(Clearwisdom.net) Master taught us in His poem Solid Cultivation (in Hongyin),
"Study Fa, obtain Fa,
Compare in studying, compare in cultivating,
Examine each and every deed,
Accomplishing is cultivating."
I have been listening to Master since I obtained the Fa in December 1997. Going through personal cultivation and Fa-rectification period cultivation and taking the Fa as teacher enabled me to walk through storms while solidly cultivating till today. I want to share some stories of solid cultivation here.
In December 2001, I was forced to become destitute and homeless in order to avoid being illegally arrested at home. Our coordinator let me do some assistant work in our materials center. Only twenty days later, both fellow practitioners were arrested, and the important jobs of our center all fell on my shoulders.
At the beginning of April 2002, many materials sites in our city were destroyed, lots of fellow practitioners were arrested, and practitioners in the remaining centers felt very unsafe all the time. We were under huge pressure because Falun Dafa materials were extremely short in our city. We still kept on with our group Fa-study, sharing our understandings, and were determined to quickly establish more materials sites. We reminded each other with Master's words, "If you're able to steel your will, no difficulty can block you, and I'd say it'll be no problem. (Zhuan Falun, "The Fourth Talk")
With the solid support from fellow practitioners still living in their homes, we established four new material sites in three days. Manpower, equipment, and other necessities were all prepared, and we produced truth clarification materials on the fourth day.
Learning from past lessons, we shared understandings among ourselves that we must keep up with group Fa-study and group sending forth righteous thoughts to ensure that our centers keep on producing Falun Dafa materials safely. We did group Falun Dafa exercises at 3 a.m. every morning, joined global sending forth righteous thoughts at 6 a.m., and then did our daily jobs individually. The practitioners who were doing cleaning or cooking would recite Hongyin or listen to Falun Dafa music, sending forth righteous thoughts every hour on the hour. Soon after, the energy fields in each material center became more and more peaceful, everything was getting more and more orderly, and every one of us was doing this persistently and quietly. As soon as conflicts appeared between practitioners, we would study the Fa and send forth righteous thoughts first. The conflicts were reduced and disappeared naturally.
Listening to Master is required in all aspects. Our sites do not use much modern equipment, especially not cell phones or beepers. We would rather take trips when we have to. We do not visit between sites and do not get attached to the convenience of the cell phone. Those sites were destroyed before because they didn't keep up with group Fa-study, or sending forth righteous thoughts, and there were lots of conflicts among practitioners. They were not looking inside, but pointing fingers at others, which created gaps for the evil. The police located them by their cell phone signals, resulting in huge losses and serious lessons for all of us.
After being forced leave home, I realized we should not have to stay away from our homes just because the persecution still exists. We should cultivate in an open and dignified manner. The first priority is to help establish family-based material sites and to make material sites bloom everywhere like flowers. The second step is to suggest that practitioners find jobs to support themselves while validating Falun Dafa, and to rectify our path while assisting in Master's Fa-rectification.
From 2001 to 2003, the evil was very rampant, and we were not totally clear on how we should walk our paths. No matter what the coordinators suggested, I always measured everything with the standards of Falun Dafa. If it could be confirmed in Master's teaching, I would follow; otherwise I would refuse politely. At that time, one of our main coordinators believed that the more practitioners that left home, the better, so we would have more manpower. I disagreed, because I enlightened to the fact that leaving home is not good. We should listen to Master, try to rectify our environments, and have an open and upright cultivation environment. The great Dao has no formalities, but a unified body; our one body should be harmonious. Each of our disciples should openly practice Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance in each environment, and leave a glorious history to the sentient beings. This history is created by Fa-rectification period Falun Dafa practitioners while helping Master do Fa-rectification; that is the eternal mighty virtue established by us. After more than two years of practice, our cooperation has been getting more mature, and this main coordinator has also become mature.
Practitioners in our city did a great job in the beginning of 2003. We reached the goal of material sites blooming like flowers everywhere. In the latter half of 2003, I went to other towns and started my own trading business.
I sold straw mattresses, car seat pads, fruits, cement, daily needs, and vegetables. I worked very hard, but could not earn much money. I was not worried, because I used this good opportunity of having a store to clarify the truth. I often passed out truth-clarifying materials when shipping goods on the street. The money practitioners was used only on materials, while travel and food came totally from my own pocket.
This spring, guided by Falun Dafa principles, protected by Master's mercy, and in cooperation with fellow practitioners, I gave up my attachments further, broke through human notions, and openly went back to my old employer to resume my job. I totally believed the power of Master and Falun Dafa would make my employer, my colleagues and my friends and family change their opinion of me. We should clearly recognize that listening to Master, solidly cultivating, and walking our paths correctly is a long-term challenge for every Falun Dafa practitioner.