(Minghui.org) I was a teenager when I started practicing Falun Dafa in 1998, and I’d like to tell you about some of my recent cultivation experiences.
Other practitioners have talked about the attachment to doing things. I recently realized how important it is to take a step back and assess how I’ve cultivated. I’ve gradually fallen into a routine where doing things related to saving people has become like regular work. When I examine myself, it feels like I’ve stepped onto the wrong path. This can be dangerous and this mindset is not effective in saving people.
Master said,
“Only by first cultivating yourself well can you fulfill your historic mission.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the New York Fa Conference Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Dafa’s Spreading,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XIV)
In Master’s greetings to different Falun Dafa conferences, I notice he always mentions the importance of cultivating ourselves well and studying the Fa.
Throughout my cultivation I’ve had many different roles and I always feel that I have a lot of things to do. I often wonder why I easily fall into the routine of only participating in Dafa-related projects but I have not cultivated myself. I have difficulty reading the Fa with a calm mind. The old forces don’t want us to succeed so it’s easy to get distracted. But I’ve experienced how everything becomes much easier when I prioritize Fa study and doing the exercises. I feel my laziness and human thinking is interfering with me.
Promoting Shen Yun in Sweden
Shen Yun came to Sweden just before the pandemic started in 2020 and returned in May of this year.
Each day when I looked at the ticket sales statistics, I alternated between feeling worried, happy, excited, and frustrated. With the joint efforts of all practitioners, the ticket sales went well.
I was very busy every day helping to promote Shen Yun—and then I heard that my father, who was abroad, was sick and needed to have surgery. It seemed like a lot was happening at the same time, and it was difficult to remain calm.
Everything that I experienced felt like an external pressure. It also felt like many things came to interfere. I frequently recited, “I’m Li Hongzhi’s disciple, I don’t want other arrangements or acknowledge them.” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003) Things went well in the end. My father’s surgery went well and he is fine.
Over the years I’ve participated in various activities to promote Shen Yun. My understanding is that it’s important to always cultivate my xinxing in the process and not view it as ordinary work. I spend hours in front of the computer working on the webpage and with social media. On the surface what I do seems to be ordinary work, but I remind myself how important it is to always maintain righteous thoughts. I always feel an enormous happiness when I’ve done something for Shen Yun and I never feel tired.
Practitioners Are Role Models
When we held a truth clarifying workshop during an event in Sweden, another practitioner reminded me, “I think people who see this should be as moved as when they see a Shen Yun performance.”
I have helped as security and backstage during Shen Yun performances and everything was handled well. I always remind myself that what I do is not routine and that I should not do it halfheartedly.
I have also been involved in the technology and promotion for Falun Dafa webinars. We started holding them during the pandemic, and many people are interested. I think it is a wonderful opportunity that is given to us to introduce Dafa on such a large scale with the help of technology. It’s great to see all the positive comments from people after they attended the webinars. So far, more than 500 have participated.
When I see people start logging into the webinars, I have the same feeling that I do before a Shen Yun show begins. As a team, we overcame many challenges before we started to hold webinars.
I was quite pleased with myself and felt that, as long as I focused on doing Dafa work, everything was fine. I didn’t prioritize other things, for example, cleaning my home. I also didn’t pay attention to what I ate. Since this may have seemed extreme to non-practitioners, I realize that as we are still in the human dimension we need to pay attention to these things. I also enlightened that whatever we do is something that we leave for the future, so it’s important to walk our path correctly. We should pay attention to our image as Falun Dafa practitioners and the impression we make on ordinary people. I will do better going forward.
When I read Master’s article “Wake Up,” I saw how I viewed questions from the wrong perspective. For example, getting vaccinated. I listened to other practitioners’ understandings but did not handle it from my understanding of the Fa.
I also experienced sickness karma. The last time targeted my left leg. It was a wake-up call that I needed to pay attention to my cultivation.
I also struggled with my attachment to smartphones. I not only looked on social media and news on my phone but I also insisted on having the latest and most exclusive smartphone! I realized this was an attachment to showing off and my reputation.
One day when I was taking a walk, I was holding my brand-new smartphone and looking at it. I suddenly lost my grip and it hit the ground. The screen cracked. I was shocked. But then I realized this was a hint to not spend unnecessary time on my phone.
Treasure the Cultivation Environment and Fellow Practitioners
I was a teenager when I began practicing in 1998, and there were few practitioners my age at that time. My parents did not practice, but I always felt encouraged and supported by local practitioners. I think it is important that we help and support each other. I sometimes failed to do this. Other times I had negative thoughts about other practitioners. I finally realized that when I see their shortcomings, it's a mirror of my own shortcomings.
At one point, I did not want to participate in group Fa study. I thought this was thought karma and interference. Now I always go to group Fa study regardless of how I feel. I always remind myself that it is good for my cultivation.
Setting Higher Requirements for Myself
I was very touched when I read the three recent Minghui Editorials. Master said about Minghui, “It is not that Minghui Net does not make mistakes, however, on important matters, practitioners must pay attention to the attitude of Minghui Net.” (“Notice: A Second Authentic New Article of Master Li Since July 22, 1999 Will Be Published in a Few Days”) I experienced the cultivation environment before the persecution started in 1999. I was very young at that time, but I felt how pure the environment was and that everyone really strove to cultivate and raise their xinxing. Back then I was stricter with myself. I can only learn from this and do better going forward.
The Mingui Editorial “Be Responsible” also mentioned: “In the process of counteracting the persecution and clarifying the facts, the cultivation environment outside of China has been greatly impacted.” I feel that I can only start with myself and focus on cultivating my xinxing and pay attention to my thoughts and speech toward fellow practitioners. I should start from myself by creating a good environment.
I am a member of the Sweden Falun Dafa Association and when I read these articles on Minghui, I felt my responsibility as a veteran practitioner and as a member of the association. Even if a practitioner does Dafa work, raising our xinxing is fundamental and very serious. It also says in the Minghui Editorial “Be Responsible,” “Only then can practitioners put more emphasis on cultivating themselves and elevating their xinxing and achieve more positive effects in the things they do to save people.”
In the Minghui Editorial “Can We Distribute Master’s New Articles Among Non-Practitioners?” it says, “There is a large portion of practitioners who persist in Fa study and study a lot, but they haven’t truly put in the effort to improve their xinxing. But in Dafa cultivation, the key is to cultivate our hearts, as Dafa directly targets the human heart.” Reading this was a wake-up call for me to really pay attention to in my daily life.
I feel that every day passes quickly and that we European practitioners are responsible for saving the beings in our area. I look forward to improving my cultivation so that I can have a positive impact and save all sentient beings in my area!
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2023 European Fa Conference)
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