(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I truly began practicing Falun Dafa and cultivating myself after I came to the Northern Academy in 2021. I would like to share some of my cultivation insights and experiences with you.
My family practiced Tantrism. For nearly six years, I meditated according to Tantrism every day. Since childhood, I felt I needed to practice diligently in order to transcend life and death, reincarnation, and not be a human being in my next life—the goal was to return to heaven. The people around me, including my aunt and mother, were all on this path, and I felt following in their footsteps would lead to fulfillment.
The turning point came when the school I attended in China was forced to close due to government pressure. Within a year, I switched to private schools. The Chinese educational system is thoroughly permeated with communist ideology, leaving no room for alternatives. We began preparing to go abroad. Through a classmate’s recommendation, I applied to attend Northern Academy.
When I first heard about Falun Dafa, I never thought I’d practice. I thought that a school run by Falun Dafa practitioners would accommodate my practice of Tantrism. My mother began practicing Falun Dafa, reading Zhuan Falun and doing the exercises. I felt sad as if I “betrayed” my previous master, and I struggled internally with what I should do.
My mother told me that she felt practicing Falun Dafa could bring her strength in times of conflict and trouble, and it was not just about meditating. She explained that it wasn’t a matter of “betrayal” of the previous master; as long as one finds a method that suits oneself, any practice can be followed. She also said she respected my choice. I suspended my daily meditation practice and, with a desire to understand, opened the book—Zhuan Falun.
During that time in China, I was very confused about my beliefs, especially since my Guqin teacher was a Taoist, and these influences filled my mind, causing great turmoil. On the other hand, the school applications and visa processes went smoothly, and I came to the United States alone.
When I arrived at Northern Academy, the teachers and classmates seemed to assume I was a Falun Dafa practitioner because I was Chinese. I joined the Falun Dafa club and began practicing cultivation. At first, I didn’t know how to send forth righteous thoughts. When everyone sat down and crossed their legs at a certain time without making a sound, I followed suit. People around me shared articles from Minghui.org about sending forth righteous thoughts and instructional videos on doing the exercises. I participated in parades and other Falun Dafa activities. At that time, I had various doubts in my heart, but by studying Fa, I gradually found the answers.
Cultivating Myself and Relinquishing Attachments
Because I was expelled from school in China, I didn’t have a complete transcript. Considering future university applications, I dropped two grades when I came to the Northern Academy. I was mentally prepared, but it was difficult to handle, especially when people kept asking me why I was two grades lower when they asked my age. Initially, I didn’t mind, but as the questions persisted, I began to doubt my abilities. If I excelled in any subject, I could have skipped a grade or taken AP exams, but I stayed in regular classes and did not progress much. Watching my peers graduate who were in my grade when I first came to the school filled me with envy.
In ninth grade, I was deeply dissatisfied with the grade reduction. I didn’t think my English was so poor that I needed to attend ESL Level Two classes. Having to take the English class conflicted with other classes I needed, so I felt resentful. Seeing people who weren’t particularly good at English, but were in the Level Three classes made me feel uneasy. I applied to take both classes simultaneously, attended seven English classes per week, and passed the STAR reading test.
If I passed the geometry comprehensive exam I could skip a year of math. I felt the course was easy, and I thought I could pass with minimal preparation. I reviewed over a winter break, and confidently reviewed past questions. Eighty-five was the passing score, but I scored eighty-four. Missing by one point cost me the opportunity to skip a grade, which was truly unbearable. I had put in all the effort and did everything I could, yet the result was disappointing.
In retrospect, I understood I had a strong attachment to showing off—I was trying to prove I had abilities. It was because I cared about others’ opinions and I was unwilling to admit that my abilities were inferior to theirs. In the past, when others pointed out my shortcomings, I felt unsettled and refused to listen. My feelings of dissatisfaction were written on my face. My jealousy when others graduated and were accepted into universities was also an attachment. I felt disappointed.
Master said,
“In fact, individual efforts can change minor things in one’s life. Some minor things can be altered slightly through individual efforts, but it is precisely because of your efforts for change that you may obtain karma. Otherwise, the issue of committing karma would not exist, and neither would there be the issue of doing good deeds or wrong deeds.” (Lecture Two, Zhuan Falun)
Everything is arranged, and I can’t change it. I finally realized this is a cultivation test and I set aside my resentment.
These past two years not only solidified my foundation of learning the materials in school but also helped me deepen my understanding of Master’s Fa teachings. If I had graduated last year, I wouldn’t be here sharing my cultivation experiences now.
Looking Inward When Encountering Conflicts
Last semester, I was responsible for producing and editing a video about school life. I juggled schoolwork and various tasks related to the video. From storyboard design to personnel allocation and post-production editing, I was responsible for everything. Whether it was planning drone flight paths and angles or coordinating actors’ breakfasts and soothing their emotions, every detail was my responsibility. I felt particularly small and had no one to share the burden with. Friction often arose when I had to collaborate with others.
One of my teammates frequently voiced opposing opinions and criticized my draft videos. I felt aggrieved as I worked tirelessly while he contributed little, but made negative remarks. I frequently wept when I returned to my dormitory. I attended classes during the day, followed by more negotiations with people. The situation didn’t improve; in fact, the conflicts escalated. Problems emerged during filming, such as unfavorable weather for outdoor shots and actors’ unavailability.
I wanted to make the video beautiful and ensure that everyone was satisfied, but it left me physically and mentally exhausted. I felt I was under immense pressure. When problems arose, I tended to shift blame to others, blaming everyone except myself. I failed to look inward for the root cause of the conflict. It was because of my impatience and unwillingness to accept criticism. The difficulties arose due to my attachment. Once I adjusted my mindset, things progressed smoothly.
I was able to take my teammate’s comment with an open mind and realized it was actually on point. I had chosen to ignore the flaws.
During the video production period, I was busy with various tasks and neglected Fa study and doing the exercises. Fellow practitioners in the Falun Dafa club noticed my absence from the study sessions and often reminded me. Even the dormitory teacher reminded me that Fa study should take precedence, and other tasks were secondary; I had it backward. However, I didn’t take their words to heart. Later, three small blisters appeared on one of my eyelids, and I felt like I was being pricked with needles every time I blinked.
I knew exactly how those blisters came about. I reminded myself that I was eliminating karma and that Master was reminding me not to lose myself. That day, the doctor advised me against going to school, so I isolated myself in the dormitory, read the Fa, and did the exercises. The three blisters burst. Looking back, I wondered if each blister represented a failure in Fa study, practicing the exercises, and clarifying the truth, respectively.
Maintaining Righteous Thoughts
My understanding of sending forth righteous thoughts deepened as I read the Fa. I went from simply eliminating interference to constantly reminding myself to maintain righteous thoughts. When I had nightmares, I sent righteous thoughts to eliminate the demonic interference. The demons I saw in my dreams instantly dissipated, vanishing like smoke.
I’ve also realized the importance of refraining from engaging in meaningless conversations and avoiding filling my mind with irrelevant information in daily life. These are all forms of interference that I should clear away when I send righteous thoughts. I understood that mainstream media, including music, videos, and various mediums, are attempting to disrupt our righteous thoughts.
Master said,
“...if a bottle filled with dirty things is sealed tightly and thrown into water, it will sink all the way to the bottom. You pour out some of its dirty contents. The more you empty the bottle, the higher it will float in the water. If it is emptied entirely, it will float completely to the top. In the course of our cultivation, only when the various bad things that exist on the human body are removed can you move up. This characteristic of the universe exactly plays this role.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
Practicing and Cultivating Diligently
Last summer, I had the opportunity to intern at NTD Television. I experienced a new cultivation environment. Unlike the typical student-teacher relationships at school, the media environment is a workplace where everyone works together on projects. I realized that we were all members of the project team. Every Falun Dafa practitioner is fulfilling their mission. In the past, I used to complain about school systems and certain rules. Now I understand that cooperation between students and teachers is essential to ensure the success of the school project. Teachers’ concern for our cultivation is not just an obligation; they sincerely hope that we can cultivate well and return home together.
One classmate was raised in a family that practices Falun Dafa. As she grew older, she began to have different understandings of cultivation. She hesitated and wasn’t sure whether she should believe in dialectical science or traditional faith. I wanted to help her, but all I could do was worry. She understood the principles clearly but was unwilling to cultivate herself. Although cultivation is a personal matter, I wanted to encourage her. Many classmates have practiced Falun Dafa since childhood, and never questioned why they should cultivate—they simply followed their families who knew that Falun Dafa was good.
Sometimes I feel lost about the path ahead and don’t know what to do. I have many questions, but as long as I study the Fa diligently, I can use the principles to rectify myself. Sometimes, when I open the book, I find that a particular section discusses my situation. Fa study should not be superficial; merely reading a paragraph or two as though I am fulfilling a daily task is not enough; the principles must be ingrained in our minds.
Master said,
“When some people read Zhuan Falun they are not concentrating, but rather, thinking about other things, and not able to focus their attention on cultivation. It thus amounts to wasting time. And not just wasting time—instead of it being the time when they are to be elevating, they are using their minds to think over issues and things that they shouldn’t concern themselves with, and thus, not only aren’t they elevating, but on the contrary, they are often dropping in level. If you don’t study the Fa well, there are many things you will not be able to do well.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World, VolumeXI)
Fa study must be genuine and heartfelt.
Conclusion
Writing down my cultivation experiences helped me organize my thoughts and I gained a deeper understanding of cultivation. Although there are many more experiences I would like to share, due to time constraints, I won’t discuss them now. Through each test and challenge, I’ve gradually let go of my attachments. Master guides us on the path to the divine, helping us find our way back. I hope we can all diligently cultivate and improve in doing the three things.
I am very grateful for this platform for sharing and for everyone’s efforts in creating such favorable conditions for Fa study and cultivating diligently.
The above is my personal sharing. If there are any inadequacies, I hope fellow practitioners will kindly correct me.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the Northern Academy of Arts Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)
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