(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
My cultivation path is made possible by Master’s compassionate care and painstaking arrangements. I am beyond words in expressing my gratitude for Master’s kindness. Through this Fa conference, I would like to report my cultivation experience to Master and share it with fellow practitioners.
Master’s Compassionate Arrangement
I have followed my mother in practicing Dafa since I was young. My mother obtained the Fa in 2004 when I was in my first year of junior high school. At first, I followed my mother’s instructions, studied the Fa, and practiced the exercises little by little. Gradually, the idea “I want to practice Dafa” took root in my heart, and I set out on the path of cultivation in my third year of junior high school.
During a college break in 2013, I attended the New York Fa Conference for the first time, and it left a deep impression on me. I also had the opportunity to visit the offices of New Tang Dynasty (NTD) TV and The Epoch Times in New York. When I entered, it was time to send forth righteous thoughts. I saw fellow practitioners quietly sending forth righteous thoughts in the long corridor, so I quietly joined. The scene was the same as the one I had dreamed of at some point. It was not a sense of deja vu, but the scene I had seen in my dream was now unfolding.
During the Fa conference, some things that happened kept appearing exactly like the scenes I had seen in my dreams, as if what I had experienced before was happening again. Reality and dreams were so similar that I even almost wondered whether I was in reality or in a dream. Afterward, I shared this feeling with my mother, and I truly felt that every step I took was carefully arranged by Master.
Master told us:
“The majority of people here today are Dafa disciples from outside of China. But the Dafa disciples of mainland China are in fact the main body. That’s because the Kings of each ethnic group from each period of history have reincarnated in China, as have beings from high and even higher planes.”(“Fa Teaching at the 2013 Greater New York Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XII)
Since I am not Chinese, I used to think that this was not directed at me, but at that moment I felt that Master was speaking to me. Not only that, I also felt that Master was speaking to all the disciples at the Fa conference, and to all Dafa disciples around the world. Master did not miss a single disciple, and cherishes all Dafa disciples very much. I deeply felt Master’s great compassion.
From the poem hanging in the venue of the Fa Conference,
“Mercy can melt heaven and earth into springRighteous thought can save people of the world” (“Fa Rectifies the Cosmos,” Hong Yin II)
I also deeply felt the compassionate energy that can melt steel and bring spring to the world. It was as if Master was encouraging me to practice diligently on my future journey of cultivation.
The Process of Finding One’s True Self
I interned at NTD Television in New York for five months in 2015, and after that, I worked on film production for the Korean branch. While interning in the media, I experienced major and minor trials and tribulations. Looking back, I felt as if I was going through a life-and-death ordeal at the time, but now I don’t feel anything. Whatever the pain, it all will pass. Passing through major and minor trials was a process of letting go of attachment to myself, layer by layer.
My attachment to the self is particularly evident in interpersonal relationships. When I communicated with others, I considered many things from the perspective of myself, so I was often over-cautious and very concerned about what others thought of me.
I treated people who are kind to me with kindness. I felt resentful toward people who are unkind to me and belittle me, which made me feel timid and passive. Sometimes, my self-protection instinct kicks in, and I acted like I knew what I was doing when I didn't, which hindered me from moving forward.
I had always believed that my home environment shaped my personality. I grew up lacking parental love. My father was a domineering figure, so if my appearance, clothing, actions, or decisions did not conform to his likings, he would reject them or even get angry. I felt my father rejected me and my personality. My mother was in poor health before practicing Falun Dafa and was unable to take good care of my brother and me.
After I began practicing Dafa, I once complained to my mother about the environment at home. My mother said, “It’s a pity, but what can be done about it? It’s all because of your karma. You are fortunate to have encountered Dafa and are able to cultivate!” I was furious, thinking that my mother should still tolerate my shortcomings even if I had the karma to repay.
The memory of not being loved by my parents always haunted me. After that, every time I talked about it with my mother, even if I didn’t want to cry, tears would flow involuntarily. I felt strange about it myself, because this was not the real me.
One day, while studying the Fa, a passage from Master’s teaching suddenly enlightened me.
“That [ordinary] type of love, to gods, is filthy, while cibei is what’s sacred. Because of love, humans are immersed in sexual desire. Because of love, people are immersed in sinful, depraved sexual behavior. Because of love, humans do a lot of bad things and things that gods can’t tolerate. Love has a side that humankind considers good, which includes helping each other. At the same time, it has a bad, negative side. Cibei, on the other hand, is completely good.” (Teachings at the Conference in the Eastern U.S.)
When I read this passage of the Fa before, I thought it referred to love between a man and a woman. Amazingly, the moment I read it that day, I realized that I didn’t necessarily have to have or demand my parents’ love! My perspective changed instantly, and I felt like a different person. I understood that Master helps disciples eliminate the notions formed after birth.
Once, a fellow practitioner who had been mean to me appeared in my dream, hugging me and crying, saying, “It’s not that I want to do it that way.” After waking up, I understood that the fellow practitioner treated me that way because of my karma, and I also discovered that I had mistreated others.
Because I didn’t cultivate well enough, I didn’t gain enlightenment quickly, causing that fellow cultivator to play that role for a long time. When my parents and others mistreat me, I should cultivate while repaying my karmic debt, to fulfill the requirements of the Fa.
Master taught us:
“In fact, other than a person’s innate purity and innocence, all notions are acquired postnatally and are not a person’s actual self.” (“For Whom do You Exist?,” Essentials for Further Advancement)
Master has made me realize that all notions that do not conform to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are not truly part of who I am. After learning that Fa, Master successively showed me the Fa related to “acquired” and “post-natal” notions. My mind was broadened, and I could clearly distinguish that all notions of “self” are not the real “me.”
Since then, I have been less self-concerned when dealing with others. If I have fewer thoughts about myself, it is easy to communicate with others. Things also become easy and I am motivated when I work in the media. Thank you, compassionate Master, for bringing me out of my acquired notions.
Serious Reminder in a Dream
This summer, the South Korean media was hard hit by sudden financial problems, which led to major changes in the company’s business policies.
In addition, media managers left the media due to their circumstances, and the management system also changed. To overcome this sudden challenge, the company removed our department head and appointed a new one.
This upset me for a while, and my heart was not settled. I lost confidence in the media. I understand that a company runs a media project and can change personnel. However, in this process, the decision maker only saw it as a hurdle that the individual who had been demoted from a management position had to overcome without considering the person’s feelings. I felt that the company did not cherish talent, and disappointment arose, which prompted me to hold a negative attitude towards the project.
However, I’m aware that an uncooperative attitude will weaken the overall coordination and give the old forces an excuse to exploit loopholes, so I have been negating this and looking inward.
I also discovered my desire to protect myself: the fear of being managed by a supervisor who might not understand or value me. My previous supervisor worked with me for a long time and understood me well, but I didn’t think the new one would. I discovered my desire to be understood, recognized, and appreciated by others, which is associated with the pursuit of fame, fortune, and affection.
I had another dream during this time: I was with my family, waiting to ride a miniature train in an amusement park. The train tracks stretched into the sky without end. My younger brother had bought the ticket, and when I saw that it was for two people, even though there were four of us in my family, I scolded him for buying tickets just for two people. When I saw that he was unwilling to exchange the tickets, I started complaining about him.
Later, I ran around, and when I looked back, I saw that the tickets were for five people and that the whole family could ride. I looked back again, and behind me was a long line, and I was the reason the line wasn’t moving.
This dream was Master’s reminder to me: Negative and selfish thoughts will interfere with the salvation of sentient beings. I realized my mistake and received a serious reminder that selfish emotions will have a negative impact on saving people.
Courageously Marching Forward to Save Sentient Beings
I saw an article on the Shen Yun website the next day, “Historical Parallel Figures Part 3: Mulan and Joan of Arc.” The article reads: “Mulan joined the army to fulfill her filial duty, while Joan of Arc joined the army out of spiritual devotion, basing her belief in God as solid as a rock, and devoting herself wholeheartedly to the mission entrusted to her.”
Reading this, I was curious about Joan of Arc, so I looked up her life. She grew up with a deep faith, and at the age of thirteen, she heard God’s will for her to “save France” and was determined to follow God’s call.
Joan of Arc was an illiterate civilian, so when she stood up to save her country, everyone was skeptical. However, Joan of Arc believed that the divine mission she was carrying was pure. Her unwavering faith and steadfast attitude made people change from distrusting her to placing trust in her.
In addition, Joan of Arc was unharmed on the battlefield even after being shot in the head, and her neck pierced by a crossbow, but she got up and conquered the castle the next day, which convinced the soldiers that God protected Joan of Arc.
All of Joan of Arc’s actions were utterly selfless. When I saw anecdotes about her courageous efforts and firm belief, I immediately discovered that many aspects of my cultivation process were validating myself, instead of the Fa.
I am determined to cherish this environment on the path of cultivation in the media project that Master has arranged for me, look inward no matter what happens, and follow the path that Master arranged.
Master, I will selflessly strive to fulfill my mission of saving living beings and work hard to repay the compassion you have bestowed on me as a disciple!
This is my understanding at my level; please kindly point out anything not in line with the Fa.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Selected from the 2024 South Korean Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)
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