(Minghui.org) I would like to share my thoughts regarding a coordinator in China. Many practitioners still cannot regard the Fa as our teacher and rely too much on coordinators. This has caused problems that have affected our cultivation environment, as well as the validating of Dafa.
The following are some of the dynamics that have occurred in our region. I hope that fellow practitioners will understand the needs of Teacher's Fa-rectification and stop blindly follow coordinators and depending on them too much. Instead, we should walk our own paths.
Coordinators in China Play a Special Role During This Special Period
When the persecution started, many practitioners were shocked by the arrogance of the communist party and did not know what to do, although they did know that Dafa was good.
Some practitioners took the lead and, despite great pressure, stepped forward to disseminate the facts about the persecution. They helped other practitioners to validate Dafa and organized sites to produce informational materials. These practitioners became coordinators and played a positive role.
When practitioners improved their wisdom and abilities, coordinators no longer needed to take care of everything. If coordinators then still made arrangements for other practitioners most or all of the time, they unintentionally deviated from the Fa and disturbed Teacher’s orderly arrangements.
Areas in which practitioners were severely persecuted were not necessarily good places for coordinators. It they were regarded as being prominent, they were vulnerable to severe persecution. This was especially true in several parts of our region of Heilongjiang Province, where practitioners blindly followed the directions of coordinators. In other regions where there is no coordinator, things have been safer overall, and no one had been arrested for years. Practitioners have been able to clarify the facts to people in a peaceful environment.
We noticed that in an area where the role of the coordinator was over emphasized, practitioners relied too much on that individual instead of on their own abilities. In areas where practitioners were not dependent on a coordinator, they regarded the Fa as their teacher and walked a great way that is without form.
A Coordinator Is Also a Practitioner
Cultivation of xinxing has nothing to do with how many tasks one does. A coordinator also has to cultivate and might have even more issues to deal with than other practitioners.
Because many practitioners in China have a misunderstanding that coordinators cultivate better, they follow whatever the coordinator says, without considering whether the coordinator’s suggestions are aligned with the Fa. For example, a practitioner suggested that we distribute informational material on a large scale. He asked the coordinator to organize various areas to work together, but the coordinator did not take any action. Thus, this idea was shelved and no one did anything.
Actually, it was not necessary for every area to work on this, and we did not have to wait for the coordinator’s approval. When a Dafa disciple has an idea, and it’s aligned with the Fa, he or she should go ahead and do it. When the results are good, practitioners in other areas will notice and follow the example.
Some practitioners admired a coordinator’s righteous thoughts when he broke his ribs, and he completely healed without having to go to a hospital. We all admired that his righteous thoughts were strong. But why didn’t we examine ourselves and ask why the coordinator broke his ribs in the first place? Why didn't we improve our xinxing? Doesn't Master want us to improve in every situation?
It is harmful to others and ourselves when practitioners do not regard a coordinator as another practitioner and instead regard him or her as a hero like ordinary people would do.
When Conflicts Occur around the Coordinator
For more than a decade, there have been conflicts between practitioners and the coordinator in our region. The most prominent problem is that the coordinator has never admitted that he was wrong, no matter who was involved or what happened. When conflicts always occur around a coordinator, we need to ask why.
First of all, don't both parties need to improve? Our coordinator has received too much ordinary praise, and this may have caused him to forget that he is a cultivator. When one seeks fame and cannot accept different opinions, it is time to improve through cultivation. The more one does not look at these issues, the more conflicts will occur.
At the same time, when practitioners put a coordinator up on a pedestal, the old forces will create conflicts. Once practitioners start viewing the coordinator as another practitioner, the old forces will withdraw, and the coordinator will also be freed of this attachment.
Coordinators and Practitioners Should Cultivate Alike
If a coordinator’s performance is not good, then he or she needs to improve through cultivation. We do not criticize or complain; instead we should try to remind the coordinator of Fa principles and help. As Dafa students, measuring everything with Dafa is the correct way to proceed.
Practitioners who have done well are those who take the Fa as their teacher, not those who surround the coordinator all day long. The problems that have arisen in our region during the past few years were from concentrating too much on the coordinator. If we stop merely echoing the coordinator and if we can get rid of the attachments within ourselves, we will help the coordinator as well.
Not Blindly Following Coordinators
A good cultivation environment largely depends on practitioners walking the great way without form. Only small cultivation paths need the guidance of a senior monk or supervisors. Dafa cultivation is “...a great way without form...” and we must “...take the Fa as teacher..." All practitioners have to make progress in cultivation and should take responsibility for themselves. If we always rely on someone else for guidance, no matter how high his or her level may be, it will be difficult to walk our own path.
We have held a large-scale experience sharing every month or two in our area since 2002. A smaller experience sharing of around ten people was held more frequently. The general coordinator usually hosted the meeting and answered questions raised by other practitioners. Yet, we were not able to solve our cooperation problems. It was more like a social gathering.
Many practitioners also felt that these meetings had no real purpose and were a waste of time. When another meeting was scheduled and these people were asked to participate, they still attended and gradually got accustomed to it.
In fact, the way practitioners in our area protect the coordinator has become extreme. When anyone points out another practitioner’s shortcoming, it is accepted without question. But if anyone says that the coordinator has a shortcoming, other practitioners immediately get up and attack and condemn that person. Some practitioners unconsciously assume that nothing will work without the coordinator and that practitioners cannot become a whole body without him.
In view of the losses caused by practitioners' dependence on the coordinators in China, I wrote this article as a reminder and a warning for other practitioners. The coordinators referred to in this article are those who do not do anything concrete. They only engage in pomp and form, such as: sitting at home and controlling dozens of mailboxes, gathering personal information on practitioners in a large area, and hosting frequent sharing meetings with large groups of practitioners. I have not been discussing coordinators who actually help on projects and assist other practitioners.
Above is just my current understanding. My intention is to wake up fellow practitioners who blindly depend on and obey coordinators. We should learn from the Fa and comprehend what is real kindness toward others and ourselves. Please correct me if I mentioned something that is not in the Fa.
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Category: Improving Oneself
