(Clearwisdom.net) I have been practicing Falun Dafa for over ten years. I would like to summarize my personal cultivation experiences and share them with everyone. I am thankful to Master, and would like to exchange cultivation experiences with fellow practitioners so we can improve together.
Happily Obtaining Dafa, I Gained a New Life
Before practicing Falun Dafa, I had many illnesses. While in despair, I began practicing Falun Dafa in March 1997. After becoming a practitioner, illnesses that had bothered me for many years went away, and for the first time in my life, I was disease-free. It was Master who pulled me out of that hell and gave me a new life. I began to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to cultivate my inner nature. People around me noticed that I had changed, and said I was like a different person. Leaders in my work unit and co-workers all felt the miracle of Falun Dafa and its beauty.
The Persecution Begins
On July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began the persecution of Falun Gong. At that time, several police cars came to my work unit every day and pressured my supervisors. They ordered my supervisors to cooperate with the police in forcing me to give up my practice, and write a guarantee statement promising to give up the practice. They threatened to dismiss me if I did not comply. I knew that it was a test of my belief in Master and Dafa, and I was not tempted or moved. I ignored them and didn't cooperate. It was like "When disciples have ample righteous thoughts, Master has the power to turn back the tide." ("The Master-Disciple Bond" from Hong Yin Volume II) They finally gave up.
In order to validate Dafa, in November 1999, I went with fellow practitioners to Beijing to appeal on behalf of Falun Gong. When we arrived at the Guangzhou train station, the authorities picked us up and sent us back to our local police station. They decided to detain us for a month. At that time, since I was only three to four months away from retirement, my supervisors knew that if I were detained, it would be considered a "voluntary resignation," and I wouldn't be able to be considered a retiree. At that time, two supervisors from my work unit broke through all kinds of hardships and went to the police station to talk to the authorities until after midnight, and finally brought me home. My supervisors at work protected kindness and supported justice, and I was happy for their choice. In the meantime, I also felt the righteous power of Dafa. It reflected Master's enormous compassion. I also thought of how valuable those lives were.
Saving Sentient Beings While Dealing with Difficulties
During the past ten years of persecution, with Master's compassionate care, I have relied on believing in Master and Dafa to make it to today.
I was sent to Sanshui Forced Labor Camp for one year because I went to validate Dafa in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in April 2000. After I was released, none of my relatives and friends dared contact me, including my own brothers and sisters and my daughter-in-law. They would not even allow my three-year-old granddaughter to visit me. Especially when I went to my parents' home, nobody dared speak with me. Many times, I cried secretly (which showed my attachment of fear of losing face) and felt it was very hard to be a good person.
Through constantly studying the Fa, I gradually adjusted my situation. Especially when I read this paragraph of Master's teaching from Zhuan Falun:
"For us cultivators conflicts come up suddenly. So what should we do? If you always keep a compassionate heart, and a peaceful state of mind, when you run into problems you'll handle them well because it will give you space as a buffer. If you are always compassionate and friendly to others, if you always consider other people when you do things, and whenever you have issues with other people you first think about whether they can take it or whether it will cause them harm, then you won't have any problem. So, when you cultivate you should follow high and even higher standards." ("Improving Character," Lecture 4, Zhuan Falun).
As my compassion came forth, I began to realize that my relatives and friends were also being persecuted. They had endured a lot of pressure because of me. They were really suffering, too. I suddenly understood that the gap between us was actually coming from the evil persecution. I realized that I shouldn't blame them for their lack of mercy. The reason I obtained Dafa was to assist Master in validating the Fa, and I have the sacred mission to save sentient beings. They are my relatives. Relatives are also sentient beings that I need to save.
I let go of the old mindset and tried to eliminate my human mentality. To help them learn the truth about Falun Gong, I went to different places and clarified the truth every day. In short, I clarified the facts to whomever I met. Whether a person wanted to listen to me or not, I still clarified the truth and talked about the beauty of Dafa and Dafa's kindness. Finally, one day my truly selfless benevolence touched them. Dafa's power adjusted all abnormal factors, and as a result, their lives became integrated into the Fa. My elder brother began to practice. My family members and all my relatives withdrew from the CCP and its affiliated associations, including the Youth League and the Young Pioneers, and they now all support me in my practice. My husband, who read Dafa books, provided me a relaxed practice environment. He also helped me to clarify the facts and encourage people to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations, and assisted me in some Dafa validation events. Some of my relatives miraculously avoided disaster because they memorized and genuinely believe, "Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good." They helped me validate Dafa in our local area.
Clarifying the Truth Face-to-Face
After Master published the article "Hurry Up and Tell Them," I realized that I should catch up with whatever Master asks us to do. Since then--for many years--everyday I have made use of all kinds of convenient opportunities to clarify the truth. As long as you can step out the door and want to clarify the truth, Master and other righteous gods will bring to you those who are predestined and let you save them.
I once went to a park to find a shady place to cool off. A man in his 60s approached me. I first sent forth righteous thought to eliminate any evil factors behind him that would prevent him from learning the truth. I then began chatting with him about daily life. When I mentioned my age to him, he couldn't believe it and said that I looked very young for my age. He asked me how I maintained myself so well. I told him that it was because I practiced Falun Gong. I told him that before I practiced Falun Gong, I was weak and had all kinds of illnesses. After I practiced Falun Gong, I began to truly realize what it meant to be healthy both physically and mentally. I talked about how wonderful it is that Falun Gong has now spread throughout the world and also how the CCP is persecuting Falun Gong. After hearing me out, he thought it was hard to understand, but on the other hand he felt happy. The part that puzzled him was that although Falun Gong is being persecuted, it is still thriving. He felt happy because he had learned that such a great practice also existed in his local area.
I once went to my parents' home to attend my niece's wedding banquet. I knew that saving people was my real purpose for being there, so I first clarified the truth and encouraged those who came to help, and also relatives and friends who attended the wedding, to withdraw from the CCP and its youth organizations. When the girl's family later distributed pancakes to everyone in the village (this is a local custom), I took some VCDs of the 2009 Divine Performing Arts Show and truth-clarification brochures with me. I visited each family in the village and asked whether they had a VCD player. If they had one, I gave them a VCD. If they did not, I gave them a truth-clarification brochure. I later heard from many villagers that they felt the Divine Performing Arts Show was very good. Some even told me that they watched it several times. Others told me that their illnesses disappeared after watching the show. I felt happy for these people who learned the truth.
On another occasion I went back to my parents' home to attend a banquet to celebrate the construction of a cultural building in the village. Before I left for their home, I asked my husband to write some lyrics composed by Dafa practitioners on two calendars, and I wrote, "Falun Dafa is Good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is Good," "Falun Dafa is the Righteous Fa," "Buddha's light shines everywhere, propriety and righteousness harmonize everything." These eye-catching words looked very neat and pretty and immediately drew people's attention. When I arrived at the village gate, many residents from two neighboring villages had already lined up to watch the Lion Drum performance. I carried the two calendars on which I had the Falun Dafa words. I smiled as I approached and greeted them. I said, "Please read these words. They are very good for you." Some people began reading the words on the calendar. Some said it was very good. No one responded negatively.
Master has told us to save more people. We must have a firm mindset. Each Chinese person should have the opportunity to visit the Dafa website or obtain materials to learn the truth about Dafa, so they will have the chance to be saved. We should do the three things well, study the Fa well, constantly improve our mind nature, let go of our human mentality, eliminate various attachments, and fulfill our historic vows.
We can clarify the truth face-to-face at any time. Whether I walk or take a bus, or go to a park or a grocery store, I don't pass up any opportunity to clarify the truth. If someone talks to me, I clarify the truth to that person. If nobody strikes up a conversation with me, I begin one. For different groups of people, I use different approaches. For instance, students, women, seniors, the middle-aged, those with high social status, everyday people, etc. I try to clarify the truth according to their attachments. Although I am elderly and have little education, people who talk with me think that I have a higher education, am intellectual, and am good at speaking. Many have told me that they were sincerely convinced. I understand that the wisdom I have when I clarify the truth is given by Master. As long as you have a benevolent heart to save people, you will have the wisdom to know what to say.
Contribution for the Overall Improvement
We had to provide sufficient clarification materials so our local practitioners could catch up with the process of Fa rectification and save more lives. In 2005, three of our senior Dafa practitioners coordinated to set up the materials production center. At that time, the persecution was still very severe. Three of us held righteous thoughts and followed the road arranged by Master, completely denying the interference from the old forces. We were doing the most righteous thing in the universe. We had Master and the Fa to help us, and we used our expertise. Some provided money, some contributed their energy, and some provided a working location. Since we had timely materials supplies, we had good results in improving our local area and saving sentient beings. Some officers from the police station and the detention center also learned the truth and withdrew from the Party. The local environment was once quite hostile but gradually became peaceful. We cultivators now spend more time on Fa study, assimilating our lives into the Fa. We do what Dafa practitioners should do with righteous hearts. Everything is under Master's protection.
As the Fa rectification process continues to move forward, our materials centers have expanded everywhere. With the help of fellow practitioners, I also have a materials production center in my home.
Master has given us so much that I can't express my gratitude in words. In short, I will guarantee my Fa study in the future and study the Fa well. For those issues that Master mentioned at several Fa teachings in recent years, I will try my best to cultivate well. I should try my best to eliminate various attachments. With firm belief in Dafa and with righteous thoughts and actions, I will try to save more lives and fulfill my prehistoric task.
Thank you, Master! Heshi!