Some Experience from My Recent Personal Cultivation

Some Experience from My Recent Personal Cultivation

 

Greetings, Revered Master! Greetings, Fellow Practitioners!

 

I am Ying Liu, a Danish Dafa practitioner. I started practicing in 1998. On the occasion of this precious Nordic Fa Conference, I would like to share some experiences from my recent personal cultivation.

 

Cultivating Myself in Marriage and Financial Difficulties

 

I have been married for 20 years. My husband is a Westerner who has read <Zhuan Falun> and other Dafa books but has not truly entered cultivation. We have a son and a daughter and live in an apartment. Over time, conflicts naturally arise in a marriage. As a cultivator living with a non-cultivator, we often view things from different perspectives. When my husband repeatedly talks about things I’m not interested in, I sometimes feel irritated, reluctant to engage, or even impatient. I’ve even felt resistant, thinking his concerns are trivial and that he dwells on minor issues endlessly. As a Dafa practitioner, I have many responsibilities to consider and tasks to complete, and I feel I don’t have time to deal with what I perceive as his insignificant matters.

 

For example, as our children grew older, our son and daughter needed separate rooms. My husband wanted to move to a larger apartment. At the time, a 92-square-meter, four-room apartment next door became available. He urged me to negotiate with the rental company to express our interest in renting it, as we had already submitted an application. However, the rental process operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and others were ahead of us in line. It was clear we wouldn’t get the apartment, so I felt it was inappropriate to make the request. When he kept bringing it up, I became annoyed and pretended not to hear him.

 

One day, I suddenly realized: Why does he keep raising this issue? Is it pointing to something I need to cultivate? I needed to look within and examine what attachment this was targeting. 

 

Master said in Teachings at the Conference in the Western U.S., “I often tell you about situations like this: When two people have a conflict both should look for the causes within themselves, asking, “What problem do I have here?” Each should search for his own problem. If a third person witnesses the conflict between the two, I would say that it’s not accidental for that third person to see it, and he too should think it over: “Why did I see their conflict? Is it because I still have some shortcomings?” Only in this way can it be good.”

 

I realized that in handling family matters, I was filled with impatience and a self-centered mindset, which stemmed from my selfishness. This was especially true when dealing with someone who has a deep predestined relationship with Dafa and whom I should cherish and save. I understood that the specific solution to the housing issue wasn’t the key. The real issue was how, as a cultivator, I approach my daily family life—whether I face it with a cultivator’s mindset, guided by the Fa, to eliminate attachments and assimilate to Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Once I adjusted my attitude, let go of my impatience, and approached my husband with kindness, he stopped mentioning the issue.

 

In recent years, my husband unfortunately developed depression and lost his job, making our already tight financial situation even worse. Neither of us is particularly good at budgeting or financial planning, so our financial difficulties became more pronounced, and living beyond our means became the norm. At first, I didn’t take it seriously, thinking we’d get by day by day. But after months of accumulating debt, I couldn’t bear it anymore. I started to complain, felt depressed, and was filled with uncertainty about the future.

 

Difficulties often don’t have an effect unless they touch the heart. I worked at a supermarket, and some days I didn't get home until 8 p.m. Yet my husband wouldn’t cook dinner himself. Whenever I worked late, he’d take the kids to buy ready-made food. This was like pouring fuel on the fire of our financial struggles! I became furious, feeling like life was unbearable, and even considered divorce. I vented my frustration and resentment toward my husband to fellow practitioners.

 

I felt life was extremely tough. I strengthened my righteous thoughts to suppress my negative emotions, but my state fluctuated. My complaints, anxiety, and confusion about the future plagued me from time to time. I thought to myself, being constantly consumed by mundane concerns like food and money is not the state a Dafa cultivator should be in! When I calmed down, I realized that if this was indeed karmic debt I owed my husband from past lives, I might need to repay it through enduring and giving. I had to face him and cultivate myself day by day. Once the debt is repaid and the karma eliminated, wouldn’t I be free and unburdened?

 

Moreover, from the Fa, I understand that marriages in the human world are arranged by divine beings based on our karmic connections. Wanting a divorce reflects the behavior of atheists who don’t believe in divine arrangements—it’s not what I should do. Furthermore, if I’m unwilling to repay the karmic debts I’ve accumulated over lifetimes, how can I possibly achieve consummation? Although I’m cultivating blindly and can’t see or feel anything, I realized this was about letting go of my selfishness and attachment to personal gain.

 

As a cultivator under Master’s care, I should be the most blessed person in the world and able to face any tribulation with ease. My negative thoughts were a form of fear, a sign that I wasn’t truly believing in Master and Dafa. When I realized this, my heart felt much lighter. Although this issue hasn’t been fully resolved, I’m willing to face it with a cultivator’s mindset rather than avoiding it. My understanding from the Fa teachings is that both good and bad things are good things. As Master’s disciple, while letting go of my attachments, I reject the old forces’ interference and persecution through financial difficulties—they are not worthy of testing me. I resolved to face future challenges with an optimistic attitude and cultivate myself steadfastly.

 

Now, no matter how busy I am, I never skip studying the Fa. Only by approaching each day of cultivation with gratitude and reverence, doing the three things Master requires, and not being swayed by human notions can I believe that Master has arranged the best for us. I realized that complaining about the tribulations I encounter in cultivation, rather than treating my family with kindness and saving them as Master teaches, means I’m not validating the Fa and am failing to respect Master and Dafa. I must accept the cultivation path Master has arranged, view things from the perspective of the Fa, and assimilate to the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

 

Looking Inward at Work and Letting Go of Human Notions

 

Master wrote in <Zhuan Falun>(Lecture Four): “Certainly, it will not be easy for you to immediately lose all sorts of everyday people’s desires and reach the standard of a true cultivator, as it takes time to achieve this. After hearing me say that this takes time, you might claim that Teacher has told us to take time, and so you will take time in cultivating yourself. That will not be permitted! You should be strict with yourself, though we allow you to improve gradually. If you could succeed all at once today, you would be a Buddha today. Thus, it is not realistic. You will be able to achieve this gradually.”

 

For a while, I worked as a cashier at a supermarket. One day, my supervisor called me in for a talk because the scanner malfunctioned, sometimes scanning one item as two. During busy times, I didn’t notice or correct the errors, which caused customers to overpay and led to complaints. I began to look inward. By nature, I’m carefree, don’t hold grudges, and don’t care much about others’ attitudes toward me. This seems like a strength, but it’s also a clear weakness: I’m often not thorough or careful, which leads to mistakes.

 

I had two supervisors, one of whom was very strict. At first, I was afraid of her and annoyed with her. Several colleagues quit because of her. But as a cultivator, feeling fear or annoyance toward colleagues or supervisors is not the right state. Perhaps she was arranged to help me improve in my cultivation. I should view everything that happens with a cultivator’s standard. Once I understood this, our conflicts reduced significantly, and I felt more balanced and at ease. I realized that as long as I have attachments, I must eliminate them, and my work environment is precisely there to help me cultivate and improve.

 

Once I truly recognized my attachments, my work environment became more relaxed and harmonious. I felt I was close to repaying the karmic debt I owed my supervisor. Soon after, I found a job at a kindergarten with better pay, better hours, and closer to home. I don’t have to work weekends, which allows me to participate in Hong Fa activities and do more Dafa work. My current workplace is friendly, and my colleagues and supervisor are kind. Working with innocent children at the kindergarten, I can feel their pure and kind hearts. The kindergarten’s name is “Lotus,” which I don’t think is a coincidence. I feel Master is watching over me at every moment.

 

Experiences During the Shen Yun Performance Period

 

This April, Shen Yun Performing Arts performed in Denmark’s third-largest city. I was assigned to three tasks: guarding the vehicles, selling program books, and finding interview audience members for the media. Due to a shortage of manpower, I was also asked to assist with buying groceries for the kitchen and delivering meals. This was a significant challenge in terms of time and energy, but I didn’t hesitate and gladly agreed.

 

Since 2009, Shen Yun has performed in Denmark multiple times, which is Master’s compassion for the sentient beings in Denmark and a blessing for Danish practitioners. During Shen Yun, every practitioner is busy and often handles multiple tasks simultaneously. Yet, we all cherish this opportunity and strive to cooperate unconditionally. During Shen Yun, I could feel the joy and honor deep in the hearts of Danish practitioners. No matter how exhausting, everyone wore smiles and firmly believed that we could overcome any difficulty with our collective righteous thoughts.

 

This year, during Shen Yun, another practitioner and I were responsible for kitchen-related tasks. In the morning, we procured food supplies for the Shen Yun performers’ lunch, delivered meals prepared in a kitchen some distance from the theater to the Shen Yun performers’ dining area, and then purchased additional supplies for dinner and late-night snacks. Additionally, I had to prepare to sell program books before and after the performances. During the show, I delivered late-night snacks, and when I returned, I needed to help the media find suitable audience members for interviews during the intermission or after the performance. The next day, I had to guard the vehicles early in the morning. Those days were so busy that I barely had time to eat, often just grabbing a quick bite. I was exhausted to the point of barely keeping my eyes open, but I still felt honored and joyful, with a deep sense of fulfillment. Late at night, after all tasks were completed, I would silently thank Master with my hands Heshi: Thank you, Master, for giving me the opportunity to participate in the Shen Yun project, and for your blessings during these intense days of work.

 

Conclusion

 

The above are some of my simple experiences and insights from recent years of cultivation. I believe that the time left for our cultivation may be limited. On the path of Fa-rectification cultivation, I may face many more challenges. However, I firmly believe: With Master and the Fa, Fa-rectification will succeed, and the path of Dafa disciples assimilating to Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance during the Fa-rectification period will surely be fulfilled!

 

Once again, I express my gratitude for Master’s meticulous care and compassionate salvation!

 

Thank you, fellow practitioners!