Philadelphia Fahui | Getting Rid of Attachments

(Minghui.org)Greetings, revered Master!Greetings, fellow practitioners!

I was fortunate enough to begin practicing Falun Dafa in 1998. Through cultivation, I have gained many insights, which have changed over time as I have progressed in levels. It’s impossible to describe everything I have experienced during cultivation. Today, I will share just a few occurrences that helped me identify some of my attachments.

What You Are Attached to Will Be Your Downfall

Many years ago, Russian-speaking practitioners met with the main coordinator of a project. Not all the practitioners were in the coordinator’s project, but the coordinator had important suggestions for us. She spoke with us about very important matters concerning self-cultivation and strongly advised us to form a Fa-study group for Russian-speaking practitioners living in the United States, explaining how crucial this was for the role we are fulfilling during Fa-Rectification.

I took a key role in establishing and coordinating this group. We began meeting online to study the Fa in the evening. Gradually, we also organized a morning group for daily Fa study and exercise practice. This created a wonderful opportunity for collective cultivation as one body.

A few years ago, some practitioners suggested changing the way we share our experiences. They proposed that those of us who wished to do so could share stories from their lives, including memories of childhood and youth, that weren’t always related to our cultivation. They suggested we not limit the time allotted for such conversations. This was a serious obstacle that jeopardized the alignment of our sessions with Dafa principles.

When we discussed this issue, I opposed it, saying that we weren’t a social club. Cultivation is the most serious issue in the world, so we must strictly follow the principles and not stray from Dafa. Everyone else remained silent, and then only one practitioner spoke up to support me.

At the time, unfortunately, I didn’t stop to consider that first and foremost, as a coordinator, I should have identified the attachments within myself that were causing such disruptions in our group: being easily offended, fear of losing face, judging those who disagreed with me, expecting gratitude from others, impatience, and an inability to remain calm in any situation.

I failed the test and resented all those who had remained silent, even though they had recognized the unrighteous factors that could destroy our group. The situation was quickly resolved, and everything turned out righteously; evil failed to destroy our group. But I didn’t pay much attention to my own attachments and didn’t begin ridding myself of those attachments.

When first reading a notice on Minghui, I didn’t pay much attention to it, deciding that the notice didn’t apply to me at all. At a meeting for the project, the main coordinator drew our attention to a passage in that article: “In fact, malicious entities look to one’s human desires and attachments as the means to control that person. Meanwhile, the old forces in other dimensions who aim to destroy us practitioners say, ‘Whatever you cling to shall become your ruin.’”

After rereading it several times, I realized just how important this is, since it clearly indicates that one must identify and eliminate one’s deep-rooted attachments and free oneself from those as soon as possible. Master saw that a strong desire had arisen in my heart to rid myself of my fundamental attachments, and he created all the conditions needed for me to do so.

Soon, some practitioners in our group deeply hurt my feelings. That is how a non-cultivator would have perceived it, and unfortunately, at first, I reacted just like a non-cultivator. Harsh words were directed at me, and only one person stood up for me; the rest, as usual, remained silent. I was deeply hurt.

For three days, I felt so depressed that I couldn’t even study Fa or do the exercises with the group, so I practiced on my own. Though I understood that it was time to eliminate my resentfulness, when I dug deeper, I found yet another attachment.

I thought I had done so much for other Russian-speaking practitioners, and so I expected them to treat me well. As I reflected on this, I remembered that those cultivating according to Dafa must achieve complete selflessness. I remembered that Master has saved us from hell, suffers for our sins, and constantly helps us and guides us on the true path. He does not expect any payment from us. He only guides us to carry out the three tasks and fulfill our missions.

I also realized that by being overly protective of fellow practitioners in projects, I was depriving them of the opportunity to take responsibility for themselves. Behind this was my sense of superiority over others.

I realized that it was finally time to let go of my resentment and all the emotional baggage behind it—the factors that were keeping me from participating in the group — but at first, I couldn’t bring myself to do so. Three days passed; I continued to suffer, but I didn’t change. One day, as I was doing the second exercise, I felt so bitter and hurt about the incident that tears streamed from my eyes.

Covering my face with my hands, I sobbed. When I stopped crying, I continued practicing. Suddenly, it was as if a veil had been lifted from my eyes. I saw all my attachments very clearly, and I realized that Master had created an opportunity for me to finally get rid of them.

Compassionate Master lifted the veil from my eyes, and after that, my heart felt so light! The resentment was completely gone, as if it had never been there! The very next day, I was already practicing with the group.

I am grateful to the practitioners who helped me discover my attachments, and I hope that all of us can look within and eliminate our deep-seated attachments.

Talking to Fellow Practitioners About Attachments

Often, when I notice an attachment in other practitioners, I try to talk to them about it. Unfortunately, I don’t always communicate the right way, and at best, they ignore me; or at worst, they take offense. What’s the problem?

Master advises that when we see someone else’s attachment, we should check to see if we have the same one. In most cases, I do have it. I begin to seriously work on eliminating it within myself. Often, once I’ve freed myself from that attachment—even partially—I stop seeing it in the other person.

Before I speak to a fellow practitioner, I now look within myself and check to see if I have any judgment, a desire to point fingers, to elevate myself above them, or to act arrogantly. If there’s even a little bit of that, I immediately begin to let it go.

Sometimes fellow practitioners aren’t ready to hear about their own problems. So, before I speak, I ask if I can share something that I believe will help them. If the answer is yes, I try to speak with compassion. I explain that I’ve observed the same attachment in myself. I give specific examples of how I’ve faced challenges related to this attachment—both positive and negative. If I closely follow this method, the result is usually positive.

Our Righteous Thoughts and Faith

I am becoming increasingly convinced of how important it is to have righteous, clear thoughts and how they work.

For many years, I have been fortunate to participate in a project to save sentient beings at the Liberty Bell, which is the most visited tourist attraction in Philadelphia. Whenever we share the Fa in our local group, touching stories unfold that remain in our hearts.

One example happened recently when we were conducting our activities near the Liberty Bell. Usually, there is a long line to enter the Liberty Bell building that passes in front of our practice site and information tables. The line moves slowly, and people watch the exercises and read the information on our posters and banners. Even if they don’t come up to our table to take a brochure or sign a petition, they can still learn the truth.

One day, something went wrong, and for no apparent reason, the line began to form along a different sidewalk, farther away from our practice site. People were no longer passing by our posters and were missing the opportunity to learn the truth.

While doing the exercises, I sent righteous thoughts, but it didn’t help, so I decided to find a security guard and ask him to move the line to the correct route. After thinking it over, I realized that I couldn’t ask him to do that. I decided to ask Master for help, but then thought I couldn’t keep bothering him.

But as soon as I thought of Master, at that very moment, the security guard came out of the Liberty Bell building and instructed the tourists to move along the correct walking path. Then, everyone was walking past our signs. Less than a minute had passed from the moment I thought of Master to when the line was rearranged.

After that, I began to reflect on how our problems often stem from a lack of faith. We simply forget how many of Dafa’s miracles have happened to each of us. There are too many to count, and we also receive constant help and guidance from Master—he is always by our side. But unfortunately, when the time comes to face a test, I can forget all of this.

Tests I Received From Other Dimensions

About three years after I began practicing, I clearly saw the scene described in Zhuan Falun many times with my third eye:

“At this time, it will blossom like the flowers seen on television or in a movie in which the flowers blossom in a second. Such scenes will appear. The red color will start out flat, and then it will suddenly stand out in the middle and turn constantly. If you want to turn it on your own completely to the end, even eight or ten years may not be long enough since the entire celestial eye is blocked.” (Lecture Two, Zhuan Falun)

I remember what a magical sight it was! However, after some time, tests that are described in the Zhuan Falun also came true for me:

“One day you may suddenly see a large, tall immortal. He gives you a few compliments and teaches you something. If you accept it, your gong will be messed up. Once you become delighted and accept him as your master, you will go with him.” (Lecture Six, Zhuan Falun)

One day, while I was in a state between sleep and wakefulness, a very tall man came to me, dressed in long white robes with a golden crown on his head. He had large, green, kind eyes. He reached out with his hands to me, and I heard him speak, even though he didn’t open his mouth: “Child, come with me.” I didn’t answer, but he kept calling and calling me to come with him. When I awoke from this vision, I thought: “Why hadn’t he invited me to go with him before I was practicing Falun Dafa?” This invitation was clearly interference.

And this test repeated another time during the same dreamy state. I clearly saw an unfamiliar place where a group of people in old-fashioned clothes were doing some kind of exercises. Their master approached me and began teaching me the exercises. I, however, hid my hands behind my back and shook my head no.

Today, I’ve shared just a few of the wonderful arrangements that have happened to me—but there were many, many more!

I think that if every time we face a trial, we remember the miracles of Dafa that have happened to us and the immense support we receive from Master, we will get through the tests much more easily and faster.

I am grateful to Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, for always being by my side and for always compassionately guiding and protecting me!

Thank you, fellow practitioners!

(Presented at the 2026 Philadelphia Fa Conference)