Cultivate Openly and with Dignity

(Minghui.org) I began cultivating Falun Gong in 1997. Teacher told us in many Fa-lecturers: “...practice cultivation in an upright and dignified manner.” (Zhuan Falun)

My cultivation was indeed open and dignified prior to July 20, 1999. I studied the Fa diligently and did the exercises. I would tell everyone that my health improved, my family life was much more harmonious, and that my job performance was much improved.

After July 20, when the persecution of Falun Gong started, I was no more as upbeat. Teacher told us to follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Without feeling open and dignified, it was difficult to convince others that Falun Gong is good. I gradually returned to my old state and could again talk to people about Falun Gong. I felt being able to cultivate openly and with dignity is truly wonderful.

The Persecutors Are the Ones Who Are Afraid

I saw three people peeping through my window two days before April 25, 2014. I walked out, locked the door behind me and asked if I could help them. One of them told me that he was the new chief of police and the other one was the domestic security captain. They asked to go into my home so they could talk to me.

Teacher had asked us not to cooperate with the persecutors, so I refused them entry into my home. I said: “You persecuted Falun Gong. If I let you in, I would be encouraging you and doing you harm. Why don't you leave now?” They did not give up even after I told them how my family was persecuted.

We were at a stalemate when the domestic security captain became impatient, and told me that I was confined to my home for a few days. I responded, “I am a law abiding citizen and have the right to move around. Your forbidding me from leaving my home is violating the law. You are supposed to uphold the law. Let me know where I cannot go, and I will go.”

He was stunned and at a loss for words, while I felt that my energy field was very strong. He asked that another officer take photos and I did not cooperate. They finally left.

I was told by an officer later that actually they had come in ten cars and wanted to start a round of arresting practitioners in our area. However, because our cultivation state in our area was pretty good, their attempt failed.

Gaining Understanding of What it Means to Ask Teacher for Help

I was putting up posters about Falun Gong and finished one street. To get to another street a small creek had to be crossed. I asked Teacher for help so I could jump over it, but I fell into the water. I thought that Teacher did not help me, and I climbed up the bank and felt bewildered. It was the coldest of the winter and I was totally wet. I thought of going home.

But, I rejected that thought and continued to put up the posters. I felt that my chilly body was getting warm and mmediately realized that Teacher helped me.

When I asked Teacher for help to cross the creek, Teacher did not help. But, when I did not ask for help, Teacher helped me. What was going on? I suddenly understood. If Teacher helped me when I crossed the river, I would not have the opportunity to improve in my cultivation. The old forces were responsible for my falling into the river. I decided not to play along and went on putting up the posters. Teacher used the arrangement to improve my cultivation level.

Master said:

“A Great Enlightened One fears no hardshipHaving forged an adamantine willFree of attachment to living or dyingHe walks the path of Fa-rectificationconfident and poised” (“Righteous Thoughts and Righteous Actions” from Hong Yin Vol. II)

Accused Becomes Accuser

I was arrested by police and the head of the 610 Office was determined to take me to a forced labor camp. When that failed, he took me to a brainwashing center and tried to have me indefinitely detained. I walked out of there after one week.

But they still wouldn't give up. They turned my documents over to the procuratorate.

The procurator was ready to charge me with a crime. After a lengthy discussion during which he agreed with all I had to say, he said that he would discuss the matter with his superiors.

In turn, I asked him if I could bring charges against domestic security who brought false charges against me. He said I could and he would investigate them too and agreed to wait for my written accusation.

Walking out of the procuratorate I thought, “I have turned into an 'accuser' from being 'accused'. Whether they charge the domestic security captain is not that important. The true purpose is to tell people and the procuratorate the facts about Falun Gong so they stop committing crimes against Falun Gong.”

I wrote three letters to the procuratorate in which I discussed Falun Gong and the illegality of the persecution. After these letters the procuratorate dropped my case.

Rejecting Financial Persecution

Many times practitioners are ruined financially by the Party by withholding their wages. As practitioners we should not allow these arrangements. So I decided that I would ask management to pay me all the salary they withheld.

At first, the manager did not want to talk about the salary issue and just asked me to stop practicing Falun Gong. He claimed that everyone in higher levels forbids that all those below them are not allowed to practice Falun Gong. I told him that it was only Jiang Zemin who made this rule.

There was no way arguing with this manager because his mind was closed and when I asked him to obey the law, all he said was “sue me.”

I studied the Fa, looked inward, and realized that getting all withheld salary back was not my purpose. I needed to tell people the facts about Falun Gong and awaken them in the process of asking for the salary. I had failed because I started from the wrong point.

Teacher said:

“But you often emphasize the results instead of fully explaining to them the facts that you should explain during that process. … Wherever a problem surfaces, go tell people the facts, and you shouldn't be doing it just to push the lawsuit forward but to tell them the facts.”(“Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference III)

I corrected my thought based on the Fa, and understood what I needed to do.

I let go of the thought of getting my salary back and began to write a letter describing the facts about Falun Gong, so I could hand it to my manager and upper level management. I also personally handed the letter to the neighborhood office director, chief of the police station, and the town manager. In the letters I talked about cultivating in Falun Gong, the illegality of the persecution, and the withholding of my salary.

At a meeting with some managers in the town office I talked about Falun Gong. In the end, my manager took out a stack of money and said that this was a month's salary and that he would issue a salary card. The upper level manager promised to give me the salary that was owed to me.

I had understood the Fa truth and it helped put a stop to the financial persecution I experienced.