There Are No Trivial Issues in Cultivation

(Minghui.org) Practitioners from four counties and cities met to read the Fa and exchange cultivation experiences a few weeks ago, and the event lasted two days and one night. We talked about our cultivation experiences, including issues we encountered during projects. We saw our shortcomings and gaps, and it was very helpful for everyone’s improvement. I’d like to share some of our experiences with you.

A new practitioner said that soon after he began practicing Falun Dafa, a practitioner invited him to join the Fa study group at her home which met every Tuesday night.

One Tuesday night, he had a bad headache and didn’t feel well. He told the practitioner he wouldn’t attend Fa study. She said he should study the Fa at home and not fall behind. He thought, “Yes, I should study the Fa at home.” As soon as he had this thought his head stopped hurting. He read the Fa at home at the same time the other practitioners were reading and he could feel his level elevating and all the bad substances and negative thoughts disappear. He said he experienced a strong surge of energy because his thoughts were righteous.

Many practitioners probably had similar experiences—we witnessed the magic and wonders of Dafa. However, as time passed, since we cultivate among ordinary people and are in a comfortable environment, we unconsciously begin to relax.

When I began practicing the other practitioners told me that being bitten by mosquitoes when we exercise outside is a good thing and helps eliminate karma, so we should not avoid it. I remembered their advice and I wasn’t be moved when mosquitoes bit me. However, sometimes I accidentally killed the mosquitoes or scratched. I thought: I never used to scratch, why is my endurance level so low? A month ago I started having righteous thoughts. When I was bitten by mosquitoes I endured it. In winter, the weather is cold so I wear heavier clothing and there are few mosquitoes. It’s summer now so there are more mosquitoes. Because it’s chilly in the morning when we do the exercises, I wear a long-sleeve coat. However, my hands, neck, and face are bitten by mosquitoes.

One morning a week ago during exercises at the exercise site, it was getting warm, so I took off my jacket. When I began meditating, I was bitten by many mosquitoes. My arms hurt and itched. I told myself to endure and to not touch the bites. However, the painful and itchy feelings were becoming more and more obvious and uncomfortable. I opened my eyes and saw that there were at least seven or eight mosquitoes on my arms. I then recalled what Master said in “Tempering the Will” in Hong Yin: “Let joy be found in hardship.”

I thought, practitioners in China are persecuted and tortured and they endure a great deal of pain. In comparison, this little bit of pain is nothing. I have to endure. After about 20 minutes, the mosquitoes on my left arm were gone, but it still itched. After about 10 minutes, the mosquitoes on my right arm were also gone. After another 15 minutes, both arms stopped itching. After I finished the fifth exercise and opened my eyes, I was startled. Both my arms were red and swollen and there were at least 30 mosquito bites, but they did not itch. After I completed all five exercises, the redness and swelling disappeared. So with the thought of enduring, I passed this test and eliminated a lot of karma.

Cultivation Opportunities in Everyday Life

Another practitioner said there’s a triangle-shaped vacant lot next to her home. It has some flowers and plants, and a drying rack for clothes. Next to the lot are kitchens and the back balconies of another row of houses. An old lady lives in the last house. Her actions are a bit odd and she sometimes does things that don’t make any sense.

One time, she dumped dirty water into my yard from her third floor balcony. I kindly mentioned it to her. She said she was helping me water the flowers, even though the water she dumped contained soap. I repeatedly talked with her but she did not listen. She sometimes dumped the dirty water on the clothing I was drying on the rack. I hadn’t started practicing Falun Dafa yet, so I became very angry and yelled at her. However, she persisted and kept doing this.

After I began practicing Falun Dafa, this happened less often. One morning a few days ago while I was on the phone, I heard a loud sound in the yard. I ran outside and saw that she was dumping dirty water again. I happened to have a bed sheet drying on the rack. I said to her kindly and gently, “I’m drying a bed sheet. Please stop dumping water on it.” She ignored me and kept emptying pans of dirty water. I removed the bed sheet. She continued dumping dirty water.

My husband came home and heard the noise. I said the older lady next door was dumping dirty water again. He said, “I’ll yell at her.” I said, “Please don’t. We must owe her from another lifetime.” I later told my husband that we should move the drying rack. Even though the land in the front was narrower and there was less space, we wouldn’t have to worry about things getting dirty the next time she dumped water.

After a few days, the old lady began dumping dirty water again. I was no longer moved—instead I shut the back door and ignored her. Even though it was a small thing, I knew it didn’t happen by accident. I looked inward and found that I did not like her. I also had attachments to resentment, complaining, and competitiveness. This experience helped me eliminate these attachments.

Some Thoughts After the Shen Yun Promotion

I was part of the Global Rescue Platform and made phone calls to China for more than five years. Three years ago, the local Shen Yun promotion team asked me to join the telephone invitation team. I was responsible for inviting people to the tea receptions that were hosted before the performances. The attendees were mostly heads of government, school presidents, and organization chairs.

This year, my area hosted five to six receptions, and I participated in telephone invitations. Maybe the patience, gentle tone, and compassion I developed when I was on the Global Rescue Platform moved the people I called, and I was able to successfully invite people. The other practitioners said, “You’re very good at inviting people.” I said that it’s not me—Master is helping. Master said, “Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” (Lecture one, Zhuan Falun).

The last reception was added on short notice and we began calling people a week before. The goal was one hundred attendees. Making phone calls to invite people isn’t easy, as there were many phone numbers to be called and people don’t immediately answer the phone. Some people that did not pick up would return the call, so I kept notes. Some phone numbers of organizations were not the chairperson’s, or the person was no longer in that position but the website hadn’t been updated, and the call had to be transferred around. Sometimes after a call, they didn’t immediately decide to attend, so I had to follow up. Sometimes I made phone calls all morning but no one signed up until the afternoon. The experiences truly tested my xinxing.

After making phone calls for several days in a row, I called all the numbers by Friday night but only 10 people said they would attend. My eyes were sore and painful. The next day was Saturday and the reception was on Sunday, but the goal hadn’t been reached. I did not take a break. I asked the coordinator if there were more phone numbers. That day, I successfully invited five more people. All the calls were made and my eyes stopped hurting. I felt that this was also a test for me. As long as I did not give up, Master helped me.

Through practitioners’ joint efforts, the goal was reached and the reception was successful. The coordinator said, “Inviting people to the reception cannot rely on a few practitioners. Everyone has to help. Master will help us when we form one body and have righteous thoughts. Master will bring people with predestined relationships to the theater to watch Shen Yun and we can fulfill our mission of saving sentient beings.”