PureInsight | April 19, 2019
[PureInsight.org]
Greetings, Master.
Greetings, Fellow practitioners.
I am from Tainan. I would like to report my cultivation in the past few years to the Master.
1. To obtain Fa
I have been considered a gifted child. Being a gifted student at schools and then a medical student, I felt I was outstanding, and I could achieve anything. I did not know that to others, I was simply arrogant and self-absorbed.
Life was very fulfilling with my success at the academia and the many activities of student clubs. One year, I was the president of student club association, the chair of local club, the leader of global issue club, the annual faculty excellency elect coordinator, and the student association leadership workshop coordinator at the same time. I was also honored as the outstanding student of the year. I also won the recognition of the Prime Minister.
However, underneath the aura I felt my life has also lost controlled for the first time. In the club, there were many conflicts. However successful the events were, I rarely had any friends. I started to lose sleep. I often went to bed at two or three o’clock at night, but I could not fall asleep. In the worst case, I couldn’t sleep until dawn. At that time, my liver function also began to be abnormal. The normal level was less than the range of forty and fifty, but mine was as high as two hundred. At that time, I had a teacher specializing in the hepatobiliary gastro-intestine and I consulted the teacher and did many tests. The conclusion was that the cause was unknown, and it needed to be followed up.
I was in my early twenties, how could I have so many problems? I was very confused and frustrated.
Just when I was troubled and felt something was missing in my life, the wonderful opportunity came quietly. In a student club and association fair, I came across the booth of Falun Dafa on campus. The members of the club were very friendly and enthusiastic. I was introduced what Dafa is. A student looked younger than I was, but was actually a third year Ph.D. candidate. It was a surprise to me because I was only a college student. Can practice Falun Gong really bring health to people and make people look younger? A member lent me the Zhuan Falun, introduced me the practice site and encouraged me to start practicing.
When I first got the book “Zhuan Falun" and just getting onto the second page, I was amazed. I thought that this might be the most important book in my life. “I’ll tell you a truth: The entire cultivation process for a cultivator is one of constantly giving up human attachments” (Zhuan Falun). This statement is like a lightning hitting my heart, and I was suddenly awakened. What I have been pursuing in the past, the titles and everything else, are simply attachments. How could I be happy with so many attachments in heart? How could I be healthy carrying so much burden on me? I have found the treasure! I went to the practice site at the campus. Seeing me wondering around, the coordinating practitioner asked if I’d like to learn the exercise. In that one afternoon, I learnt the entire five sets of exercises and learned the sharing of the cultivation experience. It made me feel all Falun Gong practitioners are very nice and friendly.
On the first night of the practice, my insomnia was over. My liver function gradually returned to normal. My parents were both medical staff. They were surprised to see the improvement. They asked me what I have done. I was not sure, because all I did was to start the exercise and read the book Zhuan Falun, and intend to live my life according to the teaching in the book. At that time, the members of the Falun Dafa on campus also showed their support. They invited me to the exercise, dined with me to share their cultivation experience, offered me the videos and music for the exercise, helped to correct my movements, and encouraged me to join the nine-day Fa teaching class. Thinking back, after so many years, I am grateful because these very basic things for a cultivator are very memorable and warm to a new practitioner. Thank you, fellow practitioners.
2. To Promote Shen Yun
In 2007, Shen Yun came to Taiwan for the first time. We didn't know how to do the promotion or how Shen Yun would save the sentient beings. We could only invite our acquaintances to the show according to our understanding. I invited the dean of our medical school and he’s also the vice president of the university. He is a professor emeritus at Stanford University and an internationally renowned cardiologist. After seeing Shen Yun, he was very moved. He accepted the interview. He said, "Frankly, I didn't expect to see such a high realm performance. I was a little surprised. Not only does it promote the Chinese culture, but most importantly it combines the arts and culture. It is not simply singing or performing, but entails greatly about the thoughts, the humanities. They are the deep and profound parts of the Chinese culture.” In the program there were “Candles” and “Return” that described the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners for their belief.
Master really has encouraged me greatly. I had not seen Shen Yun, and I was only inviting the dean with my righteous thought, and the dean’s feedback was very good. Looking back, now it seems that I am limited with less pure thought in promoting Shen Yun.
When I first obtained the Fa, I knew that I had to let go of my attachments, such as the fame and fortune, but I didn’t know that I actually went to extremes. During promoting Shen Yun, in the process of interacting with the VIP, I realized that the effective promotion requires further interaction with the ordinary people so that people will learn through us about Shen Yun and even Dafa.
The mainstream people will not ask how much money you have or how much you make, but they judge you based on your appearance, your language skills and your connotation. In order to be a competent volunteer for promoting Shen Yun, I must enrich myself, pay attention to my own image, and read many relevant articles in arts and culture. In the process, I also found that my professionalism could serve as a Fa instrument in truth clarification. People will get interested in arts and music and their acceptance of Shen Yun will become greater when I recommend this way. Now, learning my profession and its relation with the arts, music and culture, and even to the well-being and spiritual satisfaction, I now find my job at the ordinary society has become more meaningful. My pursuing of the knowledge has also become more enjoyable in order to promote Shen Yun.
In recent years, VIP Tea Party was hosted in many places in Taiwan to introduce Shen Yun. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to be the moderator and a speaker at the party. In the beginning, I tried to connect my scientific knowledge to Shen Yun. With much precious feedback from fellow practitioners, each speech became an opportunity to elevate myself. I still accept advice from others even though I felt I have prepared well. The promotion was not so effective even when my slides were nicely done. I finally realized it’s all about the cultivation. Proficient preparation is a must to a disciple. But to promote Shen Yun, the speech is more than an ordinary speech - it’s a sacred mission to save sentient beings. The audiences would learn about Shen Yun and even the truth. If they miss it this time, they might not have it the next time.
I finally saw different meanings in promoting Shen Yun after experience sharing with other Tainan fellow practitioners and other speakers. I used to attract the audience with the knowledge of the ordinary society and Shen Yun was only mentioned in the very end. Now I quickly set the tone with the ordinary knowledge, and then focus mainly on Shen Yun Performing Arts. I introduce the orthodox arts based on the characteristics of Shen Yun. I used to worry about the religious factor that might mislead the audience, but now I naturally talk about the truth of Dafa through introducing Shen Yun, and the orthodox arts are messages from heaven. These few words are exactly the outcome of years of efforts of fellow practitioners’ sharing to help to elevate my level, and the wisdom accumulated in the promotion.
Dafa disciples are united. In experience sharing of speakers in Taiwan, many practitioners of various professional backgrounds shared their speeches. They were all different and good. We learnt Shen Yun in a diverse and profound way. The sharing was enjoyable. If it weren’t for promoting Shen Yun, in this overly materialized and noisy world, it is really difficult to see the beauty, the power, the wisdom and the compassion from such pure and gentle art form. With the guidance of Master in Shen Yun, the disciples are given a relatively relaxed path to save sentient beings. In the history, saving life was mostly conducted in a strictly harsh environment and even at the risk of life. We now dress up nicely and project a happy image when saving lives. With the most beautiful images and music, we are truly promoting Shen Yun happily.
Master said in the 2012 International Fa Conference at the U.S. Capital, “if Dafa disciples have that allotted fortune then they’re free to enjoy it. Master isn’t directing you to be poor the way the evil CCP would have it.” In order to promote Shen Yun, we must do better in our ordinary jobs, let ourselves become a happy person with what we see and hear. If it weren’t for cultivation and for promoting Shen Yun, I would not have thought that life could be lived like this.
In the process of promoting Shen Yun, I have a deep understanding of what Master has said in Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference, “It looks like you're doing things for Dafa, and some people may be thinking, ‘I'm doing things for Master, because Master told me to do them.’ (Master smiles/chuckles) In fact that's not the case. The things I tell you to do, those too are done for yourselves.”
3. Shen Yun has the greatest power to save sentient beings
During promoting Shen Yun, we often met with difficulties. In retrospect, it is all about letting us improve our xinxing, which is a must in our cultivation. When we first started the promotion, we would go when there are chances. It could be three or four times a week. Time became very tight between work and family, conflict with my wife also intensified. One day, we realized that arguments always took place easily prior to the scheduled promotion. We tried to remind ourselves and each other about the upcoming events and hold onto our xinxing. But the conflict always took place at the point that’s most unbearable. At that time, I thought to myself, you knew what I was going to do, why couldn’t you be more thoughtful, reduce my burden and help me to perform my best.
After several big arguments, I realized that I must have some persistent attachments. I looked inward and learned that I have put my pride ahead of others. As a speaker, my role was to save sentient beings. But this mission requires my wife’s help to ensure the home is also well taken care of. However, I had believed that she was simply staying at home and she needed to be more considerate for me. But I am the one who needs to be more thoughtful. After realizing this, I agreed with my wife that I will balance my time while maintaining the quality of the promotion. With at most two speeches a week, I could plan earlier, the quality of the speech improved, there’s more time to be with the kid, and the conflict with my wife also reduced.
Cultivation is not a smooth process and there are always interferences and conflict. Sometimes it took place right before the speech. Even though I was troubled but I would not blame my wife. Because I knew that for people to learn the truth, to see Shen Yun and to be saved, there are factors behind the person to impede our effort. In the process, my wife, a practitioner, is also suffering. I will definitely not accept these interferences. I will improve myself with these tribulations. These trials are simply illusions and will disappear. With this understanding, I found that when my xinxing is improved, everything was alright when I returned home after the speech. That has encouraged me. When conflicts arise again, rather than finding faults with others, I will only look inward and have a right mindset on my cultivation.
Master has said in Teaching the Fa in Washington D.C. in 2018, “Among all the projects of saving people, Shen Yun has the most power in saving people.” After reading this, my wife told me, “Master has said it. Now I know better about the meaning of Shen Yun. You should just go and do the best you can.”
I was very touched. I have not asked anything but she showed more support. I am grateful to Master’s mercy. I understand that it is not so easy to deal with the interference from the other dimensions in order to save the sentient beings. It is Master who has helped to handle everything in the other dimensions. Thank you, Master! Thank you, Dafa!
If there is no Dafa, I don't know where I would belong in the world. Because of Dafa, I now feel more peaceful with a better relationship with family and friends, and I am no longer confused about the meaning of life. Thank you Master, for your compassion and salvation. As a disciple, I can only repay Master with my own firm cultivation, diligence in the three things, and demeanor of an upright Dafa Disciple.
Thank you, Master!
Thank you, fellow practitioners!
Please fellow practitioners kindly correct my inadequacy, if any.
Chinese version: http://www.zhengjian.org/node/248114
