Improving My Character: My Journey from Mexico to Middletown, New York

(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!

I’d like to tell you how I started practicing Falun Dafa, and about my cultivation journey.

I was born in Mexico and started practicing Falun Dafa in 2010. There are six people in my family, and three of us practice Falun Dafa: My mom, my older brother, and I.

The first person to practice Falun Dafa in my family was my mom. She was very sick, and a doctor recommended finding a practice that would open her energy channels. She started doing Tai Chi. The Tai Chi instructor recommended Falun Dafa. Without her realizing it, her health issues were resolved.

She always invited me to try the practice but I didn’t know what Falun Dafa was. At that time, I was involved in sports. When I agreed to go with her to the practice site, I noticed that the elderly people could do the second exercise without any problem. In contrast, I silently complained and could not endure holding my arms up. This made me determined to find out what Falun Dafa was about.

At that time, I had an important position in the state government. I had power, money, etc., but my heart was not happy. As a young person, I was looking for happiness but I didn’t find it in any of the things that society and the media offered, nor did I find it in religion. I remember it was December 2010, and my only New Year’s wish was to find someone who would guide me and show me why I was in this world and what my purpose in life was.

In May 2011, I was invited to spend a weekend with Falun Dafa practitioners reading Zhuan Falun. I read the entire book. I realized that I finally found the teacher I was looking for. I felt very happy because I had been searching for answers for 13 years. I realized that in the process, Master (Falun Dafa’s founder) guided me on this path of raising my xinxing (character) while doing the three things he asks of us.

As a child, I was raised with high moral values and strict rules. I never understood why my family demanded so much from me. Now, thanks to Dafa, I understand that Master protected me and prepared me to begin practicing.

Collaborating in Falun Dafa Projects in Mexico

In Mexico, I volunteered for several projects to clarify the truth, both face-to-face and online. I participated in Shen Yun promotion, helped promote documentaries about Falun Dafa, and was part of the Spanish language team of the Epoch Media Group. I produced content and hosted the Live Webinar and introduced the exercises on social media during the COVID pandemic.

I want to share some cultivation experiences. Once, a practitioner told me, “You seem to be very diligent in doing the exercises, studying the Fa, and doing tasks in this project, but I cannot feel your benevolence. You are rude.” Her words made my heart ache. I told myself, “I must change. Practicing it is not only about reading; I must be diligent in my daily life and do what Master teaches me. Only then will I be able to touch people’s hearts and show people that Falun Dafa is good.” I began paying attention to developing benevolence and compassion for all beings. I pay attention to placing their needs before my own.

Eliminating Arrogance

I have a master's degree in Marketing and a Ph.D. in Business Strategy. Because I had these degrees, I thought that I should be part of the marketing team or at least be in charge of making decisions. However, as I cultivated, I realized that the most important thing is to cooperate as one body in the activities the coordinators asks us to do.

I learned that the coordinators play an important role, and we need to support them.

Master said,

“Since studying Falun Dafa, these workers have been coming to work early and going home late. They work very diligently and will do any assignment their supervisor gives. They also no longer compete for personal gain." (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun).

Arriving in Middletown

I came to Middletown, N.Y. for the first time in 2015 and stayed for three months.

One day during Fa study, a practitioner said that Middletown would have a school in the future. I thought to myself, “I would like to work there.” I had to return to Mexico to finish my degree at that time.

I went back to Mexico to finish my degree. I knew that I had to be very upright and practice high ethical values so that Master could make the necessary arrangements for me to return to Middletown. So, throughout the next 7 years, I experienced what Master said,

““You still have many attachments to remove. You should go out to wander about.” Wandering around in society is rather torturous. It must beg for food and run into different kinds of people who will scold, insult, or take advantage of it. It might encounter all kinds of things.” (Lecture Eight, Zhuan Falun)

In the chaotic world of ordinary people, I had to learn to be strong, pass society’s criticisms, follow my moral principles, and not be influenced by the degenerate environment. When I graduated, I applied to work at Fei Tian College, but I did not receive any response. I knew that I had to improve more in my cultivation.

I kept looking inward and understood that I had to let go of the attachment to working in Middletown. In this process, I saw my attachment to selfishness. This negative substance made me feel uncomfortable and angry. This attachment did not let things flow and allow Master to make the best arrangement for me.

In 2022, I unexpectedly received a phone call asking for my help to be the volunteer translator for a Mexican boy who wanted to study at the Little Lotus Academy. I simply said, “Yes…” with a serene heart and sincere gratitude. Since I have an online job in Mexico as a Master in Marketing teacher, I could easily move to Middletown and help this little Dafa practitioner.

At the Little Lotus Academy as a volunteer, I started as an interpreter, but day by day, I got more and more involved in the work. The most profound experience was when I was assigned to be responsible for doing the Falun Dafa exercises with the students. I thought, “I am just the instrument Master uses to reach these precious little children who have a predestined relationship with Dafa.” Seeing 50 little ones meditating really touched my heart.

After 6 months, my tourist VISA expired, and I had to return to Mexico.

Returning to Middletown with a work VISA required a long administrative and legal process that helped me continue elevating my xinxing. The COVID vaccination was already mandatory to return to the United States, and it was required for my flight back to the USA. I had not been vaccinated. My heart was moved when they did not let me on the plane. I sent strong righteous thoughts and said, “The old forces are not going to stop me. I am not afraid to get vaccinated, and surely an option will open up so that I can fulfill my mission.” Fortunately, I was able to get my money back and I rescheduled my flight two months later after I was vaccinated.

Cultivating Myself as a Professor 

At first, my students were distracted or not very diligent in doing their homework. 

Master said, 

“You should always maintain a compassionate and calm heart.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun).

I thought about how Master teaches us, over and over again, and how he is very compassionate. I changed the way I taught my classes, thinking more about my students, and as a result, all my students got an A and memorized all the new concepts in class. 

Cleaning the Environment

I live in a dorm. When I arrived, the place was filled with things and looked like a storage room. 

I told myself that as a practitioner, I could not live in an environment like this; I must clean it up. Although it was not my responsibility as a teacher, I simply did what was necessary.

I started by separating necessary items from unnecessary ones. Then, I made a designated place for everything. Then I cleaned everything. After that, I established rules to maintain consistency and reinforce positive actions in the house.

We currently live with 12 people, and our house is very clean; even practitioners who visit say that it looks like a hotel.

I am currently the manager of the women’s dormitory, and due to my hard work, I was assigned to take care of the facilities in the college and I’m the manager of the boys college dormitory.

Cultivating My Heart

When I went to see the college boys dorm, I felt very sad because the house was in chaos. I thought, who would help me clean and organize?

Master always helps me. I told myself this was a great opportunity to gain virtue. If I don’t do it, nobody will. After deciding to help and clean the dormitory, all the young students began to help by taking out the garbage, washing the floor, and cleaning everything in one day. I realized that we are one body and can achieve great results if we work as a team.

I am very grateful to all the people who are always willing to help improve our school’s environment. I saw how having a clean space makes the students and workers smile more.

They know I will help them, no matter how busy I am. I can achieve this because Master filled my heart with compassion. 

When I am more diligent, I have a greater heart of compassion and endurance. If I am not diligent, I feel like selfishness begins to dominate and I feel the injustice of having a lot of work.

Cultivating Myself While Attending Dance Classes

We are currently preparing an elegant and feminine choreography. At first, my movements were clumsy, and thinking of being feminine made me laugh; I realized it was a notion I had to eliminate.

I associated being feminine with being weak. Besides, modern education taught me that women must be strong.

When I saw that substance in my heart, I sent righteous thoughts to eliminate it and little by little it was eliminated. 

Now my movements are softer and more rounded. I can also see how my face has changed and I have become more gentle, feminine, patient and flexible in my daily life. 

All the dance movements need a lot of strength and are tiring but at the same time, our faces must be gentle and delicate. Now I understand more about how to be a lady. Strong inside but gentle.

I thank Master for giving me this great opportunity to be a part of Fei Tian College Middletown. It is a great honor for me to be able to work here. I firmly believe that we are one body with the same mission.

Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!

(Presented at the 2023 Fei Tian College Middletown Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference)