(Minghui.org) I am a Chinese student currently studying in Toronto, Canada. By pure chance I watched a program on NTDTV titled “Prophecies and Life” last September and was totally awestruck. I had a sudden realization that I should practice Falun Dafa right away. Since then I have never looked back. This past year of cultivation brought me a new life and words cannot describe my happiness. I can only share my experience below as a token of appreciation to Master.
I found a job in my hometown after graduating college and figured I'd just live the rest of my life there. However, what I did and saw at work made me feel totally lost. I had to attend endless business entertainment events and grew increasingly tired of them. My colleagues were all working like crazy to make more money and get more promotions. There seemed to be nothing wrong with striving for a better life materially, but somehow I felt empty and heavy deep inside.
During one period of time, I'd cry every night after returning home from work. I didn't know what direction I should take in my life, and I was pained that I couldn't see the purpose of my life.
My parents ran out of ideas to cheer me up and they offered to sponsor me to study abroad. Just like that, I “escaped” to Toronto.
While standing on the balcony of my 14 th floor apartment and enjoying the sunset on my very first night in Toronto, I felt at ease and peaceful in my heart.
I spent a lot of time surfing online during my spare time. I was elated to come across the Epoch Times website since it covered a lot of news that was banned in China. Later I also began to watch New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV), including their Falun Dafa programs. Back then I was just curious to see things not reported in China and didn't have any thought of becoming a Dafa practitioner myself.
Then, on September 2, 2012, I came across an NTDTV program titled “Prophecies and Life” that discussed the Mayan apocalypse. I had always believed in the Mayan apocalypse and was amazed by this TV program. I had a sudden realization that I should practice Falun Dafa right away to secure a brighter future for myself.
I read the entire book Zhuan Falun that very day and was at a loss for words to express how I felt afterwards. I suddenly understood why ancient people said they would have no regrets if they learned the Dao in the morning and then died in the evening. I found answers to questions that had been puzzling me for years and came to see the purpose of life. I felt unprecedentedly light and was ecstatic to have found my Master.
During the first three months of my cultivation in Falun Dafa, I studied all of Master's teachings and also followed the exercise videos to practice the movements. These were the happiest days of my life. Every day I basked in Master's immense grace. As I studied the Fa more and more, I felt more tranquil and at peace. I was able to enlighten to more Fa principles with each additional session of Fa study. I had different sensations when sitting in meditation. I felt that Master was by my side at all times.
From the time I started practicing Falun Dafa, however, I had a strong attachment to time. Since I had no doubt about the Mayan apocalypse, I was very worried that I only had four months to go before December 21, 2012 – “doomsday” – arrived. I knew Dafa disciples should do all three things well, but I figured that, as a new practitioner, I had better cultivate myself well first. As such, I only talked to a few people about Falun Dafa and seldom sent forth righteous thoughts since I had trouble concentrating.
December 21, 2012, came, but the world didn't end. The night before I could hardly fall asleep since I didn't want to miss anything that might happen. When everything remained normal as the day broke, I suddenly felt extremely moved. The inaccuracy of the Mayan apocalypse made me realize that it must be Master that had changed everything. I immediately had deep admiration for Master and completely let go of my attachment to time.
This January I thought to try sending forth righteous thoughts again, but was still bothered by uncontrollable wild thoughts. Just when I wanted to give up, I saw a reminder suddenly pop up on my computer screen that read, “You have removed more than 400 G junk documents.” I hadn't clicked any buttons to initiate this task, so it must have been that Master was giving me a hint me that I was ready to send forth righteous thoughts. Since then I have been doing it at the four set global times every day.
When the spring semester started later in January, I was still cultivating all by myself. I once saw a few practitioners handing out truth-clarification materials and thought they looked really sacred and beautiful. I admired them for being so upright but was afraid to do the same since I feared people might reject me.
Every day when I read Minghui articles about fellow practitioners clarifying the facts to people, it felt like someone was asking me why I hadn't stepped forward to do the same.
As I studied the Fa more and more, I realized that every human being came for the Fa, yet they've gotten mired in their pursuits of fame and material interests. They not only forgot their belief in gods, but also were prejudiced against Dafa. I felt sorry for them when I thought about their miserable outcomes, so I finally made up my mind to clarify the facts as well.
However, I had no clue about where to find local practitioners and I no longer saw any of them out in public.
Then I found an ad in the Epoch Times about a nine-day seminar to watch Master's video lectures. I immediately signed up for the late-February session. During the seminar, many of the factors that prevented me from stepping forward were removed, and I truly felt there was nothing to worry about since assisting Master with the Fa-rectification was the most righteous thing to do. Only the evil should be afraid.
At the conclusion of the seminar, a fellow practitioner offered to take me to Chinatown to give out truth-clarification materials. Not long afterwards I was invited to join another truth-clarification project. To me, all these were precious opportunities, and I was determined to make good use of them.
Master taught us in “Solid Cultivation” (Hong Yin):
"Study the Fa and gain the Fa, Focus on how you study and cultivate, Let each and every thing be measured against the Fa. Only then, with that, is it actually cultivation."
Cultivation is really serious. During my one year of cultivation, I could feel Master setting higher and higher requirements for me every step of the way. Sometimes I realized that I should have done better but still forgot to do well when things came up again. I knew I lacked righteous thoughts.
But I believe that as long as I have firm faith in Master and strive forward diligently, I will be worthy of Master's compassionate salvation.