(Minghui.org) Greetings Master! Greetings fellow practitioners!
The Fa conference is an opportunity to share our cultivation experiences with fellow practitioners and the public, and it’s also our responsibility as Dafa disciples.
Master said,
“I’ve always said that this entire society is in fact a setting for our Dafa disciples to cultivate in.” (“Teaching the Fa in Washington D.C. In 2018,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XV)
https://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2018/7/3/170979.html
I feel that in recent years, we have increasingly encountered this, and taken on the role that Master arranged for us during this period of Fa-rectification.
From Not Knowing to Knowing
Twenty-four years ago, when I first started practicing Falun Dafa, I didn’t know how to use technical devices; I couldn’t operate a computer, iPad, or even a phone. But, to save people, I had to learn these skills. It was a long, challenging journey. Through this process, I developed patience and gradually learned to view myself as a cultivator. This experience also made me realize that our attachments, dislikes, and preferences can interfere with our cultivation, becoming obstacles we set up for ourselves.
My Mac computer has become a friend and a tool in this time of Fa-rectification. Master gave us the ability and wisdom to reach people in various fields, allowing us, as Dafa disciples, to share the beauty of Falun Dafa and reveal the truth about the persecution. Whether it’s publishing articles in magazines, promoting Shen Yun, making banners and materials, making short videos for websites, talking with neighbors, or speaking at gatherings and truth clarification sites—wherever we are, Master arranges opportunities for us to meet people with whom we share a connection and to share this great path of cultivation with them.
However, after so many years of cultivation, attachments I thought I had eliminated recently resurfaced—specifically, impatience and fear of losing face.
Learning New Skills
Fifteen months ago, I decided to support the Gan Jing World platform, and it seemed simple enough. I thought it would just take a few clicks of the mouse without realizing what I was getting into. I created my channel and began making short videos to attract people with different interests to the website. I produced short clips on tradition, music, travel, flowers, and beautiful lakes and mountains. I also included short videos of our activities in Switzerland.
Suddenly, the requirements increased, but for a long time, I was reluctant to join the training sessions to make more extensive videos. But one thing was clear: I needed to improve my character and learn more. I finally realized that not wanting to push myself was a form of attachment to comfort. Eventually, I found a fellow practitioner willing to teach me new techniques. After several hours of hard work, we finally uploaded a video about our information day in Lucerne. I went from initial resistance to joy as we received many likes.
A Fulfilling Weekend in Vienna
I signed up to clarify the truth about Falun Dafa and the persecution in August at a Falun Dafa information booth in Vienna. When I arrived that morning, the local practitioners were still setting up the materials. A man approached the booth, wanting to learn more about Falun Dafa. I started answering his questions, but suddenly, another practitioner interrupted me rather forcefully and began talking with him as if I wasn’t there. I felt embarrassed but the man just gave me a friendly smile. A thought flashed: “I used to do this often; now I know what it feels like.”
This test of character with the practitioner continued for a few hours. However, I didn’t let myself be affected and focused on talking to people. Soon, many people came to our booth to learn about Falun Dafa and signed the petition to help end the persecution.
Later, two local practitioners suggested I take a break, and the ice seemed to break. The practitioner became calmer and more respectful, even listening closely to how I clarified the truth. That evening, she smiled and thanked me warmly. I believe we both learned something from each other that day. I noticed her face looked more radiant and relaxed. If I had reacted angrily, as I might have in the early days of my practice, our conflict could have affected our efforts to save sentient beings.
Another Test of Character
The next character test came quickly. During breaks at the information booth, I recorded the Tian Guo Marching Band’s parade on my phone. When I got home, I spent a long time editing the video. I wasn’t satisfied with it because of some details, but I knew the video was important, as it exposed the crimes of the Communist regime.
When I finally uploaded it, a fellow practitioner called and said, “There’s a black spot in the video!” Another wrote, “Thank you for your video, but this is called a Chinese lion dance, not a dragon dance!” And so, I started over again. In my impatience, I accidentally cut out the second part of the Tian Guo Marching Band. I realized I was impatient, yet I uploaded the video anyway. I felt desperate, unsure how to fix the missing part.
The next evening, a practitioner in the Austrian email group listed all the issues with the video. My stomach turned; I felt unsettled, exhausted, and numb. My pride was badly hurt, and I went to bed early.
At first, I resented the practitioner, but I soon understood why criticism hurt me so much. I had been pursuing results and success, seeking recognition. I felt like I lost face in front of everyone who knew me. Just then, a practitioner messaged me: “Don’t give up!” It was as if she knew exactly how I felt. She was right—I made mistakes and stumbled, but time was short, and I needed to get back up.
Now, I can think more clearly. I realize that the criticism gave me a chance to improve both my technical skills and character. I shouldn’t rush to defend myself; even if I did nothing wrong I should use this opportunity to look within and work on myself. I’m grateful to the practitioner who helped me see my attachments. No matter what difficulties we face, they are steps on our path of cultivation, helping us grow and progress.
A Wonderful Experience of Letting Go
However, I didn’t want to accept criticism from a fellow practitioner, as I had a different perspective. He said I focused too much on the police who protect us on the site. However, I believe this part of the video was very important for Chinese viewers who could see how Falun Dafa was treated differently in the West. I was very confident we would keep this part in the video.
I worked with a fellow practitioner the following weekend to edit the video. It seemed like no problem, as we had several versions to choose from. What happened next was truly unbelievable—all versions that included the police escort were gone. Then, a message appeared: “Some files are no longer available.” I didn’t want to believe it as that part was too important to me! The other practitioner calmly said, “You have to let it go, you need to give it up!” Letting it go was painful, but I realized I was too attached to my views. This was a clear hint from Master, showing me that my previous thoughts weren’t based on the Fa and this helped me let go of the attachment to “proving I was right.”
Clarifying the Truth
In addition to studying the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts, helping people understand the truth about Falun Dafa and the persecution it faces is one of the three things we must do. When we approach saving sentient beings with an open heart and righteous thoughts, Master will guide those with predestined relationships to meet us. During my two days in Vienna, I clarified the truth to many people of different ages and professions.
Three experiences touched me deeply. Once, I sat down on a bench where we folded lotus flowers to take a short break. A young man came and was eager to learn how to fold a lotus flower. Suddenly, he asked, “Why are people persecuted in China?” I seized this opportunity to delve deeper into the truth with him. During our conversation, I also shared a bit about my situation. He was from Brazil, and my daughter was also in Brazil at that time—this strengthened our connection. After folding the lotus flower, he took various materials about Falun Dafa and some cards to collect signatures for the G7 petition so he could give them to his friends and family.
There was a rally nearby which was attended by two Austrian parliament members. These two women spoke out for Falun Dafa. They condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for persecuting practitioners and for organ harvesting, which was truly admirable. One of the politicians handed me her backpack for safekeeping. When she returned, I took the chance to help her learn more about Falun Dafa and the persecution. Using our twenty-page booklet, I provided her with more information about Falun Dafa and showed her the additional links and literature. She listened attentively, thanked me for my detailed explanation, and happily accepted the booklet. Master arranged such a wonderful opportunity, and I just seized it without hesitation.
The day before the rally in Vienna, while we were loading display boards onto the roofs of two cars in a supermarket parking lot, an elderly man approached us. He walked around our cars, looked at the license plates, and then glanced at our banners in surprise. “Aha, all Swiss people! What are you doing here?” He didn’t believe the content on our banners and said the Austrian media never reported on it. I started explaining the truth to him in detail. He kept interrupting with questions like, “But…?” and “Why…?”
After half an hour, I felt I covered everything and explained all the crimes committed by the CCP in China. Then, he turned to a Chinese practitioner, who explained the situation from his perspective. Time was tight, and we needed to get to the meeting point soon. However, the man kept asking questions. Finally, he asked another practitioner why he never heard about this cruel persecution. The practitioner took out a large binder from the car and said, “You can see all the reports about the Communist regime from different Swiss newspapers here.” The man walked away satisfied, and we heard him mumble to himself, “Now I know why I came here; it wasn’t in vain!” He seemed to have awakened, and we were all happy for him.
A Chinese practitioner and I planned to transfer to a train back to Bern in eastern Switzerland. When our car arrived at the station, we had just two minutes left to reach the platform. I shouted to her, “We’ll buy our tickets on the train.” Once on board, she asked, “Should I pay in cash?” I nearly choked—she didn’t even have an app on her phone to buy tickets, and the train already started moving. Luckily, the conductor immediately came by.
I explained the situation and said we just attended an event in Vienna. The conductor said he would charge an extra ten francs since that was the rule. He then asked, “Was Vienna fun? It’s a beautiful city. What were you doing there?” After I explained, he said, “Ah, a rally against the CCP’s human rights violations. Very good, very good. You don’t need to pay the extra ten francs!” He happily accepted our flyers and even wanted to sign the petition to “End the CCP.” I knew Master arranged everything. We probably wouldn’t have talked to the conductor if we both had tickets.
Master said,
“Since in the process of your clarifying the truth there are people who obtain the Fa, not only are their sins eliminated, but at the same time you will have also saved them. Doesn’t this show that you have done something that’s more merciful, something even better?” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Great Lakes Fa Conference in North America,” Guiding the Voyage)
“While you’re clarifying here, layers upon layers of your bodies that have completed cultivation are also clarifying at cosmic bodies of different levels. (“Fa Teaching Given at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume III）
Practicing Falun Dafa for twenty-four years has transformed me from someone who was mentally unbalanced and domineering into a peaceful, kind, and calm person. Falun Dafa has given me wisdom and the great and sacred honor of helping Master in the Fa-rectification and saving sentient beings. I still have much to learn and many attachments to remove. I will continue cultivating myself and strive forward diligently.
Master said,
“Only those who can stick to it until the end are the genuine gold. Only those who stick to it until the very end can achieve Consummation.” (“Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Yanji,” Zhuan Falun Fajie)
Thank you Master very much for the arrangements you have made for me! I am grateful for your compassionate salvation!
Fellow practitioners, thank you for your patience with me.
(Presented at the 2024 Switzerland Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)
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