(Minghui.org)
Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I would first like to wish the China Fahui great success. I would also like to share my experience of writing articles to cultivate myself and validate the Fa. If there is anything inappropriate, please kindly point it out.
Getting Started
Back in October 1999, I went with another practitioner from the city to an internet cafe and got onto the Minghui website. I felt that the website plays an enormous role in helping Dafa disciples to be one whole body during the persecution. It was a simple understanding.
After Master's article “Self-Evident Is the Heart” was published, practitioners in my area started to follow the Minghui website closely. We downloaded truth-clarification materials and experience sharing articles for the local practitioners.
After reading many articles, I started to wonder, “We benefit from others' experiences—shouldn’t we share our own cultivation experiences, too?” Although I had this thought, I did not put it into action because I was busy with truth-clarification projects.
It was not until May 2002, when more practitioners stepped forward to shoulder the responsibilities at the material production site, that I had some free time. At the time, Jiang Zemin was visiting other countries, and practitioners all over the world had set times to send righteous thoughts together. I saw some scenes through my celestial eye and wrote about them. Minghui published what I wrote, and from that point on, I have followed this path to validate the Fa.
As I wrote, I realized that my understandings in some areas improved, and I would also revisit things that Master had said to quote them. There are still times when I really benefit from a particular sentence and decide to read the whole Fa-teaching again.
Overcoming Interference and Having Righteous Thoughts and Actions
The biggest interference when I first start to write articles was interference from the many impure things in my own dimension. These things did not wish to be exposed or eliminated, so they struggled to obstruct and interfere, keeping me from recalling what I intended to write.
There was also a voice that said, “Give up. This is not your path.” Sometimes I felt giddy and my body ached.
The weird thing was, once I put down my pen, I became very alert, but when I picked up my pen, all the uncomfortable symptoms surfaced. I had to rest for two days after writing my first article.
I was convinced that this was what I should be doing, because I felt that I was being selfish if I did not share my understandings of the Fa.
When I identified that this was my path, the interference lessened and I could think clearly. I could write an article more quickly than typing it on the computer.
Initially, another practitioner helped to type up my article after I had written it, but then couldn’t continue. I knew that I could not stop writing just because no one was able to assist me.
I discussed this with my practitioner mother, and with other practitioners’ help, we bought a desktop computer and deskjet printer. They taught me how to use them, and I learned the basic operations in a short time.
Due to the persecution, the material production site in our area was destroyed in May 2003. As a result, I had to take on responsibility for the material production site and buy the necessary supplies. I got very busy and was extremely tired.
I recited Master's poem “Righteous Thoughts and Righteous Actions” to encourage myself. Even when I got home at 10 p.m. after work, I studied the Fa before starting to write. There were times when I forgot that I was hungry.
Amazing Experiences
Many amazing things have happened as I wrote articles, and I would like to share two of them.
Once I didn’t know how to continue after writing the opening of an experience sharing article. I was tired, so I decided to lie down. My main consciousness left my body, and Master took it somewhere to see things. When my main consciousness returned to my body, I knew how to continue the article after thinking about what I had seen.
Another time, I was writing about Udumbara flowers. This article was about using supernatural powers to validate the Fa. My hand started to hurt when I was typing the article, and I enlightened that something was wrong. I realized that I should not include everything I had seen, because there are some things that are not suitable to put into print. The pain disappeared after I removed those sentences.
When I study the Fa more, I know what is wrong with an article and can fix it. Sometimes, however, it seemed too troublesome and I did not want to edit the article, which meant more work for the Minghui editors. I apologize for this.
Cultivating Myself and Removing Human Attachments
As more of my articles were published on Minghui.org and other websites, many practitioners were wanting to interact with me, because they knew that my celestial eye was open. They hoped that I could help them resolve problems in their cultivation. This was one of the problems that I encountered externally.
Internally, I had a sense of accomplishment after my articles were published. When many practitioners were interested in me, attachments to zealotry and validating myself started to surface.
I studied the Fa more after realizing that this was not right. I purposely changed the direction of my articles to focus on practitioners' cultivation and experiences in validating the Fa. That was how I discovered the selflessness of a cultivator and that the power of the Fa could be seen in many practitioners' bodies.
For instance, an elderly practitioner wanted to start a material production site in her home, because it was so hard for her to travel to pick up materials. Master arranged for someone to teach her, and she overcame many difficulties to learn basic computer skills.
Another practitioner took on the responsibility of delivering materials after one of her family members was arrested. Although she had financial difficulties with two children to feed, she delivered the materials to other practitioners, rain or shine.
A couple in their 80s produced materials at home. They had a problem with their printer, and the coordinator took me to their house to fix it. I was in tears when I thought of those two, who were not afraid of hard work and were doing such a great thing to save people when they could have just been enjoying life at their age.
Compared to those practitioners who are on the front line clarifying the truth, I was ashamed of my attachment to zealotry and validating myself after writing a few articles.
I recalled that many practitioners—even practitioners in the labor camps—told me that they read many of my articles. I looked within when I heard this and asked myself, “Why are they telling me this? Which human attachments are they pointing out?”
I eventually understood two things. First, it was a test to see if I still had the attachment to zealotry and sense of accomplishment. Second, I realized that, although my articles could have a righteous effect, when it came to articles about using supernatural powers, practitioners' human attachment to seeking novelty were aroused. I regretted that it brought interference to the whole body.
When I realized this, I started using different pen names or didn’t use any name at all, because I felt that I should not stop writing articles, but I should also not cause unrest among practitioners. I also changed my style of writing. That way, no one could easily figure out that I had written it. Over time, the human attachments disappeared.
Changing pen names and my writing style resolved the problem superficially. What was critical, however, was whether I could truly validate the Fa and not validate myself. It was also important to see myself as a practitioner and treat others kindly.
To do this, I needed to overcome many human notions. I am from a lower class in society and did not have much talent except when it came to writing. So I started to compare myself with others based on this skill. I knew that this was not good, as I was placing emphasis on social class. This was also a huge obstacle preventing me from being diligent.
Through studying the Fa, I discovered that I will fall down and have less wisdom when I want to validate myself. When I realized this, I became more low-profile and also cultivated my speech better.
I have become more mature in the years since, and I now cooperate with other practitioners regardless of where I am. I write my articles quietly and do not feel a need for others to know that I am the one who wrote them. I am content as long as I can fulfill my vow.
If practitioners interact with me, I will only share my own understanding and will never tell them what to do, because I do not want another practitioner to rely on or admire me.
I often say, “As long as we calm our hearts and study Master's Fa, all problems can be resolved. Everyone's path is different and what others say is their understanding. Even with the same problem, everyone's situation is different and everyone has a different solution. Which means that we have to learn to truly enlighten from the Fa in order to resolve problems.”
Sharing My Experience and Encouraging Others to Use Their Pens to Validate the Fa
I’ve met many practitioners who wish to write down their understandings and experiences, but do not know how to start. When they ask me, I often tell them that there are many ways to write an article, but the most basic thing is to express it clearly.
For example, when you encounter something, describe it clearly, explain why it happened, and tell how it affected your belief in Master and the Fa and what you enlightened to from it. This is the basic method. Fear of facing difficulties is a human attachment, including the urge to save yourself the trouble or to let someone else write about it. That is relying on others.
I do not mean that all practitioners should write articles. What I do mean is that those who wish to use this method to validate the Fa can write articles, and they will help other practitioners and themselves. Others can learn from your experiences. This will be helpful to the whole body.
Regardless of the type of article, practitioners who wish to write articles should look at how similar articles are written and the author's point of view. It will help to improve their own writing.
I would also like to emphasize that writing articles does not represent a practitioner's cultivation state. He or she writes because that is how the person has chosen the validate the Fa. The Minghui editorial department has pointed this out previously, so we need to pay special attention to this.
I have gained some experience after writing articles for 15 years. Initially, my articles often pinpointed other practitioners' shortcomings, but I came to realize later that I should not just criticize. I should have a compassionate heart in thinking about practitioners and Dafa. I no longer criticize others and now hope to improve with other practitioners.
Articles that clarify the truth or share an opinion should be written so that everyday people find them easily acceptable. If we are dogmatic and come across as having a superior attitude, we turn them away, and this will keep them from understanding the truth.
Conclusion
In summary, when I study the Fa and send forth righteous thoughts well, writing an article comes easily. If I am writing for the sake of writing, things don’t go well and the outcome will be less than ideal.
In addition, we should not be too attached to the Fa-rectification project we are involved in because that is an attachment the evil will exploit. I have experience in this.
I remember that I had a computer problem when I was in a hurry to write an article on validating the Fa. I was anxious and applied for leave from my company. I took the computer to the city to have it repaired, and when I gave it to a practitioner to check it over, the computer was suddenly locked with a password. I realized that it was because I was too attached to writing the article, which allowed the evil to exploit my gap. It was two weeks before the computer was fixed.
I remember that a practitioner wrote an article a few years back for the China Fahui, titled, “I Would Still Want to Be a Falun Dafa Disciple If I Were to Choose Again.” I was moved by the article. Although I have written different kinds of the articles over these 15 years, I have benefited greatly from the articles written by other practitioners and would like to thank all of them and the editors. I would also like to use this opportunity to thank all practitioners who have supported and encouraged me.
Lastly, I would like to tell everyone: We must cherish the title of “Dafa disciples” in this life and do well. This opportunity to validate the Fa is hard to come by, and we must cherish every second that Master had extended for us and also fulfill our mission.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners.
Heshi.
Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions or understandings. All content published on this website are copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
