PureInsight | March 17, 2009
Experience sharing at the 2009 Los Angeles Fa Conference
[PureInsight.org] I started practicing Falun Dafa a little less than two years ago. I am a Western practitioner from Ohio. A friend of my roommate is a practitioner and he showed me how to do righteous thoughts. My roommate had told his friend that I had been meditating on my own and had some intense moments during my meditations. Since the day I did righteous thoughts, I knew that I was meant to be a Falun Dafa disciple.
I started out by reading Falun Gong a couple of times and teaching myself the first exercise. Several weeks later I went to a practice site and read with the group. I finally learned all of the exercises completely and felt that I was on the right path.
As soon as I left the practice site I started reading again and felt a strong sensation in my forehead. I was not worried but in a state of awe and unfortunately some disbelief. I kept reading and reading. The pain in my forehead was like I had read in Zhuan Falun:
“When I was talking about the Celestial Eye, each of you could feel that your forehead was tight.”
“As long as you truly put your mind to studying Falun Dafa here, everyone will feel it;”
A few weeks later, I had the idea that I should take some flyers about Dafa and the persecution to the local courthouse in the town square. I got on my bike and headed down the street. I came to an intersection at a high speed and was hit by car. I felt fine and thought I would keep riding to the courthouse but the wheel on the bike was bent. The driver came out of the car and he was shaking with fear. I heard someone in the distance yell at me asking if I was alright.
I realized slowly what had happened. The driver asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital. I told him I would appreciate a ride to the courthouse. He dropped me off and I told the judge and his assistant what had happened. The judge asked me, “Did you call the police?!” I told him that I didn’t. The judge and his assistant were upset that I didn’t try to turn the driver in. After a little time passed, I was nervous about the situation but I only had a scratch on my leg. It was exactly how Master described in Zhuan Falun:
“Though her head was hit, she did not feel any pain. Not only did she not feel any pain, but her head did not bleed, either; nor did it swell. The driver was scared to death and jumped out of the car. He hastily asked her if she was injured and suggested that they go to the hospital. She replied that she was alright. Of course this practitioner had a very high xinxing level and would not get the driver into trouble. She said that everything was fine, but the collision left a big dent on the car.”
When I was asked to contribute an experience report, I was delighted with the opportunity to help out and participate in my own cultivation. When I started reviewing all of the experiences that I have encountered it became very apparent that Master has been with me all along.
I have been protected throughout my entire cultivation. I have received all of the features of the practice that are described in the book, and I often feel the warm gong energy during group studies and when I do the exercises.
Before I started practicing I smoked cigarettes and was on two different medications. I have not smoked for almost two years and am no longer taking any medication. My body feels light and I am doing better now than I have ever done in my life.
I have had other experiences with truth clarification that have been powerful and helped me realize the importance of what we are doing as a collective body. My first experience was in a parade in Columbus, OH. I was nervous about going out in front of so many people, but I knew that Dafa was good and that I needed to help promote the Fa in the U.S. to the best of my ability. I was on a float doing the exercises and could feel very intense energy around the entire group of practitioners. At one point, the entire crowd in our area was silent as we passed through the street. I know in my heart that there were a good number of people in attendance that benefitted from the parade.
When I felt in my heart that I was assisting Master with one of the biggest undertakings in history, I knew that I needed to make an effort to contribute to Dafa. I started out by trying to help with the Gala in New York. I did not know at the time what it was I was really doing. I did not focus and I was interfered with. I got a chance to make up for my lack of diligence later on. The Gala made its way to Cleveland and I went with another Western practitioner and passed out flyers at the mall for a couple of days.
A few months later, I got the opportunity to watch the Gala in NY in a performance that had only practitioners present and Master in attendance. I went to New York a second time to help a friend move. I thought at that time that maybe I would stay in New York and learn some things at NTDTV and take the knowledge to the West Coast. Things did not work out that way and I feel that it was a result of me not being ready and not keeping strong enough righteous thoughts.
Another time I lacked righteous thoughts was when I was unable to attend a conference in Washington D.C. A roommate mistakenly put a handgun in my computer bag. I woke up at 5 am to catch my flight to go to a conference for the Epoch Times without checking my bags. I was in LA with a gun in my bag en route to Washington D.C. and the police officers were ready to throw me in jail. I came to my senses and increased my righteous thoughts and thought to myself, “I am practitioner. You cannot treat me like this. I am going to help The Epoch Times. I am not a criminal.” One of the officers stepped forward in my defense and they decided to not press charges. I remember the officer saying, “You are getting a huge break here.” They escorted me out of the airport with no arrest.
Recently, I have been passing out flyers in my neighborhood by a local park and I have a couple projects in the works for The Epoch Times. I am also currently working on a project on my own. I felt at first that it may not be the right idea or that I wouldn’t be able to do it. I know from Master’s words that I should not doubt myself and I should blaze my own path. This is my understanding and it is the truth at my level at this current time. So, I am taking all of the necessary actions at a fundamental level before I push it forward.
I am making sure that I do righteous thoughts everyday without an attachment to how many times or what specific time. At the same time, I am not using the attachment as an excuse to be lazy. Fa study has become the focal point of my cultivation. I read as often as possible to ensure that I am cultivating in accordance with the Fa and that I have the necessary energy when I am doing the exercises.
I am starting to feel as though I am working as a particle of Dafa, rather than learning about Dafa and trying to figure out what my specific role is in the big picture. I have been reading a lot of lectures from Guiding the Voyage to help me keep up with the pace of Fa Rectification. It has not always been easy.
I have had a lot of tribulations lately. My environments at work and at home have become tense and at times and it seems as if nothing is ever working out for me. When these times come I think of what I can do to cultivate better. When I keep my mind on being of service to the Fa and doing my part in Fa Rectification it is easier. When I do Dafa work to clarify the truth and don’t think of validating myself, things work out better.
I am working on projects for truth clarification with music. I have written articles for The Epoch Times, passed out flyers, and told people about the persecution face to face as often as possible. At times, I worry about my abilities in clarifying the truth. This is something that I must push through so that I can be of maximum service to Dafa and help save sentient beings. I know that Master is with me every step of the way and has been since the beginning.
Thank you Teacher,
Thank you Dafa,
Thank you my fellow practitioners.
February 2009
Chinese translation available at: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2009/2/27/58043.html
