(Clearwisdom.net)
I would like to share my cultivation experience of working for a year at the radio station.
One day last autumn, a practitioner told me that the radio station needed a broadcaster. The practitioner wanted me to help, even if it was only for a day a week. I agreed and thus I began to work at the station one day a week, broadcasting five minutes of news every hour.
I once set certain limitations on what I could and could not do according to my personality and skills. For example, I am well-suited to write prose and stories, and I can broadcast, but there are two things that I couldn't do: one was I would not be a coordinator, and two, I would not get involved in media. There are too many things to worry about as a coordinator and it's too exhausting to do media. These were incompatible with my step-by-step, leisurely life style. However, after a year I have unwittingly eliminated these restrictions. I now work in the media in a coordination role. Reflecting on my cultivation path, my heart is filled with awe towards the power of the Fa and gratitude to Master for giving me this precious opportunity to cultivate and validate the Fa.
Master said in the "Lecture in Sydney:"
"If you want to return where you came from, you must have the following two factors. One is suffering. The other is enlightenment. With regard to enlightenment, Jesus talked about faith while enlightenment is required in the East. If you have lost these things, you will not be able to practice cultivation. However, why is it that people normally find it very difficult during the course of cultivation? Actually, cultivation practice is not difficult. The difficulty lies in the inability to let go of ordinary human mind."
In my 14 years of cultivation, I have experienced and validated time and time again what Master said. Especially during the past year, I eliminated many fears of suffering, and I enlightened to the understanding that the work is not difficult, the difficulty is understanding the Fa. No matter how difficult something seems, once you enlighten to the purpose of the action, once your righteous thoughts strengthen, then wisdom will appear naturally. Actually it's Master giving wisdom to disciples. On the surface, it seems as though there are interferences from everywhere. However, once you calm down and look inside, once you are able to face the issue calmly, then Master can resolve any interference and turn it into something beneficial for the disciple.
When I first started at the radio station, I discovered that some practitioners' broadcasts weren't very good. A radio station uses sound to deliver information. If the broadcast sound is not good, then it's almost as if all of the work to prepare for the broadcast is in vain. We may even alienate the listeners, and then how can we accomplish the task of saving sentient beings? I was not a coordinator then, but I felt a sense of responsibility to tell fellow practitioners my feelings, so at that time I posted a lot of my issues with the broadcasts on the team sharing platform. I even sought out the broadcasters and shared with them about how to improve. Soon, I became the U.S. broadcasting team's coordinator. Every day I trained new broadcasters. During this process, I overcame my human notions of not wanting to call someone, not wanting to be bothered, and getting irritated easily.
One practitioner, who broadcast top news every hour, was not a timely worker. Once when he was on duty, the news team had already finished editing the news but I didn't see any indication that he had taken the news. No one answered the phone when I called either. I became angry. When it was 90 minutes before the actual broadcast, I decided that I would record the broadcast myself. I was very angry. As soon as I finished the recording, I could not stop myself from posting on the team sharing platform, "Are you there?" After a while, he replied, "Yes." I thought to myself, "If you were there then why didn't you record the broadcast?" I said, "You don't need to do the broadcast, I already finished it." The practitioner replied slowly and said that he had already finished it. He just forgot to change his status when he retrieved the news. He didn't have his cellphone with him, and he apologized repeatedly. My tense body immediately relaxed and I couldn't help but laugh. I realized at that moment that this was all for me to cultivate. I said to him, "Your personality and ability to not panic in times of pressure really impress me." Situations like this had happened several times before. At those moments, it felt as if I was on the battlefield. I was rushing every minute and the broadcasts had to be done well, my heart would beat very fast, I kept sending forth righteous thoughts and asking Master for help. I once joked with others that if I didn't cultivate, my heart would've already stopped beating. After enlightening that time, these emergency situations never occurred again. We are not simply doing things, we are cultivating. Once that human notion is removed, the same trial will not appear again: this is all Master's arrangement for disciples. There is no coincidence in cultivation.
Looking back at one year at the station, the biggest trial is definitely being the host at the live broadcast of this year's July 20 activities. Near the end of June this year, the main U.S.A. coordinator announced that the U.S.A. team would assume the entire reporting of this year's July 20 activities protesting the persecution. Not only did we have to do consolidated reporting, we also needed live interviews for each activity. This was a great challenge for this team. I was assigned to two interview call-in broadcasts, but a greater challenge was waiting. After a few days, the coordinator called an emergency meeting to announce that we needed to do a live broadcast of the rally. Before I could react, the coordinator named me as the person in charge.
When I heard this decision, I felt as if my heart was being suspended. I had no idea what a live broadcast on radio was like--how could I even think of planning a live broadcast? Why didn't the coordinator discuss it with me before making the decision? Then the coordinator said, "The persecution has lasted 11 years. We must transmit the righteous side of the news." I suddenly realized that this was a rare opportunity to clarify the truth directly. The activities highlighting our efforts to end the persecution are entering the 12th year. Regardless of what else was happening, that was important news. Moreover, there were to be speakers from the American government and other righteous groups to support Falun Dafa practitioners and to demand the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) stop the persecution at the rally. If the people in China hear this, they would be very inspired. After I came to realize that, I became firm. Since this was a precious opportunity to clarify the truth, as a veteran practitioner, how could I decline the invitation? On the other hand, I was thinking, "If there was a more proper candidate, I'd give it away to him or her."
The initial arrangement was for me and another female practitioner to host together. Another practitioner proposed that a male and a female was the best combination. I took this chance to try to shift responsibilities to others. I used the excuse that the other female practitioner spoke better English and I suggested that she and another male practitioner be co-hosts while I did preparation work backstage. During the first meeting for the hosts, I felt that the female practitioner was a little young and lacked confidence as a host. The next day, another experienced practitioner at the station told me that I was better suited and that I should consider the big picture. That night, I couldn't sleep. I thought long and hard about the situation and concluded that the effect would be better if I hosted the live broadcast. But what if I messed up? That would bring immense pressure on me. How would others perceive me? Once this thought surfaced, I became aware that this was a selfish thought about my own gains and losses. Why didn't I think about what if the broadcast wasn't done well, how much impact would that have on truth-clarification? My righteous thoughts became stronger. This wasn't about the impact on me, this was related to saving sentient beings. If I let go of myself and had a pure heart, then Master would help me. I couldn't be concerned about myself and thus lack confidence. It was not about me doing something, it was Fa-rectification requiring a disciple to assume this responsibility. If I thought that I was better-suited, then I should do it. At the same time, I looked inside to see if I had any notion of validating myself. Early the next day, I told the coordinator that I should be the female co-host. The other female practitioner spoke well and would be a good live translator. The coordinator agreed and said that it should have been like that from the start. There were only eight days until the live broadcast. I felt as if I were a soldier preparing for an expedition.
Where was I to start? How was I to start? Even though practitioners that are experienced with media created an outline for me, I was still unsure. Another practitioner sent me a link for a prior live broadcast. I listened to it. I could experience the on-the-scene feeling, but I felt that it was chaotic with the live translation and live interviews. Then what should I do? A thought suddenly appeared in my mind: "A live broadcast is not passively bringing the sights and circumstances to the listeners. We should be proactive by preparing beforehand what truth-clarification information we want the listeners to hear, and intersperse that with live scenes. Yes, that's how I will prepare."
Now that I had a plan, I researched the activities highlighting the persecution held by Falun Dafa practitioners over the last 11 years in Washington, D.C.; the resolutions that the American government passed to support Falun Dafa; the number of people persecuted to death each year; etc. The first draft of the script quickly took shape. The feedback I received was not to forget that Falun Dafa disciples are the main characters on today's stage. The change in the American government's stance was due to the continued truth-clarification efforts by practitioners outside of China. The change brought about by 11 years of clarifying the truth also needed to be reflected to bring hope to people. These suggestions helped me better understand the Fa. I revised the script according to these ideas.
When I was about to finish the script, the station's chief editor suddenly told me that we needed to let the human rights lawyer speak during the live broadcast. I do things sequentially and I don't easily accept others' changes to my plans. I thought about how to decline the change, but I quickly realized that at this time, any part of my xinxing that was below the requirement would be an excuse for the evil to interfere. Plus, nothing was a coincidence, there must be a reason for this decision. I told myself to let go of the self and learn to obey unconditionally. In the little remaining time, besides revising the script, I arranged for telephone interviews. There were a total of eight interviews and 15 to 16 edited sound clips.
Through those few days, I felt as if I had been through a long cultivation process. My understanding of the Fa increased rapidly. In the final version of the script, I decided to add the recorded testimony of the police officers who witnessed firsthand the organ harvesting of Falun Dafa practitioners. Even though the testimony had been broadcast six months before, I believed that there was nothing better than this at clarifying the truth during the live broadcast of the July 20 activities. I also used the commentator's words to explain to those Chinese who still did not believe that Falun Gong practitioners had had their organs harvested.
On the eve of the first day of live broadcasts, I felt that we were already 50 percent successful even though I only had a concept about the live broadcast. That was because I had put everything I had into the preparations. Around 2 a.m., I finally turned off the computer and slept for a few hours. That was the best sleep I had had in the preceding few days. There was not a hint of anxiety or tension.
On July 22, I arrived on Capitol Hill, the site of the rally. I saw the fellow practitioners whom I have never seen before but recognized by their voices through discussions. We quickly became familiar with each other and became one body. The directors, translators, assistant translators, etc., each took their own positions. A commentator practitioner we had been unable to contact previously showed up. The other co-host kept calm and quickly revised the script.
When the station's alarm sounded, I blanked out for a second. I quickly realized that it was time to broadcast. Afterwards, a practitioner waiting for the broadcast at home told me that she was very excited when she heard my voice. The entire 90-minute program went smoothly. The coordinator and chief editor were at the site supporting us with righteous thoughts. Everyone cooperated flawlessly. The practitioners assigned to translation summarized the speakers' contents very professionally. When sunlight reflected off the director's computer screen, a practitioner opened an umbrella for him. Another practitioner took it upon her self to watch over my children and bring food for everyone. Everyone voluntarily cooperated without anyone giving out any orders. The other co-host and I worked very well together, as if we had done this before. That environment was very peaceful. It was a hot summer day, but no one felt hot. What was amazing was that every time when we turned to the live rally, there was always some exciting speech or applause, which added color to the entire program.
During the preparations, it was very tiring and I often worked until the morning hours. However, everything went amazingly well. Practitioners provided whatever was needed.
Besides the live broadcast, we also did a live recording the next day of the rally to support the Chinese quitting the CCP. We added the recording of four telephone interviews with people in China. We also had four call-in programs. The frontline and supporting reporters all cooperated very well. We also had a few consolidated reports. Practitioners in local stations edited and added these new items to the respective programs as soon as they could and broadcast them to China. I felt that when practitioners cooperate well within one body to clarify the truth, the power that we create is immeasurably great. No matter how strong an individual's skills are, one can't perform many tasks at the same time. Everyone worked well with each other unconditionally, and they quietly complemented each other. No matter what they were asked to do, or not asked to do, none of us had any complaints, everyone was doing something that he or she thought was needed. I wasn't alone, many practitioners worked alongside me, everyone cooperated unconditionally and filled the gaps quietly. Our team's success validated Master's teachings:
"It was a shared aspiration that brought you together for this initiative, but when you each insist on your own views, and just do what pleases you, how could that amount to cooperation? If each of my five fingers here wants to be extended, a fist can't be formed and there will be no punch to throw (laughs). It's weak this way. So you need to work together well." (Fa Teaching Given at the NTDTV Meeting)
Master, thank you for giving me this opportunity to cultivate and validate the Fa. Thank you for uniting all of us together under Fa-rectification and allowing us to use sound to save the precious Chinese people in order to fulfill our vows to help Master rectify the Fa. I will continue to strive to let go of selfishness, to cooperate better in one body, and to be more effective in saving more sentient beings.
Thank you, Master. Thank you, everyone.