(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I am a student in the music department at the Northern Academy of the Arts. I wanted nothing more but to be selected for the music program at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and join Shen Yun Performing Arts. I refused to do any homework given by the teachers. I later realized this was a heart of pursuit. Therefore, not only did I not improve, I regressed in practicing my violin.
We cannot accomplish anything if we do not abide by the standards of a Dafa disciple. I knew that I should not go to extremes and I needed to follow the course of nature. Everyone’s cultivation path is different. Master Li (Dafa’s founder) will arrange the best for everyone as long as we are diligent in cultivation.
Master said,
“So there is nothing inherently hard about the practice or advancing to higher stages; it’s simply that people are held back by attachments.” (The Ninth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
I was enlightened that I should not only focus on practicing music. I needed to ensure that I practice the Falun Dafa exercises and complete my homework. Only then can I achieve great results.
I also needed to follow my music teacher’s requirements and not be self-centered. I refused to listen to my teachers in the past and only did what I thought was right. I shouldn’t focus too much on surface issues. Master enlightened me through my teachers. I should follow the course of nature and follow Master’s arrangements. It is useless to think too much. Sometimes thinking too much may hinder Master’s arrangements. Getting selected for the music program at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and applying for college were all arranged by Master. Why was I worried? I recited Master’s poem in Hong Yin whenever I worried about getting selected for the music program at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts.
Master said,
“No Obstacles
Cultivation paths are differentYet all are within DafaWith no attachment to anythingThe path underfoot is naturally clear”(Hong Yin II)
I also should not be upset or get angry whenever I made mistakes in my music practice. I should be composed, calm, and compassionate like a Dafa disciple. Of course, I’ll encounter difficulties in school. I started to lose faith in myself when I found many of my own shortcomings. Each time before I practiced my violin, I eliminated all negative factors in my dimension and asked for Master’s help. The purpose of practicing my violin was different from that of ordinary people. Ordinary people practice their instruments to benefit themselves but we practitioners practice to save sentient beings. We are doing the most righteous thing. We once signed contracts with Master and vowed to save people.
Master said,
“Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master. (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
Master already paved the road for us. As long as I set my heart right and walk forward, there is really nothing more I need to do.
I was also enlightened that getting tested into the Fei Tian Art Academy and joining Shen Yun Performing Arts is not the only channel to save sentient beings. There are sentient beings everywhere and we are able to cultivate in any environment. I will abide by Master’s arrangements. My heart for saving sentient beings will never waver. I should not have doubts about whether I am walking the right path. I was afraid of making mistakes in the past and would often wait for Master’s enlightenment. This is a manifestation of slacking off because we should walk our cultivation path and not constantly rely on Master. In addition, I should not be attached to my grades. The true purpose of my studying violin is to validate Dafa, not to prove how smart or hardworking I am.
These are my understandings and experiences on getting tested and accepted into Shen Yun Performing Arts.
Stop Labeling People
I recently encountered many tribulations that required me to have more compassion. I realized I should not label people or talk behind their backs.
Master said,
“When you are working together and experience friction, it is because of human attachments. That is part of one’s cultivation state and process, and absolutely not because someone is truly no good. A person’s good side can’t be seen anymore, as it has been separated. What you see will always be the side that has not been cultivated yet. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a compassionate heart or should look at people in rigid ways. I’ve said again and again that you cannot see a cultivator’s good side. That side is simply terrific, and has met the standard. And what does it mean to “meet the standard”? It is the standard of a god. Whereas the part of him that hasn’t been successfully cultivated yet, that part is going to seem worse as it works its way up and gets closer to the surface. But, maybe that person has cultivated very well. I hope that you all cherish yourselves, cherish others, and cherish this environment that you have. Cherishing the path that you travel is cherishing yourselves.” (“What a Dafa Disciple Is,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume XI)
Because we are immersed in society’s big dye vat, many people, including practitioners are deluded. Isn’t it our responsibility, as Dafa disciples, to awaken them? Aren’t we creating a new world for mankind? It is not right when I exclude certain classmates or talk behind their backs. Master has never given up on anyone, including those who are temporarily polluted in ordinary society. Master never picks on people and we should not either. We should be compassionate and help those in need.
I usually hesitated to point out other people’s mistakes. I didn’t want them to resent me and affect my relationship with them. However, the side of him that’s clear about things will truly resent me if I do not point out his shortcomings! I should sincerely point out others’ mistakes if I’m being truly considerate. Perhaps Master intentionally revealed that person’s shortcomings to me so that I can help him. Nothing is coincidental. I should not worry about what I gain or lose on the surface. When I reflected on my behavior, I realized that because I’m from China I brought a lot of bad habits and notions with me. Through constant Fa study I enlightened that I should always listen to the teachers. I also felt I should encourage other classmates to study the Fa.
I also have the tendency to give up on myself. If I always think about myself, then my compassionate side will not emerge. I had always asked for Master’s help during orchestra performances. I realized this was an attachment to being selfish. I should ask Master to help out the entire orchestra, and not just me. This is my current level of understanding of the issue of compassion.
I saw how writing this cultivation experience sharing paper was beneficial to my cultivation. I looked inward and lengthened the time I read the Fa when I decided to write about my cultivation experiences. I found attachments such as showing off, zealotry, and not taking things seriously. I rewrote my paper multiple times. With each rewrite, I realized I upgraded in cultivation. My classmates also compassionately pointed out many of my mistakes and this helped me correct many bad notions I had about them. If it was not for this Fa conference, I would not have found so many of my attachments and would not have benefited this much. I know that Master has intricately arranged all this for me.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(From the 2023 Northern Academy Experience Sharing Conference)
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