(Clearwisdom.net) I started on my Falun Dafa cultivation path in November 2002. The first time I watched a truth-clarifying CD, I felt both deep indignation and respect. On a VCD I saw some practitioners doing the standing exercises, holding the wheel above the head. This made me remember a dream of 11 years ago. A tall teacher taught me a movement -- this movement was "holding the wheel above the head." In the dream, when I raised my arms, a strong energy current went through my body, from top to bottom. This strong feeling lasted for a few seconds, after which I woke up. I was shocked. The memory of the dream was imprinted in my mind. For the next 11 years, I searched for this cultivation way. I learned 5 qigong practices, yet none of them taught the movement of my dream. When watching the CD, I realized that Falun Dafa was the fundamental cultivation way of the cosmos that I had looked for all these years. My excitement was beyond words.
I started to cultivate 10 years after Teacher Li brought Falun Gong to the public. I knew I was late in learning it. However, I did not become attached to the lateness. I said to myself that maybe Teacher Li arranged it this way. I made up my mind to keep up with the progress of Fa-rectification, cultivate diligently, and do the three things that Teacher asked us to do well.
1. Studying the Fa and Sending Forth Righteous Thoughts
It took me just three days to listen to the 9-session Fa-lecture audiotapes. I could not hear enough of the immense and profound principles. During the following 6 months, I listened to the audiotapes over and over again, for 3 to 4 hours daily, starting after dinner until late at night. Sometimes I even listened for 5 to 6 hours per day. Therefore, I finished the 9 sessions in about 5 days. Every time I listened to the tapes, I enlightened to new principles.
At the same time, I also read Zhuan Falun. As I worked full-time, I had little spare time. Consequently, I took over two months to finish the book the first time. There was a time afterwards during which I felt sleepy or my thoughts drifted when reading Zhuan Falun. Later on another practitioner shared their understanding that when reading Zhuan Falun the first time, one should read the entire book in a little over one week, an average of one lecture per day. A veteran practitioner once told me, "Because it took you so long to finish the book the first time, you may be prone to evil interference later on." This was a strong lesson. When reading Zhuan Falun later, I paid more attention to eliminating interference. I also chose the time of the day when I was most energetic, such as early in the morning (around 4 a.m.) or after my afternoon nap. As time went by, the effect of my Fa study gradually showed itself more and more. When I was able to read the book with a calm mind, I felt as if Teacher Li was beside me. My body felt so different, I could understand better and deeper the Fa and read much faster. In the past two years, I have read through Zhuan Falun and listened to the audiotapes at least 80 times. Now, I read Zhuan Falun daily. Once in a while, I listen to the 9-day lecture series audiotapes and read through all other Dafa books and new articles between, 1 and 3 times. I feel that in keeping up with the progress of Fa-rectification, I should first study the Fa well. At the same time, I carefully read Minghui.org (Chinese version of Clearwisdom) daily and have benefited much from reading the website.
Three months ago, I began to memorize Zhuan Falun. I read through a paragraph many times, then tried to memorize the paragraph. Every day, I try to recite the sections I memorized the previous day, and then start to memorize new sections. When I try to memorize the book, I feel my body is filled with energy, as if I melt into Dafa and become a part of Dafa. I spent 3 to 4 hours daily to memorize the book, and finished memorizing the first lecture in 6 weeks. I am in my 60s, so memorizing the book takes more time. I also seem to forget some parts after a while and need to work on them again. However, I am not memorizing the book just for the sake of doing so. I use the method to study the Fa. Through memorizing Zhuan Falun, I feel that my understandings of Dafa principles have much improved.
In "Touring North America to Teach the Fa," Teacher said,
"Sending forth righteous thoughts is another really magnificent thing for our Dafa disciples."
A few days after I started to cultivate, I began to send forth righteous thoughts. Aside from the 4 times a day, when all practitioners send forth righteous thoughts (SFRT) together, sometimes I add a few times. I followed the suggestions on the Minghui website every time. Recently, I feel better and better when I SFRT.
2. Promoting Falun Dafa
After I began to cultivate Falun Dafa, I felt that I should tell more people about Falun Dafa, so I returned to the city where I used to work and promoted Falun Dafa there. I gave copies of Zhuan Falun, the 9-session audiotapes, and truth-clarifying CDs to my friends. Some are old friends and some are friends that have practiced other forms of qigong'. I also invited some friends to my home and introduced Falun Dafa to them. One friend who had practiced another qigong was shocked by the profound principles of Falun Dafa after listening to only one session of the 9-session audiotape series. That friend wanted to quit the other qigong immediately and learn Falun Dafa instead. Of the 8 people I introduced to Falun Dafa, six of them indicated that they wanted to cultivate in Falun Dafa. Most of these six are rather diligent. Soon, they introduced Falun Dafa to their friends and relatives. As a result, there were more than 10 new practitioners in a few months. The new practitioners formed a Fa study group, which keeps growing steadily.
During group Fa study, we frequently shared our experiences in different ways. We hold a small-scale experience sharing conference every three months, during which we discuss how to do the three things well, as well as some issues about cultivation.
As the number of practitioners in our group grew, we needed more Falun Dafa books and truth-clarifying materials. I continued to photocopy books and materials and make copies of the audiotapes; I also buy Falun Dafa books at used book sales - sometimes I could find several books at a time.
In the process of promoting Falun Dafa to my friends and relatives, I also met veteran practitioners who had obtained Falun Dafa before the persecution started. In my former work unit, there used to be a practice site where over 10 practitioners used to practice in a group setting. After July 20, 1999, these practitioners stopped practicing Falun Gong. I found the former assistant and shared my experiences with him. I gave him Teacher Li's new articles and truth-clarifying materials. In the beginning, he had all kinds of excuses, including poor eyesight, and refused to read the materials I brought. He also returned the truth-clarifying CD I gave him, saying that he did not know how to open the files on the computer. I decided to invite him to my home. He came and we watched the truth-clarification CD together. However, the former assistant still did not step forward. I tried to share my experiences with other veteran practitioners whenever I could find them. After sharing, some of them wanted to continue practicing and accepted the truth-clarifying materials, but others were still poisoned by the propaganda that constantly defames and slanders Falun Dafa. I felt that there was much more work to be done.
3. Clarifying the truth
A few months after I started my cultivation, I began to clarify the truth to the public. I clarify the truth to the people I know well and trust personally, or talk to them from a third party angle. I also gave them the truth-clarifying materials. I spent most of my time distributing truth-clarifying fliers and video CDs to people. I leave the materials at telephone booths, shops, supermarkets, markets, residential buildings, front yards of small business owners, baskets on bikes, buses and taxis, and even in the backpacks of farmers.
The place where I began practicing Falun Dafa was over 100 miles (roughly) from the city I live in. In my city, we could get articles from Minghui.org and limited amounts of truth-clarifying fliers only once in several months. Before we could get in touch with other local practitioners, we made our own fliers. One method is to make more copies from the fliers we have; another method is to print paragraphs of suitable articles from Minghui.org, piece them together into a flier, then make copies in a printing and photocopying service store. This is a temporary way of producing truth-clarifying materials until we can establish a (truth-clarifying) materials production site.
One needs to be careful about picking a location to make photocopies of truth-clarification materials. Before I go into a store, I first send forth righteous thoughts. We also pay attention to the cooperation between practitioners, and we usually go together in small groups. I think that picking a kind-hearted owner is important. We talk to the owners. We know that a kind hearted owner would not report the practitioners to the persecutors even if he or she refuses to provide the service. Of course, if an owner comes to understand the truth about Falun Dafa and is willing to help us, he or she is choosing a bright future for himself or herself.
We tried 6 photocopy shops. Finally, with the efforts of a new practitioner, we found a reliable one. We deliver the materials to be photocopied to the store, and pick up the photocopied materials a couple of days later. Once when we went there to pick up the photocopied materials, the owners were reading the truth-clarifying fliers.
After we receive a new truth-clarifying CD, we used the above method and find a place to copy more CDs, ensuring safety and quality.
As more practitioners joined our Fa study group, we needed more materials. Some veteran practitioners also helped to photocopy materials. In making, photocopying, and distributing the materials, we divided the work among us and paid attention to safety at all times. The practitioners cooperated well with each other, and every one participates in clarifying the truth and distributing truth-clarifying materials. We are happy about the fact that more people are learning the truth.
There are also lessons we have learned. Once I passed a clothing store. Originally, I was not thinking about distributing fliers there. Yet I returned after passing the store and left some truth-clarifying materials casually. My action was discovered by the owner of the store, who got upset and said to me when I was leaving, "Take your stuff away." I realized that a police station was nearby, so I took the materials and left without further talking to the owner. Soon the store closed. I learned from the lesson: I was not rational, too casual, and was without righteous thoughts. With an ordinary person's mentality, one cannot save sentient beings.
Another lesson I learned was about making truth-clarifying fliers. A practitioner once handed me a flier. It read, "From Xinhua.net" (Xinhua is a primary mouthpiece for Chinese government state-run media) I had some doubts in my mind, "How come it is not from Minghui?" After reading the flier, I thought the materials to be good, as it discussed restoring the reputation of Falun Gong. So I photocopied it. After reading Teacher's article "In Fa-Rectification Your Thoughts Have to be Righteous, Not Human," I realized that my human being's notions were still very strong. I was ashamed of myself, and burned all copies of the flier from Xinhua.net that I had not been able to distribute.
In conclusion, I think there is much I could do better in clarifying the truth. I still am rather fearful. After hearing that some practitioners were arrested while clarifying the truth, or that the police were patrolling the streets more frequently, I stayed at home for a while. I have only gone to the rural areas once to clarify the truth. In the rural areas, when I saw the pure eyes of the farmers who wish to be saved, I felt the urgency of the situation and know I need to do more. In the cities, especially the city I live in, we have not clarified the truth to people in the government administrative offices. Most residents of this city enjoy good living conditions, but they are poisoned more deeply by the evil propaganda. They live in residential areas surrounded by tall walls and guarded by security staff around the clock. Furthermore, each apartment is equipped with electronic monitoring systems outside the door. As a result, it is more difficult to distribute truth-clarifying materials. I feel that my responsibility is very heavy. I know that as long as we hold the thought of saving the sentient beings, we will find ways to do so.
I am determined to make the best use of the time in doing the three things that all Falun Dafa practitioners should do: "clarifying the truth, sending forth righteous thoughts, and studying the Fa."
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