(Minghui.org) In 2024, a local coordinator asked me to join a Fa-study group which included a practitioner who had recently resumed cultivating. The goal was to help this practitioner catch up with the progress of Fa-rectification. We met twice a week at this practitioner’s home to read the Fa.
To ensure the other practitioners safety and maintain a suitable environment for cultivation, we do not speak to one another when we cross paths within the residential compound where the study group is held. We avoid making any loud noises in the hallways, and we do not bring mobile phones to the study location. Instead, we wait until we arrive at the practitioner’s home before we talk to each other.
Reconnecting with Former Young Practitioners
The new Fa-study group started with four practitioners and two more joined later. Three of them have children who practiced Falun Dafa in the past. After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began persecuting Falun Dafa in July 1999, these children grew up and are now adults. Some married and had children of their own, while others, after entering the workforce, gradually drifted away from cultivation. Some of them practice only intermittently.
Because the seeds of Dafa had been planted in their hearts, through the other practitioners’ sharing and their dedicated efforts, all three of these former young practitioners resumed practicing. Since they all have jobs, we adjusted our weekly schedule so that one of our two study sessions falls on a day when these younger practitioners are off work, so they could participate.
Assisting a Practitioner’s Family
Shortly after the coordinator of this study group began practicing Falun Dafa, the CCP persecuted her. Pressured by the CCP, her father, husband, and two sons tried to stop her from practicing.
She was reported to the authorities several times by individuals who did not understand what Falun Dafa is. Each time, she clarified the facts to the police at the local station and was able to walk out. However, some police officers, who were unaware of the truth about Dafa, pressured her husband and sons. Unable to withstand the CCP’s intimidation, her family members prevented her from going out to clarify the facts, which led to conflicts at home. Her husband developed various illnesses because he accumulated a lot of karma. Fellow practitioners in our Fa-study group helped her by sending righteous thoughts. They hoped her husband would cease his wrongdoing and practice. Her husband attended group Fa-study several times. However, sometimes he couldn’t continue halfway through, as his karma surfaced and he felt uncomfortable. The practitioners didn’t say anything when he stood and walked around the room while we continued reading.
Her husband was quite eager to participate and he occasionally made comments that revealed an accurate understanding of the cultivation states of individual practitioners. We thought that Master, in his great compassion, was using his words to offer us encouragement.
Guiding Fa-Study and Cultivation with Fa Principles
A preschool-aged boy lives in the home of the practitioner who hosts our Fa-study group. Because he is young, he is naturally very active. He is usually well-behaved and quietly plays with his toys. Occasionally however, he runs around the room, makes noise, slams doors and bumps into things. The practitioner hosting the group sometimes says, “Please stop running. Go play in the other room.” But the child doesn’t always listen. Some practitioners are distracted and its difficult for them to focus when they read.
After our Fa-study session, I shared an experience from another group. While we all prefer a quiet, undisturbed environment for studying the Fa, any situation that arises during our cultivation is either the result of karma or a reflection of our mental state.
After we had this discussion instead of feeling resentment or being annoyed at the child for disrupting our study, we asked ourselves: have we reached the state that Master speaks of? The child was actually providing an environment for us to improve and elevate ourselves. Instead of feeling upset, we should look inward and thank him in our hearts for providing us with an opportunity to improve.
Cultivating Every Thought and Becoming Increasingly Mature
We talk about our cultivation experiences after we study the Fa. Each session lasts two hours, followed by several dozen minutes of discussion. Everyone feels comfortable revealing their thoughts, and we are willing to point out each other’s shortcomings. We viewing this as a way of being truly responsible toward one another. Fellow practitioners have learned how to cultivate without regarding feedback as someone trying to make things difficult for them. They consider it as help for their own improvement. Consequently, they are happy to listen and jointly foster a positive atmosphere in our Fa-study group.
When practitioners encounter conflicts or challenges, they often tell the group how they navigated these situations: they either managed to elevate their character or they failed to make progress. Practitioners measure themselves against the standards of Dafa in every matter, whether it is a major incident, a fleeting thought, a word, or an action. They strive to cultivate themselves well, assist Master in Fa-rectification, save sentient beings, and fulfill their vows.
The practitioners in our Fa-study group are from diverse backgrounds, and are of different ages, professions, educational levels, and cultivation levels. Those who have not yet retired encounter scheduling conflicts. Some of them must leave early to pick up their children, leading to occasional late arrivals or early departures. The rest of the group understands the challenges these individuals face, recognizing that they are making a concerted effort to find time to attend the Fa-study sessions. Everyone has cultivated a spirit of tolerance, readily accepting these late arrivals or early departures. Feeling the compassion and acceptance, these practitioners willingly join the group to study the Fa and share their experiences.
