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I Began My Practice of Falun Dafa During the Height of the Persecution By a practitioner from Liaoning Province (Clearwisdom.net) In just two years of genuine cultivation of Dafa,
with Master's compassion and loving care, I have benefited from Dafa in many
respects, both physically and mentally. I first learned of Dafa in the late
spring of 1999, but I didn't cultivate genuinely until 2001, when the evil
persecution of Dafa was at its most intense. With the help of the Dafa truth clarifying materials, especially the exposure
of the staged Tiananmen Square "self-immolation," I gradually started
to understand what was going on. Later I had opportunities to meet several
practitioners that I already knew and had in-depth discussions with them. At
this time I finally realized and truly understood what the meaning of life is
and what values a living being must embrace. At the end of the fall in 2001, I
embarked on the path of cultivation without any hesitation. I brought out the
precious Dafa materials that I had collected for study, such as Zhuan Falun,
the tapes of Master's lectures and exercises tapes. I learned the five sets of
exercise in a short time from the other practitioners. I also repeatedly read
Master's recent lectures and other Dafa materials. Not long after I had begun my genuine cultivation I had a dream. I saw a
crowd of people watching a big ship slowly leaving the shore. A rope hung down
from the stern of ship that was three or four stories high. I grabbed the rope
tightly and strenuously climbed onto the ship, step by step along the ship's
planks. My arms felt very tired. When I woke up I understood that Master did not
give up on me and I got on the "Fa ship," which further strengthened
my courage and confidence in cultivation. Since I started my genuine cultivation during the Fa-rectification period, I
encountered eliminating karma and many xinxing tests [mind or heart nature,
moral character] such as the tests about reputation, accolades, personal
interests and emotions. I persisted in daily studying the Fa and listening to
the lectures, clarifying the truth and sending forth righteous thoughts. Taking
the Fa as teacher, I always look inward in my cultivation, but I still have many
attachments that haven't been completely eliminated. During xinxing tests I
become impetuous sometimes, but Master has kept on giving me hints at proper
times to make me enlighten to things. My own changes are very obvious. I gave up
bad habits and frivolous activities that I had indulged in for decades. My high
blood pressure became normal without any medical treatment. The severe
side-effects of an injury disappeared. A large amount of medical expenses were
avoided. The beginning of my genuine cultivation is also my starting point of
clarifying the truth. I study the Fa, clarify the truth and do other Fa-rectification
activities along the way. Although I have not suffered from Jiang's persecution
directly, I am behind two years in my cultivation. How can I make up for the
loss? I try hard to do the "three things" [study the Fa, explain the
facts and send righteous thoughts] well. Master told us to do these and try
to compensate for the time I lost so that I can catch up with course of the Fa-rectification.
I have heard unfriendly words during truth-clarification events and met some
people who didn't want to accept the truth. Sometimes I began to debate with
them from my perspective of my ordinary notions and an unsettled mind.
Gradually, through Fa study and looking inward in cultivation, I began to pay
more attention to clarifying the truth with compassion and wisdom. The effects
have become better. I have encountered the elimination of karma and other normal states during
cultivation, which in general I could handle well and passed the tests smoothly.
I faced more interference regarding emotions. In real life I was able to deal
with them and handle them well, but several times I failed the tests in dreams,
which made me very upset. Master also gives me hints to help me. In one dream, I
saw three sharp, white steel saws hanging on the clothesline, glowing brightly,
with the saw teeth pointing down. They were lined up orderly by size, from small
to big and were displayed in front of me. When I woke up I realized I should
eliminate my degenerated, bad notions formed in the everyday society without
leaving any that could hurt me, just like those sharp metal saws that could cut
me. Later I further realized the three different sizes of saws were for breaking
through the three obstacles of "reputation, self-interest and
emotions." At present, toward the end and during this most critical period of Fa-rectification,
I will learn from other practitioners and walk every step well, continuing to do
the "Three Things" to advance in the Fa and to improve myself. Please, point out anything improper. December 30, 2003 Posting date: 2/19/2004 |