenses to some extent. They sometimes ask the doctors for blank receipts and fill out the amount on their own. Other times, they sell others the pills they get from the hospital, then get reimbursed from work. Sometimes, they buy non-medical stuff from the pharmacy using their medical insurance. Others put their names on the bills, although the their family members incur the expense.
Everybody does it. Nobody feels bad about it. “The government is corrupt. Why shouldn't I take advantage of it?” Everybody thinks this way.
My coworkers' medical bills range from several thousand to several tens of thousands per person per year. When it is time to submit medical expenses, the financial office is crowded. But I never go there. The financial officers call me every year, asking for my reimbursement form. I tell them that I cultivate Falun Dafa, which has healed my health problems, so I don't have any medical expenses to report.
They always say, “Why don't you put your name on your family members' bills? Or you can buy pills under your name for your family.” I respond, “I practice Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I'm not going to do that.”
A financial officer said to me several times, “What difference does your honesty make? The entire society is so corrupt.” I replied, “There are close to 100 million Chinese practicing Falun Dafa in our society. It makes a difference.”
The head of my company said to me last month, “See, again you are the only one who didn't submit any hospital expenses this year. You should buy something on your account for your wife.” I said, “You are familiar the principles I try to follow, so no, I won't be doing that.”
Falun Dafa cultivates both body and mind. Before I started to practice, I was old and sick. Now I look like a young person. A few days ago, a co-worker asked me if I was in my 50s. I told him that I was already 65.
A former supervisor told a doctor that I hadn't submitted any hospital bills for many years and looked so good. He said, “It is amazing. Yet the media attacks Falun Gong.”
At a company party, a fellow sitting next to me was very nice to me. Before the party was over, he said to me sincerely, “I have deep respect for you.” I didn't know what he meant. I later found out that he was the husband of a financial officer, who had told him about me.
Falun Dafa spreads from person to person. If we follow the teachings of the Fa, then people will learn what Falun Gong is from what we say and do. All the propaganda that the communist party comes up with to attack Falun Gong will be easily seen through.
Producing Truth-Clarification Materials That Meet the Highest Standards
As Falun Dafa disciples, our task is to do the three things and save people. Time is precious. I often tell myself not to pursue comfort or slack off. When I produce truth-clarification materials, I always try my best to meet the highest standards.
I burn a lot of Shen Yun DVDs every year. Although my old DVD burner was still working, I bought a new one last year to guarantee the quality.
One day when I was going to make the covers for Shen Yun DVD cases, I thought to myself, “Since some practitioners put the DVDs in envelopes and never use plastic cases, should I still print out the covers? It would save a lot of materials and time if I didn't.”
Then I thought about what Master said in “Fa Teaching at the 2013 Greater New York Fa Conference (Questions and Answers):”
“Oh, you’re talking about the Shen Yun DVDs. Dafa disciples in the mainland want to make elegant packaging for them. Do it in keeping with your abilities and means.”
I said to myself, “Shen Yun, the best show in the world, is under Master's direct guidance. Master has emphasized the significance of Shen Yun in saving people, and praised Shen Yun in Hong Yin III many times. I love the performances so much, but it seems that I don't have a deep understanding of it.
“How can I treat Shen Yun as an ordinary show and treat saving people, such a sacred task, as an ordinary affair? Just because I want to save some materials and time?”
I realized that my thought was selfish and that it was due to the attachment to comfort. Producing truth-clarification materials is a process of cultivating oneself and a process of improving oneself. Lowering the standard is actually lowering one's criteria in cultivation.
Truth-clarification material production is not just an ordinary task. I should not just seek to finish it as soon as possible without considering the effects on saving people.
Since then, I've always tried my best to make the materials with a cultivator's pure heart. Although making Shen Yun DVD is repetitive, I try to take care of every detail. I also make other materials to the highest standard, including printing Master's new articles, making music or video CDs, and printing other materials. I always finish my tasks on time, so that fellow practitioners can pass them out on time.
Self-Discipline in Daily Life
A cultivator's words and behavior in daily life are a reflection of his or her realm. Following a high standard in daily life is being responsible in one's own cultivation. Everyday people observe us, and they learn about Dafa through our behavior. Therefore, we should pay attention to everything we do in daily life, whether at home or out in society.
Everything we come across in daily life is an opportunity to cultivate, and we should apply the highest standards of the Fa to discipline ourselves. This is assimilating to and validating the Fa. This is cultivation. People will remember our behaviors as references for their cultivation in the future.
I always sit up straight in the full-lotus position whenever I read the Fa or other Dafa materials. My family members often ask me to relax and lean on the couch. I never loosen up, despite the discomfort in my legs.
Although I am disabled and cannot stand or walk completely normally, I try to do everything at home by myself and not bother others. I wash clothes, cook, and do housekeeping. I take them as opportunities to strengthen my mind and get rid of my attachment to comfort. Expecting others to take care of me because of my leg problem is never an option.
My children and grandchildren have witnessed my behavior for years. As a result, they respect me deeply. They have quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and learned the facts about Falun Dafa. Some of them have read Zhuan Falun and learned the exercises. My son-in-law often tells his friends and co-workers how I benefit from practicing Falun Dafa and how I act according to the teachings.
Whenever I attend employee or school reunions, I treat everyone with humility and respect. If the elderly are present, I greet them first, chat with them, and clarify the truth depending on their time and openness. I socialize with my friends and coworkers with kindness and sincerity. I also try my best to help them.
I have a good reputation among my peers, which makes it easy to explain the facts. Many of my friends know clearly what Falun Gong is, and most of them have quit the CCP.
