A European Practitioners Cultivation Experiences

Esteemed Master and dear fellow practitioners:

Today I wish to share with you some experiences I have had relating to my cultivation in Falun Gong over the past years that have influenced me greatly.

Remaining true to oneself

A few years ago I travelled with two fellow Falun Gong practitioners to Slovenia to arrange a press conference on Falun Gong and its persecution. Regrettably, I did not have time to think about or prepare for the press conference, yet I held the strongest wish to expose the persecution of Falun Gong to the people of Slovenia. I was under the impression that once we arrived in Slovenia, we would prepare the press conference as a team.

Because we ran into some problems before the conference, we were unable to thoroughly prepare the conference. We only had some quick discussions about the subjects in hand and who would address given subjects.

The journalists began to arrive about a quarter of an hour before the conference. We were still busy writing the contact information on the informational packages. I became more and more edgy once the camera crew from the Slovak television station arrived and began to mount the TV cameras. I was concerned that the journalists would realise that we were poorly prepared and that we were making a number of mistakes.

I started the press conference while intently watching the faces of the journalists, sitting in the first row. Some of them had a sceptical look on their face when they looked at me. Thus, my nervousness increased rapidly. The other practitioners also became nervous and made mistakes. I wanted to calm down, but could not shake off my feelings of insecurity.

At that time we decided to show a documentary about the persecution. I calmed down progressively during the showing of the documentary and I suddenly knew what was wrong.

I wanted to show at all times that I was experienced with press conferences and that I was someone who one knew what they were doing. I wanted to impart professionalism, but I held a deep fear of making a hash of things, making mistakes and giving the journalists a bad impression.

I suddenly realised that I did not have to pretend to be something I wasn't. It was our first press conference and is something completely new to all of us. We would have never held or be involved in a press conference if this was not something so urgent. We were holding the conference to simply help those who are suffering inhumane persecution just for practising Falun Gong and that this in itself held merit.

I first apologised to the reporters at the end of the film. We made some mistakes and the presentation wasn’t perfect, but in our defence, this was our first press conference. I explained that we had undertaken this by ourselves and that we only were involved in this to help the innocent persecuted people in China. After which, my nervousness disappeared and I noticed that the journalists’ demeanour held great sympathy. The environment changed and there was an air of compassion.

A little later, the reporters asked us to show them the Falun Gong exercises and one of the journalists wanted to learn Falun Gong immediately and asked us for a copy of the introductory book. I got the impression that the reporters were deeply moved.

This experience was a clear indication that we should let go of fear and be straightforward. We should not give a false impression nor pretend to be something we are not. Once we tell people sincerely and honestly why we are here and what we want to accomplish, the results will certainly turn out well.

Impatience, fear and loss of time

I have been rather busy for a very long time. But it occurred to me that there is a distinctive difference between projects of short duration, which show immediate results, and long-term projects, such as the translation of the core Falun Gong book, Zhuan Falun. In the past my motivation towards long-term projects would deteriorate over time. This had a negative impact on such projects, causing them to drag on longer than necessary.

I thought about the reasons behind this and came to the realisation that my impatience was the culprit. I lacked the patience to work on long-term projects. This, coupled with the thought that time is pressing, one lacks the patience to work on such time consuming projects.

Also, if one holds together with the aforementioned fear, one will lose time because there will be additional complications. For example, during the translation work on Zhuan Falun, it is a frequent occurrence for one to get stuck on a lengthy sentence. Translations into other languages can be affected by one not finding the exact word or concept in the other language or that such a concept may not exist in a particular culture. This is the greatest impediment to advancement and generally results in loss of motivation. When one is exposed to problems where there is no immediate solution at hand, one loses patience, gives up regarding the matter in hand or delays the assignment.

Just a little while ago I became aware of a phenomenon during job assignments at my work. When I’m assigned a task I’m not familiar with, I become anxious and fear that it will take too long, yet the time suddenly runs away from me, I become nervous and have difficulty concentrating. On the other hand, if I concentrate solely on the task in hand, work diligently on the task to solve it, not be concerned about how long it takes, I noticed that I can complete it quickly.

In the past, I used to wake up on Saturday or Sunday full of anxiety, because I was thinking of all the tasks I had to work on. I had a strong fear that I would be unable to get a lot done or perhaps accomplish nothing, because something else might interfere with the task in hand. Many other thoughts passed through my mind at such times.

Last weekend, I had besides Falun Dafa related work a heap of job related assignments. I recognised the problems I encountered were due to my impatience and attachments. I exchanged views with my wife, who had similar experiences.

I did not fall back into old habits and make extended timetables, but just worked on the assignments consecutively. I started with the ones with the greatest priority and did not hold an attachment to time and results. Besides, I had decided not to be beholden to impatience and let anything disturb me.

At the end of the day we both realised that the time passed slowly during that day and we had both accomplished much. It appeared to me that I had finally found the light at the end of the tunnel.

Another example of interference regarding time and also a form of attachment, is the thought that the end of the Fa-rectification period is close and that one has no more time for long-term projects. Because of such a thought, I put aside the translation of Zhuan Falun, which I had decided to start after attending the 2001 Washington DC Experience Sharing Conference. At that time I thought there wasn’t time for such a project, because I had to fully concentrate on the Fa-rectification. I held such a thought that in the future someone would take care of this and therefore the translation project was put on hold.

It took me a while to understand that I was looking at things with extreme thoughts. Today I naturally hold the thought that it is more important to inform people about the persecution, but another important task is also to translate. I now understand that translations are the basis for the people to be able to cultivate in as many countries as possible in the future.

The founder of Falun Gong, Master Li told us during the ‘Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Boston,’

“As you know, our manpower is very limited right now, so in your efforts to validate the Fa, don't neglect things when you turn your attention to something else. In other words, we shouldn't focus all of our efforts on one thing. We should try our best to cover things as a whole and do a good job with all the things we're now working on.”

Not to be obstinate in doing things connected to Fa-rectification

I realised that I am not obsessed by the things of ordinary people, and that I am able to take many matters lightly. But, when it comes to Fa-rectification matters I become rather zealous and grasp them tightly, especially when I believe it to be important or sacrosanct. I must admit that during such incidences I don’t behave like a practitioner, who should be tolerant and always think first how others would react to the situation. Because of such an attitude, in my opinion, one leaves a loophole for the old forces to take advantage of.

A discussion with a public servant, responsible for the Vienna’s Heldenplatz, showed me clearly the fortitude of tolerance and how to let go of ordinary human thoughts and actions.

We did not feel welcome, when we first began to practise the Falun Gong exercises on the Heldenplatz. One day, whilst doing the exercises, a high level official addressed us in an angry tone. He was annoyed because of the banners and the flyers we displayed. He told us that we needed a license for such activities from the responsible agency. He also told us that he did not think that we could get such a license. No matter how we tried we were unable to solve this matter and the environment became rather hostile.

Therefore, we practised the exercises for some time without banners or distributing our flyers, yet we suspected that we had to change this situation. One day, after we had finished the exercises, another practitioner and I went to see the official in charge of this matter, to explain the true situation.

First, the official was very cold and hostile. She said that we could do the exercises on the Heldenplatz once in a while, but she did not wish it to become a regular activity. To distribute or display flyers would be out of the question.

This was not a satisfactory starting point for what we wanted to accomplish. At the time, I got the distinct impression and held the fear that they would stop us from practising the exercises at that location.
Given this attitude, I tried to explain why our activity held such importance and why it was we had to be there. During which I held the distinct impression that the more I said, the more she was inclined to deny us the right to practise at that location. It appeared that the very fact of me wanting to practise the exercises at this particular place was a great irritant to her.

Fortunately, the other practitioner took over at that time and said quietly, “It is not absolutely necessary to do the exercises at that location. There are other parks, but I knew that many tourists from China visited this particular location, holding our Falun Dafa activity here would allow them a chance to find out the truth. Many Chinese media publish derogatory information and defame innocent and peaceful practitioners in China and also abroad. Therefore, it is a good opportunity for the Chinese tourists to hear the truth.” After hearing this, she suddenly changed her attitude. It was evident that the compassionate words from this practitioners stroke a sympathetic chord in her. Then, she asked questions about Falun Gong and the exercises. Before leaving, she told us that there was no longer a problem for us to do the exercises at that location. However, she wanted us to assure that no flyers were on the ground before leaving the area. She also gave us permission to display our banners.

After leaving her office we were deeply impressed by the impact of telling her the facts about Falun Gong and explaining why such an activity was so important. If one does everything from within the Fa and keeps the assigned Fa-rectification tasks and Fa principles, Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance, in ones heart, one can without doubt affirm the Fa. Fa - law and principles in the Buddha School.

Cultivation Environment

Before I end my presentation I want to say a few words about something that I deem very important.

The persecution nears its end and more and more people have heard about Falun Gong. In the near future there will be more and more people who will study and practise Falun Gong, therefore it is very important to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and something which everyone wants to be part of. Everyone can contribute to such an environment, but the greatest responsibility rests with us, in other words those who have a solid grounding in their cultivation in Falun Dafa.

I is very likely that a new practitioner will observe the behaviour of veteran practitioners to see if they really practise Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance and treat others based on such principles. The new practitioner will not only watch the attitude towards new practitioners, but even more so as how veteran practitioners treat each other. Do they think that they are at a higher level or better than others? Can they really teach what they study? Do they criticise others? How do they take criticism and others opinion? Do they demand things of others or have they certain expectations of others? Do they really look within or do they always look in others for faults?

The immediate cultivation environment is greatly affected if one has an omission regarding such matters, and can lead to deep disappointment by the new practitioner. It could also result in the new practitioner to lose interest in Falun Gong.

We know that from the study of the Fa and the knowledge of one who cultivates that as a cultivator that one has to walk ones own path and cannot take others as role models but this should not be an excuse for one to neglect the aforementioned. Our Master said in the introductory book, Falun Gong (Law Wheel Qigong), in Appendix III, The Standards for Falun Dafa Assistants,

“At the practise sites, assistants must be strict with themselves but generous with others. They have to maintain their xinxing and be helpful and friendly.”

I sincerely hope that we can be a support to those who are just starting to practise Falun Gong, boosting their efforts in their cultivation, helping one another on our cultivation path, and support and encourage each other. This is the only way to establish a warm, open and caring cultivation environment, which will benefit everyone and create a truly sacred environment, an environment for practising Falun Dafa.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my experiences and thoughts with you.