(Minghui.org) Greetings, respected Master and fellow practitioners.
I began practicing Falun Dafa in 2020 and feel very fortunate to have this opportunity. Although I only recently began practicing, I feel I’m lazy and sometimes let my human notions prevail.
I began thinking about the meaning of life a few years ago. The pursuit of fame, material interests, and emotions confused me. I felt these things were meaningless, but I was entangled and couldn’t let them go. I often wondered why I came to this world. By chance, I saw the documentary “Letter from Masanjia.” The compassion and tenacity of the main character moved me to tears more than once.
I found out that my favorite social media celebrities were also Falun Dafa practitioners. The graciousness I saw in them showed me what Chinese gentlemen should be like. My good impression led to me to look into Falun Dafa.
I was once a poisoned “little pink,” and I firmly believed the lies the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) said about Dafa. More than 10 years ago, one of my classmates who practices Falun Dafa gave me some truth clarification materials. But I sneered and threw them away. After learning the truth about Falun Dafa through documentaries and other channels, I contacted her and apologized. We met and she gave me two books, Zhuan Falun and Falun Gong. I said, “The CCP’s words should be understood to be the opposite. The more it suppresses a person or thing, the more valuable they may be. I’ll take a good look at these books.”
After I got home and opened Zhuan Falun, I couldn’t put it down. The profound Fa principles impressed me deeply. Master explained the ultimate mysteries of the universe and life in simple and profound language.
Master said:
“I remember back when you first obtained the Fa, how as soon as you saw this Fa—particularly those in the first two of the three categories I’ve described before—your heart was truly just overjoyed! [You were thinking,] “This is wonderful! I’ve finally found it!” Weren’t all those thousands of years of reincarnating and waiting exactly for this? At the time, driven by the feeling from deep inside your being, you were able to renounce any human attachment and be determined to cultivate yourself well. That excitement could propel you to be diligent. But with the passage of time, that feeling was gradually lost. Human laziness, all kinds of human notions, and the array of chaotic things before you in society all combined to tempt you and interfere with you. Hence the saying, “Cultivate with the heart you once had, and consummation is certain.” Often, people say to me things like, “In the past, when I read the Fa my level rose so quickly. And as I read the book, things that would improve my understanding were constantly revealed to me. How come I don’t experience that anymore?” Then think about this: are you “cultivating with the heart you once had”?” (“Fa Teaching at the 2013 Greater New York Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XII)
I was very excited when I began practicing. I immediately understood that everything I’d experienced in this life was for the sake of obtaining this Dafa. I read Zhuan Falun over and over so I could understand Master’s principles. When I was confused or had questions, Dafa answered them, and my understandings deepened. Not only did I understand that the ultimate goal of life is returning to one’s true self, but, guided by the Fa, my cultivation level improved by the day. I was the happiest person in the world.
Cherishing This Cultivation Environment
I came to the United States soon after I began practicing. There are many practitioners and Dafa projects in the United States, which is helpful for new students so that they can keep up with the progress of Fa-rectification. But I did not contact any practitioners the first year I was here. Although I knew Falun Dafa was good, the years of CCP brainwashing and my attachments of fear, fame and self-interest made me reluctant to tell anyone that I was a practitioner. As I kept studying the Fa, I realized the importance of cultivating in a group environment and cooperating with fellow practitioners to save people. After I contacted other practitioners, a new chapter in my cultivation opened up.
For example, when I first participated in group exercises, I learned that the five exercises were done to music and that you could not just follow your own feelings and pace. Each exercise is indispensable, and you cannot just do this one and not that one according to your preferences. After coming to the Bay Area in 2022, the importance of the group environment became increasingly obvious.
After I started working, I merged into ordinary society and gradually became entangled in the attachments of fame, material interests, and emotions. Over the past year, I seldom participated in any group Fa study, exercises, or projects. During that time, I made many mistakes that practitioners should not make, and I almost gave up cultivating.
I was exhausted physically and mentally, but I couldn’t snap out of it. When I shared this with fellow practitioners, I felt relieved. I also reflected on what I should do. I started participating in group Fa study and adjusted my mental state. As I participated in more and more Fa study, exercises, and projects, under Master’s care and arrangements, I gradually returned to cultivation.
Master said,
“But you should try your best to advise them to take part in group study sessions, because the group study environment is indispensable for your helping each other improve, it is essential. Why, back early on, did I ask people to hold them? Because the form of cultivation that this Fa takes dictates that it be done this way.” (“Teachings at the 2004 International Conference in New York”)
Participating in group Fa study is very helpful to me. Almost every sharing with fellow practitioners is aimed at the attachments I need to eliminate or a xinxing test I need to overcome. For example, when I was attached to comfort, I would hear diligent practitioners talk about getting up early to do the exercises and send forth righteous thoughts.
When I waste time on social media, I hear practitioners talk about their experiences getting rid of their obsession with chess. When I eliminated karma after my leg was injured, I heard practitioners’ stories of passing tests with righteous thoughts after they were bitten by a dog.
There are so many examples that it’s hard to list them all. I feel as if I roll around in the mud among ordinary people from Monday to Friday at work and then wash it off when I go to Fa study on Saturday and Sunday. After each group Fa study and sharing, I feel like I’ve been recharged and have gained the energy of righteous thoughts and righteous actions again. I can’t imagine how bad my cultivation state would be if I lost the group Fa study environment.
Fellow practitioners’ words and deeds often encourage me. From correcting my pronunciation and pointing out words I miss when I read the Fa, to correcting my movements when I do the exercises, to sharing how they overcame the physical and mental torture when they were persecuted, the influence of fellow practitioners has become an indispensable part of my cultivation.
In the first movie, “Coming for You,” Venerable Wuwei said to the gods and Buddhas who came to the earth together, “Today we are able to gather together and walk together, all of which is destined by the Fa. The secular world will obscure our eyes, and human society is dangerous and evil. We must remind each other in the next world and never get lost.” During the Fa-rectification period, we gather in the human world to cultivate together. This destiny is worth cherishing.
Cultivating Ourselves and Saving People
There are many practitioners in the Bay Area, and there are many projects to save sentient beings. Over the past two years, I’ve experienced many firsts while participating in projects: The first time I posted posters, the first time I sold Shen Yun tickets, the first time I joined a parade, the first time I told people about Falun Dafa, and so on.
Master said,
“A great way is extremely simple and easy. Viewed broadly, Falun Dafa has a small number of exercise movements, yet the things to be developed are numerous and comprehensive. The movements govern every aspect of the body and the many things that will be developed.” (The Great Way of Spiritual Perfection)
I feel that the principles of Dafa are reflected in these projects. They appear the same as regular social activities, but they play a role in saving countless sentient beings in layers of dimensions. At the same time, the forms are simple and diverse, allowing Dafa disciples to participate and establish their own mighty virtue. Many practitioners in the Bay Area have practiced for many years. They have persisted in saving people through decades of ups and downs, and in multiple projects, which is admirable.
As a new student who only recently began practicing, I often worry if I have enough determination and keep reminding myself that perseverance is the key.
While participating in projects, I’ve realized that the most important thing is having compassion to save sentient beings, not superficial abilities in ordinary society. For example, some practitioners may not speak English well, or are not eloquent, but when they have enough righteous thoughts, a compassionate smile may allow people to understand the truth when they read the information. I’ve experienced this myself.
Master said,
“For Dafa disciples there are just three things right now. One is clarifying the facts. One is sending righteous thoughts—sending righteous thoughts has an effect on your own bodies and things outside of your body. And the other is cultivating yourselves and studying the Fa well. These three things are of utmost importance.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World, Volume III)
My understanding is that the three things are closely connected as an organic whole, influencing each other, and at the same time playing a key role in improving our cultivation. For example, when I do the exercises well, study the Fa well, and send forth righteous thoughts well, predestined people seem to appear and I can talk to them about Dafa. Plus, the effect of clarifying the truth is also very good. There are also times when I slack off in cultivation and my condition is very bad, but participating in truth clarifying activities can help me regain my diligence.
I developed some symptoms of depression because I could not keep up with studying the Fa and doing the exercises. I spent several weekends lying in bed for over ten or 20 hours a day, feeling really down. It wasn’t until I participated in Fa-rectification activities with practitioners that I was pulled out of the false illusion of illness and my righteous thoughts were strengthened.
Many truth-clarification activities may not have immediate results, and some people may give us negative feedback. But my own experience of going from being a “little pink” to a Dafa disciple is that any small thing that helps people learn about Falun Dafa and the persecution is meaningful.
Finally, I would like to encourage everyone to regain the state of cultivation we had when we first began practicing and return with Master.
Thank you, Master! Thank you fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2024 San Francisco Fa Conference)
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