(Minghui.org) I’d like to tell how my experiences with the Tian Guo Marching Band offered me many cultivation opportunities.

Growing Up in a Family of Musicians

My family lived in the compound of a provincial opera house in China. My father played clarinet and my mother played piano for a dance troupe. Since the day I was born, I was surrounded by the sounds of all kinds of musical instruments and people doing voice exercises. Because of this, my ears were very sensitive to all kinds of music.

My father gave me a clarinet when I was four, but I had no interest in playing it. When I was in middle school he gave me a saxophone. I liked it very much. Father showed me some fingering techniques and my music journey began.

I joined a performing arts group on campus after I went college. I also joined the marching band. When other students practiced military drills every morning, the band students went to the rehearsal room and practiced. My tone improved and I knew my hard work was paying off.

I began practicing Falun Dafa two years after I graduated from college, and I no longer had time to play music instruments. But in 2006, I was surprised to see a report on Minghui about the Tian Guo Marching Band. I was shocked—Falun Dafa was severely persecuted inside China, I could not imagine practitioners were able to introduce Dafa to the public openly on the street. I wish I could do this, but I felt it was a dream. Still, I read all the reports related to the Tian Guo Marching Band.

Joining the Band

Little did I know that my company would send me overseas. After I arrived in Japan the other practitioners urged me to join the Tian Guo Marching Band.

I memorized the music by listening to it on the subway during my commute every day. I just needed to memorize the melody and I could covert it to fingering. I was able to play five pieces within one month and I joined the band.

The first parade I participated in was held in Hiroshima on May 3, 2010. I felt very fortunate to validate Dafa as I marched in my band costume. Remembering the practitioners who were suppressed in China, I felt honored. I was very excited and reminded myself to focus on the music and not play any notes wrong. It was an unforgettable experience.

We found there were many alto players and not enough tenors, so the band director asked if I could play tenor. I readily agreed and I bought a tenor saxophone. I had to memorize a new set of music notes. But I was happy as long as I was part of the band.

One year after I joined the band, someone suggested I be the technical advisor and the director talked to me about it. I turned it down partly because I was new, and partly because a technical advisor needs comprehensive knowledge. During our group rehearsals some members always played certain notes wrong, so I gently corrected them. Someone again suggested I be a technical advisor. I said I would try.

I realized there were many things I had to learn. First, I needed to look at the full score consisting of the music notes for all the instruments. The full score was not available at the time and some band members did not know what it was. I asked Master for help. Since I knew Master arranged for me to be a technical advisor, I felt there would be a path forward.

When I browsed the Tian Guo Marching web page, I found some music files. I searched the internet and found legacy music notation files. I was able to find some software to open them but it was in English. So I spent some time learning English and then I could open them. One of them had the full score. When I played it using the software, I could select certain instruments, or their combinations. I could also adjust the volume of certain instruments—like directing a band. This was what I looking for and I thanked Master.

But that was just the beginning. Most of the music notes did not have the full score so I had to input each note to generate one. This required lots of time. But it was necessary in order to accurately grasp the music. I was often busy until 3 a.m. As I compiled these music notes I gradually learned more music theories. Because my understanding of music structure improved I could do better when I directed.

To better grasp the melody of each instrument, I had to memorize the music notes of all of them. This was much more difficult than just memorizing the saxophone notes. There are nearly 10 types of instruments in the band, which meant I had to spend more time and energy. Instead of listening to Japanese when I commuted every day, I turned on the MP3 recording of each music instrument. With skills given by Master, I was able to memorize them in a short time. This allowed me to correct mistakes for practitioners without looking at the music notes. We practiced outdoors, or before or after a parade. It was impossible to look at music notes and I had to rely on memory.

Some main melodies were easier to memorize, while some consisted entirely of monotonous accompaniment with a few notes constantly repeated. It was time-consuming to memorize them. Sometimes there wasn’t much time before the group rehearsal and I was nervous because I didn’t have time to prepare. I asked Master for help and when the music started the melodies appeared in my mind. If someone made a mistake, I could find it. I knew Master was helping me.

In the early days we rehearsed near the sea, so the sounds of some instruments could not be heard clearly, plus the rehearsals were easily affected by wind or rain. Recalling how we practiced for the marching band in college, I switched to rehearsing indoors. The mistakes were easier to spot and the quality of the group rehearsal improved. Later I realized some practitioners did not know how to practice and didn’t even know they made mistakes. So I suggested practitioners that played certain instruments get together and practice. After a little over one year, several difficult music pieces were worked out. This way, we could cover all the Tian Guo Marching Band music pieces and everyone was excited.

Improving My Cultivation

After the technical issues were resolved, xinxing tests immediately followed. Before each group rehearsal I had to prepare materials at home and listen to each instrument’s music. The group rehearsals were a little over two hours, but I had to spend an entire day preparing for it. When I arrived, I sometimes found only a small number of band members showed up. Since some of them missed rehearsal last time, we had to repeat what was already discussed. So the material I prepared that day was useless. The same thing happened during the next rehearsal.

Because of this we improved very slowly. Sometimes I wanted to skip rehearsals, but when I remembered some practitioners had to commute for hours, I knew I had to come since I didn’t want to let them down. Then I noticed some practitioners had good skills and they did not have to come for practice. But they showed up anyway to help others so they could rehearse together. I was very touched and I decided to do well myself, instead of being affected by others.

Because I helped others during group rehearsal, I had no time to practice my own instrument with others—I had to practice at home using MP3 files to mimic the group rehearsal. The residential sound insulation is strict in Japan, and I had to convert the bathroom into a music studio. The soundproof material retains heat. It’s warm in the winter, and very hot in the summer. After I practiced for 30 minutes, I had to open the door. Although the situation was challenging I was able practice until 11 p.m.

When it was time for rehearsal, some band members could not play the music. They said they did not have time to practice. We had to rehearse instrument by instrument. Some members who practiced previously were unhappy. Because they did not learn something new, they didn’t want to attend the rehearsals. I was upset—at least others could participate in the group rehearsal using their instruments; I couldn’t do that since I had help correct others.

Some band members said they were busy with other Dafa projects, and only practiced during the group rehearsal. This reminded me of some incidents that happened when I was in middle school. When mother and I came home for lunch, it usually wasn’t ready since father just finished practicing the clarinet. My mother would say, “You were home all morning, but you didn’t prepare lunch?”

“Morning is the time the band arranged for us to practice clarinet. It cannot be repurposed,” replied father.

I agree, and I explained to the band members that, being a member of the Tian Guo Marching Band not only includes group rehearsals and performances, but also individual practice time.

I proposed individual tests. The policy at that time was, one could participate in the performances if one was able to play five music pieces. If one could not play certain pieces, he or she was to simply remain silent during those. In fact, some members were unable to perform certain pieces, but they played anyway and their off tune messed up those who could play. The band director and some section leads disagreed with my idea of testing, saying it was not needed. I felt helpless.

I found more issues. The lip shapes of some practitioners were incorrect and some sounds they made were even horrifying. Some had wrong posture and hand positions—they had to be correct. When I was young, mother once told me she sometimes found it was hard to teach a student who already had some experience—it was easier to teach a new student. At that time, most band members came from Taiwan and they hadn’t learned from professionals. The situation was serious and I knew the band’s performances wouldn’t go well.

So I suggested practitioners take lessons in how to play their instrument. Some band members said it wasn’t necessary and they just needed to learn from those who could play; after they were able to play at a certain level, they would find instructors. I knew this was wrong, but I could not convince them. It was painful to see the band members wasting time and even ruining themselves. Another issue was that, the band members felt they didn’t have to listen to me since I wasn’t a professional musician. They also didn’t want to pay for classes. At that time, I did not realize this was a xinxing test. I argued with the coordinator and I decided to resign as the technical advisor.

I became a regular player and I didn’t have to attend all the rehearsals. But some band members began complaining and said I could not just let it be like that; otherwise, the band might collapse. I said we should wait for professionals. But some members continued talking with me, and said helping as a technical advisor was my prehistoric vow. I also noticed the quality of the band was deteriorating. Other members also noticed this and we felt bad after parades.

I asked Master: was I wrong? Since some band members refused to listen to me, I stepped back and and I hoped that those who were more capable would step up. I could still validate Dafa as an individual player. But in my heart, I knew I was selfish and I just wanted an easy life.

I sometimes wondered why it was so easy for me to play saxophone? This was because I had a foundation and I could memorize the music notes well. Where did these skills come from? My family, I thought. But I knew Master gave me all these skills for a reason. Backing off was not an option.

We soon had a new band director who asked me to be the technical advisor again. I was thankful to Mater for giving me another opportunity.

Improving My Skills

The xinxing improvement opportunities did not stop. The Tian Guo Marching Band in Taiwan came to Japan for a joint performance. When I asked a clarinet player to come forward to tune the sound for the band, the Taiwan technical advisor stopped me and asked for sound tuning with a trumpet. I did not know what to say since I always tuned the sound with a clarinet. The band members also looked at me in suspicion as if saying: “Oh, you didn’t know this either?”

When I was in college, we always used clarinet for tuning, but I didn’t know why. So I asked the technical advisor from Taiwan, and she insisted on using a trumpet but she didn’t explain. I had no choice but to call my father. He said military bands usually tune with an oboe; when it wasn’t available, a clarinet would be used. When I asked why, father explained that a clarinet has a very small adjustable range. The trumpet has an adjustable tube and the sound could vary. I felt I’d been wronged. But at that time, opinions from Taiwan were the standard and no one listened to my explanation. I also knew I was afraid of losing face and this was an opportunity to let go of it. So I decided to find a professional advisor; then everyone would listen.

I proposed this idea to the band. But no practitioner in Japan had these skills and hiring an everyday professional would cost money. Even when I offered to pay, the band members said no need since they just wanted to be good enough. When I proposed lessons instrument by instrument for the band, the members said no need as each instrument just needed to find a good player to lead the others. So I was stuck there. It seems that, the band members just wanted me to lead, the way they wanted.

This reminded me of a conversation mother and I once had. She said there were one type of students. When a teacher proposed to teach the basics, their parents would take out a book of music notes and say, “We just want a hobby instead of becoming professional. Learning the basics takes too long. Please just teach the child these music pieces. We would be happy if the student could perform them in school.” Mother said such students are not teachable. She turned them down because they would fail anyway. Of course, some instructors might accept such students, but they are basically fooling the parents.

It felt like I was encountering the same issue now. I could not convince the others. I even thought of inviting a well-known conductor to teach us and I met with him. But he did not get back to me. So I knew I needed to increase the capacity of my heart. When I watched the DVD of Master’s Lecture to Australian Practitioners, I suddenly realized Master already explained this.

I enlightened to principle that, after a practitioner consummates, there could be various levels of sentient beings along with Buddhas and Taoists in his world. Those divine beings can only see things at their level, they cannot see the higher levels that a Falun Dafa practitioner sees. In that case, the practitioner won’t argue with them or force his opinion; he’ll probably just handle things in a way that those divine beings can understand. He wouldn’t back off and do nothing. Then as Dafa practitioners, we would encounter such tests during cultivation and eventually reach that realm. If we just dodge, that will not work. Every practitioner has his or her own talents, that is why such situations could appear in various Dafa projects. In the past, I could not understand why a technical expert could be managed by someone not so good at technical. Now I know this is part of our cultivation.

Then one day, we heard a new conductor in Taiwan was professional and he would visit Japan and provide some training. I signed up and felt relieved—our band had hope now. After the class, I asked the question again: whether one should tune the sound using a clarinet or a trumpet—this showed my attachment was still there. He replied of course, one uses a clarinet. When I mentioned the disagreement, he thought for a while and said, “Let’s use a music tuner.”

I was waiting for an answer that would prove I was right. From his reply, I could feel his kindness and generosity. Compared to him, I had a strong competitive attachment. I also learned lots of knowledge and technical skills from him. With his encouragement it was easier for me to lead the band.

As I let go of those attachments, my wish surprisingly came true. Based on recommendation form this conductor, the band started an evaluation process. At that point many band members realized they had been way off. In the past, they had no problems following along. But when they performed individually, it was clear they made many mistakes and sometimes they couldn’t even play an entire piece of music. Now, no one opposed the evaluation. Note by note, they followed the music notes attentively. Fewer mistakes were found during the group rehearsals and the band moved to a new level.

Another initiative from the conductor was instrument-specific lessons taught by professionals in Japan to learn the basics. Different voices emerged from the band: complaining about the tuition, grouping, timing, or teaching materials. They were so overwhelming that I would have quit if this was directed at me. But the conductor from Taiwan spent lots of time patiently and compassionately exchanging ideas with band members. He traveled many times between Japan and Taiwan. The printed materials were so heavy that he had to pay an extra fee for his luggage. The hotel expense during his stay was also huge. But he did not ask us for any money. This was surprising to me because conductors in everyday society are well paid and well treated everywhere they go.

He was very busy but his efforts paid off. Many practitioners who attended the classes found their way of playing the instruments had been wrong all this time—they finally learned what they should sound like. Practitioners in the percussion section realized the way they held their instruments was wrong and it was hard to change. Some practitioners were sad and said we wasted so much time. I heard many comments like this.

More and more practitioners agreed with the instrument-specific lessons. Other than the group lessons, some practitioners also signed up for individual lessons. The tone when practitioners played improved and there were fewer strange sounds. The band’s overall tone became more harmonious and the performance level improved significantly. At that time, the Japanese Tian Guo Marching Band often joined parades in Hong Kong and our technical improvement played an important role in helping Master save people.

Pressure from Work

I was very busy during those days. In addition to attending the instrument-specific lessons, I had to coordinate lesson contents of all sections and checked the lesson outcome. At work, I was in charge of communicating with a technical advisor in Taiwan. Just as the pressure increased, my work contract ended and I had to find another job. I had no income, what should I do? I knew Master would make an arrangement. As long as I had money I would attend the section lessons and participate in parades in Hong Kong. Nothing related to Dafa could be negatively affected.

So I spent more time practicing with other practitioners. I tried to attend the practices of all the instruments so my skills would improve. In order to improve my skills when I played my instrument, I attended four lessons every month. My tuition and expenses were probably the highest among all practitioners. I had no breaks on weekends since I needed to attend the practices for different instruments. Even the parking fee each month was expensive.

Just as I was about to run out of money, I found another job with a one-year contract. The employer required me to improve my Japanese quickly; otherwise, I would not become a permanent employee and my contract wouldn’t be renewed. So I hired a tutor to learn Japanese. Then I found I had no time to learn. This is because very often I had work overtime; after that, I had to either join instrument-specific band lessons or practice as part of my homework. I also had to set aside time every day to study the Fa (teachings). I also had to prepare music pieces for group rehearsals. As our technical skills improved, we added harmonic exercises and other etudes. All these needed time to prepare.

On weekends, I either attended group rehearsals or I practiced with individual instruments. I also had to watch the exam videos from dozens of practitioners in other regions. Each practitioner had to play eight music pieces; if they failed they had to take a make-up test. As a result, some practitioners might take several tests for the same music piece. My workload was very heavy. I hoped these practitioners would pass the tests quickly; otherwise it might be too overwhelming for me—because, not only was I a technical advisor, I also played the saxophone. The workload for a player could make a practitioner very busy already; but my role as a technical advisor made me much busier. I was essentially doing two projects. Three months had passed but I hadn’t even started studying Japanese. What should I do?

Then I remember in Teachings at the Conference in Switzerland, Master talked about a Ph.D. candidate who avoided dissecting mice. My wife agreed with me and said I needed to prioritize Dafa work; I knew this was a xinxing test and decided to just follow Master’s arrangement—participating in the band is my mission after all.

So far I have worked in this company for 10 years and I have become a permanent employee too. As long as we truly let go of attachments, we will not lose anything.

More Xinxing Tests

As the band kept improving and we went to Hong Kong more often, I noticed my human notions were exposed. For example, my words became more assertive, I was attached to getting things done, and my show off mentality also became obvious. I also found not just me, the other coordinators also had strong human notions. They became more and more attached to the role of Japanese marching band in parades in Hong Kong. When they heard different opinions, they often said, “This is your human notion and you need to look within.” When both sides refused to listen, the conflicts and barriers between coordinators also grew.

For example, before a performance at Hiroshima, we agreed in advance that those who failed the tests could not participate. These practitioners went to the band director, who allowed them to participate. I was upset. I should have talked to the band director. But we just ignored each other.

We previously agreed that a practitioner had to pass eight music pieces to participate in the parade in Hong Kong. To increase the number of Japanese practitioners in the joint performance, however, the coordinator often made exceptions and allowed additional practitioners to attend. I was angry and brought this up during a group rehearsal. The coordinator told me, “This is your human notion and you need to look within.” I thought about resigning.

There were similar incidents and I felt it was difficult to continue. There were also some unusual phenomena. One band member said he knew where other members came from and what their missions were. Then the practitioner who claimed to able to tell others’ fate passed away in Hong Kong.

I discussed the situation with my wife and we agreed I should take a break. I told the coordinator I wished to resign as a technical advisor and just be a regular band member. My request was approved and another practitioner was chosen to be the technical advisor.

Learning More Skills

I joined the routine band activities as a regular member. My mind became calmer and I was able to see my attachments: I was attached to getting things done, I felt superior, and I felt I was in charge. I don’t know what would have happened if I continued like this.

One side of me thought I could have an easy life right now as a regular band member; another side of me seemed to know this period was not meant for a break—rather it was an opportunity for me to learn more so I could use it later. Since the wind and brass instruments playing in Japan are world-class, I was always curious how everyday band works. So I joined a local band. The band members were very skilled. After receiving music pieces, they were able to play them almost immediately; but I could not do that. Everyone was nice and no one pressured me.

Over time I noticed the role of the band director in everyday society is much easier than in our band. He does not have as many responsibilities and does not spend much energy working on details of each band member. In contrast, our band director has to pay attention to everything. Therefore, even if a band director is hired from outside for us, that person will not be so meticulous, or he might leave when he sees our lack of dedication.

I found the quality of the band came from the band members’ efforts. The director does not pay much attention to the players’ skills. He’s only responsible for the band’s overall performance. The band members constantly strive to improve themselves. Besides six group rehearsals each month, some members have individual lessons. I saw some in their 60s were still learning, including graduates from professional music universities. They did this because they had a passion for music. In contrast, some of our band members only practiced once or twice a month other than the group rehearsal. I felt this made a big difference.

The local band has two regular performances every year with at least 15 music pieces each. So, the band members have to practice more than 30 music pieces a year. Beyond that, there are also specific performances—the amount of work is tremendous. In order for me to catch up, I had to practice every day and I sometimes could not keep up.

I began to understand those practitioners who lagged behind in our band. I felt practicing music wasn’t difficult, so I criticized them. But now I was in the same position. Although the director of the local band did not criticize me, I felt embarrassed; if he had criticized me, I would probably have quit. I wanted to catch up, but I couldn’t. After that experience, I no longer criticized our band members.

The daily drill improved my ability to read music notes, which my tutor noticed. In the past, I mainly memorized the melody, but not the notes. The music notes were as long as six or seven pages, so my old method no longer worked. Unlike the Tian Guo Marching Band music which continues from beginning to end, these music pieces have long rests. One has to count the number of measures to fit in an instrument correctly, which requires following the music notes closely. This experience taught me to grasp music notes of different instruments, especially when practitioners took tests. Since the music was not very difficult, I could sing it out when I saw the notes. This way, I could catch practitioners’ mistakes as soon as they appeared.

One incident during that time taught me the obligation of a band member. While the local band was preparing for a New Year concert, the Tian Guo Marching Band needed to travel to Hong Kong for a performance on the same day, but my request to take a leave was still approved. Soon after that, I noticed a new saxophone player in the local band. Upon asking, I learned that, the band did not have time to train another person for my role and had to pay a professional musician. Although the band had to pay for the musician’s practice and rehearsal, no one blamed me or asked me to share the expense.

During rehearsals I often just sat in the audience to observe and learn. This was because one additional instrument would disrupt the balance of the music. This reminded me the relationship between a band member and the band. When a musician applies and is accepted, it’s a commitment that cannot be easily be broken.

During my eighteen months with the local band, I practiced at least one hour each day, every day, and I was gradually able to improve my skills. I was also able to satisfy the director’s requests and he was satisfied. I was no longer treated like a beginner. I learned how the band arranged section practices, how to plan a concert, how to select music, and how to rehearse. I also became familiar with various issues including how the director handled music.

I felt I learned enough and I should leave. But I was responsible for a section and it was difficult for me to stop. Then the COVID pandemic started and all these activities stopped including the local band. I thanked Master for the arrangement.

Interference

The Tian Guo Marching Band also stopped performing. Band members had little interaction, and most of them turned to online projects. We had some interference.

A female spy from Singapore caused so much damage in Japan that Master Li wrote an article about it, to stop it. The Tian Guo Marching Band project suffered serious damage. Many band members and even a coordinator were negatively affected. Some still haven’t returned.

As the pandemic faded, the Tian Guo Marching Band planned to resume performing. The Falun Dafa Association coordinator and the new band director talked with me, and asked me to resume my role as a technical advisor. I could not say no since it was a difficult time for the band. Plus, I was better prepared after my experience with the local band and I felt this was Master’s arrangement. So I became the technical advisor again. However, many practitioners had not participated for a while and even those who came had dropped their skills. I felt the band was at it’s lowest point.

Revival

After I resumed being the band’s technical advisor, I found the biggest challenge wasn’t the need to improve our technique—it was the drop in the band members’ morale. We could no longer perform in Hong Kong and the activities in Japan were limited. Many practitioners had switched to working on media projects and every section of the band was understaffed. Some practitioners had little interest in participating because they felt the Japan Tian Guo Marching Band would no longer perform.

We made adjustments, combined sections and replaced section leaders. The new band director and the general coordinator in Taiwan were very supportive. We had lots of discussions and the new director said, “As long as Master does not say no to this project, we will do it and do it well. We have to live up to Master’s expectation.” Seeing his sincerity and modesty, I felt confident.

The pandemic hadn’t yet fully ended in Japan, so we had to wear masks when we held group rehearsals. Applying to perform was even harder. Many practitioners wondered if we could continue. I sent forth righteous thoughts before each rehearsal and asked Master for help.

When we resumed rehearsing the sounds from most practitioners were restrained. The quality was poor and did not compare to the way we played before the pandemic. Recalling my experiences in the local band, I no longer made negative comments or added pressure. Instead, I encouraged them when they made the smallest improvement. Some practitioners were not familiar with the music notes and could not keep up, so I led each section.

The goal I set was also practical, mainly on recovery. I focused on the basics and I tried to make the group rehearsal a pleasant experience. I could feel Master was helping me since I found the mistakes immediately and knew who made them. When I calmly pointed out errors, the practitioners were appreciative. I wasn’t tired even though we rehearsed for two and half hours and my ears were more sensitive than normal. I didn’t feel tired until I came home. After this happened several times, I realized it was not me who was leading the practice, Master was actually helping me. Our sound quality gradually improved and practitioners were more willing to participate. The band director was able to secure performance opportunities. As the pandemic ended, the practitioners who had been interfered with also returned to the band. It was as if everything went back to pre-pandemic era—except now we had more confidence and people applauded us more.

I began experiencing interference. Sometimes I had a fever before the group rehearsal. But as soon as I arrived and began helping the band members, it was gone. I knew this was clearly targeting my role in the band. One case of interference occurred last summer and it was serious.

I had abdominal pain and it gradually worsened. It was so painful that I could not stand or sit, so I had to lie down. It was one week before a performance in Kyoto. I sent forth righteous thoughts and I found many attachments when I looked inward. But the pain persisted and became so intense that I felt I was about to die. I could not go to work. One part of my lower abdomen was swollen and it was difficult to stand or walk.

It was two days before our performance in Kyoto, and I wondered if I should skip it. I begged Master to help me. But the day I was supposed to board the train, the pain was still there and the swollen area had enlarged. What if I collapsed or I had to be rushed to a hospital? My wife encouraged me to maintain righteous thoughts and have faith in Master.

It was time to leave. Would the situation get worse if I stayed home? Should I go there and help Master save people? I asked Master for a hint. One thought came to my mind, and I felt Master was saying to me: “I have assigned this task to you and you don’t want to go at this critical moment?” Since I felt this was a hint from Master, I should go. The words: “I have assigned this task to you” carried great weight. It was my responsibility and I had to do it.

I almost cried from the pain when I got out of bed and put on my clothes. My wife was surprised. I said, “Master gave me a hint to go. So I will go no matter what.” I was thankful for Master’s compassion.

But it was still hard. It was only seven or eight minutes walking distance from my home to the train station, but I could barely stand, let alone walk. My wife drove me to the train station while I lay down in the back.

Once I got on the train the trip was smooth. Wherever I switched to the local train, someone would get off, so I was able to be seated all the way. It was painful, but I could forebear. I felt something was being discharged in my lower abdomen. But there was nothing on the surface of my body. Finally I arrived in the hotel at Kyoto and lay in bed. I would be able to join the parade the next day.

I kept sending forth righteous thoughts. By the next morning the swelling stopped as if it was suppressed. There was a group rehearsal that morning, and I planned to go—even if I just led the others to practice. After I got there I was able to stand by leaning against a wall. The band director asked the other band members to send forth righteous thoughts for me, and I was able to join the rehearsal all morning. The parade that afternoon was the most difficult. It was very hot that day and many practitioners would be tired after walking the entire route. It was unlikely for someone with illness karma to cover the entire route. I usually walked with the band. But now I was slow and I couldn’t keep up. So I didn’t wear a costume and I walked on the sidewalk. This way I wouldn’t affect the band but I’d still able to oversee the performance. I originally planned to walk halfway, and catch up with band members as they walked back. The band director told me not to push myself. When I walked halfway, however, I did not feel that hot and it seemed I could continue. So without my noticing it, I covered the entire route and I wasn’t tired. I knew Master helped me.

I felt the swelling going down as I walked back. I knew Master helped me eliminate this major tribulation. I came to understand that, Master only asks us to have righteous thoughts and he will take care of the rest.

Almost five years have passed since we resumed rehearsing and performing after the pandemic. In addition to technical improvement, we’ve had more opportunities to perform and thus validate Dafa and we are able to reach broader audiences. During the summers of 2024 and 2025, we attended the Guam’s Liberation Day parade, and the Guam Visitors Bureau invited us to return the following year. We also attended the Nippon Domannaka Festival in August 2025 at Nagoya, the largest dance festival in Japan, and we gave 10 performances. About two million people attended the festival and many people said they really liked our performances.

I joined the Tian Guo Marching Band 16 years ago. When I look back, I found that not only have my skills improved, so did my xinxing. I used to think I was helping others during group rehearsals. Little did I know how much I would learn in the process! I now realize that Master prepared me for this since my childhood and he has always helped me.

Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!

(Selected submission for the 20th Tian Guo Marching Band Anniversary Fa Conference)