Letting Go of Ego in Dafa Projects

Respected Master, dear fellow practitioners!

My name is Anders and I am from Sweden. Thirty years ago, around this time, I began my path as a Falun Dafa practitioner. It was Autumn 1995 and I was 29 years old. In higher dimensions, only a moment has passed, but from a human perspective it is a long period, and much has happened in my life during these years.

A Look Back

In the autumn of 1996, I joined a trip to China together with practitioners from Sweden and other countries. This trip left a strong impression on me and greatly deepened my understanding of what cultivation truly means. A Fa conference was held on that occasion. I later understood that it was the first international Fa conference. We were told that Master was visiting the USA, but suddenly he appeared and gave us a lecture on the last day.

The practitioners who translated for us in small groups fell silent several times. Master spoke about the universe, among other things, and I realized that the translators did not have the ability to translate these complex sentences into English. What a blessing it was to be able to read that lecture in English many years later!

During the entire lecture, as long as Master was present in the room, I felt pain in my back. Some time afterward, I realized that the back pain I had suffered since my teenage years was gone. Thank you, Master!

I made a total of three trips to China before the persecution began. I have many wonderful memories and experiences from those trips, and they laid the foundation for my strong faith in Dafa and Master.

I became engaged early on in spreading the Fa, and a few years later also in efforts to help stop the persecution. We traveled to participate in protests around the world, and I also joined projects to introduce Falun Gong in places such as South Africa and India. These trips too gave me important and positive experiences and insights. I also went through a number of difficult tribulations. No matter what has happened to me in my life, Dafa has always given me strength and shown me the way forward.

Physical and Financial Tests

Master said in Dafa Spiritual Practice Is Serious: “Practice with the heart you first had, and success is assured.”

One weakness I have had for many years is my negligence in practicing the exercises regularly. But as various physical issues, more or less troublesome, have increased, I am now more disciplined with the exercises. Regarding these problems, I see them as interference from the old forces, but also as loopholes in myself that I have not been able to close.

After many years of secure employment and stable income, a change came in 2013. The CEO at my workplace developed alcohol problems, and the company moved toward certain bankruptcy over the following three years. It was a difficult time for all employees. This situation led me to change careers and retrain in programming for two years. It was tough, but I graduated. The disappointment was great when I realized that I could not get a job afterward.

Another blow came when, due to a misunderstanding, my unemployment benefits were incorrectly reduced to about one third of what I should have received. Although as a practitioner I understood that the money was not truly mine, it made life much harder. Later I recalled a financial benefit I had received as a gift from above some years earlier. The amount roughly matched what I had lost in benefits. How good it felt to repay that!

After another two years of struggling, I started my own business in 2021. Since then, I have not worked with what I studied for. Instead, I have focused on and built upon my previous expertise in photography and graphic production.

That period was extremely tough. As a practitioner, I could understand during the trial that it was part of my cultivation and that I would make it through. This gave me peace, and I now realize I needed to go through that time to let go of my attachment to control and security. My finances are better now, and regarding my physical challenges, things are moving in the right direction.

My Work at the English Epoch Times

Six months after starting my business, I was asked to work on photo editing for Insight Magazine, a side project of The Epoch Times. I had long term experience in digital image editing and gladly accepted. I worked remotely. Later that same year, I also began editing images for the English edition of The Epoch Times—both for the website and for print supplements. It felt significant to contribute to this important media.

Working with Insight Magazine was a valuable experience. Once a week, I joined online meetings with staff at the New York office, mostly designers or photographers, who gave me feedback on my edits. Based on my long term experience, I initially felt some resistance to these meetings, thinking: “Who can tell me how photos should be edited?”—a human mindset. But I was given the opportunity to let go of ego. I learned not to take criticism personally, and to release concern for reputation and competitiveness. Together, we created a polished and serious magazine, and our collaboration was very pleasant.

For nearly two years now, I have also done layout for the “Opinion” supplement. First three evenings a week, now five. At first, I hesitated to take on this task. It was stressful and late at night. But I received strong support from the instructor and other colleagues, and after a while I was able to work independently.

At first, I was slow. They expected the layout to take 3.5 hours per issue—I could not understand how that was possible. Now I usually manage within that time and feel satisfied every time the job is done.

I noticed that American practitioners have a very positive and easygoing attitude. I myself often had negative thoughts: “Why do they do it like this? It should be done like that instead!” “Why aren’t the texts ready yet? Now I’ll be late.” And also, toward myself: “I made the same mistake again; they probably think I’m incompetent.” I have gradually realized it is better to just keep working and try to maintain a positive mindset.

When I began working with the English edition of The Epoch Times, I learned about the requirement to study the Fa daily in a group. I had no opportunity to join a physical group study, but I joined an online group in Sweden where we study every morning. I find that I can focus better in a group and when reading aloud. Even though I have studied Zhuan Falun hundreds of times, there is always something I can enlighten to or find useful in my current cultivation.

My work at the Swedish Epoch Times

I am also engaged with The Epoch Times in Sweden. Here, our weekly print edition began in January 2021, and I contribute with my knowledge of print production and photo editing. When I experienced how easygoing the colleagues at the English edition were and what great support I received when introduced to layout work, I realized my own shortcomings. On a few occasions, I had been harsh (due to stress) toward fellow practitioners in chat discussions. I later regretted that.

In this type of work and collaboration, mistakes sometimes happen. My first thought has often been that someone else made the mistake, not me. Over time, I realized I was too quick to look outward. More than once, it turned out I was the one who missed something.

I have often wanted things done “my way” and made remarks. I want to believe I have improved in that regard too, offering constructive criticism or tips without the attachment of showing off. Master gives us opportunities to participate in Fa-rectification while at the same time elevating ourselves in the process.

From Fa Teaching at the U.S. Capital: "I often say that I don't worry much about the final outcome, as what is to be completed in the Fa-rectification is inevitable. No matter how harrowing things may get during the Fa-rectification, the outcome is certain. So I don't pay much attention to it, given that it's bound to succeed. What I value most is the process. Only with the entirety of the process that a being goes through do you have the complete entity that is that being."

More people are realizing that The Epoch Times stands for the most upright journalism, and more will come to see this in the future. I am grateful to contribute to this important Dafa project, both in the USA and Sweden.

Sharing one’s experiences is a rewarding part of cultivation. I usually set up obstacles for myself, such as: “I haven’t achieved anything special.” Or “What will others think?” Or “No one has asked me.” This time, I felt I needed to let go of those obstructing notions as well.

Looking back at my cultivation as a whole, I see that I have been able to let go of many attachments, regardless of environment and circumstances. And I also see there is still much left for me to cultivate.

Thank you, fellow practitioners! Thank you, Respected Master!

(This article was presented at the 2025 Nordic Fa-Conference)