(Clearwisdom.net)
It has been more than two years since I started practicing Falun Gong seriously. Soon after I first learned about Falun Gong, I did not really practice the exercises or read the books much, and I was not willing to participate in Falun Gong activities. I did not even know about sending forth righteous thoughts. Fellow practitioners had been encouraging me to take part in various activities, including group Fa study and experience sharing, but I made excuses and avoided them. I was not able to get rid of my ordinary person's mentality until I faced a serious test.
The tribulation I encountered caused me intense physical and mental pain. My body was in constant agony, and I had chaotic and demonic thoughts. Often I felt as if I had no consciousness at all, as if helplessly floating in another dimension. The feeling of my body being torn apart sent me into depression. Even though I kept Master Li's teachings in mind, in particular - keeping a clear main consciousness, that Falun is rotating continuously and the Buddha Law is boundless - the old forces kept using my attachments to their advantage and interfered with me because I was not firm in cultivating Dafa.
One day in a dream, Master gave me hints. I was made to understand that because I was not firm in my belief in Dafa, in an instant the evil was able to be very big, and I, very small. This deficient thought resulted in my persecution by the evil in other dimensions. I also saw that Master Li was enduring huge suffering for Dafa practitioners while I was avoiding this fact and afraid to face my own responsibility. At that moment, even though I felt helpless in my mind, I had one thought that I could not let Master keep suffering for me. I understood that I must be clear minded and firmly believe in Dafa, believe in Master. When my thought was corrected, a miraculous serenity arose in my mind - it was a peaceful and benevolent state of mind, without any hatred, fear or anger.
I knew that Master was benevolently helping me. I wanted to firmly follow Master Li and not avoid my attachments anymore. When this thought emerged in my mind, I suddenly felt that the separation between "human" and "god" is very slight. Again in a dream, Master Li smiled at me and then disappeared. I also experienced a very big change. I saw that my body grew bigger and bigger while the evil spirits shrunk smaller and smaller. At last, as soon as I waved my hand, the evil spirit was eliminated. When the attachment is removed, the difficulties and evil are rendered trivial.
After I woke up, with deep sincerity, I told Master Li in my mind that I had understood his benevolent and awakening message. Several days later, my suffering also vanished.
From then on I actively took part in truth clarification efforts. I distributed Dafa materials, went to the immigration office to tell the truth to people from Mainland China, took part in media work, and, together with other practitioners, formed a platform to clarify the truth to merchants, social organizations and associations with ties to China.
Validating Dafa with Each of My Deeds in Daily Life
One time I went to visit one of my most difficult customers. I had dealt with this customer for more than two years, and experienced many difficulties with him. Because the customer did not have a good impression of me, he used to create troubles intentionally or unintentionally for me. Sometimes he would provide a lame argument and deliberately make my work more difficult. One time he made me run back and forth four to five times in vain verifying account records and delaying my other work.
I had decided that this time I would have a serious argument with him. But when I thought of the Dafa principles in the book - that every practitioner's karma is arranged to test one's xinxing in various environments - and that when it's difficult to endure, a practitioner can endure it - and when it's impossible to do, a practitioner can do it - I controlled myself quite well.
Some time later, I went to visit him again. He created troubles for me again as usual. But this time I had a chat with him. I told him that I practice Falun Gong and explained the truth to him. His facial expression showed anxiety and suspicion. I asked him why he was anxious. He then told me that a couple living next door to his sister's home also practice Falun Gong. He told me they were arrested when they went to visit their relatives in China. From this knowledge he had a negative impression about Falun Gong.
I explained the truth to him in depth. He asked me if my good temperament was related to practicing Falun Gong. I answered, "yes." In practicing Falun Gong, as long as one keeps reading the books and cultivating one's mind nature, every one will become very kind.
Clarifying the Truth to a Merchant from China
One time when I was talking about the facts to a merchant from China, he was unwilling to listen. I became somewhat frustrated. I looked inside for my shortcomings, and finally I came to understand the reason. Because I was too anxious and did not pay attention to the ability of ordinary people to understand, I was telling him the truth at too high a level for him to comprehend. I then calmed my mind and talked to him again. I told him how I felt that Dafa was helping me. Then when I talked about the "big leap forward" mentioned in the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, he started showing interest. We talked further and he positively affirmed that the Nine Commentaries are telling the truth. Seeing that he had such a big change I was deeply touched. Clarifying the truth really is the key to open all the locks.