(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1997 and throughout these 27 years, I’ve experienced a great deal. I’d like to share my experiences and insights with you.
First, I want to talk about my journey of seeking the Way. I remember during my first year of high school, I was distracted in a world history class, and gazed out the window. The teacher was talking about the Industrial Revolution, and I had a question: Why did humanity become so intelligent during the Industrial Revolution, inventing countless unprecedented things? Before that, human history did not see such a concentrated technological breakthrough. This question lingered in my mind for many years, and no one could give me a satisfactory answer. It wasn’t until 1998 when I read a section of Master’s lecture in Teachings at the Conference in Switzerland that I finally understood.
Master said,
“It’s a long story. They have been coming here full-scale since the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in the West. They had come prior to that time, but they didn’t control people then. Their full-scale arrival began when Caucasian society entered the industrial age. They made full preparations and systematic arrangements for occupying this earth. It was they who created science for human beings. So this science was set up by aliens. Their purpose was to unify human beings and simplify their thoughts to the point of being as uniform as machines. And they unified knowledge to make it easy for them to later on control and replace human beings.” (Teachings at the Conference in Switzerland)
When I read this, I was deeply shaken. It felt this was an awakening. I realized that the technological advances brought about by the Industrial Revolution were not a reflection of human wisdom, but rather, manipulation by aliens. This experience is just one of the many reasons why I began practicing Falun Dafa, and it helped me fundamentally understand some truths about human history.
Now, even ordinary people can sense that time is accelerating. Apart from going to work, we practitioners participate in Dafa projects and strive to study one lecture of Fa every day. At the same time, we aim to practice both the standing and sitting exercises every day and clarify the truth. While doing these things, we must also balance our relationships with ordinary people, life, and family, and strive to do everything according to the standards of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. This is not an easy task. However, Dafa has indeed provided me with great wisdom, making me more capable.
For example, a few years ago, we wanted to make snacks for the Shen Yun performers. I had no prior experience in this. But when I was asked to make some, I learned. Sometimes, the snacks I made amazed even myself—I felt as if they were not made by me. Throughout the process, Master enlightened and helped me multiple times. The feeling of divine assistance is truly unique!
In Chinatown, only a few practitioners clarify the truth, and most of them are elderly. The younger Vietnamese practitioners, in particular, are incredibly capable of bearing hardships. For instance, two Vietnamese practitioners live very far away, with one of them needing to transfer several buses to get to Chinatown. They come almost every weekend and stay from morning until afternoon, persisting for four hours regardless of the season. Whenever I feel like slacking off, seeing their dedication greatly encourages me.
Last year, we also created a bilingual display board that has a QR code link to Master’s article: “How Humankind Came To Be.” When people don’t want to take the materials, we ask them to scan the board. One person said he couldn’t read English and scanned the English link, and it displayed the text in his native language. He was delighted and said he would definitely read the article.
We occasionally get very busy. When there are many people, some walk up and scan the QR code: “How Humankind Came To Be” on their own. It really feels like Master is constantly giving people opportunities. As long as we are willing to go out, make an effort, and speak up, we can save many people and cherish the opportunities Master created for humanity.
We have been clarifying the truth at this Chinatown location for over twenty years, and we’ve observed societal changes and trends. Over time, we’ve clearly seen the rapid decline in morality, and that people are moving further away from traditional moral standards. From clothing to behavior, these changes are apparent. Over twenty years ago, people’s attire was more traditional and dignified, but now the streets are often filled with bizarre and sometimes shocking outfits. The air is filled with the smell of drugs, and costumes that used to only appear on Halloween can be seen every weekend.
These external changes reflect the changes in people’s inner worlds. Although some are not truly bad, they are simply going with the flow, being influenced and changed by negative trends. However, this trend is leading people in the wrong direction. Witnessing these societal changes deepens our sense of mission and responsibility. As cultivators, we have the responsibility to spread the truth and awaken the conscience of the world.
In the process of telling people about the persecution, I also often experience Master’s compassion and guidance. In Chicago’s Chinatown, we encounter tourists from all over the world. Some YouTubers from Africa even included us in their videos. In this multicultural exchange, I deeply feel the power of truth clarification spreading.
Once, I met two people from a Swedish town called Falun while they were on a business trip in Chicago. Hearing that they were from Falun, I felt a sense of kinship, as if meeting old friends. The next day, while I was in downtown Chicago, waiting at a traffic light, I coincidentally ran into them again. Chicago is not a small city, and to meet these two people from Europe twice in two days felt like a predestined arrangement by Master, and a reminder for them not to ignore the Falun Dafa materials they received.
Another time, I encountered a man whose mental state was unstable. The day before, he had been singing and dancing, but I ignored him. He returned the next day, but this time he not only sang and danced under the scorching sun but he also lay down on our meditation mats, and waved his hands and feet. I was the only one there. I gently said, “Go rest in the shade, it’s too hot here.” He immediately stood up, ceased his antics, and quietly left. I deeply felt that a genuine compassionate thought can touch a person, and even the smallest gesture can convey warmth and care.
This reminded me of an earlier experience distributing materials in Chinatown. Back then, we sometimes encountered homeless people who caused trouble. One very hot day a homeless person was making a scene next to us, singing and dancing, constantly disrupting our activities. I felt annoyed. I just wanted to get rid of him as quickly as possible. But no matter how I tried to persuade him, not only did he refuse to leave, but he also became louder and more disruptive. Looking back, I realized I hadn’t approached him with compassion, and my righteous thoughts weren’t strong enough, which is why I couldn’t effectively handle the disturbance. Comparing these experiences, I deeply reflected on the importance of maintaining a compassionate heart in cultivation and the power of righteous thoughts when facing challenges.
On September 1, I went to Chinatown to clarify the truth. The elderly practitioners had been there for a long time and needed to go home to rest. Since only another practitioner and I were left, I didn’t want to spend too much time finding a parking spot, but I ended up spending a full 28 minutes without success. I had to temporarily park in front of the display boards and paid a few dollars for parking. While distributing materials, I kept an eye on the car.
After ten minutes, a police officer came over and was about to give me a ticket. I explained that I already paid the fee and was just waiting for a spot to open up, but he didn’t understand and insisted I move the car immediately. Helplessly, I drove off to continue searching for a spot, but everywhere was full. In my desperation, I silently asked Master for help. Suddenly, a car in front of me drove away, and I quickly parked.
To my surprise, I didn’t need to pay the parking fee again because this new spot was under the same code as the one I paid for earlier. Usually, different parking areas have different codes, but this one was the same, so I didn’t waste the previous fee. At that moment, I truly felt Master’s presence, and tears welled up in my eyes. Thank you, Master, for your care.
Lastly, I want to discuss how certain media smeared Shen Yun. As practitioners, we all know that Shen Yun is not just a performing arts show; its true purpose is to save people through art.
A few days ago, I read a story about butterflies on ZHENGJIAN.org, which reminded me of something that happened years ago when we were selling Shen Yun tickets. Back then, we often sold tickets in malls. A young practitioner was promoting Shen Yun tickets at a booth. A Western couple said they were interested in purchasing two tickets. They told the practitioner that they saw many beautiful butterflies flying around the mall entrance, which amazed them because it was winter but inside a mall—how could there be butterflies?
Out of curiosity, they followed the butterflies, which led them to the Shen Yun booth, where they noticed the practitioner wearing a Qing Dynasty costume embroidered with large butterflies. They were astonished to see that these butterflies emerged from the clothing. This experience not only led them to buy two Shen Yun tickets but also deeply touched the practitioners at the booth, who felt this was Master’s compassionate arrangement.
The wonders of Falun Dafa are beyond imagination. I, too, have had the privilege of wearing that light blue court lady costume many times while selling Shen Yun tickets. Although not everyone has the chance to be directly enlightened, many people gradually come to understand the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance through the universal values and artistic beauty of Shen Yun.
Unfortunately, some media outlets choose to smear Shen Yun and even deny the Chinese Communist Party’s systematic organ harvesting from Falun Dafa practitioners. I recently met a Chinese person who said that he used to not support Falun Dafa, but now he does. He heard that in China, more and more young people are mysteriously disappearing and being used for organ transplants.
I told him that about twenty years ago, we were already revealing the truth about the CCP’s systematic organ harvesting from Falun Dafa practitioners. We speak out to awaken the sense of justice in people’s hearts. If we don’t stand up for justice, the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance will be forgotten, and in the end, everyone will pay the price. He agreed and said he wanted to quit the CCP using an alias.
Thank you, Master, thank you, all.
(Selected article presented at the 2024 Chicago Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)