I Learned to Cultivate Solidly and to Be Genuinely Considerate of Others

(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa at the end of 1994. Over the years, I experienced the happiness of obtaining the Fa, and encountered difficulties that tried to stop me from cultivating. I recently learned to cultivate solidly while assisting Master in validating the Fa and saving sentient beings. I’d like to tell you about some of my experiences.

Eliminating Thought Karma

I initially started practicing Falun Dafa to cure my illnesses. When I was 25, I was hit by a truck and suffered a concussion, retinal concussion, and post-concussion syndrome. As a result, I couldn’t read for long, and couldn’t do needlework. I had constant eye pain, headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Life was extremely painful for me. What’s worse, my marriage wasn’t happy—my husband was indifferent and didn’t care about me. I could not see any hope in life, and I even thought about killing myself—however my child was still very young and I couldn’t bear to leave him.

After I began practicing Falun Dafa, my life completely changed. Master cleansed my body, and I became healthy. For the first time in years, I saw hope and light in my life. I felt extremely grateful to Master and Dafa, thinking I was the most fortunate person in the whole world.

However, just a few months after I started practicing I began having bad thoughts, which I felt were caused by something. I couldn’t see what it was, but I could feel its existence. I was terrified and didn’t understand what was happening. This weighed heavily on my mind. Other practitioners were so happy; why did I feel so distressed?

Luckily, a few practitioners and I often studied the Fa together and shared our understandings. After we studied a section in Zhuan Falun titled, “Your Main Consciousness Should Dominate,” I suddenly enlightened, a sense of clarity filled my heart; I realized that my bad thinking was caused by thought karma. Afterward, each time I had these negative thought, I rejected and eliminated them, as I knew these thoughts were not my true self.

The interference from thought karma also helped deepen my understanding of the Fa’s principles. Every one of us has accumulated countless karmic debts during our many reincarnations. Now, we want to ascend to higher levels, but how can we unless we pay off our karmic debts? However, in the process of repaying our karma, as long as we remain firm in the Fa, Master will help us pay back most of it, leaving only a tiny bit for us to endure in our cultivation.

After I had this realization I became even more determined to cultivate myself. Master helped me remove the thought karma, and the thing that put those bad thoughts in my mind was gone.

A coworker obtained the Fa before I did, but she gave up the practice when she experienced something similar. I felt it was a real shame. We have Master and Dafa, and as long as we keep studying the Fa, firmly maintain righteous thoughts, and have faith in Master and the Fa, nothing can stop us.

I Learn to Cultivate Solidly

My childhood was difficult, and I experienced the hardship of the “Three Years of Great Famine.” Influenced by my parents, I learned to be frugal. I enjoyed finding bargains or goods on sale. A few years ago, at a market in Beijing, there were often discounted or clearance items of goods that were made for export. I often shopped there and eventually developed a strong attachment to buying discounted goods. As long as something was worth the price, I bought it even if I didn’t need it. When I accumulated too many things, I gave them to relatives or friends.

With Master speeding up Fa-rectification, I felt that the bar for us became higher. However, it took me a long time to let go of my attachment to material gain, as it had become a habit. I didn’t see it as a big attachment, so I kept doing things as I always had. As a result, I failed to cultivate myself solidly.

After I bought things from the market, my body felt very heavy, and I didn’t walk as quickly or feel happy when I distributed truth-clarification materials. I realized that I couldn’t continue like this and I had to let go of my attachment to personal gain, which a Falun Dafa practitioner must eliminate. I ended my shopping habit and I only bought the things I needed. I feel more relaxed now, and my body no longer feels heavy.

Putting the Fa Principles into Practice

It was easier for me to do the three things when I was living on my own. However, I recently had a grandson, so now my son spends half his time at my place or I stay with his family and take care of the child. I realized this could be a new cultivation environment for me and a new test. I’m in my 70s, and according to tradition, I, as an elderly person, should be taken care of. Instead, I take care of my grandson while trying to do the three things.

It was difficult at first as I had to cook for the family, shop for groceries, take care of my grandson, study the Fa, do the exercises, and clarify the truth to people. I was exhausted by the end of the day, and sometimes, my legs felt heavy and I was sleepy. Then I remembered Master said, “... cultivation is the best form of rest” and, “You can obtain the kind of rest that can’t be obtained through sleep.” (Teachings at the First Conference in North America)

So, instead of sleeping when I was tired, I did the exercises for an hour after lunch to relieve my fatigue. The result was excellent. I also used any spare time to make up for the exercises I didn’t manage to do during the day. I felt energetic throughout the day, even in the afternoons.

In the past, I usually went out on my electric bicycle to tell people I met about Falun Dafa. But I no longer had as much time to do this, so I spoke with people in the residential community when I took my grandson out to play. I also talked with people about Dafa when I went shopping. Even though I couldn’t help as many people quit the CCP as I did before, I did my best and managed to help three to five people quit the CCP organizations in a day and a few more on weekends.

I usually studied and hand-copied the Fa when everyone was in bed, so I had little time for sleep. When my son noticed that I didn’t sleep much, he took care of my grandson so I could rest a bit more. I used the time to do my own things. From my experience, I don’t think taking care of children affects our ability to do the three things. As long as we make good use of our time, taking care of a child won’t interfere with our cultivation or saving sentient beings. When we have the heart to cultivate and save people, things work out for the better. Master also told us,

“You should cultivate while conforming to the way of everyday people to the greatest extent.” (Teaching the Fa at the Fa Conference in Australia)

Be Considerate of Others

Through continued Fa study, I now understand that most people in the world came to obtain the Fa, including the police officers in China who have lost their way under the CCP regime. They are the most pitiful and need us to save them. I recently started paying more attention to being truly considerate of what will benefit others as I assist Master in saving people.

I usually spend one to three hours every day to clarify the truth to people and help them quit the CCP organizations. When I met people who refused to listen to the facts or even wanted to report me to the police, I reminded myself of Master’s teaching:

“Do things well in an upright and dignified way, negate them, and strengthen your righteous thoughts some. “I’m Li Hongzhi’s disciple, I don’t want other arrangements or acknowledge them”—then they won’t dare to do that. So it can all be resolved. When you can really do that, not just saying it but putting it into action, Master will definitely stand up for you.” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)

On two occasions, someone reported me to the police while I was talking with people about Falun Dafa. At the police station I was determined not to allow the police to commit sins against Dafa. I refused to cooperate with their requests and I kept telling them facts about the practice. When they asked for my name and address, I refused to answer and told them that I didn’t want them to commit crimes.

I also refused to sign the guarantee statement to give up my faith, and said, “I won’t sign it. If I sign, you will sign, too, which would be evidence that you interrogated a Dafa practitioner and committed a sin. I won’t sign, and you shouldn’t sign either; then, you won’t commit a crime against a Dafa practitioner. Crimes toward Dafa practitioners are very serious.”

Because my behavior was for the benefit of the police officers, and what I was doing was in line with the Fa principles, in the end, the police let me go.

Cultivation is Simpler When We Look Inward

In the past, I always looked outward and I was judgmental. My mindset has changed. I now only look at people’s attitude towards Dafa and the CCP. As long as someone isn’t against Dafa and is willing to quit the CCP organizations, he or she is a precious being to be saved.

When I’m with practitioners, I only see their good points. I understand that they are also humans in the process of cultivating, not gods, so it’s inevitable that they still have human attachments and may do inappropriate things. I should be tolerant and understanding and do my best to help them when they need it.

When I encounter conflicts with fellow practitioners, my first thought is, “Have I done something wrong?” If it’s my fault, I immediately rectify myself. If it’s not my fault, I still look for attachments that need to be removed. Master reminded us many times that nothing is coincidental. If I indeed see something in another practitioner’s conduct that is not in line with the Fa, I kindly point it out to them. This is being responsible to practitioners and myself.

A practitioner recently had symptoms of sickness karma. When I shared with her, I found that she still had some strong human attachments, such as an addiction to her cellphone and she enjoyed buying things online. The old forces took advantage of these attachments and made her feel unwell.

In the early days of the persecution, this practitioner held firm to her belief in Dafa even when she was unlawfully detained and sent to a forced labor camp. Her faith in Dafa didn’t waver and she didn’t give up cultivation. Master cherishes all practitioners who have pulled through the tribulations. It’s our responsibility to help each other overcome difficulties.

I organized a few practitioners to study the Fa at her place. We also shared our understandings and looked within ourselves so we could improve together. She made a lot of progress and gave up her attachment to her phone. She focused on Fa study and doing the exercises, as well as looking within. Her health improved each day.

I’m extremely grateful to Master for kindly showing us the way and thankful to practitioners for their selfless help. I’m determined to keep cultivating solidly and doing the three things well. I will study the Fa more often and try to save more people so that I’m worthy of Master’s compassionate salvation.

Please kindly point out if there is anything not in line with the Fa in my sharing.