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A Young Practitioner's Cultivation Experiences

January 15, 2017 |   By Tang Chenggong, a Dafa practitioner in Hebei Province, China

(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) at age 12 with my parents. When I was 14, my mother was sentenced to three years in a forced labor camp for her belief. After her arrest, my cultivation began to slacken and then stopped completely.

I fooled around for three years when my mother was detained. I hugged her and cried when she was released. She then found a cooking job for me at the school canteen. She encouraged me to cultivate again, but I studied the Fa unwillingly and only a little, and I did not do the exercises.

Ten years went by after my mother gave up on me. I resumed the practice in 2013. To make up for the loss of the past years, I have worked hard and done my best in truth clarification.

Telling people the facts about Falun Gong face to face actually is not so difficult as long as we are persistent and not affected by human notions. Below are my cultivation experiences.

Taking Up Cultivation Again

I was the head chef at the canteen at around age 27. I had a good income and temperament. I had dated many girls but was unsuccessful. I was frustrated and felt bitter. My neighbors sneered at me, saying that it was because my parents are practitioners.

At the same time, problems developed at my workplace. The staff did not follow my direction. Canteen revenue dropped significantly. Supervisors put tremendous pressure on me. I was exhausted and on the brink of collapse, both physically and mentally.

I suddenly realized that I was a practitioner. I knew that Dafa is all-powerful. I began to practice again. I joined a group Fa study every night after work. My life has changed greatly ever since.

Blessed by Dafa, I got married in the summer of 2013 at the age of 28. My wife and her parents all started practicing Dafa.

Clarifying the Truth by Telephone

I wanted to tell people the facts about Falun Gong but was afraid to talk to them face to face. Our coordinator suggested that I talk to people on the phone. This was just what I wanted.

My wife and I made phone calls that night after I got off from work. The first call was hard. I was so nervous that my heart raced. The recipient immediately hung up before I finished my first greeting. I did not give up and dialed one after another. My efforts bore no results.

On the way home, I said to Master (the founder of Falun Gong) in my heart, “Master, this is not the end yet. I still have time, and I will surely make it!”

I went on the Minghui website to learn skills and do what other practitioners had done. The results were the same. To break through this barrier, I looked inward for reasons why people did not listen to my calls.

I also demanded of myself to cultivate more diligently. I sent forth righteous thoughts or memorized Lunyu during my coffee break every day. I studied the Fa during the three hour break in the afternoon. I made phone calls nonstop for two hours after work.

I finally started getting better results. I got one person listening, but he argued with me about Dafa. After I removed my attachment to arguing the next evening, one person agreed to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I thanked Master for his encouragement.

Since then, I looked within after the calls every day to remove any shortcomings. Slowly, the results got better. I could sometimes have four people quit the CCP in one night.

One day, when I made phone calls in a quiet place, I unexpectedly saw someone staring at me from behind. I was shocked and left the site immediately.

After this incident, I teamed up with another practitioner. He sent righteous thoughts while I made the calls in his car.

It was comfortable to make phone calls inside his car in cold weather. Our result was poor because I had the attachment to comfort, so we made calls on bicycles.

He suggested that I make calls at crowded places where more people use cell phones, making it harder for agents to trace my location. I felt a little bit timid and started to blame him, but I realized the importance of good coordination and quickly cleared this thought from my mind.

I sent forth righteous thoughts and asked for Master's help while waiting for people to answer the calls. As a result, more and more people were convinced.

I knew that Master would help me if I removed my human notions. Now, I can clarify the truth anywhere. My mind is not affected by where I am.

On the phone, some people told me to keep warm. Some wanted to befriend me. Some were even worried about my high telephone bill.

Telling People the Facts in Person

As arranged by Master, I found a job the following year where I had to work only about five hours a day, which gave me more time for truth-clarification. My boss was a new practitioner, and the two of us studied the Fa together with two other practitioners once a week. I also continued making phone calls.

Later, during our Fa study I said, “Master wants us to save more people. Clarifying the truth by phone is not very effective. Maybe we should try to talk to people in person.”

We all agreed and decided to do it every afternoon. We started at a busy downtown square the next day. Each of us set out to convince five people.

I was afraid to talk to people face to face the first time. My whole body sweat and shivered. I could not remember what I said to the first person. My goal was not met, but at least I had moved one step forward.

I later decided to do it alone. After sending righteous thoughts, I loaded up informational materials in a backpack and started on my new journey.

Not knowing whom to talk to, I walked along a street aimlessly. Several electric pedicab drivers stopped and asked if I wanted a ride. I had not enlightened that they might be the predestinated people waiting for my truth clarification.

I finally hopped in one pedicab and started talking to the driver. I forgot what I said, but he agreed to quit the CCP by the time I got out of the cab. I also convinced another person who was sitting alone in a park.

I convinced three people that first day. It was a breakthrough. I was excited. I thanked Master.

My fellow practitioners did much better. To improve the outcome, I changed what I said in the conversation to include the goodness of Dafa, examples of the facts, and withdrawing for one's safety.

I took a pedicab around the city. The results were better, but it was expensive. I decided to talk to people at busy public places like supermarkets, plazas, and schools.

I walked over to a group of pedicab drivers who waited in line in front of a supermarket. I was timid at first, walked back and forth around them, and did not have the courage to open my mouth.

I then thought of what Master taught us in “Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York:”

“’Dafa disciple’... ‘Dafa disciple,’ what does being a ‘Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciple’ mean? It is the foremost title and the most magnificent being in the cosmos.”

I walked close and talked to them one after another. Some refused the materials, and some accepted. Before long, I convinced eight people and did not spend a penny.

I was more confident and expanded my targets to all levels of people everywhere, including street vendors. In the process of truth clarification, I always made sure that I was not affected by human notions.

Grasping Every Opportunity to Save People

I then went to remote areas by electric bike since I had cruised every city street several times. I gave out truth-information materials to everyone I met. I helped several pedicab drivers quit the CCP.

I grasped every opportunity that came my way. I convinced one motorist as he waited for traffic lights to change at an intersection. I convinced a person standing on the street.

One day, I distributed Dafa pamphlets to a group of drivers who were chatting in front of a school. Some drivers did not want the materials. One driver even spat, charred it with cigarette butt, and stepped on it while others watched. “You don't have to believe it,” I said to him, “but please do not ruin it. I spent my own money to have this made.” I felt hurt, with tears in eyes.

Some people not only read the pamphlet but also thanked me. One driver and several electrical workers nearby renounced the CCP. One young man about my age did not believe it in the beginning. He quit the CCP and thanked me after I blessed him for good fortune.

I realized that as long as we persist, we would eventually come across kind people who believe the facts.

Establishing a Truth-Clarification Team

One day, I saw a woman digging for wild vegetables. I stopped and gave her a booklet. I helped her quit the CCP after she read the materials.

“Young man, ride slowly, be focused, and watch out for your safety.” She said, “How many people can you save while driving around?”

She was right. I could only save a few if I just rode an electric bike around. I had to get more practitioners involved.

One practitioner in our Fa study group agreed to clarify the truth with me. She was a bit timid but, encouraged by Master, she started to talk to people on the third day. She convinced three people that day.

We went out four days a week. Our results improved day after day. Later, an elderly practitioner joined us. We three have covered almost every street in the city. I encouraged them to be persistent and let them do the talking most of the time.

One day, we talked to a fruit vendor and his two customers. While the vendor was reluctant to believe the truth, these two customers agreed to quit the CCP. One of them gave me a pseudonym. He also wished us success. I was very moved. Then, the vendor also agreed to quit the CCP after he read the materials.

We set a goal to convince 40 people a day. We started at 7:30 am and ended at 9:30 am every day. We reached our goal in just a few days.

More cheerfully, another practitioner joined the team. Encouraged by our effort, my boss also joined the team. Our group sometimes helped as many as 60 persons quit the Party in one day. We even achieved 25 withdrawals in one rainy day.

Our group has grown to seven members. We clarify the truth everywhere. We coordinate with one another very well. When we meet resistance, the others send righteous thoughts immediately.

Putting Up Posters with Righteous Thoughts

Our group added one new task: putting up posters once a week. We wanted to let more people know the facts about Falun Gong.

On the way to put up the posters one day, a practitioner developed a mentality that everything was easy. He was not focused. Because of his slack mindset, most of our posters were later destroyed.

Master said in Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Gong, “You say that it is easy, but I say that it is not easy.” Putting up posters seems like an easy task, but doing it well is not.

On another occasion, we could not keep the posters upright under high winds. I felt that my cultivation problem was the reason. Right after the thought, Master gave me wisdom. I suddenly came up with a way to overcome the interference.

We always seriously sent forth righteous thoughts on the road. Before we put up the posters, we also sent righteous thoughts: “Master, please clear all evil that interfere with the salvation of sentient beings. Please let people see the posters and have kind thoughts.”

I enlightened from these experiences that we always need to have a pure mind when we do things. If we do not, we would not have adequate energy, and the evil could cause more problems for us.

Distributing Truth-Information Materials

We established a group to distribute informational materials once a week. We printed about 800 sets and distributed them in plastic bags, house by house and floor by floor. Each practitioner was responsible for distributing 100 bags.

The group members coordinated well in these activities. I found that their attachments to human notions such as blame, resentment, and pretentiousness were greatly reduced because of the good coordination.

Our coordinator never participated in the preparation of materials. We always had everything ready for him every time he joined the activity. On one occasion, he complained about a broken zipper on a backpack that I provided. I was resentful and my mind unbalanced. I wondered why he did not look inward.

The coordinator changed after I looked inward and removed these attachments. He proposed to prepare his own materials. He also showed up with a new backpack.

I witnessed the power of looking inward.

Miracles at an Information Site

Master always gives us wisdom as long as we are sincere in saving people. All problems can be solved as long as we firmly believe in Master.

Our group distributes pamphlets, puts up posters once a week, and clarifies the facts four days a week. We have to prepare a lot of materials.

When our information site was set up, we printed the materials using inkjet printers. We relied on other practitioners for machine maintenance. I soon learned the skills and was able to repair the printers for other practitioners.

Many miracles have occurred. One day, I felt resentment when I failed to fix a printer. I quickly reminded myself of this human notion and repeatedly recited in my heart what Master taught us in “Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference:”

“The Fa-rectification will definitely succeed, and Dafa disciples will definitely succeed."

The problem was solved after I sent righteous thoughts. This practice has worked many times.

We later switched to laser printers, with which I was not familiar. After extensive use, paper would get jammed. When this happened, I would beg Master for help.

One day, when the paper was jammed again, the printer would not work even after the jammed paper was removed. I tried to repair it without success.

I had to print the materials in time since many people were waiting to be saved. I was worried. I held the printer in front of Zhuan Falun and sincerely said in tears, “Master, please help me. Please cleanse the evil factors interfering with the printer.”

Amazingly, the printer worked again when I came home from work!

Epilogue

The Fa-rectification is nearing the end. We should do as much as we can to validate the Fa and save people. Practitioners often use financial stress, illness, and old age as excuses to hinder the progress.

I hope practitioners can come out to clarify the truth. Every step we take is a God's footprint. When we have strong righteous energy, the evil in other dimensions will be disintegrated.

I am extremely exhausted with work, truth-clarification, printing informational materials and posters, maintaining seven printers, and putting up posters. I have had little time for the Fa study lately. I sleep for only three hours a day.

To relieve me and give me more time to study the Fa, some practitioners have selflessly shared part of my workload. They took over the printing tasks.

Watching stars shining in the sky, I feel that Gods and Buddhas are watching us. In a heshi posture with both hands, I said to Master, “Master, I am willing to let go of all human notions. Please strengthen me and my righteous thoughts to save more people!”

I would like to say, “Thank you, Master. You have worked hard to strengthen us to save people!”