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The Best Way is to Change Self -- Experiences During the Car Tour of Scotland
(Clearwisdom.net)
Greetings Master, Greetings Everyone,
My name is Yan, and I am from Tamworth in West Midlands. I first learned
about Falun Dafa in March of 1997. During my cultivation, I have come to
understand the importance of Fa-rectification cultivation, clarifying the truth,
and personal cultivation.
Today, I would like to share my cultivation experiences during our car tour
through Scotland in June of this year. Please kindly point out anything
inappropriate.
After the Edinburgh Easter parade in April, I overheard a Scottish
practitioner talking about a car tour through Scotland and that they needed a
driver. They were concerned, as no one had shown any interest. I decided on the
spot that I would join the car tour and drive the car. I was given a positive
response when I asked my boss for a week off, and on May 29, I was off to
Scotland as part of the one-week car tour.
There were four of us in the actual car tour, but many practitioners who were
unable to ride with us were a great help during the preparations. They searched
websites and set up a database. They called the media, Members of Parliament
(MP's), non-governmental organizations (NGO's), etc. They made appointments for
us. The foundation for our truth clarifying effort was already laid before we
were off on the car tour.
I spent much time reading the Fa before I left home. Some sentences in the
book were imprinted on my mind. I thoroughly read the new articles, from
"Knowing Heart" to the most recent ones. The reading helped my mind to become
very clear.
In each of the six cities where we stopped, we attempted to meet with as many
people as possible. I strongly felt and understood that "Everything through the
ages has happened for the Fa." ("Just a Play") Those sentient beings have been
waiting for this, life after life, just for this moment. They were waiting for
us to come and tell them about Falun Dafa. It was all pre-arranged through the
ages. We met two mayors. One mayor opened a heavy door for us when we struggled
to enter the town hall. We talked to him, thinking that he was a receptionist.
Another mayor, who was attending a local meeting, rushed back to his office when
he noticed us in the hallway. He came to greet us and shook our hands. It was as
if we were being reunited with a family member.
We made sure to know the locations of the local media, libraries, city
councils and police stations in every city. We immediately headed for these
places after arriving in a given city. We did not have time to make an
appointment, so we just dropped by to talk to them. When the Western
practitioners talked to the receptionist, I always sent forth righteous thoughts
to assure a positive atmosphere. In my mind I also spoke with those people who
were there. I believed that their knowing side was eager to help us. The cosmos
is in the process of rectification, even a little effort to help us would be
recorded in the history of the cosmos. Their attitude miraculously changed.
First they asked us to write a letter requesting an appointment. Then they
called to find the people we wanted to meet.
Also during the car tour, my attachments were exposed. I had a bad impression
of one the practitioners. From the beginning of the tour, his attitude confirmed
my belief that he was not genuinely cultivating himself. I felt that his heart
did not want to save sentient beings. I felt he was not genuinely part of us, so
I hardly talked to him and seldom shared experiences with him.
Fa rectification work is important. Our clarifying the truth was successful,
but the process could not be separated from self-cultivation. There was a
disturbing element. How could that have nothing to do with me? Master told us,
"When your mind cannot get over something, isn't it caused by your attachment?"
("Further Elimination of Attachments" in Essentials for Further Advancement) I just could not enlighten to this Fa principle at that time. Another
practitioner often reminded me in a gentle way, but I stubbornly believed that
she was protecting that practitioner too much and was not showing me any
support. I stayed away from her, using a tactful way to reject her opinion and
insisting that I was right. When we stopped at a local practitioner's house, she
shared her understanding. She said that some practitioners would over-react to
protect themselves, but she saw that I defended myself tactfully. In fact, both
attitudes are essentially the same.
These words made me think hard for a long time. Actually she was right.
Nobody had pointed this out to me. I never realized it, because it had already
become part of me, part of my cells. Saving face is too important for me. If I
jumped up and down, it would be too obvious for others to see. I was not going
to lower myself. Everyone would say I had not cultivated well if I did that.
In the last city of the car tour, she and I shared a room. We talked all
night until dawn. We talked very openly. She kindly said that I should change
myself first. At that moment, I really appreciated her frank words, but at the
same time I felt they were difficult to accept because I thought I had done
nothing wrong. If the other practitioner had behaved better, automatically my
bad impression of him would not exist. We could have done better during this car
tour. Together we would think only about how to clarify truth and to save
sentient beings. Maybe most practitioners would also agree with me. He should
change and not me. But when I thought about it over and over again, I realized
that these thoughts were not correct under the Fa principles. Cultivation is the
cultivation of ourselves, not others. Only wanting others to change but not
ourselves, isn't that thinking the same as the old forces would think? I
couldn't sleep, tossing and turning. I knew she was right. I concluded that I
had to change myself, with no conditions attached. But to fully accept the fact
that I was wrong and should change was like a knife cutting my flesh. It was
very painful. I almost shouted out in pain just to help me feel better. I cannot
remember having had such feelings at any time during the past seven years of
cultivation. I told her how I felt and that I also realized that I was in the
wrong. Without touching the root of these feelings, I wouldn't feel such a pain.
I now realized that using my own notion to judge the other practitioner allowed
for that root to fester. It had become deeply embedded and could not be easily
uprooted. I no longer wanted to have this notion. Master told us in "Teaching
the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference," "...in the extreme microcosm at the
material formed by what your mind is attached to, [you'd see that] they are
mountains, huge mountains, made of hard, granite-like rock," This rock exists in
all of us, and it won't disappear on its own. We have to eliminate it. Thinking
about this, I finally fell asleep.
Next morning, my body felt lighter and I knew that the block of karma was
eliminated. Surprisingly, that practitioner also changed drastically. He seemed
very kind all of a sudden, just like a completely different person. We had an
appointment with a journalist. They wanted to interview him about his
experiences in the labor camp in China, so he wanted us to talk about what to
say. He seemed to lack confidence. He felt his English was not good enough. But
I believed that he would do very well and told him that it would touch people's
hearts if he just described his experiences of how he was treated in the labor
camp. Most importantly, I told him, do not forget Master. Later on, the
newspaper published almost a full page about the interview.
After he returned from the meeting with the journalist, the Westerner
practitioner and another practitioner had an appointment with an MP. He and I
remained on a busy street, telling people about Falun Dafa and the persecution.
The wind was very strong and blew away our table and materials. We collected the
materials and fixed the table. He was very caring. He wanted to give me his
coat. He was very positive and actively approached people, telling them about
Falun Dafa and the persecution. I felt his true self had awakened and his Buddha
nature had come forth, shining in ten directions. When the other two
practitioners returned, I was meditating and playing the Falun Dafa music. He
was handing out flyers. They were very pleased to see this harmonious sight. All
four of us went together to an appointment with a Scottish Member of the
Parliament (SMP). The SMP asked us some questions and took some notes. We talked
about our own experiences concerning the persecution inside and outside of
China. The meeting went very well.
At the end of the car tour, when saying our goodbyes, both of us felt that
the trip was too short. Once we had established a righteous field, everything
went smoothly and the environment was harmonious. It was not that others had
changed. It was that I had let go of my notion and attachment, which had been
hidden deeply within me. I also understood "After passing the shady willow
trees, there will be bright flowers and another village ahead!" (Zhuan Falun) I hope every practitioner present can share their uplifting experiences and
show how, when we have different opinions and disagreements, we should not be
attached to other people's attachments. Actually, we need to change our habit of
looking for other people's shortcomings. We have to look within, find our own
attachment and let it go. The process of "looking within" is the most essential
and also the hardest. But it is also the most precious for practitioners.
Ordinary people cannot do this. We can. Once we find what is deeply rooted
within, we will experience the wonderful and wordless feeling of letting go.
There will be a harmonious and righteous atmosphere. All conflicts will
disappear without any problem. Then the Fa rectification work will be smooth and
the whole body will make a leap forward.
During the car tour, I deeply felt that everyone was looking forward to
listening to the facts about Falun Dafa. I also understood the importance of the
three things required of the Fa rectification disciple: studying the Fa, sending
forth righteous thoughts, and clarifying the truth. Master has arranged for us
to cultivate ourselves during the Falun Dafa work, looking inward and improving
our Xinxing level. During the final period of the Fa rectification, we need to
do well on our paths.
Thank you, Master! Thanks, Everyone! |