My Cultivation Journey - The Experiences of a Falun Gong Practitioner Living in Austria

I started to practise Falun Dafa in 1994. During the ten years of my cultivation I had thought on and off about sharing my experiences with others by writing an experience sharing paper. Yet, every time I was discouraged by the thought of having inadequate writing skills. I hesitated repeatably over this issue. When I learnt of this conference I knew it was my chance to put my thoughts to paper, and share them with my fellow practitioners.

My mother played a major role in my coming to practise Falun Gong as it was through her that I was introduced to the practise. I could see that after she had participated in a number of Teacher’s seminars, she changed in both body and mind. Her nature improved with her thoughts and her actions grew more righteous as time went by. Once I truly recognised the changes in my mother I also began to practise. Before I started to cultivate I was an average student. I must admit that my grades weren’t that great. At the beginning of my cultivation I mostly practised the exercises and only read the Falun Gong books with my mother from time to time. Once I began to cultivate I noticed that my grades improved and my memory also improved. Finally, I understood that cultivation opens ones wisdom.

During my time at university, I arranged a time and a place where people could come and learn the Falun Gong exercises. Studying the Falun Gong teachings daily and practising the exercises were instrumental in my continuous progress. During that time I was placed first for a scholarship three years in a row. I was at the same time recognised as the “Three majors excellent student.” I am a great example of a cultivator performing outstandingly during their studies, at work and in anything else he/she attempts.

After July 20th 1999, the pressure on practitioners by society was tremendous as this was the time when the persecution against Falun Gong was officially launched. I experienced that some practitioners renounced the practise against their own will. Some were deceived by the Communist Party’s (CCP) lies and turned against Falun Gong. Some were arrested, because they told the truth about Falun Gong to those around them. There were practitioners who became homeless and yet continued with their efforts to let people know the facts. It is exactly as Teacher Li says in the article “Path”,

“A cultivator has no role models […] Cultivation is hard. It's hard in that even when a terrible calamity strikes, even when evil madly persecutes, and even when your life is at stake, you still have to be able to steadfastly continue on your path of cultivation without letting anything in human society interfere with the steps you take on your path of cultivation.”

At that time, my mother was arrested for insisting on practising Falun Gong almost daily, and subjected to re-education through brainwashing. Seeing my mother like that made my heart feel heavy. At the time, I did not realise that such feelings towards my mother were also attachments. My mother explained, “Falun Gong gave me a second life. Even, if everyone renounced the practise, I will still continue.” I recall one day when a group of people came to my family with the intention to confiscate all the Falun Dafa books, and pictures of the founder of Falun Gong, Teacher Li. My mother ran to the balcony and told them, “If you take them I will jump off the balcony.” Since then, none of the persecutors dared to come to our house. This showed me that true cultivation allows for Teacher’s protection.

Ultimately, my final university exams were just around the corner, and afterwards I had to look for work. The university authorities visited my family on and off to achieve my ideological transformation. They held the hope that I would write a guarantee renouncing the practise. They seriously believed in their heart that they wanted to prevent the destruction of a good student.

My field of study is finance and banking. At the time, fifty percent of the graduates were assigned to a bank or rather the stock exchange. Even students who did not do too well in their studies were hired without any problems for such a work unit. Given my excellent marks, I could have continued my studies without any further exams. But, given the persecutory situation at the time, and although I had passed the necessary exams, I was not admitted to continued education at the university. With my mothers and other practitioners’ help I understood that it was the time to let go of fame and wealth. Therefore, in the end, I did not write the guarantee renouncing the practise. It is just as Teacher Li said in the Falun Gong book, Zhuan Falun,

“It is also most difficult because of this, as one will practise cultivation in this most complex environment of everyday people. Moreover, it is the best because of this, for it enables one to attain gong oneself.”

To ruin practitioners financially, the evil used all possible means they could think of. First, the authorities closed my brother’s restaurant without any legal grounds. Then they forced my father to take early retirement. After graduating from university, I could only work in a private firm. Such actions were taken just to place my family in financial difficulties. But, as a practitioner one does not need to worry, because Teacher Li will certainly help a true practitioner. After experiencing all these tribulations I achieved a better understanding of what it means to be a practitioner.

After one year at the private firm, I was presented the opportunity to work at an international firm by sheer chance. Although I could not compete with my coworkers regarding experience with foreign languages, I was hired. Since then I had no problems with my work. My mother once shared with me that she had come to the understanding that humans have a side that understands and so they want to have a cultivator in their company, as this would represent hope for them and their business in the future.

During these five years of persecution, our phone at home was tapped. My family was monitored more closely during the CCP’s so-called sensitive dates. Incoming and outgoing calls were monitored closely. Even during non-sensitive days they asked our neighbours about our families activities. Thinking about it now, I see the absurdity of it. How can ordinary people monitor cultivators? I called home a few days ago. I was told that they had begun to monitor my family again. But, my mother used this opportunity to tell the truth to the officials. After some time, the officials admitted that they had not choice in the matter and they had been assigned such a job, so they had no choice. Many people have learnt the truth during such situations.

Last February I attended a trade-show by chance. At that time I was trying to immigrate to a foreign country. I heard that my name was on the blacklist when I applied for my passport. Therefore, my application was denied five times. At the same time there were other cultivators from my hometown who wanted to immigrate to Australia. They told me that the foreign countries were in need of practitioners. Holding this thought I finally was allowed to emigrate from China.

Once abroad, I recognised that I still held deep feelings towards my family, and especially towards my mother. I worried that because of my activities abroad there would be increased pressure on the cultivation environment in my hometown. Within me I still held on to egoistic thoughts, therefore, I did not participate in many Falun Dafa activities. During experience sharing with practitioners during the past six months, I managed to overcome this attachment. I’m positive that I will continue to improve on my cultivation path.
I realised that it does not matter if one lives inside or outside of China. During this Fa-Rectification period we are one body. It does not matter where one lives, everywhere we are exposed to a certain degree of difficulties in doing the three things Master asked us to do. Although, compared to China, the environment in foreign countries is more relaxed, but when one compares to what one is supposed to accomplish, it also amounts to quite a bit. All practitioners are very busy. Besides what we are already doing, we have to be involved at the same time with the media, newspapers, anti-torture exhibition, parades, and the candle light vigil outside the Chinese Embassy. Everyone is busy using his/her abilities to let people know about the persecution. Though, in comparison to China, the number of practitioners outside of China is much smaller. Where I live, we are rather disbursed. Therefore, there is rarely the opportunity to study the Falun Gong teachings and share experiences with other practitioners. Teacher Li left us the form of studying the Falun Gong teachings and practising the exercises as a group. Such an environment will allow us to reach higher levels and recognise our weaknesses at a much faster pace.

During the last phase of the Fa-rectification we have to do the three things Master asked us to do increasingly better. Let us work together to prevent the evil from exploiting our loopholes and walk our path diligently as one body.

My fellow practitioners please kindly point out any omission I might have displayed.