Work Experience in Sound of Hope

[PureInsight.org] In May of 2019, Master said Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference, “My admiration goes out to some of the practitioners working on Dafa projects, such as Minghui.org…But the ones I’m talking about can’t say such things, and have to keep to themselves even the great things they may have achieved…There are actually a lot of practitioners who have worked quietly on Dafa disciple projects or other things, and all of them are truly extraordinary. Divine beings really have great respect for you. And I, too, have a lot of respect for people like that.” It is really amazing that fellow Minghui.org practitioners have been silently working on projects for 20 years. We should accomplish the things Master respects. I did not plan to write an experience sharing article for this Fa Conference; I wanted to quietly listen. The reason is that I have never finished a project from the beginning to the end as other fellow practitioners in the Media have. I frequently commuted between Singapore and New York. In New York, I did different jobs because of staff shortages. However, none of the jobs reached professional levels.

I truly appreciate Master’s arrangements. During the 2018 Fa Conference in the US, under another practitioner’s guidance, I applied to be a broadcaster at the Sound of Hope headquarters. After returning to Singapore, I was transferred to the Asia-Pacific Briefing News Group to broadcast to mainland China through shortwave. I remembered our supervisor said, “We use our voices to spread the truth to save people”. Recalling this half-year experience, every test was a great challenge and each broadcast had many shortcomings. Because I had been teaching Chinese for more than ten years, I believed I had a solid foundation in Chinese language. When I really started working, I suddenly found teaching Chinese to be so different from broadcasting.

During group Fa study, I once again read the Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference. Master said, "Another thing is, you have really had a tremendous impact in making the truth known and saving people with all of the truth-clarification teams and activities you have initiated as Dafa disciples. It’s wonderful! It’s not about the size and scale of what you do. It’s about the results, the heart you put into it, and whether you go about it as a cultivator." In the 2018 NTD and Epoch Times Fa Conference, Master also said, "And that’s the case regardless of what role you play at the company or what work you do.” I enlightened that the Media is a tool to save people. No matter what you do, you must do your best to cooperate, act with integrity, and do well from a practitioner’s standards. Then, you can clarify the truth and save people.

I thank the supervisor’s dedicated guidance. I am very lucky to join the Sound of Hope Media group. The supervisor was encouraging everyone to share their experiences and shared that a reporter once asked Master what made Him the happiest in His life. Master said in Teaching the Fa at the Conference in the Midwest-U.S., “…when I hear or see students sharing their experiences, that is when I feel most gratified” Master’s comforting words gave me courage. I thank this Fa Conference opportunity and practitioners’ encouragement to allow me to share more than a year’s cultivation experiences. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.

 
1. Correct the wrong pronunciation, improve myself

Last August, the Head of Asia Pacific told me to contact several platforms, including platforms for working, training, conference, etc. However, I did not even know what a server was. I did not want to get help from the head person because she was very busy with helping new colleagues. I did not want to rely on her too much. I thought maybe it was a test for me, so I summoned up my courage to try it. The most important thing for broadcasting is using a professional recording software. There were many steps from downloading, installing, and using it. Normally, I always ask for help when I am using a computer. That day, I tried to do it myself, step by step, by sending forth righteous thoughts to eliminate interference. It was as if Gods were helping, as the installation was successful on the first try. Thank you Master for the reinforcement! Later, the head person told me that she set up multiple platforms to contact me. She wanted me to try installing professional software by myself. It was truly a test of my computer application skills. I hoped I cleared the interference with righteous thoughts and acted accordingly.

I still remembered the head person pointed out many errors after my first recording test. She said I could not broadcast correctly in that way. I was so shocked, but I realized my pronunciation was not correct when I spoke quickly because of my dialect. I asked the supervisor to give me three more days, and I guaranteed to make all the corrections. Intonation is a basic skill in broadcasting. I got used to speaking in a 'spoken language tone’ but not an ‘enunciating tone’ for broadcasting. That day, I took broadcasting courses to learn, follow and correct the difficult parts in broadcasting. I finished the basic broadcast courses in two days without any break. I could speak Mandarin in a good manner after that. Eventually, I passed the broadcasting test smoothly on the third day.

Broadcasting is just like fine art. Master repeatedly mentioned "accurate" in Teaching the Fa at the Discussion on Creating Fine Art. Accurate pronunciation is the most important thing for broadcasting. The accuracy of news broadcasts would be affected by pronunciation errors. I could tell it was the most troublesome for the director when I had pronunciation errors. He had to listen carefully for the error and give feedback on the platform. When I re-recorded and uploaded it, the sound quality was often different. The director would have to readjust the sound quality. So, I did not dare to slack in any broadcast. In order to reduce the errors and remind myself, I prepared a notebook and wrote down common mistakes the director pointed out on the platform. Each time the script is finalized for each broadcast, I printed out the manuscript first. I memorized the manuscript and checked the dictionary to correct my pronunciation. I required that I could not make a pronunciation error for the second time. I truly appreciate the director for reminding me the correct pronunciation all the time. Soon, I had less and less errors in pronunciation without re-recording.

2. Eliminate the CCP party culture and return to the true self

With the process of Fa-rectification, Master repeatedly stated in his lectures that practitioners from the mainland should pay attention to eliminating their CCP party culture. Since we were born, we were immersed in a CCP party culture environment, including family, school and society. Many bad habits were developed. When I just came to Singapore, I noticed that fellow practitioners around me did not have speech filled with passion or cadences in intonation like those of mainland Chinese people. Their speech were very plain and peaceful. Unfortunately, it was very hard for me to assimilate to this true and natural characteristic; my speaking tone was loud and harsh which made it uncomfortable for people to hear. Especially now, doing daily broadcasts magnify my problems.
 
I remember, not long after I started broadcasting, to avoid being subjective, the supervisor let her family members listen to my broadcast. Her family members said that it sounded like I was from a powerful country. I was so shocked. The mainland accent itself had an unnatural tone that was strong and rigid. When people do not feel good about the broadcasting voice, would they continue to listen? It meant I had not fully conformed to the characteristics of the universe, Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. I was frustrated and felt like I did not know how to speak. Now, listening back to my previous broadcasts, I felt that I had an impatient, unnatural, and stiff tone. I felt bad for the audience.
 
From the surface, broadcasting is the embodiment of expressing sound and content, but it is actually the embodiment of my cultivation status. Whenever I could not contain my emotions, it was a rare opportunity to reflect and change myself based on cultivation. A fellow practitioner shared with me the effect of broadcasting on our cultivation status. The cultivated part is separated from us, while the uncultivated part continuously reappears for us to improve. This reminded me that recording every news article is part of my cultivation process. It would be very fast if I just recorded it without any attention. However, I know I would not be acting correctly in that case.
 
In Teaching the Fa in San Francisco, 2005, Master said, “If you haven't done well, try to improve gradually. It's good that you know you need to focus on it. There is no use in being anxious, and that's an attachment. Don't be anxious and just do what Dafa disciples should do. Look at how others are doing it and follow their lead. Gradually you will blaze your own path, and gradually you will be able to do it in your own way." I felt that my anxiety to success was hidden. On the surface, it was the pursuit to broadcast perfectly, but truthfully, it was the pursuit to validate myself. According to the Fa, anxiety to success and self-verification are all attachments. I wanted to eliminate my attachments. My voice was not clear and rich enough; I could improve this by learning vocal skills. However, audience members will only willingly listen to true and natural self-expression.

In Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles, Master said. “So in other words, whichever field you might be in, when you are able to improve your skills, that is a reflection of your having continually risen in realm. And people can see that you are a good person and someone who cultivates his or her heart and mind. From the vantage point of human beings, you are becoming a good person. As a result of studying the Fa and cultivating your inner self, you do better and better, and gods give you the wisdom you deserve and give you inspiration so that you can come to realize a lot of things while you study, create better things, improve your technique, and reach beyond.” I was enlightened by Master and realized that I had to improve myself through Fa study and self-cultivation. Gods would give me wisdom and inspiration, and then my technical skills could improve. We are so lucky to have Dafa. I used to read the Fa silently in the past. Now I study or memorize the Fa in a calm tone with fellow practitioners on Sonant platform every day. I really focus on Fa in Fa study and gradually learn how to speak smoothly and calmly.

Some fellow practitioners told me that I should bear the audience in mind while broadcasting. I realized I was only focused on reading the manuscript without thinking of the audience's feelings. Without bearing other people in mind, it could directly influence the broadcasting tone, and other people could feel it. There were many disturbances while recording. The simplest method was to maintain righteous thoughts. Often times, I made mistakes or was inefficient because I did things hastily. I would be frantic and not righteous. If I maintained righteous thoughts, my heart could calm down, and nothing negative could disturb me. I would not easily get tired and make errors. Everything would be pure and beautiful. In Teaching the Fa at the Discussion on Creating Fine Art, Master said, “You should be a good person wherever you are. So in the field of the arts you should be a good person as well, and in your artwork you should display what's beautiful, what's upright, what's pure, what's good, and what's bright and positive.” I realized that eliminating a strong mind and learning to naturally and peacefully express myself is a form of cultivating truthfulness. Everyone likes a peaceful person because he/she conforms to the characteristics of the universe. Only when I cultivate myself better can I express purity and beauty and save more people.

3. Look inward to cultivate myself, see fellow practitioners’ merits, and save sentient beings

I obtained Dafa through my mother and sister. It has been 21 years. Thank you Master for giving me a whole new life and the best in everything. I am unable to pay it back. Whenever I think of  the great title "Fa-rectification Dafa disciple", I feel honored but concern that I have not cultivated well and am not worthy of it.

Earlier this year, I read, Lecture at the First Conference in North America. Master said, “If you, as a cultivator, only part with things superficially while deep down inside you still stick to something or cling to your own vital interests that you don’t allow to be undermined, I’d say to you that your cultivation is fake! If your own thinking doesn’t change, you cannot advance even one step and are deceiving yourself. Only when you truly improve from within can you make real progress.” I was shocked and kept asking myself whether my cultivation was fake? Am I clinging to any vital interests?

Looking back at my cultivation over the years, I realized that, regarding my attachments, I dealt with people by keeping peace. When some fellow practitioners disagreed with me, on the surface, I humbly accepted their opinions but was angry in my heart. My patience was like “What is Forbearance (Ren)” in Essentials for Further Advancement “To endure with anger, grievance, or tears is the forbearance of an everyday person who is attached to his concerns.” Seldom do things deeply affect my heart, but I believed this superficial peace was because of my good cultivation and my xinxing. My cultivation was fake, and it was hiding my stubborn attachments. I found lots of attachments that I did not recognize before, including attachments of selfishness, not letting others speak, self-interest, showing off, competitiveness, etc. There seemed to be more hidden attachments. I knew my cultivation was far from the real cultivation standards.

Last year, I felt a little smug because my article was published on Minghui.org. Later, I realized that it was not the case. If I had not practiced Dafa, I would not have righteous thoughts and be able to understand the Fa better. The reason why I could write it was because of the Fa and Master. Master has been establishing disciples. I just cultivate myself and do what I should do as a disciple.

As for whether it is true cultivation, I still have a realization. Master said in the Fa Teaching Given in Manhattan, "Some people are always stressing that they’re right, but even if you are right, even if you’re not wrong, so what? Have you improved on the basis of the Fa? The very act of using human thinking to stress who’s right and who’s wrong is in itself wrong. That’s because you are then using the logic of ordinary people to evaluate yourself, and using that logic to make demands on others. As gods see it, for a cultivator to be right or wrong in the human world is not important in the least, whereas eliminating the attachments that come from human thinking is important, and it is precisely your managing to eliminate those attachments rooted in your human thinking as you cultivate that counts as important.” Compared to Master’s teachings, I realized that I had room for improvement. I would insist on what I called right and miss many solid cultivation opportunities. For example, I always felt that I was the right one if I had a dispute with a fellow practitioner when we did truth clarification at tourist sites. It was easy to be extreme and not look inward to find my attachment. Also, it was harder to treat others compassionately. If the other person insisted that he or she was right based on the Fa, there would be conflict. It would influence overall cooperation because of deeper and deeper opposition.
Recently, this kind of divide stuck in my heart like a thorn. I planned to clarify the truth and do exercises at the tourist site but had a conflict with fellow practitioners. Originally, it was a trivial matter, and I just wanted to express my thoughts. I was still cooperating with the fellow practitioners, but they felt uncomfortable hearing me. Based on the Fa, I knew it was not about who was wrong or right but eliminating the attachment that was most important. I realized that it was not coincidental but arranged by Master to improve my xinxing. I calmed down and looked inward. The problem was my tone from the evil CCP party culture. Other people felt that my tone emphasized that I was right and imposed myself onto others.

Thinking back to when I was sharing with fellow practitioners, I thought we could discuss which way would be better. As we kept discussing, I felt that, without a doubt, I was right. When the other side did not resonate with me, it felt as if there was something separating us. Was it myself? When I was unhappy because others did not agree with me, the attachment to self came out. When I believed I was right, this attachment would be even stronger. I finally realized that my hidden attachment was to verifying myself. Isn’t it fake cultivation if practitioners try to verify themselves instead of Dafa? It is so dangerous because my cultivation would have been in vain. If I had no attachment to self, I could always speak peacefully and not have requirements for others. Whenever I enforced my views onto others, I was validating myself. When I had the feeling that “My cultivation is okay”, I realized that it was to validate myself and not validate Dafa. I must be vigilant.

I was thinking about how to eliminate the divide between practitioners. An article from Minghui.org said a practitioner saw practitioners’ bodies shining like gold while sitting on lotus flowers in another dimension. Under that body, there was a body composed of karma and human notions, but it was already very small. If we looked at other practitioners’ faults, we would put their notions and karma into our own body, which would increase our demon nature. Then, it would cause a divide between practitioners and block sentient beings from being saved. If we only looked at practitioners’ merits, their karmic body would diminish and their compassion and mercy would come out. I realized that Master was hinting at me. I was shocked; looking at practitioners’ merits can save sentient beings. Since that day, I started to think about the merits of fellow practitioners who I disagreed with before. Some had good organizational skills; some cooperated better; some put in more effort; some had better computer skills; some did better in truth clarification; and some persuaded more people to quit the CCP. When I thought about their merits, the issues on my mind were immediately resolved. Thank you Master for your infinite grace. I eliminated my attachments, and Master saved so many people. I really experienced how important it is to cultivate myself well; otherwise, more sentient beings would be destroyed.

Thank you Master for giving me the opportunity to cultivate myself and validate the Fa. Thank you for allowing me to use my voice to save precious Chinese people and fulfill my vows to help Master rectify the Fa. As a disciple, I will continue to strive to let go of selfishness, to cooperate better in one body, and to be more effective in saving more sentient beings.

Chinese version: http://www.zhengjian.org/node/256172