PureInsight | August 20, 2006
[PureInsight.org] (2006 Experience Sharing Conference in Ireland)
My name is Angela and I started practising Falun Dafa in 2003. While I
was having difficulty in writing a sharing for this conference, I
thought of when Master said that a great way is simple and profound.
This helped me to decide that I should, at the very least say 'thank
you Master for the wonderful gift you have bestowed upon me and my
fellow Falun Gong Practitioners.'
It was on my way to the Market in Temple Bar on a usual Saturday when I
first encountered Falun Gong. They were demonstrating their beautiful
Fan dancing in front of the bank on Dame Street. The beauty of
their dance and costumes is memorable, but also the peace and
compassion that emanated from the group. I wanted to learn more about
this group of people that were giving off this energy.
At that particular time in my life I was actively pursuing a course in
Horticulture and Alternative Medicine. I was also considering
returning to Yoga classes as I was having regular massage treatments
for a back complaint. I frequented Health Food Stores.
Preventative measures for maintaining a healthy existence featured
strongly in my life.
Approximately one year before I started practising I gave up drinking
alcohol and I had already given up smoking. I began crossing my
legs as if to ease them out, little did I know then that I was being
prepared for the practice of Falun Gong. I also had a vivid dream
that I was looking through the centre of my left palm.
There have been so many changes since, in both my outlook and how I
live my life. Because the stress that had accumulated in my body
over the years was removed, I no longer needed the massages for keeping
stress at bay. My body became extremely light. I began to listen
more attentively when people spoke to me. I found that I smiled more
frequently and without effort. Consideration for the feelings of others
was now in the forefront of my mind. I soon realised that what I was
experiencing was the power of the Fa. The Fa had changed me
fundamentally; it had permeated every facet of my thinking and
existence, my life had changed forever.
Once I experienced the power of the Fa as I was cycling home after
demonstrating the exercises on O'Connell St on a very cold winter's
morning. On that day, it was as if I was cycling through the air, only
going through the motions of pushing the pedals. I had boundless energy
and a feeling of well-being that I had never previously experienced.
When you enter the practice of Falun Gong, it's like being given a key
to a new world, but the journey there requires cultivation.
Cultivation is hard, being a practitioner is hard, and it requires
determination and discipline. Reading the Fa grounds you, it constantly
reminds us to do better and connects us to the Truth.
When I started working for the Epoch Times I had no idea how many
opportunities it would provide for cultivation. In the beginning
it was difficult beyond words, I had never found anything so
frustrating and challenging. I felt vulnerable and wanted to hide as my
limitations were being exposed.
I frequently felt out of the loop and was unaware of how things worked.
I found myself asking: why has nobody had told me; why am I waiting;
and why has nobody shown me time and time again. Of course when I
looked inside, I found that I was out of the loop because I didn't
inform myself and hadn't asked the right questions. I was also not
dedicated enough to put in the ground work. When I finally got
some experience and when things were not often being done to my liking,
I complained, because I failed to look inside and view others with
compassion.
I am also becoming increasingly aware that what we say and how we say
it is vitally important for practitioners. I have learned by listening
to others how negative comments can have a destructive impact and how
we can misjudge others, which can lead to creating unnecessary karma.
Master has said "We should all speak according to a practitioner's
xinxing rather than create conflicts or say something improper. As
practitioners, we must measure ourselves with the standard of the Fa to
determine whether we should say certain things. What should be said
will not present a problem if one complies with the standard for
practitioners according to the Fa." (From "Cultivation of Speech" in Zhuan Falun)
Once when a practitioner had done something that I deemed unbefitting
of a cultivator, I was appalled and shocked. I began to question a lot
of things in my mind. After some time had passed, and after remembering
to look inside, I came to realise that the aforementioned
practitioner's behaviour was not the practitioner, but a manifestation
of his uncultivated attachments. I knew then that I had to do better.
Another particular incident which I had to work hard to cultivate was
when we needed help to distribute our paper, but no help was
forthcoming. I reacted badly, but all I had to do was look inside
and see that this is a reflection of my own attachment to laziness,
when I don't want to take responsibility and dodge commitment. When we
look inside we are acknowledging our own imperfections and then we can
rid ourselves of the attachments. We will then no longer attract that
which we were attached to. I feel I have passed through many
stages of cultivation, and am conscious of how understandings can
change as your level rises.
Sometimes when I don't have righteous thoughts, when I think that I
have stopped cultivating, I look back and acknowledge how I have
changed since beginning the practise and when I consciously want to do
better, then I know I'm still cultivating. I have cultivated my
selfishness to time; I no longer feel the need for "time for myself,"
which I regarded as precious.
My attachment to negativity rears its ugly head from time to time, and
I continue to cultivate it. As I continue to cultivate and work
for the Epoch Times, with Master's help I hope to free myself of my
many destructive and limiting attachments and be more productive and
helpful to my fellow practitioners and in so doing advance in my
cultivation and help others see and hear the truth, so that they too
can be saved from this delusion. I wish everyone here success in
their cultivation.
Thank you Master, thank you everyone.
