(Minghui.org)
Greetings, compassionate and great Master!Greetings, fellow practitioners!
The Canadian Divine Land Marching Band was established in April 2006. Before its establishment, I heard that fellow practitioners in the United States had already obtained instruments and were practicing.
At that time, I decided to choose a lightweight flute to practice. I envisioned the ethereal beauty of celestial maidens, as if that magnificent scene were right before my eyes. The more I thought about it, the more I longed to get my hands on that flute.
At that moment, the bandmaster announced, “A shipment of musical instruments has arrived from the United States. Go to the designated location tomorrow to pick them up.”
Overjoyed, I arrived at the spot well ahead of time. There I saw the bandmaster and several fellow practitioners approaching, each carrying several large boxes. I wondered why I hadn’t seen anyone carrying any small, delicate boxes.
At that moment, the bandmaster spoke up: “Instruments like the flute, clarinet, trumpet, and saxophone will have to be brought over gradually as practitioners make their way to the United States. These are all low-register instruments.”
The leader pointed at me and said, “You can only take this box—it’s called a baritone.”
At that moment, I thought to myself, “I don’t want it. I’ll wait for a flute or an instrument in a fancy case.”
Just then, a fellow practitioner whispered beside me, “There’s a reason for every instrument you receive.” Sigh... fine. Reluctantly, I took this baritone. It felt heavy and bulky. When I got home and tried blowing into it a couple of times, no sound came out.
Two days later, a practitioner called me, “I heard you don’t want the baritone. I’d love to play it, I can play any instrument!”
The next morning, I had a vivid dream: a chubby boy of four or five was playing with Hot Wheels cars, while an old woman sat nearby frowning and looking very unhappy. Upon waking, I pondered its meaning.
Suddenly, a teaching from Master struck my mind:
“Therefore, I am telling you not to lose it easily just because you have obtained it easily. They are extremely valuable and priceless.” (Lecture Six, Zhuan Falun)
Master’s enlightenment jolted me awake. I quickly opened my instrument case, held the baritone to my lips, and blew softly into the mouthpiece.
“It worked! Ah, it played!” I was so happy! And I could even play the notes do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do! Now, I wouldn’t want to give it to others. I called a practitioner and said, “I made the sound! I can play the notes! And this ‘baritone’ is my instrument for saving people,” I told her about the dream, and after listening, she also believed this baritone was my instrument for saving people.
From that day on, I never wanted to play the flute again. No matter how I looked at my baritone, it seemed like a chubby baby; I just couldn’t get enough of it, couldn’t put it down. My instrument is truly magical. Since the band was formed, it’s remained the same, just one or two small parts replaced.
Other practitioners with similar instruments have already gone through two or three replacements, yet mine still produces a clear, resonant sound. And everything about it is perfect. I named it “Brightness,” and this name serves as a constant reminder to use this sacred instrument clearly and consciously to save others. It urges me to practice diligently, play well, and blow with all my heart.
Today, “Brightness” has accompanied me through harsh winters and scorching summers, participating in hundreds of parades. Therefore, I treasure this sacred instrument and cherish every single parade. I have been a member of the Divine Land Marching Band for nearly 20 years, and I have only missed a few times—due to scheduling conflicts.
To elevate our overall performance quality and ensure synchronized marching, we dedicate half a day each week to rehearsals. Before parades, every section member must submit their practice assignments, and only those who pass can participate. Particularly crucial is playing the main melody accurately and in unison.
Elements like syncopation, dotted notes, off-beat accents, and triplets must be executed flawlessly—and that’s where I struggle. As a veteran member, playing poorly or inaccurately would be embarrassing, and I would dread submitting my practice recordings.
Moreover, over the past few years, our low section has welcomed more than a dozen new members. Among them are individuals who studied instruments in school or even served as music teachers, all of whom possess highly proficient playing skills.
Although I am a veteran member, I mostly taught myself to play without professional guidance when I first started. This meant my embouchure and playing technique lagged behind those who had received instruction before joining the ensemble. This gap created pressure for me. To elevate our collective performance level, I diligently practiced the assignments given to our section.
Whenever I felt I was getting close, I would ask fellow members with stronger skills to listen and offer feedback. My fellow musicians were equally dedicated. After listening to my practice, they offered corrections: “This triplet isn’t strong enough,” or “That dotted note isn’t coming through.” Through this iterative process, I refined my technique on my own, often practicing for two or three hours at a time.
Persistence paid off, and I finally stopped dreading submitting my practice and sometimes even became the first to hand it in. Team members all remarked on my improved playing and praised me, which made me quite happy. I finally felt like I was part of the whole team. I overcame my fear of losing face and my selfishness— instead, I cultivated a heart of humility, setting aside self and humbly seeking guidance from fellow practitioners.
Master told us,
“When the band was playing, the energy they emitted was tremendous. Be it the energy emitted, the sounds you made, or the music and notes themselves, they all had the effect of affirming the Fa and sending out energy.”“That day during the Chinatown march, countless gods in every dimension of the heavens—gods filling the sky—were beating military drums. And many, many heavenly soldiers and generals were charging forward.” (Teachings at the Conference in Los Angeles)
So every time I march, my heart is full of gratitude, and I am thankful to Master for bestowing upon me this miraculous instrument. The feeling of saving lives is beyond words. Throughout each parade, I play without pause from start to finish, unwilling to let go of a single note I play. When I see the people lining the streets applauding, taking photos, recording videos, swaying to the music, and the expressions of pure joy on their faces, I am deeply moved by the poem Master wrote: “Plum Blossom, Hong Yin II.”
I remember ten years ago, when I was still working at a factory. After the parade, I drove to work. Some co-workers knew I practiced Falun Dafa, so during the break, they asked me to take out my instrument and demonstrate for them. I played the song “Falun Dafa Is Good.” As soon as I began to play, even I was struck by how the clear, resonant sound seemed to pierce the sky.
My co-workers immediately surrounded me, urging me to play another piece. So I played “The Holy King of Falun.” From that day on, they eagerly chose to work with me, keen to hear me share the beauty of Dafa, the principles of being a good person, and how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) persecutes Falun Dafa practitioners out of jealousy.
They listened as I recounted how I was arrested four times by the CCP simply for speaking the truth. Some even shed tears. I was deeply gratified to help them understand the truth. All this stems from the power and wisdom Dafa has bestowed upon me, enabling me to use the tools Master has given me to speak the truth and save lives. I am profoundly grateful to Master.
Our Divine Land Marching Band participates in parades throughout the community and surrounding small towns, typically on weekends and holidays. The season runs from Thanksgiving in April until the end of December before Christmas. Especially as Christmas approaches, two parades in one day are common, and on days with special invitations, we sometimes perform in three parades.
This year’s weather has been windy and rainy, and the distances between two parades in one day have been quite long. Yet we are cultivators walking the divine path, and miracles have accompanied our parades. Once we boarded the bus, torrential rain poured outside. Sitting inside, we focused our minds, recited “On Dafa” and “Tian Guo Marching Band” from Hong Yin IV over and over. By the time we reached our destination, the rain had stopped, and the sky cleared. Truly miraculous.
One day, there were two parades. The first began at 11:30 a.m., and our group was positioned relatively near the front. Since another parade was scheduled for 6:00 p.m., the team leader urged everyone to quickly gather at the assembly point and line up.
As I jogged over, I accidentally stepped into a hole hidden in the grass. One foot slipped in and became stuck, while the other foot hit the ground. I was still holding my instrument when a fellow trumpet player rushed to help me up. My first thought was, “It’s okay. Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good. I completely reject the old forces’ attempts to sabotage and interfere with my mission to save people. I refuse to acknowledge them. I will absolutely participate in this parade.” I silently asked Master to strengthen my righteous thoughts.
As the parade began, I maintained righteous thoughts throughout, pleading for Master’s support. After the march, I asked a fellow practitioner behind me, “Did you notice if my steps were unsteady?” She replied, “I didn’t notice anything unusual.” I knew it was Master’s protection all along. Thank you, Master!
During the mid-parade break, some fellow practitioners ate in their cars. Upon learning my situation, they sat in the vehicle to help me send forth righteous thoughts. In the second parade, I also completed the entire route under Master’s blessings. By evening, when I returned home, the pain began; my entire foot had swollen and turned purple.
The following week, another parade took place. When fellow practitioners asked about my feet, I replied, “They’re fine, I’ve cleared a major karmic debt.” I am profoundly grateful to Master for allowing me to participate in the Divine Land Marching Band project this year, saving lives through parades without missing a single one.
When I saw the triumphant report online—that magnificent, powerful, and perfectly synchronized procession—and recognized myself among them, tears welled up in my eyes. I am eternally thankful to Master for bestowing upon me this sacred instrument of the Fa.
Thank you, Master!Thank you, fellow practitioners!
（Selected Excerpts from the Experience Sharing Sessions Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Founding of the Divine Land Marching Band）
