Cultivating Myself Well as a Falun Dafa Practitioner

(Minghui.org) I began cultivating Falun Dafa on September 2, 2012, after being introduced to the practice by a friend.

Through listening to podcasts on Minghui.org, I learned that some practitioners could memorize Zhuan Falun in a month, while some took three or five months to a year to finish reciting and memorizing the book once.

However, my memory wasn’t that great, so it took me five years to finish. Now I’ve only been able to recite and memorize Zhuan Falun three times and I’m halfway through the fourth time. I’ve also just finished reading all the Dafa books and Master Li’s lectures, around 50 in total.

I wanted to do the three things well and went out every day to clarify the truth and help Master save sentient beings, yet each time I could only help a couple of people at most. Sometimes there were long periods where I couldn’t even reach one person. Compared to those diligent practitioners, I lagged far behind.

Although I lacked mighty virtue, benevolent Master didn’t give up on me and has been encouraging me—letting me experience some miracles. For instance, once, while doing the sitting meditation, I could clearly feel Falun (law wheels) entering my abdomen and spinning inside for quite a while.

Another time, also while doing the sitting meditation, I began floating. And twice, during the standing exercises, I could clearly feel the external mechanism driving my limbs to move.

One time, I sent forth righteous thoughts for about two hours. Near the end, I felt my body expand, my hair stand on end, and my pores open. My body kept swelling until it reached the size of the sky. Then, it was enveloped in a thick layer of energy, and I was frozen still for 20 minutes, before I finished and everything gradually returned to normal. It was incredibly wonderful and sublime—the feeling was truly indescribable.

Only by memorizing the Fa more, could I elevate and assimilate to the Fa so as to help save more sentient beings and return home with Master. I’d like to share a few stories about cultivation and truth-clarification.

The Buddha Light Shines on My Family

My mother-in-law had five children. My husband was the second oldest, with an older sister. We had only been married for two years when my mother-in-law passed away. By that time, both my husband’s sister and first brother were already married, while his two youngest brothers still lived at home with my father-in-law.

My father-in-law loved dumplings, but didn’t know how to make them, so we always brought him some whenever we had dumplings. If the men’s blankets or clothes got dirty or worn, I would take them apart, wash them, or make new ones. I never argued with my sisters-in-law. Later, when my father-in-law fell ill, I took the initiative to do everything, from buying things for him to looking after him, without ever complaining.

More than a year after my father-in-law died, my husband’s second brother got married. Only the youngest brother was still single. He didn’t know how to cook and wanted to move in with us. I agreed and regarded him as a family member.

I saved his wages and reserved them for his wedding. More than three years later, we helped him find a wife and, after the wedding, he moved into his own place. All my relatives and neighbors know that I am a Falun Dafa practitioner and our interactions are harmonious.

Now let’s talk about my husband. My own brother’s wife no longer wanted our mother to live with them due to her old age and poor health, and my father having died young. As the eldest daughter, it was expected that I should care for my mother. But when I brought her home, my husband was very disagreeable. He made sarcastic remarks and started fights with me every day, which made me very angry. To take care of my mother, I learned physical therapy and opened a health care center. I took my mother to live there and rarely went home.

Only by reading Zhuan Falun, did I learn the purpose of life is to return to one’s original true self. I’ve come to understand so many principles, such as the predestined relationships that exist between people, and that nothing happens without a reason. My kindness toward my husband’s family might stem from a past debt. His unkindness toward me might also be due to me treating him even worse in a past life. Master carefully arranges our paths of cultivation to help us improve.

So I changed my mindset toward my husband. I stopped giving him the silent treatment, went home more often, and tried to be understanding and caring toward him, always considering things from his perspective. Without realizing it, he changed too. He stopped losing his temper and began to support me in practicing Dafa.

When I was at home, if he saw me studying the Fa in the morning, he’d say, “You go ahead and do what you have to, I’ll prepare breakfast.” At night, when he saw me doing the exercises, he’d quietly close the door so as not to disturb me. One day, he said, “What’s the use of your reading that book every day?”

I replied, “It’s very helpful. This is the main text Zhuan Falun. Masterteaches us to be good by following Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and to hold ourselves to these high level principles. If I didn’t read this book, for instance, when you lent your brother 10,000 yuan behind my back, I would have argued with you back then. I only found out after your brother’s wife told me.”

Indeed, she once told me, “We borrowed 10,000 yuan from your husband to build a house. These past two years, my husband has been sick and can’t pay it back. I feel so bad.” When I heard this, I wasn’t surprised at all, and felt very calm.

“It’s okay, don’t worry,” I replied. “It’s only right for brothers to help each other when they face difficulties. You can keep it.” Her husband later died, and I did not expect her to pay the money back.

Then I told my husband, “When your sister was sick and hospitalized, when she was building a house, when her son got married, didn’t she always borrow from us and we ended up giving her all our savings? Has she ever paid us back? If I didn’t read this book, nor cultivate Dafa, I wouldn’t let her carry on like this.”

“How wonderful Falun Dafa is!” he responded. “For the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] to persecute Dafa is so terrible!”

I clarified the truth to him regularly and talked about the significance of quitting the CCP. He acknowledged everything I said. I asked him, “How about if you renounce your membership from the Young Pioneers [one of the CCP’s youth organizations]?” He agreed.

While we were talking about this, my granddaughter overheard us. She said, “Grandma, I want to quit the Young Pioneers as well. I also believe in Dafa.” Then my son also agreed to quit the Party.

Just as Master said:

“The Buddha-light illuminates everywhere and harmonizes everything.” (Lecture Three, Zhuan Falun)

Immersed in the Buddha light, the environment in my family was pleasant and peaceful. My husband and I treated each other with respect. Our son’s work went well, and he was happy.

Our granddaughter was an excellent student, and a kind, well-behaved girl. She followed me to recite “On Dafa” and Hong Yin. My mother studied the Fa and did the exercises with me every day. She is 93 years old, clear-headed, agile, and healthy. These blessings in my family were all brought about by Dafa. It is truly wonderful to cultivate in Dafa.

Treating Customers Kindly and Looking Inward

I work with two employees in my physiotherapy business. Because I’ve held myself to the Dafa principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, everything goes smoothly with my staff and customers.

In the beginning, I didn’t look inward during a conflict nor did I know how to cultivate. For instance, during physical therapy, people often experience a healing crisis or “healing reaction.” When a customer arrived, we’d tell them, “It may feel like your condition is worsening at times. Don’t worry, it will pass in a few days, and then you’ll feel much better.”

Most people were fine with this. However, when some individuals experienced a reaction, they claimed the treatment harmed them, and no amount of explanation would change their minds. I tolerated their harsh words and if they wanted a refund, I agreed. So I didn’t fight back on the surface, but felt resentful and unsettled inside.

With more Fa-study and memorizing the Fa, I learned how to look inside. If someone was at odds with me, I’d consider whether I had the same issue and needed to improve my xinxing. I viewed everyone as a mirror to help me look inward. I thought I had been cultivating well, but every time was surprised to uncover more attachments.

For example, after more than 10 days of treatment, one customer said, “My sleep is much better and I have fewer leg cramps, only once or twice in the last two days, which is great.” But the next day, he turned around and said, “It’s been more than 10 days and there’s been no effect. I’ve wasted my money!”

“Yesterday, you said your sleep was much better,” I replied, “and your leg cramps had improved, so what’s the matter today? Are you experiencing a treatment reaction?”

He said, “Did I say that yesterday? Impossible!” He became very unreasonable, mentioned a foot massage parlor where he could ask for whatever he wanted, and said some vulgar things. None of us responded. My staff know the truth about Dafa and the persecution, have quit the CCP, and can hold themselves to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. They didn’t argue, nor fight with the customer, but let him ramble on until his treatment was finished. Then he just left.

After work, I calmed down to look inward. I thought, “Which attachment was being targeted? He was fine yesterday, so how come his attitude changed?” Then I realized I loved hearing nice things. I was happy when someone said something good about me. Wasn’t this a show-off mentality?

When I looked deeper, I discovered the attachment of jealousy, especially when a customer said, “I’ve tried so many treatments for this illness, but nothing worked until I received your treatment.” This made me feel flattered and better than others.

After I pinpointed these attachments, I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the substances that are not mine, I do not want them. Then I felt very relaxed and pleasant, and realized deep down that I should really thank that customer for helping me improve and shed these attachments.

When he came back the next day, it was as if nothing had happened. He completed the 15 day-treatment, which resolved his condition. On the last day, he even gave us some expensive fruits to express his gratitude and was very cordial when he said goodbye.

Customers could sense our compassion and kindness. People often asked if the people working in our shop were Buddhists, as they feel so good when they come here, and all their worries disappear.

I would take the opportunity to clarify the facts. I talked to them about the positive impact of Falun Dafa, the “self-imolation hoax on Tiananmen Square,” the many political movements the CCP has launched to persecute people, including many kind people. Most of my customers accepted the truth and quit the Party and its affiliated organizations.

I continued to memorize the Fa, and kept looking inward, eliminating my attachments, and improving my xinxing. It has been a long time since someone was unreasonable with us. Immersed in the saving grace of Dafa’s Buddha light, my shop is filled with laughter, kindness, and peace every day. The path of Dafa cultivation is truly filled with blessings.

Clarifying the Facts to a Supermarket Owner

I went to the supermarket and there was hardly anyone there. The owner was at the checkout and said, “You owe me 10 yuan and 50 cents, but 10 yuan is fine.”

“No, that’s not right,” I replied. Then I took out the correct amount and paid him.

He said, “Other customers always want a discount at my supermarket. You have never asked for one, and sometimes you even pay extra. Nowadays, there are very few good people like you.”

I responded, “I practice Falun Dafa. Our Master taught us to be good by following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. We must always be considerate of others. Twenty cents is a trifle, but if everyone expects a 20-cent discount, then 10 people adds up to two yuan. How much more do you have to sell to earn that back?”

He was very surprised, saying, “Hasn’t the government banned Falun Dafa? Wasn’t the self-immolation incident on Tiananmen Square broadcast on television?”

“That was purely a hoax orchestrated by the former Party leader to frame and persecute Dafa.” I replied. “Think about it! Do police officers carry a fire extinguisher on patrol? Gasoline ignites instantly with a tiny spark. Even if they were carrying a fire extinguisher, there wouldn’t be time to take photos. Wasn’t the whole scene already set up beforehand?”

“If you hadn’t mentioned this, I really wouldn’t have thought about that. The CCP is so evil. They only persecute good people. Since coming to power, the Party has kept launching political movements, killing so many good people. If everybody were like you, practicing Dafa, then our society would be much better. I can see the CCP is about to collapse.”

I asked him if he had ever joined the Party. He replied, “No, but I did join the Youth League and Young Pioneers before.”

“Then how about you quit them? Buddhas and gods only look at people’s hearts. Either using your real name or a pseudonym would work.”

He said he would use his real name. I gave him a Dafa amulet and said, “Take this with you. You will be blessed by sincerely reciting what’s written on it: ‘Falun Dafa is wonderful!’‘Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is wonderful!’”

He took it and kept saying, “Thank you!”

Before I left, he stopped me and asked, “Where is the best place for me to put it?” I suggested he take it with him wherever he went. He carefully placed it in his pocket and smiled. I felt truly happy that he had learned the truth and received salvation.