(Clearwisdom.net) After reading articles presented by practitioners at the Seventh Internet Experience Sharing Conference, I feel that Fa-rectification has moved to another stage. Last year's conference articles mostly discussed matters related to doing the three things well, and not many articles talked about clarifying the facts face-to-face. At this year's conference, however, almost all of the presenters have shared their experience of clarifying the truth face-to-face.
If everyone was able to get rid of fear and clarify the facts face-to-face, there would be no room for the evil. When Teacher first said that Shen Yun Performing Arts would soon perform in China, of course I believed Teacher's words, but I couldn't really imagine how that could ever be done. However, now I understand better. If, apart from a small group of evil elements, everyone was willing to listen to practitioners clarify the facts about Dafa, then of course Shen Yun would win approval to go to China.
Aside from clarifying the facts face-to-face, most presenters at the conference also talked about the importance of sending forth righteous thoughts. Below I want to share my understanding that has emerged from reading the conference articles over the past four days.
The article that really made an impression on me was titled "Cultivating Myself in My Work Environment and Saving Sentient Beings" (http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2010/11/28/121661.html). This fellow cultivator was a middle school teacher who said: "In order to clarify the truth to students, I had to first make sure the teachers understood the truth about Dafa. I spoke about Dafa to the teachers while they were gathered in public areas because, first, I wouldn't have the time to talk to them individually; second, I felt that there was nothing to hide about cultivating; and third, I hoped this would make them less timid about listening to the truth. If they understood the truth, the teachers could also help to spread it. Lastly, through openly discussing any misunderstandings or reservations they had, they gained a better understanding of what Dafa is. This would help when they heard me clarifying the truth to their students or heard students saying, 'Falun Dafa is good!'"
I am also a teacher, but I still haven't directly clarified the facts to my students, but only handed out copies of The Epoch Times at appropriate opportunities or given them some related articles. In the college where I've taught, students don't usually stay to talk to the teacher after class, so it's hard to find the time to tell them the facts. Now, however, I think I should change my approach and first try to understand my students' attitude toward Falun Dafa. If I find that some students are not respectful toward Dafa, then I should directly clarify the facts to them.
Another article that deeply moved me was by a Hebei Dafa practitioner Qingxiu titled "Truly Believing in Master Li and Dafa, Going All Out to Save Sentient Beings" (http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2010/11/20/121514.html). It discussed the obstacles scholars and intellectuals have in studying the Fa.
This fellow practitioner placed a lot of importance on Fa study and emphasized improving on the basis of Fa principles. He always thought that his Fa study was good and that he believed in Teacher and the Fa, but in the past year his cultivation became stagnant and an unknown obstacle held him back. One time while eating a meal, he shared his problem with a family member who was also a Dafa cultivator. The family member said: "You should not always try to reach a conclusion. It is not for you to do research. Master once said that the only thing you need to do is to follow what He said. If Master has not explained something, you will not be able to find out why, no matter how hard you try with the human mindset."
I am also a scholar, and while studying the Fa, without realizing it, I've always used the research methods that I am accustomed to. For this reason, my Fa study has not been good in the past few years. For a long time, I have been unable to see the Fa's deeper principles, and sometimes I even became suspicious toward the Fa. Fortunately, I've always believed that compassionate Teacher is saving sentient beings, and so I was able to persist with my cultivation. From today on, I will definitely change the bad habits that I have developed in studying the Fa.
Another practitioner shared that her relationship with her husband was not good, and it reached the point where, in a drunken fury, he wanted to dig a grave and bury her. She calmed down, looked within and found her attachments. She discovered that in the previous years, all of her chaotic thoughts had built up and were tossing about in her head like a stormy sea. For a long time, she had not become clear about them and allowed them to become stronger, enduring them on the surface but lacking kindness in her heart, looking outward, focusing on other people's shortcomings and not cultivating herself. She would boss her husband around without kindness in her speech and sometimes would argue and quarrel with him. But this time, she did not pin the blame on her husband, but calmly talked things over. He then realized that he had a dangerous temper when he was drunk. She sent forth righteous thoughts, and at the same time changed her arrogant attitude at home. She started thinking more about others, discussed matters big and small with her husband, and started "treating the other as a guest in one's home," as the saying goes. As her xinxing improved, her husband also began to change for the better. The environment at home became peaceful. She realized that looking within and cultivating oneself is the key to raising one's gong.
I also had this problem - my relationship with my husband was not good. As a university teacher, I spend most days doing research. I don't have many chances to meet with people, so I don't get into many conflicts. But my biggest obstacle in cultivation was the conflicts I've had with my husband. During one period of time, conflicts continually erupted and I felt that I had no way to come through. I really didn't know what the problem was and how to resolve it. It went on until one day my grandmother called me and asked how I was doing. I then told her about the problems between my husband and I. After talking for a while, I raised my head and saw Teacher's Fashen before my eyes. I suddenly realized that the conflicts with my husband continued because I occasionally vented about them to my grandmother. After finding the root of my attachment, I quickly felt my body become light, and from that time onward, I resolved to never talk about my husband's shortcomings with others. From then on, my relationship with my husband has become peaceful.
I also had a big realization on the matter of sending forth righteous thoughts. Almost every conference article raised the importance of sending forth righteous thoughts. One was titled "Validating the Fa with Righteous Thoughts" (http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2010/11/10/121345.html). The author said when he learned of Teacher's instruction about sending forth righteous thoughts in October 2001, he didn't fully grasp the essentials at first and only recited the formulas that Teacher had given. Since then, however, he has persisted in sending forth righteous thoughts for 15 minutes every hour. He sends forth righteous thoughts well over 10 times per day everyday.
He said: "When I send forth righteous thoughts now, although my body is motionless, everything inside of my body is moving. When my mind is really concentrated, I don't feel the existence of the body, only the thought of eliminating the evil."
Although he cannot see anything through his celestial eye when sending forth righteous thoughts, he believes that the power of his righteous thoughts is boundless, because Teacher said "Dafa Disciples' Righteous Thoughts are Powerful" (Essentials for Further Advancement II). He went through a period of sluggishness, where he would doze off or have messy thoughts, or his upright palm would slump while sending forth righteous thoughts. He realized that as soon as he relaxed himself, the evil took advantage of his loopholes, so we must advance without stopping and not become self-satisfied or seek comfort. As soon as the human mindset arises, we immediately take a step backward.
This really jolted me into action, because I also cultivate in a locked state where I cannot see anything, and sometimes I've doubted that my righteous thoughts have power. For this reason, while sending forth righteous thoughts, I've often just gone through the motions and descended into messy thoughts after a short while. Only recently did I realize this problem, and reading this article it felt like it was directed straight at me.
Reading fellow cultivators' experiences can strengthen our righteous thoughts, help us find our shortcomings and better understand the process of Fa-rectification. Articles on Clearwisdom are often very good. For this reason, everyone should regularly visit the website and read practitioners' cultivation articles. This way, we will improve much faster.
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