My Experience in Clarifying the Truth Face to Face

Greeting Master! Greeting fellow practitioners!

My name is Sulema, and I am from Spain. I obtained the Fa nearly three years ago. My life and mindset have been changing constantly while my understanding of the Fa has been getting deeper and deeper. When I first came to know Dafa, the first thing that touched me deeply was the cruel persecution of Falun Gong by the CCP. Ever since I started to practise, I’ve known the importance of letting people know the truth of the CCP’s human rights abuses against Falun Gong practitioners.

Let go of the attachment to verify oneself
I have always required myself to give 100% in whatever I’m doing. But in fact, I was often driven by my attachment to validating my self, rather than focusing on saving sentient beings. This was caused by my knowledge of Dafa not being deep enough and a need for a deeper understanding of clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings.

My heart was often not calm, and sometimes I even bore resentment to others. When I saw some practitioners leaving a project or not being diligent in their cultivation, my heart would be moved and uncompassionate. The attachment to myself would let me think that I was right, and that other practitioners weren’t doing things according to Master’s requirement. This is looking outward.

I wasn’t able to see my mistake since I didn’t look inward at that time. I always seek recognition from others, and seek to fulfil my own personal aims. All these meant that my heart wasn’t looking to save sentient beings. Every time I was doing a project, I always hoped other practitioners would appreciate my hard work. When others said I wasn’t doing well, I would get very upset and didn’t want to accept their criticism. Since childhood, I’ve wanted to be the best at whatever I do, so I always put all my effort in. I have always been doing things like that unknowingly. So what I prioritised while doing Dafa work was not to verify Dafa, but to make sure others don’t criticize me or have any negative thoughts about me.

Master says in Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles, “If you always reject reproaches and criticism, always point your fingers at others, and always refute others' disapproval and criticism, is that cultivating? How is that cultivating? You have grown used to focusing on other people's shortcomings, and never take examining your own self seriously. When others' cultivation one day meets with success, what about you? Isn't Master hoping that you are cultivating well? Why won't you accept criticism, and why do you keep focusing on other people? Why not cultivate inward and examine your own self? Why do you get agitated when you are criticized? How many of you seated here can keep at ease when someone points at you out of the blue and berates you? How many of you can stay unruffled and search for the reason on your part when faced with others' criticism and chiding?”

Even now I still want to verify myself instead of the Fa and I don’t want to accept criticism. But since I took on a typesetting role for the newspaper, I have been getting rid of this attachment bit by bit. I have never been into typesetting, design or photography before. And I am still not doing well now. Though I spend lots of time on a page layout, the result is not good and I often have to start from scratch. Sometimes my work isn’t even accepted for publication. When my work is altered by somebody else, I have to accept criticism without any complaint. Gradually, my work is getting better and better, and less and less alterations have to be made. Yet I still need to improve.

Thank you Master for providing me with such a good cultivation environment in the media work, making me aware that we need to have a heart to save sentient beings, that we need to be considerate of sentient beings in everything we are doing, and that we need to show the beauty of Falun Dafa.

Clarifying the truth face to face
Verifying oneself is in fact selfishness, and it made me unaware of the importance of taking part in various activities. I didn’t put saving sentient beings as the top priority. I was shy and didn’t dare to speak in front of crowds. These attachments continually grew and became an obstacle in making myself understood and in clarifying the truth in the street.

Actually, I wasn’t doing what Master requires of us. I didn’t have the courage to clarify the truth to ordinary people. I didn’t attend group activities, nor go to exercise sites. I thought that I was doing different projects, that this is my way of clarifying the truth and that I have done enough. The attachments I mentioned earlier and my attachments to being lazy and looking for a relaxed life made me think that way. Since I work throughout the week and do truth clarification projects after work, I would think during the weekend that I should have time to rest and do what I want to do.

Master says in Eliminate the Dark Minions with Righteous Thoughts, “Stop letting the evil exploit gaps, and stop being interfered with by human attachments. Do well the things that Dafa disciples should do, and walk the last leg of the journey well. Righteous thoughts, righteous actions.”

I knew that I wasn’t right but I wasn’t able to change. Though I studied the Fa every day, I wasn’t able to let go of this selfishness. My weakness in clarifying the truth made my loophole bigger and bigger, letting the old forces take advantage of my attachment to selfishness, seeking a relaxed life, being lazy and my fear of being criticized.

Some fellow practitioners told me the importance of taking part in group activities, and that doing so is very good for my cultivation. While being told this, my heart wasn’t stable. My attachment of showing off answered, “I have done this and that, and have no more time to do anything else. I am busy doing these every day”. That was merely an excuse. Master asks us to clarify the truth face to face. While speaking, we are emitting righteous energy and listeners are correcting themselves in our righteous fields. Yet, if there were more of us the field would be stronger, and more sentient beings passing by would be attracted to come and hear the truth. All sentient beings are waiting to be saved. We are the only people who can give them an opportunity to position themselves in the right place.

For example, one day while we were clarifying the truth in a square, my eyes spotted a group of people I felt familiar with. They passed the petition table without glancing at it. I realized they were my old friends. I went close to them to make sure. We recognized each other with a lot of surprise. They live nearly 400 miles away from Madrid and if we hadn’t seen each other then, I don’t think we’d have seen each other again in the rest of my life. While I started to clarify the truth to them, they said to me that they were communists. However, when I told them more deeply about the tremendous crimes the CCP has committed against Chinese people, they were all shocked. After telling them the truth, I realised if I hadn’t attended the activity, they would just pass by and wouldn’t stop to listen to the truth, and hence they would lose the opportunity to position themselves. Suddenly, I was struck by sadness. I felt very sorry to those who have lost their opportunity to be saved because of my huge selfishness and my attachments.

Being aware of my duty
I don’t remember when it began. One day my heart was suddenly awakened from a deep sleep. I realized that I had always been looking outward, that I should do what a Dafa disciple ought to do. I should study the Fa, send righteous thought and clarify the truth. I should spread Dafa and help Master rectify the Fa. If I stayed at home, those who I have a predestined relationship with and should be saved by me would never have the opportunity to get the truth. If I sat in front of computer and wasn’t able to clear the dirt and attachment I have in the ordinary world, I would not be able to help them.

Furthermore, when we are out clarifying the truth, we will encounter some difficulties, but that’s because it is time for us to get rid of our attachment and upgrade our Xinxing. I was awakening. I put down the unhappiness with other practitioners and stopped looking at others’ wrongdoings. My compassion developed a few steps further. I also understand clearly that it is me who I cultivate for. I must do what I ought to do. Master will lead me back to my real home. At that time I finally understood I must go home.

After forging ahead that step, I felt my heart was calm. I felt happiness. Every time I came back from a group activity, I felt my body floating. The very strong energy gathering in my body made me want to move forward.

Ever since I started clarifying the truth at every possible moment, my selfishness and wanting to complain about others have worn out. For me, changing my opinion on fellow practitioners is very important. I should look at their god side and their righteous side; I should no longer complain about them in my heart. I should accept their assistance while doing the three things.

There is one practitioner whose heart is always on clarifying the truth. Wherever she goes, she always takes some truth-clarifying material with her. She always helps me learn how I could clarify the truth well, as well as be more efficient. Though we live very far way from each other, she always phones me to help. She has lots of experiences in clarifying the truth. People are focused on listening to her while she’s talking. We learn from each other, never regarding the other as not capable or not doing well. We are Dafa disciples in the Fa-rectification period. We can do whatever we want to do.

Group exercise is a way to clarify the truth
When there are a lot of us doing exercises in the park, I can feel a very strong energy field, which attracts more people to come and learn about Dafa. Besides giving them a possibility to start cultivation, we are also helping them obtain salvation. When they see Falun Dafa or have a go at doing the practice, it brings about a change in their heart. Now, if I am in Madrid, I go to one of the parks to do the exercises. If I attend a meeting, I will take some time to read the Fa or do exercises. Now these are my first priority.

One day, I had an unforgettable experience in my dream. I was walking up some stairs in a very old house. I went into a main room, where there were lots of fellow practitioners. I didn’t know any of them but I didn’t feel it was strange. I asked a female practitioner what they were doing. She said to me. “We are getting ready. We are going up now. And you must go together with us”. I was frightened and said to her, “I can’t. I’m not ready. I still have lots of attachments.” She said to me firmly without thinking, “I know, you need to cultivate your speech, showing off and lust. But we must go now. They are waiting for us”. At that moment, I was full of fear, daring not to believe such things are happening. However they told me it’s real. We were truly about to leave. Yet I was fearful since I didn’t know what was going to happen afterward. After going up, I was going toward lots of people wearing clothes with Falun Dafa characters. In the other direction, there was a dark corner, where a man without a face was walking towards me. He grabbed my arm and wanted to take me away. I followed him two steps. Suddenly I felt that direction was evil with lots of terrifying devils. I broke and run towards fellow practitioners shouting, “I would never go to the evil side. I am a Falun Dafa disciple.” When I got to fellow practitioners, they showed me a big hall and told me that I should be there. After getting in, the people there were looking at me unhappily. They were all deformed. I felt very uneasy. They are people in my world! Because I didn’t cultivate well, they were in a very hard situation. I am responsible for their suffering. I was very regretful, hoping I would have one more chance.

That experience awakened me and gave me another chance. I decided to cultivate diligently. My understanding was that Master was reminding me to let go of my attachments. If I was only doing the three things, without looking inward and getting rid of attachments, I would not be truly cultivating.

I still have a long way to go in my cultivation, and lots of attachments to get rid of. I still have fear when speaking in public. Sometimes I lack confidence and a sense of safety. These things block me in clarifying the truth. However, I will persist.

I am building up my mighty virtue gradually. I thank Master for giving me continual opportunities to improve myself. When I fall down I will stand up and carry on. With guidance from the Fa and looking inward constantly, I will be able to perfect myself whilst helping Master save sentient beings. Master helps us with no conditions attached. He supports me when I fall down every time and continues to give me more chances. I won’t overlook any opportunity.

Thank you, Master!
Thank you, everyone!