Cultivating the Heart

(Minghui.org) I have been cultivating in Falun Dafa for over ten years. Whenever I think about Master’s compassion and Dafa saving sentient beings, tears cover my face.

Stepping Into Cultivation: Regaining a Healthy Body

Shortly after I began practicing Falun Dafa, I got caught in the rain on my way home. That was when I noticed I had become physically stronger.

In the past, I would catch colds at the change of seasons, and if I got wet in the rain. I got the flu three or four times a year, and had to remain in bed for a few days each time. This time, however, I was fine because I was protected by Dafa.

I had a toothache a few days later. I was hoping the toothache would disappear like the way the flu did. Yet, the pain lasted for over a month.

I often had toothaches, but this time it lasted longer than usual. I thought about the reason why I had a toothache, even though I was a Falun Dafa practitioner. The reason was that I still felt lust, which was represented by a strong desire. My thought was that my toothache would go away if I practiced Dafa, which was not a correct thought.

From Fa study I understood that I should look within myself. At that time, my comprehension of this concept was quite shallow. I kept searching within myself, but I could not find the problem. I also shared my troubles with fellow practitioners.

One day at group Fa study, I told a practitioner about my situation. She is younger than me and has been a Dafa practitioner longer than I have. She asked, “Do you believe in Master?”

Upon hearing this, I decided not to think about my tooth any longer. Instead, I believed my toothache would go away. Consequently, the toothache disappeared without me realizing it.

I was searching within myself to resolve the tooth pain, but not focusing on improving my xinxing or attempting to correct myself in cultivation. Over the past ten years, the toothache came back a few times, but the pain was not severe. When that happened, I knew I had deviated from the Fa.

Correcting Myself Through Fa Study

A colleague first introduced Dafa to me in 2011, but I did not officially become a practitioner until a year later. At that time, I did not understand the meaning of cultivation and what Dafa represented.

I followed alongside my colleague because I believed in God. Due to thought karma, I got drowsy every time I opened Zhuan Falun, the text of Falun Dafa. Contents in the book were incomprehensible to me. I opened the book every day but only read a few pages.

I also read sharing articles on the Minghui website. Through those articles, I slowly began to understand what cultivation meant, and how to search within. Although I did not come to these understandings on my own, the articles were very helpful, and they solidified my confidence in Dafa.

I learned about other practitioners by reading those articles, and I was especially impressed by practitioners in China. Falun Dafa is a righteous cultivation way that has helped countless people improve their character, gain health, and become better people.

Upon reflection, I realized that I had missed many opportunities to improve my xinxing. For example, after I had just began to cultivate in Dafa, I went to the market to buy vegetables. I paid the seller first, and went to get the produce. The seller turned around and claimed I had not paid her. I told her I had already paid, and she got angry and shouted at me. I was upset, but told myself as a cultivator that I should be able to restrain myself. So I did not say anything and paid her once again.

I felt I was wronged and had been taken advantage of. If I were not a cultivator, I would have argued back. I should have paid her after I got the vegetables instead of before hand.

Over the next several days, I still got quite angry whenever I thought about this incident. Later on when studying the Fa, I realized that my enlightenment quality was poor. My tolerance was to hold back anger like any ordinary person. If I were able to let go my human attachments, I would have improved on my cultivation path, and I probably could have helped her to see the goodness of Falun Dafa.

Through Fa study, I gradually noticed my attachments, and the concepts I formed in ordinary society. For example, I found desire for comfort, zealotry, and a self-centered mentality to name a few. Dafa purified me and allowed me to let go of my human attachments. Compared with my old self, I am now a much better person.

When experiencing tribulations, often times I believed I was taken advantage of. That was because I was not genuinely cultivating myself, and I did not act like a cultivator.

In the past, I frequently used ordinary standards to judge people. I made friends with people I thought were good, and I looked down on those who were in a worse place than me. I was afraid of people who were arrogant, and I got upset when I met someone better than me.

Once I stopped judging others, I felt happy interacting with those around me, and I no longer held hatred, fear, or felt a sense of superiority. On the contrary, I now cherish everyone I meet and I want to help them see the goodness of Dafa so they can be saved.

Dafa taught me how to live my life, and the reason for my existence. That is how I let go of fame, personal gains, competitiveness, and hatred in my life. I am able to consider others first. I used to get jealous easily. I suffered bitterly for things such as not being a high achiever in life, not getting top grades in school, and not receiving a promotion at work.

I now consider myself fortunate because I am a Dafa practitioner. I no longer compete with others. I will do well what I need to do, and receive what is meant to be mine. I am happy because of Dafa’s salvation.

Letting Others Know the Goodness of Dafa

Clarifying the truth is one of the three things Master asks us to do. A few other practitioners and I formed an exercise site at a tourist spot in our city center. We went there every day at noon to do the exercises and tell passersby about Falun Dafa.

Since I do not speak Chinese, I usually hand out pamphlets to Chinese tourists, and tell those who understand English about Dafa. Many people were excited to see us there. They took pictures of our exercise site and some did the exercises with us.

Over the past few years, due to many changes in our environment, there are much fewer tourists who pass by. As a result, I do not go to this exercise site as often. Even so, I must do my part well, so I have tried to tell everyone I meet about Falun Dafa.

However, when I talk about Falun Dafa on my own, my attachments cause interference.

I talked about Falun Dafa to patients and their families four years ago when I was taking care of my father-in-law at the hospital. No one among them picked up the practice. I was disappointed and thought that they did not approve of what I said to them. Because of that experience, my motivation for clarifying the truth slowed down.

I received an invitation from someone sometime later. Since it came from a stranger, I ignored it. A few days later, the same person sent me a text message. He said I gave him Zhuan Falun at the hospital. From chatting with him, I learned that he knew the goodness of Falun Dafa, and I realized we should not focus on results. We should just do what Master asks us to do, and Master will arrange the rest.

It is just as 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 time for our cultivation is precious. I must be more diligent, cultivate myself well, and do the three things well. Only then can I return to my original home with Master.