(Minghui.org) Through my practice of Falun Dafa I have been able to look inward and solidly cultivate myself to successfully effect positive changes in my environment. I would like to share some of my experiences with fellow practitioners.
A Strong Righteous Thought
After New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD) began broadcasting in mainland China, many local Falun Dafa practitioners began to install satellite dishes so that they could receive the programs. However, the dishes would not work in apartment blocks.
It wasn't until 2011, when NTD changed its broadcasting frequency, that people, like myself, living in apartment blocks could receive its transmissions. I contacted a technically savvy practitioner, who promised to set up the new, smaller satellite dish for me.
My family had just moved into a rather plush building in a well-off neighborhood where nobody had a satellite dish on the outside wall of their apartment.
If I had one put on the building, it would stand out like a sore thumb. The tech-savvy practitioner suggested that I put the dish on the roof, but the owner of the apartment block objected.
He said that the building is too tall and a strong gust of wind would knock it down. He suggested that I discuss the matter with the owner of the adjacent building, as that one is two stories lower yet still nearby.
I tried to call the owner of the other building several times, but failed to make contact.
It was only then that I thought to look inward. Why do I want to put my satellite dish on somebody else’s building? Do I fear people knowing that I have installed NTD? I feared that I would create problems for myself and may be arrested and persecuted.
I told myself: This fear is not part of me. I don’t want it. NTD broadcasts are righteous and factual. Whoever watches them will benefit from their contents.
I held a strong righteous thought: I will install the satellite dish right outside my window. Nobody has the right to ask questions. Nobody is allowed to interfere.
I called the tech-savvy practitioner, who asked if he could bring along other practitioners who wanted to learn how to install the dishes. I readily agreed.
Half a dozen practitioners showed up the next day and installed the dish. Eventually, most of the local practitioners in other apartment buildings also installed satellite dishes so that their families and friends could come to learn about Falun Dafa and the persecution through watching NTD.
A colleague of mine visited me and remarked in amazement, “Falun Dafa practitioners are so talented that they can even run a television station. The programs are so well done.”
My husband’s classmates came over frequently to watch NTD. One of them works far away from home, but would often stop by to watch.
For the past six years, no one has asked any questions or objected to the satellite dish being there. A strong righteous thought was all it took.
Helping People Learn about Dafa by Looking Inward
Three practitioners and I went to the neighboring villages in late 2014 to distribute Falun Dafa informational materials and to talk to people about the persecution.
One of the practitioners, Amy, hadn't done much of this before, so I was asked to team up with her, to show her the ropes.
The two of us were responsible for covering two streets at the back of the village.
When we arrived at the first house, a man was standing inside the hallway. I greeted him and handed him a calendar, saying, “I’m here to bring you blessings.” When he realized that it was Falun Dafa material, he refused to take it.
I started to talk to him, but he didn't want to listen. When I persisted in talking, he grabbed my arm and pushed me into the courtyard. Amy followed me without uttering a sound.
I covered my embarrassment by mumbling, “What’s wrong with that guy?” I told Amy, “We’ll just ignore him. We’re here to save people. Let’s move on.”
The family in the next house we visited also wouldn't listen to what I had to say. Then the same thing happened at the next two households. I realized that something was awry, so I said to Amy, “Let’s look inward.”
I knew right away that it was my attachment to showing off. I was eager to show Amy how well I had cultivated, and how I could easily persuade people to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. It was a shock to realize just how much these human notions had affected me.
Master says:
“Many attachments have already become second nature, and these people themselves cannot detect them. This mentality of showing off can manifest in any situation; it can also surface when doing a good deed.” (Zhuan Falun)
Along with the feeling of embarrassment of being forced out of someone's home, I also saw attachments to pride, not wanting to lose face and reputation. I realized that my sense of pride and my mentality of showing off came about because I was good at talking. But all these skills were granted to me by Master. What did I have to feel proud about?
Amy also confessed that she had the attachment of dependence, wanting to rely on me and my experience, and wanting to listen to and learn from what I would say and how I would say it.
After we both looked inward and adjusted our mindsets, our efforts in talking to people much improved.
A lady invited us into her home. She listened to us talk about Falun Dafa, accepted the calendar, and thanked us profusely for coming to see her.
The rest of the time, we followed the same routine: I talked while Amy sent forth righteous thoughts.
We came to a store front where around 20 people were playing Mahjong on various tables. I talked to them about Dafa, distributed calendars, and helped them to quit the Party.
After a while, I noticed that Amy was also talking to people, and doing a good job of it. There was a Party member who was reluctant to listen. Amy produced a copy of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and gave it to him. He quietly accepted it. Other people asked for a copy for themselves until every copy she had was gone. Over a dozen people quit the CCP right then and there.
As we were leaving, about half a dozen other people had gathered near the doorway. One of them said, “You're very courageous. You dare to speak so openly and distribute Dafa materials in broad daylight in front of so many people. Aren’t you afraid that somebody will report you to the authorities?”
I told them, “We haven’t broken any law. We're here to save people. If we don’t tell you the facts, when disaster comes, it will be devastating to you all.”
We proceeded to talk to them about Dafa. They listened, and agreed to quit the CCP.
They started to thank us, but we told them, “Don’t thank us. Thank our Master. It’s our Master who tells us to do this and to save as many people as we can.” They said, “We understand. Be careful. Watch out for yourselves.”
Amy told me why she brought along a few copies of the Nine Commentaries. She said, “I was afraid that some people, especially Party members, won’t listen to what we say. I knew that the booklet would help them.”
I complimented her on her foresight and on doing a good job in talking to people. She said, “I noticed how busy you were and there were so many people, so I made a wish to help out. Master came to my rescue and gave me the courage to talk to people.”
That day, Amy, myself and the two other practitioners helped over 90 people quit the CCP. We also handed out more than 70 calendars, plus quite a few copies of the Nine Commentaries.
Taking a Step Back from the Lead Role
I have been one of our region’s main coordinators for the past ten years, and have always ended up taking the lead role when we organize activities or projects to help save people.
When more and more practitioners came forward to participate in Dafa projects, coordinators often got together to organize small scale Fa Conferences for practitioners to share their experiences. Because of my natural outspokenness and avid involvement, I somehow always ended up hosting the conferences or being the keynote speaker.
I eventually became the designated leader whenever I participated in a project. Gradually, I began to feel important and indispensable.
I felt good that practitioners trusted me and depended on me to offer suggestions and make decisions.
When practitioners were looking to me for direction, did I expect, welcome, and even encourage such behavior? Is it really because I am so good at coordinating and doing so well?
I looked inward and realized that I have a strong attachment to “self”, due to my sense of superiority and mentality of showing off. Unwittingly, I had formed a habit of always wanting to dominate conversations and discussions.
Finding attachments is relatively easy, but getting rid of them is hard, so I asked Master for help.
I had just returned from visiting my daughter last spring when some practitioners came looking for me, hoping that I could help them get a practitioner released from custody. They had already done some good groundwork, but now wanted to visit the police department, and wanted me to go with them.
If I agreed to go, they would continue to look to me for direction. This must be a test that Master arranged for me to see if I can let go of my recently discovered attachments to “self”. I must make use of this opportunity and pass the test.
So, I said to them, “I can share my thoughts with you, but I will not participate. You guys have done a good job so far. I encourage you to continue and maybe get others to join you to send forth righteous thoughts in front of the police department.”
Eight practitioners went to the police department, while more than 30 stationed themselves nearby sending forth righteous thoughts.
Suing Jiang Zemin
When practitioners started suing Jiang Zemin, the former leader of the CCP, for initiating the persecution of Falun Dafa, I did not take the lead role and organize discussions on how best we could participate. I was aware that a large majority of practitioners own computers and could write their own criminal complaint letters if they wanted to. So I pulled back and stopped myself from taking the lead role.
One of the coordinators finished writing her criminal complaint against Jiang about the same time as I did, so we decided to post them together.
En route to the post office, she asked, “Do you think that they would refuse to send our mail if they knew what’s in the envelopes?”
I answered without thinking, “No. They wouldn’t. It’s their job. The more mail they handle, the better off they are.”
A post office employee took care of our mail without comment, and we both received confirmation receipts from the Supreme People's Court and Procuratorate two days later.
When other practitioners heard that our complaints had been accepted, they sought us out for guidance. I told each of them, “I can help you write your criminal complaint, but you must mail it yourself. This is part and parcel of our cultivation. No one can do it for you.”
A practitioner later said, “About ten of us were in the post office today. The first employee was a bit overwhelmed, so another came over to lend a hand. He asked what we were all doing here and what were we mailing. The other employee told him to stop asking questions, and said, 'Just do your job. The more mail we handle, the better for us. We can earn more money.’”
In the process of filing our criminal complaints against Jiang, we are all progressing in our cultivation.
One practitioner said, “I was initially afraid of going to the post office, so I sent it by courier but it didn’t work out. After failing twice, I finally realized my attachment of fear. I overcame it and mailed my complaint without any incident.”
Another practitioner commented, “I realize that mailing out our complaints is similar to going to Beijing in 1999 to appeal for Falun Dafa. I have to do it myself. Nobody can do it for me.”
Almost every practitioner had mailed out their complaint within about a month, and most had received official confirmation receipts.
Filing complaints against Jiang also helped practitioners become more diligent. Some who had stopped practicing even returned to Dafa cultivation.
I no longer live in that area, but I’m happy to learn that their environment continues to improve.
I fully realize that it is Master who is in control of everything. As long as we do the three things well, remember to look inward, work to rid ourselves of all attachments, and cultivate ourselves diligently in order to effectively save more people, we will be following Master home.
Category: Improving Oneself
