(Minghui.org) Greetings, esteemed Master and fellow practitioners.
When I recall my 71 years of life, I realize that everything in my life was carefully arranged by Master Li Hongzhi, Falun Dafa's founder. Ups and downs were in preparation for my later cultivation. Of course, I did not understand what cultivation was about at the time, as there was hardly any information published in Western literature.
At the age of 16, I dated my first boyfriend, another student. I still remember his words vividly, “If we are going to be friends you need to be able to talk.” From then on, I abandoned my beloved world of solitude and joined the current of society – falling into the dye vat of ordinary society. However, as life continued I kept coming across experiences that I had not understood when facing them earlier. For example, while in Asia I was drawn to Buddhist statues. Photos about and meetings with monks kept going through my mind. Among other things, I wanted to live in Burmese temples and monasteries.
When searching during the past seven years for a cure for a chronic illness, I was introduced to Falun Dafa. I too had the same experience as it is often described in testimonies in China. I recovered from my illness within 10 days after beginning to practice in Falun Dafa.
All of Us Are Cultivators
Master said,
“We often talk about “cultivation.” But what does it really mean? Few people really know, in fact. “Cultivation” is the perfection and fulfillment of a being.” (“2018 Fa Teaching Given in Washington D.C.”)
At this time I feel that Master wants me to quickly raise my cultivation state, I am being tested if I have cultivated solidly. Where do I still have loopholes, human notions and attachments. Can I look at difficulties with an ever more easy mind? Can I perhaps laugh at myself when discovering faults of mine, addressing problems that made me angry months ago?
Can I even chuckle at some mistakes I realized I made? I learned that our patience, tolerance/forbearance, and compassion are constantly changing. Not only that, but it must keep improving in order to ultimately be perfected. We are forged by Master, so that we can assist Master in Fa-rectification. This is often a painful process. However, after each painful elimination of karma, my ego is ground down a little bit and I become more humble.
A recent experience sharing article, published on the Minghui website, has once again given me a deeper understanding of cultivation. The author explained that we were chosen by Master long ago. Throughout history, we built up powerful virtue to prepare us for our role. However, this was only a prerequisite for us. Whether I am a true Dafa disciple depends on my own cultivation. To illustrate: “Studying diligently allows us to be accepted into a university. However, to graduate depends on my commitment, performance, achievements, and the raising of my xinxing.
Master said,
“But however difficult it may be, this is what you came here to do. And however difficult it may be, this is what your life was created and made for. A Dafa disciple is no longer subject to the jurisdiction of the Three Realms. Your name was removed from the ledgers of Hell the day you decided to take up the practice.” (“2018 Fa Teaching Given in Washington D.C.”)
The above helped me understand Master’s intent much better.
Taking Responsibility for Our Environment
Master explained that each Falun Dafa practitioner is responsible for a specific area. Since I moved to a beautiful 12-unit large house, I noticed that people were watching me closely. For example, they watch when I take everyone’s garbage containers to the curb when I remove the leaves around the garages and take them to the street for our landlord, when I clean the chairs in our common garden area, or when I load my information booth into my car.
At first, I was a little irritated by all these encounters and the questions. Then, when I looked inward, I realized that I was selfish. I wanted to be left alone, and deal with all at my convenience. So, I used every encounter in the house, the garden, or in the laundry room to say a few words to my neighbors, and also take an interest in their concerns and problems. Thus, some people gained a good understanding of the current situation, especially what was going on in China, including tradition and how important it is to help each other.
One of my neighbor’s offered to get rid of the many advertisements in our mailboxes. Another neighbor, without making a fuss, removes everyone’s cardboard boxes or even bulky items without complaining. Or, some help me by putting my information booth into the car, while others take heavy boxes containing brochures to my apartment.
Around this year’s Chinese New Year, a neighbor wished all residents a “Happy Chinese New Year,” and put a large glass bowl with small Chinese specialties on the entry table in the foyer. When I noticed this, I felt a little ashamed. However, I then took advantage of this situation and put a box of lotus flowers next to it. I also visited each of the tenants and offered them informational materials about Falun Dafa. This resulted in many good conversations and deepened the tenants’ understanding over and over again. Despite the coronavirus measures, people in our house are open with each other, friendly, and treat each other nicely.
Clarifying the Truth About Dafa During Major Activities
During these last months, demonstrations against the coronavirus measures were repeatedly organized in many cities throughout Switzerland. These usually took place in large squares or areas, and generally, 3,000 to 8,000 people participated.
A practitioner keeps us abreast of the date of any of the demonstrations. Having petitions of the end-of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on hand, some practitioners then met in the middle of these crowds and had very good educational conversations with people. During the last demonstration in central Switzerland, we found that a large number of people had already signed the petition, and were well informed about Falun Dafa and the crimes committed by the CCP. Many of the people in attendance had visited the website of our independent media. This group of people is very open-minded and accepted our media information during the last rallies.
At the first demonstration, I found it difficult to do what I had come to do, given my attachments. I was embarrassed to talk to the people who were listening attentively to the speakers on stage. Being rather discouraged I stood among 8,000 demonstrators wondering: “How am I going to explain the real circumstances to people at this rally. Then, I remembered that Chinese practitioners often talked about asking Master to strengthen them. I did the same. As if by gentle force I was lifted up from the small wall on which I was sitting, and then spoke for three hours to the people who were standing or sitting a little apart from the crowd. Everything seemed effortless and easy. With the help of Master many people signed the “End CCP” petition.
I noticed that for some time it is difficult when we are in a new place and want to awaken the conscience of people. It does not matter if it is at an information booth, at a rally, or at a demonstration. However, I had never thought about it until I was introduced to Master’s Fa.
Master said,
“In order for anything to have a foothold in this world, to be able to hold up and establish itself, there has to be a key factor: It has to form a field in this dimension, a field that materially exists.” (Teachings at the Conference in Europe)
Since then, I realized that before one clarifies the truth about Falun Dafa, one should create a material field using our sincere thoughts, in order to save sentient beings more effectively.
This understanding of the situation also helps to explain the true circumstances at our information booths, which we man continuously in Switzerland – during the entire time of the pandemic.
Learning from the Experience Sharing Articles Published on the Minghui Website
I treasured the opportunity to be involved with Falun Dafa projects throughout the day. Most importantly, I learned a lot from the experience sharing articles presented by other practitioners. I also understand that Master draws my attention to articles that show me my loopholes. And also when I had slacked off from doing the exercises. Then, I am certain to come across a corresponding article.
At times when I’m not concentrating when reading the Fa, something will draw my attention to this issue – meaning that I come across corresponding experiences by other practitioners. When reading the quotes from Master’s articles, I sometimes notice that although the knowledge is not new to me, I had forgotten it or not internalized this Fa.
Just recently, in her article, a Chinese practitioner vividly described how her western husband exposed the indoctrination she experienced as a member of the CCP. Given that, I became aware of several aspects that I absolutely need to improve upon in my cultivation. For example, my speaking style indicates that I’m a know-it-all and I have to cultivate my speech. What I mean is that I need to learn to express something more beautifully without giving blame, or without hidden accusations, such as,“you should know that,” or “I told you that for a long time.” Furthermore, I should not interrupt others.
There are many reports about resentment. For a long time, I had thought that these reports really had nothing to do with me. However, a clear hint from Master told me otherwise. Once I had several telephone conversations with a practitioner about a conflict she was having with another practitioner. After the phone conversation I went to the kitchen to bake buns. The drawer with the tray underneath the oven was stuck. Despite all my attempts with everything I had on hand, I could not open the drawer. Even the next day I was unable to open the drawer. Only then did I look inside. Somewhere there was a gap in my cultivation, but where? What topics had we talked about at length? Wasn’t it envy? Resentment? Was I not often unhappy with other practitioners when they made mistakes or did not apply themselves when involved in Fa validation projects? I then went to the kitchen to eat breakfast and pulled out the drawer. It seemed that it never had been stuck.
I understood that I had to let go of these resentments on a deeper level. However, recognition alone was not enough, these resentments had to be thoroughly eliminated. I began to send righteous thoughts for a long time to diffuse the bad substances in my dimension. If we act according to Master’s requirements, and if we have the sincere desire to elevate ourselves, Master will encourage and help us.
Exposing Evil and Arousing Sentient Beings
Six online webinars were held this September by five non-governmental organizations located in Europe, the USA and Asia. This international project gave us practitioners a unique opportunity to inform media professionals, politicians, lawyers, various medical specialists, especially surgeons, transplant doctors, and chief physicians about the state-sponsored harvesting organ theft from Falun Gong practitioners in China. I was not involved in this particular project as I assumed that this was the task of practitioners who had been involved in this during recent years, and were familiar with the insider circles of Switzerland.
Three days before the World Summit started, the conversation after group Fa-study suddenly addressed this project. I was irritated, shocked, puzzled and sad when our coordinator told me that none of the practitioners would support him and that it was very difficult for him, as he was out of his league when it came to the English language. So, I asked him how I could help. I learned that no one except politicians had been informed about the World Summit yet.
The next morning I started a series of phone calls and looked for practitioners who could help us out. One practitioner agreed to contact the media, another was talking to lawyers, and one agreed to help me find the surgeons in the hospitals. Then, a practitioner set up an Excel spreadsheet to record the contact information of doctors in about five cantons. However, we ran out of time. There are 21 cantons in Switzerland (German-speaking region). To send the e-mails I needed the doctors’ e-mail addresses. Two other practitioners agreed to help me. From morning to evening I sent the emails to every specialist personally. The World Summit had already started, but there were still cantons that had to be informed about the World Summit.
That evening, resentment arose in me from one minute to the next. I held resentment towards our coordinator who had made too little effort and had not made sure that these invitations could be issued on time. I knew that my state was not good, but I could no longer calm down. Another coordinator tried to calm me down. Only then did I realize the practitioner’s discouraging state since he did not receive any support from anyone. I was determined and resolutely thought, “I must do my best to inform as many doctors as possible about the cruel crimes committed by the Chinese regime – the organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners. The second online seminar was over, but I was still compiling Excel spreadsheets and sending out the invitation emails. I included the links to the seminars, although they had already taken place.
At the subsequent Fa-study, I exchanged views concerning this matter with the coordinator. We agreed that such an enormous project should be supported by fellow practitioners. My resentment turned into respect for him. In spite of these difficulties he has shown good perseverance, and in addition to his work and family, he gave much to this important project to save people. I felt that we both had elevated ourselves. Given this seminar, hundreds of thousands of people around the world were able to learn about the crime committed by the Chinese Communist regime and were saved. The records made, and published, have also given us a good Fa tool for the future. Thank you Master.
We might look back a few weeks or months of our cultivation path, and ask ourselves, “Has our reaction improved when it comes to certain recurring situations? What gaps do we still have? Do we, for example, succeed in taking mistakes and those of others more lightly? Has our patience increased? Do we sometimes do the exercises outdoors? Do we solidly and consistently attend local Fa study groups? Do we maintain our righteous and positive thoughts even when we face difficulties? Do we have a smile on our faces more often? By studying the Fa well and often, we will steadily improve ourselves and our xinxing.
I would like to close my experience sharing report with Master's warning:
“You must study the Fa well, for that is the fundamental guarantee that you return to your position. (Disciples applaud) This isn’t just something that I casually thought up: what Master is imparting to you is the Fa of the cosmos. What I just said was to tell you that you absolutely must not slack off in your cultivation, you absolutely must not slack off in your Fa-study, and that you definitely must do it with all due sincerity. If previously you didn’t study well, you definitely should, once you leave here today and having heard Master address this again, really earnestly study and cultivate, and not let your mind wander. (Disciples applaud)” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa - Fa Teaching Given at the 2011 Washington DC Metro Area Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teaching, Vol. XI)
I know that I must try harder, so I can continue to progress diligently on my cultivation path. I must do what Master asks of us.
Revered Master, I thank you very much for your great protection and compassion. Thank you, fellow practitioners.
(Presented at the 2021 Switzerland-German-Speaking Region Fa Conference)
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