(Minghui.org)
Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I was born in 1990. Guided by my parents, I have been practicing Falun Gong since I was a child. I experienced joy when my xinxing improved and frustration during tribulations. Most of the time, I needed my parents to remind me to be a good cultivator. I am 22 and it's time for me to do the three things well. The following are my experiences in cultivating.
My Family Started Practicing Falun Gong
When I was six years old, my mother suffered with rheumatoid arthritis. Seeking treatment, she was fortunate enough to come across a medical doctor who practiced Falun Gong. She started practicing, and soon miraculously recovered. I saw her go out to do the exercises every morning and promote it wherever she went. She raised me with the Fa principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and set a good example for me. Thus, I became a young practitioner.
I was mischievous as a child. One day on my way to school, I climbed a wall and jumped over. I landed on a rock and heard a snapping sound in my foot. Several classmates helped me to school. After school, they helped me get home. My foot was so swollen that my shoe no longer fit. It was so painful that I cried. The next day I had to stay home. My mom was a teacher, and she sent me to a senior fellow practitioner’s home who lived upstairs. The grandma let me watch Teacher’s Fa lectures. Two hours later, I discovered that my foot no longer hurt and I could walk again. I went to school that afternoon. Many people thus witnessed the miracle of Dafa.
My father was an official. At that time, he was very self-centered and didn’t believe in Dafa. For the first several years, he was not very supportive until his health became poor. My mom convinced him to practice Falun Gong. He then started reading the book and doing the exercises. Gradually, he started on the path of cultivation. His health improved and he also witnessed some supernormal phenomena, which greatly enhanced his belief in Dafa.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999. My mother and other practitioners went to appeal in Beijing. Before she left she said to me, “My child, I’m going to Beijing to appeal. Do you believe that Dafa is good?” I said, “I do. You should go. I won’t tell anyone where you are.” I knew that she was doing a great thing and that I should not stop her. After she left, everyone was looking for her. If I had told them where she was headed, she would have been prevented from making the trip. I didn’t tell my father until we heard that Mom had been in Beijing. During the six months she was detained, I lived with Dad. He didn’t know how to cook. When he had to stay at his workplace for several days, I stayed at my aunt’s. He would pick me up when he returned. I often asked him to study the Fa with me, because Dafa had taken root in my heart.
Group Fa Study for Young Practitioners
I lived in a medium-sized city. There were about 12 practitioners my age. Since Dafa was being persecuted, we organized group Fa study for young practitioners in my home during the summer and winter vacations. We did this for several years. My mom led us in studying Zhuan Falun and Teacher’s new articles. We also practiced the exercises together. When we shared experiences, each of us could find our own shortcomings. Together, we compared ourselves with each other in Fa study and cultivation. When we did the sitting meditation, we were encouraged to keep going when we saw that other young practitioners still had their legs double crossed. One time when the music stopped after an hour, one practitioner kept meditating. We stayed quiet and didn’t interrupt her. When we occasionally had conflicts, my mom reminded us to look inward. We then all became more humble. Our xinxing and levels improved in the harmonious environment. The group study laid a solid foundation for our future cultivation so that we could withstand the persecution and pressure at school.
In 2008 when I was a junior in high school, my mom was sent to a forced labor camp for a year. Dad encouraged me to continue to study the Fa. I had been worry-free. After that year, I matured a lot and felt deeply for my parents. I experienced the pain of Mom not being with me and felt the difficulty of cultivation. I missed the group Fa study very much.
Look Inward During Conflicts
When I was attending the high school where my mom had taught, most of my classmates came from rural areas. Many teachers had watched me grow up, so I felt superior to others and often talked to my classmates in a demanding way. This lasted for a long time, until one day my best friend broke off our friendship over a computer. I complained to my dad that he was selfish and not respectful of others. My dad patiently waited until I finished and said, “You need to look inward. Think about all the things you complained about. Didn’t you do the exact same thing to him?” I thought about it. In the past, I indeed often lost my temper and spoke rudely to others. Now I was on the receiving end. I found many of my attachments: being self-centered, showing off, fighting, and jealousy. Although I studied the Fa in the past, it was as if the principles were all theoretical and I never put them into practice. I could have stepped back and solved the problem. Since then, I have become more tolerant and my relationships with my roommates have improved. In fact, I was the cause of many past conflicts in the past. When we encounter conflicts with classmates, we should take a step back. Things will then be ironed out and conflicts will be solved.
Many of my former classmates graduated and have now worked for a year. Some of them have accomplished some things. When we met, they often boasted about their work and showed off their achievements. I felt a little unbalanced because I was still in school and fell short when I compared myself to them. During Fa study, I recognized my strong attachment of jealousy. Regarding jealousy, Teacher said in Zhuan Falun,
“So that can stir up jealousy, and people then get upset when something good happens to other people, instead of being happy for them.”
Since then, I have learned to listen and share their joy. Gradually, many people changed their attitude toward me. They like to share with me no matter what happens in their lives.
Young Practitioners Should Play the Role of Fellow Practitioners at Home
Although both of my parents practiced Falun Gong, they often had conflicts. I’d like to share how I handled their conflicts.
In the past, they would start a quarrel over a trivial thing. Then they'd point out each other’s shortcomings. At first, I didn’t know what to do. When they blamed each other, sometimes I supported one of them, which caused them to fight more often. Eventually I realized that I was contributing to the problem. When they fought again, I only said, “Don’t forget you are practitioners. You both need to look inward.” They then often stopped arguing.
In my opinion, we should not think of ourselves as children. We are fellow practitioners and should remind adults about the Fa. I also look inward. In the past, I would support the parent that was nicer to me. Later, I realized that I wasn’t helping them. I was indeed instigating their conflicts because of my selfishness.
I Am a Grown-up and Should Do the Three Things Independently
My dad and I often distributed truth-clarification materials when we went for a walk. At first, we just handed out flyers. When dad clarified the truth to someone, I wouldn't say anything. Sometimes, I even complained that he talked too loudly. My fear negated his positive effect. After realizing my mistake, I often helped him. Because I read the news online and was familiar with the news that exposed the evil nature of the CCP, I spoke from a different perspective, and what I said was well-received.
From high school to college, I convinced many people to withdraw from the CCP organizations. Several months ago, I started distributing materials on my own. When I went out to play basketball, I brought copies of Minghui Weekly to my friend’s apartment. We are no longer young practitioners. We are grown-ups and should be able to do things independently to save sentient beings. We can’t let our parents guide us for the rest of our lives. We need to reach our own enlightenment in our future cultivation.
Many young people practice Falun Gong under the guidance of their parents. Often, they are not strict with themselves. Because I am lacking in Fa study, my understanding of the Fa might not be clear. However, I do know that it is time for us to do the three things well.
