(Minghui.org) I am a 10-year-old practitioner of Chinese parentage who was born in the U.S. I am truly grateful that Master arranged for me to be born into a family that practices Falun Dafa, which allowed me to practice.
I had already listened to Master's Fa before I was born in my mother’s womb. As soon as I could speak, my mother taught me to recite Hong Yin II. She also began to teach me to read Zhuan Falun in Chinese, one paragraph per day. However, as I went to daycare at the age of two I conversed in English, so my Chinese was not strong. It took about two years for us to finish reading Zhuan Falun in Chinese the first time. Later, I started to read Zhuan Falun in English. I have read it seven times, along with all of Master's other lectures.
Reading Zhuan Falun in Chinese
I spent one hour a day learning to read Zhuan Falun in Chinese in the summer of 2015. Initially, I could only read several paragraphs at a time. Now, I can read the book with my parents. On days I do not attend school, I read Zhuan Falun for one hour and another hour of Master's other lectures in Chinese.
When I was five years old, my mother began to teach me the exercises. I did 30 minutes of either the standing or sitting exercise each day. When another young disciple and I were doing the sitting meditation with my mother one day, she accidentally set the CD player to 60 instead of 30 minutes. I wondered why it was so long. My legs hurt, but I refused to put them down. Since that day, I can do the exercises for 60 minutes. Although it is sometimes painful, I remember that Master said:
“Once the legs are put down, one’s practice is in vain. Once the legs are in pain, one will do some warm-ups before resuming the sitting position. We find that this serves no use whatsoever.” (Zhuan Falun)
So no matter how painful the exercises are, I will not put my legs down until the music stops. However, I do not always do so well during the wheel-holding exercise. I sometimes let my arms down when they are too tired.
When school is out for a day, I study the Fa for two hours and do the exercises for two hours. Sometimes I do not totally focus during Fa study, and I do not always close my eyes when doing the exercises. I resolved that I will do better in the future.
Video Games Harm Practitioners and Non-practitioners Alike
Like many of my friends, I was addicted to video games. Not only did I waste valuable time, but I also became disobedient. My mother deleted all of my games. I was devastated. Even though I was unable to play them anymore, I still kept thinking about them. When I saw other kids playing video games, I would stand and watch. Then, I woke up after I listened to Master's 2014 lecture in San Francisco about video games. Master said:
“They really draw people in, and have had a negative effect on everyday people as well. They make you do poorly in your work, sleep poorly, rest poorly, and make you devoid of human affection or warmth of feeling, make you neglect your family, make students neglect their studies, and entice you and draw you in. They are contributing to humankind’s destruction.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference”)
This truly helped me understand the magnitude of harm that video games can inflict. Master also said:
“All things are material. When you have heard something, it has been infused into you, and it enters your body. When you have seen something, it has entered.” (“Fa Teaching on World Falun Dafa Day”)
As a Dafa disciple, I realize that I should not play video games nor watch others play. I no longer think about them. Thank you Master for helping me overcome this attachment!
Master Eased Suffering
One day, after an orchestra rehearsal, a few students and I stayed to help clean up. A fellow student pushed a cart carrying a few dozen metal chairs. He did not see me and hit me. I fell, and the cart ran over my feet, causing a lot of pain. At that moment, I remembered that Master said, “Good or evil comes from that instant thought.” (Zhuan Falun). I therefore told the boy and myself, “I am fine.”
I fell down twice during a basketball game that same day. The ball also hit my head hard. Although this was also painful, I told myself that I was fine. I knew that my karma was being eliminated bit by bit.
When I returned home, I told my mother what happened. I said, “If I were not a Dafa practitioner, I might have been seriously hurt.” My mother praised me, telling me that I had righteous thoughts. The next day, my feet did not hurt anymore. I knew that Master had eased my suffering.
Fa Validation Activities
Both of my parents are Dafa disciples, so I have participated in Fa validation activities since before I could walk.
I have gone with my parents to participate in the Shen Yun promotion several times, distributing fliers in front of theaters, putting up posters in business districts, and hanging brochures on doors in residential areas.
My mother drives and whenever she stops in front of a house, I get out and hang a brochure on the door, then I get back into the car and go to the next house. Sometimes, the owner of the house is outside. I hand the brochure to him directly and tell him that Shen Yun is the number one show in the world and that he must see it.
Dafa Opened Wisdom
Three years ago, I began to play the violin. I hope that one day I can join Shen Yun's orchestra and help Master in the Fa Rectification.
When I was 5, my mother asked if I would like to learn the piano. I told her that I preferred the violin, although I am not quite sure why. Maybe this was something prearranged a long time ago. My mother was so busy with projects that she did not look for a music teacher for me until I was 7. She was anxious that it would be too late if I did not start immediately. We found a violin teacher who was known to be the best violin teacher in our area. Again, we knew that all of this was arranged by Master.
One of my fellow violin students is 6 months older than I. He began to play violin when he was 5 and was already in a local orchestra as I was just learning to play. I blamed my mother for not allowing me to learn to play the violin sooner. She said that if I practiced one hour more each day, I would catch up within two years. When I thought about it, I believed she was right. Master told us: “Let joy be found in hardship.” (“Tempering the Will” in Hong Yin) From then on I practiced two hours every day. Now, I practice three hours a day during the school year, and four hours a day during holidays. Perhaps because I am a Dafa disciple, I do not seek fun like other kids. However, I am calmer and can endure hardship.
Dafa has also opened up my wisdom. I did not need to be taught to read music. I immediately knew how to read, and I was able to memorize a piece after a few practice sessions. My technique is also improving very rapidly. Within a year, I was accepted by the local orchestra.
I participated in a competition at the Southwestern Youth Music Festival two years ago and won first prize in four different categories. I have already played the works of Mozart, Bach, and Mendelssohn. I know that this does not reflect how capable I am, because all the success I have was given to me by Master and Dafa. I must not allow the attachment of zealotry to get the better of me!
My violin teacher is also the conductor of my orchestra. Since he is Chinese, he once chose a communist piece from China for a concert. My mother reminded me to send righteous thoughts in order to eliminate the evil CCP elements behind the music. I continuously sent righteous thoughts during rehearsals as well as the performance. I also told my teacher that the Party's music is not good. I also sent righteous thoughts for him and asked Master to help strengthen me. He has not chosen any Party music since then.
My mother asked my teacher to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). However, he had never joined the CCP or any of its affiliated organizations. My mother lent him some Dafa books, which he has not returned. He said that he read them several times. I hope that one day, he will begin to practice Falun Dafa!
I recognize that there are many aspects of cultivation that I have not done very well in. I still have many attachments that I should eliminate. For example, I am proud and do not want to be criticized in front of others. I have a competitive mentality and in addition the desire to show off. I shall cultivate more diligently in the future. I will study the Fa well, cultivate well, and help Master save sentient beings.
Thank you Master! Thank you fellow practitioners!
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