Genuine Cultivation Is a Must

(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1997. Whenever I reflect on the 26 years of my cultivation journey and look at myself now, even though no earth-shaking changes happened on the surface, I feel an immense sense of awe. 

Falun Dafa Purified My Body

When I first began reading the Fa (teachings), I realized how terrifying a person’s karmic debt is. Cultivation entails eliminating karma. Master bears and shoulders nearly all practitioners’ karmic debts, leaving only a small portion to be distributed across different stages for us to endure. These are opportunities for us to elevate our levels and enlighten. 

Eliminating karma is not child’s play—sudden tests happen unexpectedly. At one point I had difficulty passing a bowel movement. My entire body went numb and my abdomen felt bloated. I was drenched in sweat. I said, “Karma, I am not afraid of you. I must eliminate you.” While my thoughts focused on my lower abdomen, I saw a bright white light appear in that area.

Simultaneously, the lead-like object suddenly passed out of me. I immediately felt light. Afterwards the stubborn hemorrhoids and anal fissures that plagued me for over a decade were gone. Various ailments in my body were eliminated, such as psoriasis, anemia, gynecological diseases, spinal misalignment, sciatic nerve pain, and more. Of course, the purification of my body was all guided by Master. He constantly purified, purified, and purified my body. I am grateful for Master’s boundless compassion.

Eliminating Atheism

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) instilled Chinese people with atheism. It tells people: “There is no god.” It encouraged people to, “Fight against heaven, earth, and humans,” and, “Enjoy boundless pleasure in the fight.” The CCP destroys traditional culture. It encourages people to develop an egocentric, selfish, opportunistic, and pain-averse perspective on life. Like so many others, I unconsciously slid down this path. I had no concept of the cycle of life and death or karmic retribution.

Reading the Fa completely changed my world view. Falun Dafa taught me that Buddhas, Tao, and deities are real and that through cultivation, and under the blessings of Master, a person can attain enlightenment. Master taught us, “The Sole Measure of Goodness: Zhen, Shan, Ren.” (The First Talk, Zhuan Falun). I learned that life should be selfless; selfishness is the greatest obstacle in cultivation. I must eliminate it. One should detach oneself from fame, gain, emotions, and various desires. One should “...never retaliating or responding to malice in kind,...” (The Ninth Talk, Zhuan Falun) In the face of conflicts, look inward, cultivate forbearance and never lose one’s temper. The principles of Dafa cleared away the confusion in my mind and illuminated my path. 

Master saved me, allowing me the rare chance to encounter Dafa. In my heart, there was only one thought: To validate Dafa throughout the rest of my life, and to be a devoted Falun Dafa practitioner.

With an understanding of Dafa’s principles, my mind became very clear, my heart and mind opened. I frequently smiled. I finally discovered the purpose of life and the direction of my existence! I resolved to be a better person.

I’d like to share two examples:

For fifteen years, I cared for my father. I never complained. He was 89 when he died. My siblings, relatives, and friends all admired me. Even when the persecution was most severe, none of them were opposed to my practice. They silently supported and assisted me, even though they could be implicated. Several years later, my older brother said, “I truly couldn’t do what you’ve done.”

In 1998, I was transferred from the Propaganda Department to the Service Company, responsible for housing reform. My job involved converting public housing into private housing. 

The whole factory was buzzing. Since this affected over six thousand employees and their families, my office was always crowded. 

I visited the Municipal Housing Administration, the Housing Provident Fund Management Center, and the Municipal Affordable Housing Development Center frequently. I gained support from all sides. Suddenly, my company went from facing a problematic housing reform challenge to becoming an advanced unit in housing reform. The Municipal Housing Administration recommended I participate in the Provincial Housing Reform Advanced Work Commendation Conference, where I made a speech. As a result, I gained a good reputation among the entire factory’s staff and received positive evaluations from my workplace, the city, and the province.

Afterwards, the factory changed the name of the housing reform office. It established a real estate development company, and I was involved in developing housing for the employees. 

Before leaving the company, we collected funds from the employees to build houses. We constructed residential buildings comprising high-demand housing units. We also built a retirement activity center for retired employees.

Looking back, I worked as a teacher in employee education for sixteen years before I began practicing Falun Dafa. I’d show up for work, drink tea, and read newspapers every day. The factory required us to occasionally go to various departments within the factory area, stroll around workshops, chat with different offices, and sometimes I could even head home. I was just killing time back then. 

However, after I began practicing Falun Dafa, I changed. Others thought the housing reform was incredibly challenging, and the company previously sent several people for training, but those efforts led nowhere. 

I was adept at handling what seemed like a difficult task for others. Unexpectedly, I even became involved in real estate development. I managed fundraising within the company, went to construction sites outside the factory, and dealt with relocation issues. Reflecting on it now, even I find it unbelievable. This change is because Falun Dafa transformed me, preventing me from being idle and lazy. Dafa granted me capabilities and wisdom, allowing me to contribute to society.

Facing Tests 

On July 20, 1999, the factory announced that there would be a meeting in the clubhouse at 2 p.m. to watch an important television show. Thus the CCP began cracking down on Falun Dafa. In the days prior, numerous police officers and cars were stationed around our practice sites, preventing us from doing the exercises. There was a strong sense of an impending storm. Having experienced the Cultural Revolution since childhood, my childhood memories of how my parents were persecuted were still vivid. Was the horrific bloody June 4, 1989 crackdown happening again? As a Falun Dafa practitioner, I knew I couldn’t participate in that TV meeting where they would frame and slander Master and Dafa. 

At that time I didn’t know that the CCP had secretly arrested many practice site coordinators. I was still hoping to hear from the Falun Dafa assistance center on how to respond to the current situation.

At 2 o’clock, the work bell rang, and people began gathering at the clubhouse. The entire building felt eerie and shrouded in terror. I sat alone at my desk, waiting. Faint footsteps in the corridor grew closer. I opened the door and saw a fellow practitioner from the finance department. I asked her if she had any news. She told me she heard there would be a demonstration parade on the city’s main streets at 3 p.m. We agreed to meet at 3 p.m. in front of the city government office.

I quickly went home to make arrangements, as I didn’t know if I would return. My daughter, who had just started junior high school, was home on summer vacation. I handed her my bank book and said, “This is my bank book, and this is the password. If I don’t come back tonight, go to Grandma’s place to sleep. If you need money withdraw some from the bank.” She replied, “I won’t go to Grandma’s home. I’ll stay here.” I explained again and then rode my bicycle toward the city government office.

There weren’t many people on the streets, and the roads seemed vast and empty. A strange sense of happiness spread through me. It felt like the bicycle was flying effortlessly beneath me. I passed the entrance to the company. It was quiet; the meeting probably hadn’t concluded yet. 

I saw another practitioner, but there was no sign of a parade. Instead, heavily armed military police guarded the road before the city government office. We waited for a while but saw no activity. We decided to return to the factory to assess the situation. When we entered the factory courtyard we saw that the meeting just finished. The workshops, departments, and units were busy compiling lists of Falun Dafa practitioners. The factory gathered practitioners on the lists for “study sessions” in the auditorium. People were bustling around, and it seemed chaotic. I heard the conversations and footsteps from the building.

When the work bell rang at the end of the day, no one came to tell me to go to the auditorium. I later discovered that the practitioner who worked in the finance department was not on the list either. 

Two Unexpected Interrogations

As the persecution against Falun Dafa escalated, the factory held numerous meetings and issued various documents and notices. The secretary of the Communist Party branch in the service company where I worked often targeted me during meetings, making veiled or direct remarks about uncovering Falun Dafa practitioners deep within the company. I knew that practitioners in my factory were being forced to divorce, sent to mental hospitals, or brainwashing centers. Some of them were demoted.

In 2001, I received a call from the secretary of the factory’s disciplinary committee, telling me to come to the office. I quickly prepared some work reports. When I entered the office, I saw not only the secretary of the disciplinary committee but also the deputy secretary of the Party Committee. I didn’t pay much attention and started reporting on my work as usual. As I spoke, the deputy secretary who was sitting next to me, suddenly asked loudly, “I heard you practice Falun Dafa.”

I was focused on work issues and continued talking. It felt like the air in the room froze. Those two people remained silent and motionless. I kept talking about my work, finishing my report with the sentence, “I hope the leadership can provide support.” I stood up, walked out of the office, and glanced back as I closed the door. I saw the two of them still sitting there. I knew Master’s Fa-guardians were by my side, sheltering and protecting me, allowing me to face the situation without fear. The danger appeared to be resolved. After that, they never mentioned Falun Dafa again.

In 2010, I went to the service company to meet with the secretary. After I finished my business the secretary waved me over. I was puzzled but got up and walked over. He suddenly said, “I heard you practice Falun Dafa.”

At that moment, I felt a surge of energy. I said, “What if I do? What if I don’t?” Surprised, he quickly returned to his desk, and sat down. He mentioned the name of a Falun Dafa practitioner from our company and said, “She asked someone to withdraw from the Party.” I said, “It’s good that she asked someone to withdraw from the Party.”

He looked at me stunned and asked, “Why is it a good thing?” I sat down across from him and said, “In each of the Party’s movements, they’ve always made mistakes. For example, the Anti-Rightist Movement was eventually reversed. The Cultural Revolution was a ten-year catastrophe. Those who were targeted for persecution were later exonerated. It’s said that many of the participants in those movements were executed to quell public anger. Now they’re suppressing Falun Dafa. What’s wrong with Falun Dafa? In the future, when the CCP reverses its decision, won’t those who persecuted practitioners be blamed?”

He seemed to have heard enough. He hurriedly stood up saying, “I still have things to do.” As he left I sent righteous thoughts for him. He never mentioned Falun Dafa again.

Genuine Cultivation

Even though there were daily dangers, such as being arrested and facing the threat of organ harvesting, I haven’t let my daily Fa study and exercises slip. I continued producing informational materials, distributing them, clarifying the truth, and persuading people to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. That was my routine day after day, month after month, year after year, without slacking off. In that challenging environment, fellow practitioners each shoulder responsibilities. They silently cooperate and support one another. 

While I was in China, I often thought of Master and practitioners in the U.S. I envied the opportunity to meet Master, and attend Fa conferences where they could see Master in person, and listen to Master’s teachings in person. I often thought that practitioners in the U.S. must cultivate well and advance quickly, as they were close to Master.

I moved to the U.S. in 2014. I now understand that genuine cultivation hinges on whether you study the Fa well and follow the Fa’s principles. Are you truly cultivating or just talking about it? It doesn’t matter whether you’re in China or the United States. Master treats everyone the same, no matter where you are. Truly cultivating oneself and improving is what’s crucial.

Let us cherish the rare opportunity of cultivating in Dafa, make the best use of our time, do what we are supposed to do, and not let down Master’s compassionate salvation.

Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!