I Finally Realised That This is Cultivation

Looking back at my past, and looking at me now, the biggest difference is how my thinking and my notions have changed.

I have recently been pondering what my exact predestined relationship with Falun Dafa is. It seems that all had been prearranged to lead me into the door of cultivation.

It started when one of my colleagues gave me a book to read called Stories of Cultivation. I didn't want to open it initially, so I just put it on the shelf at home.

Although I had read about Falun Gong in a qigong¹ magazine, I didn't have the wish to learn it because the article didn't mention anything in particular that could move my thinking.

One day I came across an article entitled "The Beautiful Crystallisation of Water." A colleague showed me the pictures, which I found quite inconceivable. I was attracted to it immediately and wanted to learn more about it, so I ordered the entire book Messages from Water authored by Dr. Emamoto. After I finished reading it, I gladly loaned it to another one of my colleagues. Both of us enjoyed discussing the interesting experiments described in the book. But later on, my colleague was careless and I did not get the book back. I felt rather disappointed. Meanwhile, though, I suddenly realised that if even water could form beautiful crystals because of kind thoughts from a human being, then what might happen if a person follows the teachings of Falun Gong - "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance?"

A few days later when resting at home I suddenly had an impulse to read that book, Stories of Cultivation. I read it through without stopping and was deeply touched by the wonders of cultivation. I went online to get more information about Falun Gong. I noticed that many people mentioned a book called Zhuan Falun and how it had brought them innumerable benefits. I decided to borrow one from my colleague to read, at least to gain some more knowledge. This is how I started my path of cultivation.

I can still remember the time I first received the book Zhuan Falun; without even opening it, a tribulation came! A colleague unexpectedly complained at me and she also sent me a copy of her long complaint letter. Other colleagues around me felt concerned and worried that the supervisor would question me. My thought was also, "Why do I need to clarify all this? The other party should have known that the whole situation was not like what she described. How could I be misunderstood that much? This is so ridiculous!" "Why should I take the responsibility and others not acknowledge their mistakes?"

I was holding the book Zhuan Falun and about to read at that time. To my surprise, I suddenly changed my mind and didn't want to fight anymore. Instead, I thought to myself, "No, I should not get angry. I should be more tolerant and have a higher standard than other people before reading this book." So I explained to my colleagues in details the whole situation that caused her complaint and they all felt I was treated unjustly. They urged me to talk to the other party's supervisor too, but I calmly replied, "It's not necessary. You can help me explain."

In the end, it has proven that my tolerant approach was right because it was just a misunderstanding. Later on, the other party's supervisor came to talk to me and said that it was the other employee who had an attitude problem. I said, "The work is not easy for any of us. We should be considerate of each other!"

After I started to study the Falun Gong teachings via the various books and articles I changed my way of dealing with things and knew how to get along with people around me. Faced with conflicts I could look inward first to improve myself.

I used to dislike several colleagues a lot. I even didn't want to greet them when we met. In the past I always said it was because they were cold toward me and I did not mind, either, since I didn't need to interact with them anyway. After I learnt Falun Gong though I started to ask myself why my thoughts went that way. Then I realised that it was because I cared too much about how others perceive and treat me, and never thought that I too needed to change my thinking and notions. With the improvement of my heart, my mind and body have reached optimum states. Many of my attachments have gradually disappeared. My mind is enriched and I don't care about recognition and fortune. So far, I have walked my cultivation path solidly, step by step.

I finally realised that cultivation is not that hard or mysterious at all. As long as we pay attention to our minds, everyone has the opportunity to cultivate!

Note:

1. Qi-qong Qi' can be translated as 'energy' and 'gong' can be translated to 'cultivation practice'. Thus this term refers to practices that cultivate 'qi' or 'vital energy'