Young Falun Dafa Practitioner: Learning to Fully Trust in Master and the Fa

(Minghui.org) I am a young Falun Dafa practitioner in the United States. Despite practicing Falun Dafa for nearly 20 years, my cultivation path has not been smooth sailing. Besides committing many mistakes, I have not always adhered to the standards of a true practitioner in my thoughts, actions, and deeds.

I am grateful for Master’s constant encouragement. Master has led me back each time I have strayed and has deepened my understanding of what it means to be a Dafa disciple in this Fa-rectification period.

Fully Trust in Master and the Fa

I work in the healthcare sector and have moved around the U.S. for my studies. Looking back, Master compassionately arranged every step of my journey, putting me where I needed to be so that I could succeed in my studies, career, and cultivation.

Despite knowing the importance of believing in Master and the Fa, occasionally, my attachments were so great they surpassed my faith. When I applied for my hospital internship during my last year of professional studies, I recited the Fa frequently:

“If something is yours, you will not lose it. If something is not yours, you will not have it even if you fight for it.” (Lecture Seven, Zhuan Falun)

Although I told myself everything was arranged by Master and I should not be obsessed with the outcome, my understanding of Master’s arrangements remained superficial. I had settled on entering a famous university hospital for my internship and had even convinced myself that if I received training there it would increase Dafa’s prestige. But in fact, my true motivation and desire was to seek fame and to show off. As I secretly envisioned how I would spend my time in this internship program, I continued to recite Master’s teachings over and over. I thought doing so meant that I had given up my worldly attachments, that my wishes were aligned with my cultivation path, and that I was following Master’s arrangements.

When I opened the email and found I had failed to land my first, and even my second choice, my heart sank. Confused and shocked, I thought something must have gone wrong. I cried till my eyes were swollen and complained to others about how unfair the selection process was. I was reluctant to move across the country for an internship program I had no interest in. I felt sorry for myself and could not understand why things had happened this way.

After reluctantly completing the move across the United States, I started my internship program. I soon came to realize that Master had meticulously arranged the best path for me. I had been blinded by my low understanding and human attachments.

In reality, this internship program gave me exactly what I needed, the best and most extensive internship opportunities in the medical field. I enjoyed my internship program so much that I extended my stay for another year to learn more. The patients I treated each day presented various cultivation challenges, which helped me to elevate my character.

In this new city, I participated in new Dafa projects and clarified the truth to many sentient beings. I also met other young practitioners, and we formed a close-knit group that encouraged and supported each other in cultivation.

Looking back now, I realize my tears and complaints were really against Master. I regret showing my immaturity and frustration when things went against my wishes. I regret questioning Master’s arrangements. I now know that even if things do not pan out according to ordinary people’s notions, events on my cultivation path all occur for a reason.

Toward the end of my internship program, I encountered another test. Less than a week before I was due to move to a new city, I was told that a miscommunication meant that I could not start work with my new employer for another three months. I was shocked, upset, and confused. I had already shipped my car and all my belongings to the new city and had notified my old employer of my resignation. How could they do this to me?

As I scrambled to rent a car, find a place to stay on a friend’s couch and negotiate continued employment at my current workplace, I realized I needed to calm down. As a Dafa cultivator, my heart should not be swayed so easily.

I realized there must be a reason for my inability to leave and decided to face my current situation calmly. After letting go of my human notions, things soon became clear. Over the following months, I found an opportunity to clarify the truth about Falun Dafa to two colleagues I had never talked to before. I attended several gatherings with local young Falun Dafa practitioners, where we shared in detail the difficulties and doubts experienced while cultivating. I participated in an important truth-clarification project on my university campus and came across a young practitioner who had decided to return to cultivation practice the day before I left. I was able to connect her with members of the local young Falun Dafa practitioners’ group before I left.

While sitting on the plane as it prepared to leave, I sincerely thanked Master for these precious opportunities, which had allowed me to go to places and meet sentient beings I would have missed while improving my cultivation level. At present, I am the only Falun Dafa practitioner in the area where I live and work. I know this is no coincidence and I must walk my own path to save the sentient beings here. I will follow Master’s arrangements and do my best to reach out to all the sentient beings.

Letting Go of Attachments While Doing Dafa Projects

Two years ago, I was asked to serve as coordinator of the Shen Yun audience interview transcription team. When asked previously by a coordinator, my knee-jerk reaction was to say “no” or give a non-committal answer so I could quit in the future if the workload became too much. Despite transcribing for many years, I remained unsure about taking on such a big responsibility. But on second thought, I wondered if Master was trying to tell me that it was time to take on a bigger role. The original coordinator also assured me he would stick around to help, so I agreed.

However, just before the performance season kicked in, this coordinator told me he was quitting this team so he could work full-time on a media project. I encountered various tribulations over the following five months. I had to work at my full-time job, listen to and transcribe interviews for 20 to 30 performances each week while coordinating and managing transcription team members from all over the world. Although I sent messages at least once a week asking for help, it was difficult to find anyone available. It was hard to find volunteers for the majority of the performances. The few volunteers we had were hard-pressed to transcribe the many interviews we obtained throughout the week. Some volunteers did not show up online to work despite agreeing to previously. During that period, I listened to and transcribed audio interviews on my own until midnight.

Additional shows were frequently added that season in cities where tickets were sold out. However, I never received notification of these added shows until reporters began urgently messaging me, asking about the status of their transcriptions and requesting we hurry up because they were on a tight schedule. Each time this occurred, I would complain about our increasing workload or communicate my unhappiness by responding to their messages rudely.

I had to stay in my apartment after work and on weekends, transcribing interview after interview. As I stewed, my dissatisfaction, resentment, and anger grew. I resented the former coordinator for heaping this burden on me. I resented fellow practitioners who refused to help out. I resented the reporters who did not understand how hard the transcription work was and failed to inform me of new shows. I felt sorry for myself and jealous that I had to stay home and work while other practitioners could enjoy weekend vacations.

After Shen Yun’s performance season ended, I thought back on the past few months and felt proud of myself. Despite the hardships and problems, I persevered and successfully coordinated this large project. What repercussions would we have suffered if I had not worked to transcribe so many interviews? I felt I had made a significant contribution. A few months later, Master’s article “Stay Out of Danger” served as a huge wake-up call.

I felt I had given up my spare time, transcribed so many interviews, and sacrificed so much for Shen Yun and Dafa. Yet I had never considered myself honored or lucky to be granted the opportunity by compassionate Master to fulfill my mission. I used my work to justify following my attachments and negative thoughts. Yet I never stopped to consider that fellow practitioners were also in the same boat, juggling full-time jobs, families, or other Dafa projects, in addition to doing transcription work.

Instead of resentment toward those who failed to help, I should be grateful to those who took the time to help. I had never considered the difficulties of finding suitable audience members to interview, nor the stress the reporters faced to publish quality articles before the end of the news cycle. In consideration of their difficulties, should I not try my best to help them? Why should I be frustrated over my increased workload, when thousands of sentient beings would gain the chance to be saved due to the additional shows? Why was I only considering my own feelings?

Master said,

“Gods look at things holistically and multi-dimensionally, while human beings only look at the surface of things. Sometimes I really don’t look at the specifics of the thoughts or behaviors at the surface of those Dafa disciples who are around me or how they outwardly act; instead, I look at your true motive, at what your true thoughts or actions are. You still have to be accountable for whatever you do at the surface, however, even though that process is behind it. But what I look at is the heart of your being.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the New York Fa Conference Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Dafa’s Spreading,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XIV)

I felt ashamed after reading Master’s Fa. No matter how many interviews I had transcribed, I had failed and even regressed in my cultivation.

With this new understanding, I faced the 2024 Shen Yun interview transcription work with a brand-new mindset. Despite the increased number of performances compared to the previous year and the last-minute addition of many more new shows, I felt encouraged to do my best. Despite ongoing challenges to find enough people, I wish to sincerely thank every practitioner who came to help, even if some practitioners only managed to transcribe one interview.

When our team is short of manpower and we are at a loss, Master will frequently arrange for practitioners to help us at unexpected moments. Moreover, as I reflect on myself, look inward, and improve myself, I am sure the environment around me will improve.

Cultivating At My Workplace

Earlier this year, I started work at a new job which exposed many of my character flaws. Our clinic serves lower-income patients with multiple medical issues. Although I packed my schedule to the max and tried to get as much done as possible during each patient visit, my two colleagues in contrast spent their time slacking off. They often refused to see additional patients and sat at their computers doing nothing while their assistants did the work for them. They left work early each day, while I was busy seeing the patients they rejected.

My co-workers saw this and commented on how unfair it was. They suggested I report the situation to our management and start reducing my workload. These unethical doctors were getting away with doing less, while I was forced to take on their work to uphold our professional ethics.

As a Falun Dafa practitioner, I knew I had to do my job well. But as time went on, I began to feel overworked while my efforts went unacknowledged. I started to complain about my colleagues and my subpar work environment. It felt good to vent my frustrations. Moreover, I really believed my two colleagues were so lazy they could care less about their patients.

Master taught us,

“Also, when you are commenting on things [with your media platforms], you should focus your discussion on the matter at hand, not on the individuals involved. Perhaps some individual handled something wrong in some regard but is great with things in other regards. Some people’s thinking and beliefs are rather different, but it doesn’t mean they are bad people. To be able to regard anyone and everyone with compassion, to have love for all people, really isn’t something the average person can achieve. Harder still is to have a sense of compassion toward all living things in everything you do. But that is something practitioners of Dafa have to be able to do!” (“A Wake-Up Call”)

When I first read this paragraph, I believed it had nothing to do with me as I never post anything on social media. I even thought, “Indeed, some practitioners should be more careful about their words and actions.” But after attending a local Fa conference and looking inward, I realized Master had pointed out my biggest shortcoming.

Disagreeing with my colleagues’ work attitudes aside, I had failed to treat my colleagues with compassion, let alone tolerance. I failed to overlook their shortcomings or consider that their kindness might even supersede mine in other aspects. Worse, I thought I was better than them because I worked harder and did not complain in front of them. In fact, my actions were worse, because I complained about them behind their backs and let resentment accumulate in my heart.

For the longest time, I failed to consider my workplace an environment for cultivation practice. Rather, like a normal person, I viewed it as an unfriendly place where others tried to create problems for me. This mindset still exists within me, and I am working to overcome it. I am grateful to Master for pointing out my attachments and I will work hard to get rid of them.

Cultivation itself is not easy. I still have many attachments to get rid of, such as fear, laziness, complacency, and an obsession with my mobile phone.

The above is based on my limited understanding. Kindly correct me if there are any shortcomings.