(Minghui.org) Greetings, respected Master. Dear fellow practitioners.
I live in Austria and I began practicing Falun Dafa in 2009. For the past four years, I have spent at least five months each year working in Switzerland—a commitment that allows me to also support the Shen Yun kitchen team during their European tour—and I have found that I can balance both responsibilities well.
Master said:
“Special weight is given to the ability to forbear, or “Ren,” for only with this is spiritual greatness possible. The ability to forbear is powerful—even more so than honesty or compassion. You must practice forbearance throughout the course of your spiritual journey, always keeping your composure and never acting impulsively.” (Falun Gong)
After I had a better understanding of this passage this principle has woven itself through my daily life, and it has been of great help to me. When I sense this powerful force during confrontations and I’m able to navigate the situations in accordance with the Fa, I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude toward our Master.
Because I’m frequently away from home, traveling with Shen Yun or working seasonal jobs in hotels, and spend very little time at home in Vienna, it is repeatedly brought to my attention that I must let go of my small, protected little world. This becomes especially apparent when I am confronted with a situation already set in stone that throws my little world into disarray. When this happens I must be careful to ensure that I do not become irritated or angry.
When I returned home last year, I faced various challenges that, for a time, left my little world in a state of disorder. Thanks to Master’s help I managed to remain calm and avoid getting upset. There was also a clear test when, lost in thought, I failed to hold the elevator door for someone behind me, causing it to slam shut right in front of them. The person shouted at me, which startled me and brought me back to reality.
In that moment, I just said “Sorry” and I was able to keep my composure. In the past, I would have tried to justify my behavior. But precisely because of this forbearance the conflict dissolved immediately.
I also realized more clearly that by exercising forbearance, we protect both ourselves and others, preventing anger and rage from escalating. Forbearance stops resentment from taking root and prevents the creation of karma for both parties involved. Through the powerful force of forbearance, conflicts can be resolved.
This year, there were many disruptions during the Shen Yun Performing Arts tour, manifesting in both major incidents and numerous minor setbacks. On one occasion, a flight to Berlin could not take off due to heavy freezing rain, so I had to spend the night at the airport. The connecting flight the next morning only got me as far as Frankfurt, as planes were still unable to land in Berlin.
I took a train and arrived in time to purchase groceries for the kitchen. Not all of my coworkers were able to arrive on schedule. The situation was somewhat tense, as it directly affected the Shen Yun performers, for whom we provide meals.
On another occasion, while traveling to a different city by train, I encountered significant delays. Since my coworkers’ vehicle was already full, we were unable to meet at the prearranged location. Consequently, I had to navigate further delays and multiple transfers to reach my final destination, missing my connection twice. I spent the entire day and night in transit, and I eventually had to walk the final stretch in complete darkness.
When I arrived at the destination shortly before midnight, I found that my coworkers were still unloading our equipment, and everyone was already exhausted.
In various challenging situations, I initially turned to a fellow practitioner I trusted to help find solutions. I later realized that I needed to resolve these problems myself, as I should disturb others as little as possible. This means setting aside my inner restlessness and my ego, allowing me to handle situations with a calm, unperturbed, and kind demeanor. Our Master provides a solution for everything, provided we approach others with a sincere heart, remaining unruffled and full of kindness.
Working alongside many different fellow practitioners across various cities and kitchen environments, we encountered numerous challenges, both large and small, including equipment failing to function, essential utensils going missing, or having far too little time to prepare meals. Yet, by maintaining a broad, compassionate heart dedicated to Shen Yun and the salvation of sentient beings and by placing our trust in Master, we are able to overcome these situations, however difficult they may be.
Following the Shen Yun tours, I have spent the last few years working as a cook at a seasonal establishment in Switzerland, which is set in a beautiful location. When the weather is nice, the place gets very busy, with a large number of guests—a number that grows year by year. This is, of course, a positive thing, especially since it offers guests the chance to learn about Falun Dafa or Shen Yun at the hotel reception.
Especially when the weather is nice, we staff members often find ourselves under pressure. I recently realized, or caught myself in the act of constantly using the word “quickly.” I’ll say, “I’ll just go grab this quickly,” or “I’ll just do this quickly,” or even “I’m just going to have a quick breakfast,” even when it’s already 10:00 a.m.! A coworker pointed out, “You know, you could also just walk at a normal pace.” Oops! And yet, I still catch myself doing it time and again. It really showed me just how deeply ingrained certain habits can become.
At the same time, I also noticed that whenever I was under such pressure, I often spoke very rapidly to my coworkers as I hurried past them. Sometimes, the tone I used was not as calm as it ought to be. This tends to happen when I am pushed to my own limits by a heavy workload in the kitchen, and this sometimes causes complications.
Such situations have prompted me to look inward—I wish to strike the right balance between responsibility and tolerance. It serves as a reminder that the deities do not lay down rigid rules, but rather govern their heavenly realm with compassion.
Master said:
“You should know that a Buddha is the king of his heavenly paradise. The title “Tathagata” that we use for such a being is based on the manifestation of the level of his character standard. In reality, he is the king of that heavenly kingdom. He manages countless beings in that paradise. Of course, he doesn’t use laws to forcefully manage others like non-practitioners do; he manages entirely with mercy and kindness. Everyone there meets the standard of that realm, which is incomparably wonderful. He doesn’t have worldly emotions. He instead has mercy (ci-bei), a more elevated spiritual realm, and things that are purer, and has none of the things that ordinary people have.” (Lecture Given at the Conference in Sydney)
I realized that this complex cultivation environment allows me to further expand my compassion, a quality that is also essential for reaching the goal of cultivation.
Several practitioners work at our hotel. However, due to our varying work schedules, it is often quite difficult to find time to practice the Falun Dafa exercises or study the Fa together. For instance, the kitchen staff often have to continue washing dishes or cleaning until midnight or even later. The service staff also work late into the evening, even longer than I do in the kitchen. I have found that when I approach my daily tasks with joy, this positive energy extends to the other employees, and the guests can sense it as well. We effect our environment. I also greatly value the opportunity to join practitioners from Switzerland online in the evenings to regularly study Zhuan Falun.
I get up at 3:40 a.m. to perform the fifth exercise. Afterward, at 5:00 a.m., I join practitioners from Switzerland to study articles by Master until it is time to send forth righteous thoughts. Whenever possible, I then join fellow practitioners outdoors to do the first four exercises before starting my workday.
During this intense period, I have come to truly appreciate the importance of studying the Fa and doing the exercises, especially when my body is pushed to its limits. Every practitioner faces their own unique circumstances. It is crucial that I cultivate myself well, so that I may have a positive influence on our collective body of practitioners.
My fatigue also serves as a constant reminder to strengthen my main consciousness, a point that becomes especially clear to me whenever I find myself nodding off while sending forth righteous thoughts.
This year, I came to realize that I still harbor certain feelings toward people who are deeply rooted in the innermost part of my heart.
Even as a child, I was shown what a harmonious family life could look like, most notably by my godmother. I often spent my holidays with her because I felt so comfortable and at ease in her company.
She repeatedly emphasized that I would one day make a good housewife. This idea was constantly instilled in me. Unfortunately, I became a single mother when my son was only two years old. Ever since then, I have been perpetually occupied with work. Looking back, I realize that because of all this work, I had buried all of my emotions. Even though my son is now an adult and no longer needs me, the intensity of my work has not diminished—if anything, it has only increased.
Through my spiritual cultivation, I have become more open and loving toward others. Yet, I have always held myself to very strict standards, for cultivation is truly serious.
Recently, the topic of “fundamental attachments” has frequently come up among fellow practitioners, which prompted me to reflect deeply on the matter. In one of our recent discussions, someone mentioned fundamental attachments that can be traced back to childhood—this really served as a wake-up call for me.
I had never looked back that far into my past. When I did, I uncovered another fundamental attachment, one I likely would never have discovered without that exchange. I found a deep-seated desire for a harmonious family life. To help me look even more deeply inward and gain a better understanding, I was shown scenes in my dreams that caused me great pain.
In fact, even before I began cultivating, following a trip to China, I had many dreams. The scenes within them always took place in various historical eras. I have always had loved ones by my side, whether it was a protective brother when I was a child, or a beloved spouse who later perished in the war, and so on.
Shortly afterward, I began practicing Falun Dafa. At first, I did not pay much attention to these dreams. This year, however, these visions intensified, and not just in my dreams. Whenever I perceived the suffering of one of these individuals, depicted with such vivid realism, it caused me deep inner pain. I found this difficult to cope with.
I understand that some of these situations are tests or interference orchestrated by the old forces, and are, in essence, illusions to which one should not cling. I wish to let go of everything and hold on to nothing. The old forces employ all manner of tricks to destroy us practitioners. Even such deep-seated, repressed attachments must be relinquished.
My mother recently passed away. She was a very kind-hearted person. After she was gone, I felt a profound sense of tranquility within myself. I realized that true harmony can only emerge when one lets go of all these attachments and emotions.
Master taught us:
“Do you know that one of the biggest excuses the evil old forces use at present to persecute Dafa is that your fundamental attachments remain concealed? So in order to identify such people, the ordeals have been made more severe.” (“Towards Consummation,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress II)
If I can transform emotions and feelings into rational thought, I can make progress more quickly. I still have much to cultivate, and I hope to continue advancing steadily.
I would like to share two examples of this. After I said goodbye to my mother, I took the train back to Switzerland. I found that I could not charge my mobile phone, either via the train’s power outlets nor through the power bank I brought with me.
I sent a text message to the person picking me up at the station, letting them know I might be unreachable. My boss added, “You won’t need it for the rest of the night anyway.”
This made me realize just how dependent I had become on my phone. I keep everything on it, including my exercise music, the Fa lectures, and my alarm clock. It was nearly midnight when I arrived at the hotel. I plugged the phone into the charger and went to sleep. Even though it showed no sign of charging, I left it plugged in. I sent righteous thoughts and I asked Master for help. I needed the phone, and I rejected any interference. To my surprise, the phone was fully charged by morning. I am deeply grateful to our compassionate Master.
A coworker who is not a practitioner provides a great deal of support at work, and he sometimes takes on too much. As a result, incidents occasionally happen that make it very difficult for me to remain unmoved.
One day, we prepared 20 kg (44 lb) of potatoes for an important event. He steamed them, then placed them in a refrigeration unit to cool quickly to preserve their texture. However, when I entered the kitchen the next morning, I discovered that the unit had been set to “freeze.”
Once frozen, potatoes can no longer be used as a side dish. They turn mushy, and the only option left is to turn them into soup. That would have meant buying, peeling, and preparing another 20 kg of potatoes. I stood there in shock, my mind completely blank.
After a while, I put a portion into the oven and heated it up to see what the consistency would be like. Fortunately, the consistency was fine. I knew Master helped us. I felt this very strongly, as I managed not to get angry and instead I calmly sought a solution.
Respected Master, thank you so much for your protection, for your patience with me, and for the concern you have had to show on my behalf. Thank you, too, for everything that I am not yet able to perceive or comprehend.
I am also grateful to my fellow practitioners and to all sentient beings who have accompanied me for part of my cultivation journey.
Thank you, respected Master! Thank you, dear fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2026 German-Speaking Swiss Fa Conference)