(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, in 2006. Master Li, the founder of Falun Gong, purified my body. All my ailments, including stomach illnesses and headaches, disappeared. Admittedly, I did not really take up the practice at that time, because I only knew superficially that Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance was good.
Given my higher level of education and young age, I thought I should be involved in doing something for Dafa. I contacted some practitioners in the second half of 2010. But, I still incorrectly believed that being involved in Falun Dafa projects meant cultivating.
Tortured by Several Guards
I was reported to the police for telling people the facts about Falun Gong, arrested, and taken to a forced labor camp in 2012. I was “transformed” against my will. I felt pained, and still cannot describe the intensity of the pain in words. I thus clarified the truth about Dafa during a meeting for “transformed practitioners.”
I was cornered by about five guards and brutally tortured. One guard shocked me with an electric baton, while others kicked me, stepped on my hands. I stood silently and called out to Master twice in my mind. Master said, “Having heard the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening.” (“Melt Into the Fa,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
Then, I no longer felt the pain. The torture was so severe that my husband was refused visiting rights two days later. I later realized that Master had borne the suffering for me.
When guards were getting ready to torture me again, I was not afraid, because I thought of Master's Fa. Amazingly, I was not tortured.
I came across the power of Dafa in such an evil environment. I was also enlightened that, although Dafa is powerful, I unknowingly brought about this unnecessary tribulation.
Breaking Through Notions
An elderly practitioner in my apartment building began to practice Dafa in 2010. He diligently studied the Fa for at least six hours daily and then participated in the group exercises in the early morning. I thought that he was overdoing cultivation and that it would be alright as long as I practiced whenever I had time.
After more Fa study, I felt that I should attend the group exercises in the early morning. But years of lazy habits had been developed. Getting up at around 3:40 am was not easy.
I did not wake up and get out of bed for the first two days. On the third day, I woke up but decided to pull up the quilt until I overcame the attachments of comfort and laziness. After two days, I stopped doing the exercises, as my husband did not want me to get up so early. However, I resumed the group exercises and my husband no longer complained. Now, I get up at 3:40 a.m. and do the five exercises.
I also am no longer timid. I talk to people about Falun Dafa without being afraid.
Memorizing the Fa and Looking Inward
I envied practitioners who could memorize the Fa, and decided to give it a try. It was not easy. I was always distracted and started to use the cell phone after a couple of sentences.
Thankfully, a few selfless practitioners helped me and memorized the Fa with me. Now, I am persistent in memorizing the Fa.
Through the Fa memorization, I learned to look inward. I looked inward whenever I encountered a problem. Then, I used fellow practitioners as mirrors and looked inward when I saw their shortcomings.
One day, a practitioner had a conflict with other practitioners in front of me. I did not feel comfortable and left without saying a word. Another practitioner did the same a few days later. I was displeased but realized that something was not right. Why did both of them behave the same way in front of me? I thus asked another practitioner whether I also behaved like that. I was told that I did have this problem. I understood that I had to cultivate my heart and my speech and that memorizing the Fa and looking inward are very important. After this incident, my xinxing was uplifted.
Master said,
“.... the world would be a different place if everyone were to work on themselves, like we do, and nobody would need to think about intervening and righting wrongs.” (The Ninth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
“True spiritual practice means cultivating your mind, working on yourself, and reflecting on your role in things rather than blaming your circumstances.” (The Ninth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
“So I would say that banking on some method or other equates to looking outward. And that is precisely what leads people astray on the spiritual journey and brings trouble.” (The Ninth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
Studying and memorizing the Fa and looking inward are instrumental in improving one's xinxing. One breaks through notions and melds into the greater body of practitioners. Reading articles on the Minghui website can also help me identify attachments and shortcomings.
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.
Category: Improving Oneself
