(Clearwisdom.net) In Dafa cultivation, miracles continually surface as long as we follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I would like to share the following cultivation experience with fellow practitioners.
I was arrested in 2000 for joining Falun Dafa group exercises. Chinese Communist Party (CCP) police took me to a detention center. I thought that I should act like an upright and honest Dafa practitioner, and pass every test well. Although I was being detained, I knew I was actually there to spread the goodness of Falun Dafa.
The First Cell
I was detained in a “newcomers’ cell” on the first night in the detention center. Every newly arrested person was held in this cell upon arrival. I also discovered that someone was monitoring me throughout the night. Since I was very tired, I didn't think much about it. I had a dream, in which I was taking care of a group of children. From this I understood that Teacher was giving me a hint that I should clarify the truth to the other prisoners. The next morning, my cellmate pulled my hands and legs down while I was doing the exercises, and said, “You Falun Gong people are really making trouble. The detention center guards asked us to monitor you and stop you from doing the exercises. We still need to monitor you at night , so that you won’t commit suicide.” I knew that these were lies told to them by the guards, and that this was an opportunity for me to explain the facts about Falun Dafa. I explained that Falun Dafa teachings warns against killing, including suicide. I shared Teacher’s requirements for Dafa practitioners, how Teacher treats his practitioners, and how the evil CCP employed overwhelming methods and resources to defame Teacher and Dafa. I didn't argue with anyone, held no prejudice, and was peaceful and polite to everyone. However, I didn't cooperate with any of the officials' unreasonable requests. For example, when they asked me to kneel, or read the detention center rules out loud, I refused. Everyone in the cell had a very good impression of me. They believed that practitioners were magnificent. How could one little girl like me be so courageous! That is why everyone was interested in talking to me, and opening their hearts to me. Whenever I did the exercises, they protected me. They celebrated my birthday by making a birthday cake using the precious cookies and milk powder found in the cell. When I realized that I'd explained the facts about the persecution and Falun Dafa to all the people in this cell, I was transferred to a different cell.
The Second Cell
On the surface, the guards believed that I hadn't followed the cell guidelines, so they punished me by throwing me into a cell with patients that had contagious diseases. However, I understood that I was there to spread the Fa.
There were only two individuals in this cell, both serious criminals. The first was a middle-aged woman who'd sold a large quantity of drugs. The other was a girl the same age as myself, who was allegedly involved in an abduction and murder. The first day when I did the exercises, this girl pulled my legs down and said, “Stop exercising, it is a cult.” I replied that we were not a cult. The girl just ignored me. I thought about how many people the evil CCP had brainwashed!
The next day, I did the standing stance exercise immediately after I woke up. I was going to wait for her to stop me, and then use the opportunity to clarify the facts to her. However, she went to the washroom and just looked at me without saying anything. She then climbed back into bed and fell asleep. I was confused, but she then said, “Just do your exercises. I won’t stop you from now on. I felt so comfortable while you were doing the exercises. Please continue.” I was so happy, and she said, “Do you know that before you came here, I had nightmares every night about being chased by ghosts? Last night after you arrived, I dreamed about monk Xuan Zang, who took his disciples for a walk on a shiny, bright path. The Monkey King walked up front, and Monk Xuan Zang rode a horse, with a long ladder trailing behind him. Their light was too bright for me, so I hid in the trunk. Monk Xuan Zang said to me, “You - come up.” I said, “You are too bright, I don't dare to come up.” Monk Xuan Zang then lowered the light of his flames a little, and I climbed up to the part of his ladder that wasn't too bright. Then, I flew up to the sky.” I was so happy to hear her story, I almost cried. Isn’t this a hint from Teacher, calling her to begin practicing Falun Dafa? I said, “Congratulations, Teacher is giving you encouragement since you have a predestined relationship with Dafa, calling you to quickly cultivate Dafa.” As a result, during the 15 days in this cell, I recited Teacher's new lectures to her daily, and told her what I remembered from the book Zhuan Falun. I told her in all seriousness that I was doing this only during this extraordinary time in the cells, and that upon her release she should make sure to obtain a copy of Zhuan Falun and read it.
This girl had a very strong predestined relationship with Dafa. I taught her the five sets of exercises on a daily basis. Every night I asked her to recite Teacher's new articles and grand poems (since the environment in the cell was very bad, I was afraid that if I didn't help her to study the Falun Dafa teachings, she would return to ordinary society). I wrote down Teacher's Falun Dafa lectures on paper for her to recite. She also received hints from Teacher in her dreams.
For example, one morning, she said, “I received a test last night. There was one question that I didn't know what to do about. Teacher said, 'You should study, you should cultivate and learn Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I asked Him what was Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance?' Teacher replied, 'It is just Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.' Then I woke up.” I understood that Teacher was helping her to enlighten, and hinting to me as well to give her an explanation. I explained my understanding of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance at the basic level, since she was a new practitioner.
On another occasion, the guards conducted a regular cell check, and inspected every prisoner’s luggage and personal belongings. The guards usually opened the door between the cell and the courtyard, which was used for showering and getting fresh air, and typically asked the prisoners to take their luggage bags to the courtyard, then back to the cell before closing the door again. This separated the prisoners from their luggage bags. Then the guards went into the courtyard to inspect the bags. After we'd taken our bags outside, I remembered that I'd left the paper with Teacher's words inside the luggage bag. The big door was about to close, and at this critical moment, time seemed to be frozen. The girl ran quickly into the courtyard, unzipped her luggage bag, took out the hand-written new teachings and then ran back to the cell. The heavy door closed with a huge bang immediately after she got in. I was shocked - who would have believed it? If she'd arrived just one second later, she would have been severely injured by the door. However, she timed it perfectly.
One morning, she got up without saying anything. She tore apart a whole pile of paper from her luggage bag and threw it. I asked, “What are you doing?” She said, “I need to let go of fame, profit and sentimentality.” I laughed and asked, “You had another dream and Teacher gave you more hints?”
I looked at this new practitioner, who'd started practicing Falun Gong inside the cell, and making tremendous breakthroughs daily. At first, I was worried I might be placing too high of an expectation on her as a new practitioner. Yet as I watched over her while she recited the Falun Dafa teachings and practiced the exercises, every day passed with soul-stirring events. I didn’t know exactly when I would be leaving, so I didn't want to waste a single minute. My mind was entirely focused on how to direct this new practitioner who was so predestined, with Teacher's instruction. One day, a cellmate said, “You were put in here just because you wanted to be a good person, so when the time arrives for you to reach consummation or to leave here, what will she do? “I suddenly realized that it was true that I must not stay there, so I immediately went to look for the girl and talked to her. I came right to the point, “You have recited quite a few teachings, learned the five sets of exercises, and Teacher also hinted to you in your dreams, so you know clearly that Falun Dafa is a righteous Fa. You have also seen from me how Dafa practitioners act. One thing that I should carefully remind you of, is that no matter what situation you encounter in the future, you shouldn't turn away and go to the other side, by saying that Dafa is not good. Teacher sacrificed a lot for you. In this very difficult situation in the cell, He arranged for me to come here to help you start practicing Falun Dafa. You should definitely cherish this opportunity.” She nodded her head resolutely, saying, “I've also thought about this carefully. When I get out, I will look for Dafa books. I will definitely continue to cultivate. If I can't find a job, I'll sell fruit. As a cultivator, Teacher will for sure find a way for me to support myself. No matter what pressure I face, I will never say anything bad about Teacher or Dafa.
That turned out to be my last evening in that cell.
The Third Cell
Serious criminals were confined in the third cell, including drug dealers, murderers, and robbers. I understood clearly that this was an opportunity to explain the facts about Falun Gong to all the people in the cell. I continually helped them to understand, and to begin new lives. I discovered that in this completely isolated environment, the inmates were actually able to calm down completely in order to listen. Dafa is the most righteous Fa in this universe, and cultivators are very strict with themselves to safeguard the image of Dafa practitioners. As a result, everyone was willing to listen when I talked about the persecution and explained what Falun Dafa was about. Whenever they didn't understand something, they approached me to talk about it. I explained things from the perspective of the Fa, and they believed me, because it truly made sense to them. They asked to read the book Zhuan Falun, and from then on, they refused to believe the police and government's defamation of Dafa.
After I clarified the facts about Falun Gong to everyone in the jail, I often sat beside them while they were watching TV at night, and recited the Falun Dafa teachings to them. One day, I was very focused while reciting the teachings, and all the noise around me seemed to disappear - including the TV and people talking. I heard only my own clear and loud voice reciting. Later, the detention center guards came to get me – it was time for me to go home.
