(Minghui.org) I have been a Falun Dafa practitioner for five years. My wife has been urging me to write this article, and I would like to sum up some of my cultivation experiences.
Destined to Practice Falun Dafa
My wife and I met in our sophomore year in high school. Although she was already a Falun Dafa practitioner when we met, it took me about 10 years to finally realize that I should practice, too. I must have accumulated a lot of virtue to have the destiny to meet my wife and practice Dafa. Thank you, Master Li [Hongzhi]!
From the moment I saw the “Tiananmen Square Self Immolation” on TV, I knew it was fake and had been set up to vilify Dafa. It is clear to me now that the hand of the divine was protecting me.
So when I met my wife’s parents, who are also practitioners, I felt very comfortable around them. My wife and I fell in love and were married while we were in college. We started a family after graduating.
The next 10 years were bumpy, and, although I was close to Dafa and believed it was good, I was stubborn and didn’t begin to practice until five years ago.
It happened when my right ring finger got infected. My wife patiently watched as I tried to heal my finger with both Chinese and Western medicine. Seeing that nothing worked, she suggested I become a Dafa practitioner. I started to read Zhuan Falun, but I couldn’t let go of the Chinese medicine I was still using to treat my finger. One day when I was going to mix the herbs to treat it, I couldn’t find the bowl I usually used. When I finally found it, I dropped and broke it.
I immediately realized that I should believe in the Fa and let go of my attachments. With that one thought, I became a Falun Dafa practitioner. Everything in me changed, and from then on, I have never needed any medicine.
I Begin to Practice
I began to read Zhuan Falun and do the exercises after work every day, and my wisdom and clarity soon increased.
My biggest goals had always been to be famous and make a fortune. Once I began to study the Fa and practice Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, I realized that I couldn't just do whatever I wanted. I came to understand that I should not fight or compete for success. I was soon regarded as an outstanding worker and did my job well. As my character improved, I considered things from the perspective of others.
At first, it was difficult for me to sit in the full lotus position for the meditation, but I persisted every day despite the discomfort. Soon I could sit in full lotus for five minutes, then half an hour. In half a year’s time, I could sit in the lotus position for the whole hour and yet my whole body felt relaxed.
The Path of Purification
One time a supervisor from my company invited a group of employees to a seafood restaurant. Most of the items on the menu were dishes made with freshly killed fish and other sea creatures. Dafa forbids taking a life, but I was chosen to order for the whole group.
I mustered up my courage and ordered an array of fish dishes. Whether it was the attachment to my reputation or because I ordered the food, I had diarrhea that night that persisted for several weeks. Ever since then, I've avoided anything related to killing.
Quitting Alcohol
I grew up in an alcohol-friendly family, and I would often get a drink after work. As a Dafa practitioner, I knew that I should stop drinking. Due to my strong attachment, however, I did not actually quit. My wife reminded me that practitioners should not drink, so I began to look within. I realized that if I drank, wouldn’t all my efforts to improve be for nothing? When I realized this, I vowed never to drink again and I’ve kept that promise to this day.
Finding My Weaknesses
After cultivating for five years, my greatest weakness is that I only work diligently on two of the three things practitioners should do. I have not helped other people learn the truth about the persecution even though I know how important it is.
After they are indoctrinated in the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP’s) education system, most people tend to become selfish, stubborn, and materialistic. Since the future of China’s society lies in its young people, it’s important for them to understand that Dafa is good. I feel a heavy responsibility to tell those born in the 1980s and 90s about Dafa and what the CCP has done to persecute and defame the practice and its practitioners. Both my wife and I have our work cut out for us. And although it is a difficult task, I know we will succeed.
Another weakness I have now is that I am slacking off in my cultivation. I have not been appreciative enough of the opportunity to cultivate. I realize that when I first started cultivating Dafa, I was very diligent.
Master said, “Cultivate as you did at the beginning, and you are sure to succeed!” (2014 San Francisco Fa Conference)
Writing this article has inspired me to return to my initial cultivation state and to do well with the tasks that Master asks of us. With great difficulty comes great success!
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