(Minghui.org) Only by studying the Fa well can we look inward when encountering problems and use the Fa to decide what should or should not be done. One needs to distinguish between human thoughts and righteous thoughts.
Last winter, my family’s restaurant closed for the off-season, so my husband and I decided to look for work elsewhere. My husband found a job as a driver, while I got a position selling clothes in a shopping mall. I would like to share my cultivation experience during the two months I worked there.
I found two job openings online. One was for a waitress at a restaurant and the other was for a sales position at a clothing store. I scheduled interviews for both positions the next day. However, I was hesitant about the sales position because I was 48 years old. I was concerned, because there is often an age requirement for clothing salespeople. Plus, even though I had over 20 years of sales experience, that had primarily been selling shoes and clothing in small towns, never in a shopping mall. I worried that my sales skills might be lacking for that situation.
I decided to go to the clothing store interview last, thinking it would be my fallback option. But to my surprise, the manager of the clothing store called me at 11 p.m. that night, asking me to start work the next day. I said, “Let’s meet in person tomorrow and then decide.” After I hung up, I thought this was not an accident. Perhaps Master had arranged this opportunity for me. I should go with it!
The following day, I decided to go to the interview at the clothing store first. The manager looked at me and said, “You don’t look like you’re almost 50. You can start work now!” It was a pretty nice situation, so I agreed to take the position and didn’t go to the interview for the other position.
The mall was quite far from home. My daily commute by bus took about an hour, plus additional waiting time and an extra half-hour for delays. Although it was an eight-hour workday, and I had a hectic schedule, I needed to squeeze in time for Fa study. I woke up every day at 3:20 a.m. to do the morning exercises. I sent forth righteous thoughts at 6:00 a.m., and then got ready for work. I needed to be at the bus stop by 7:20 a.m. As I waited and during my commute, I listened to practitioners’ sharing articles from Minghui Weekly.
My entire day was spent at the mall. When there were no customers, I silently recited Hong Yin and On Dafa. I also sent righteous thoughts whenever I had time. In the evening, I studied the Fa after I returned home and sent righteous thoughts at midnight before going to bed. Every day felt very fulfilling.
Whenever a negative thought arose, I was able to catch it and remove it immediately. When I encountered tribulations, I quickly recognized the attachments that caused them and let go of them as soon as possible.
When I first started to work there, everything went smoothly. Customers almost always bought the clothes they tried on, and for a few days, I topped the sales charts. I even started to refer my customers to my coworkers, fearing they would be jealous of me.
Then things changed. My coworkers were making 6,000 or 7,000 yuan a day, while I was earning nothing. For several days, I was incredibly depressed and even thought about quitting. I knew I wasn’t doing well. I tried to overcome my issues, but I couldn’t.
The next day, as I was riding the bus to work, I closed my eyes and thought, “I can’t go on like this. What attachment allowed the evil to exploit my loopholes? What did I say or do that didn’t conform to the Fa?” I realized that my attachments to zealotry, a competitive mentality, and saving face were contributing to this situation.
When my sales were good, I was elated. When I got home, the first thing I would do was tell my husband was how much I sold that day and where I ranked in our store. Looking back now, I saw that my success wasn’t due to my sales skills. It was Master helping me! What a terrible thought it was to take credit for Master’s arrangements. I wanted to be the top seller every day. Wasn’t that just an attachment to fame? I should let everything take its natural course.
As a Falun Dafa practitioner, I should strive to be a good person in every circumstance and not question it. I should do my job well. Sales figures should not matter much to me. I had to let go of attachments, cultivate myself well, and trust that Master would arrange everything. When I opened my eyes, I had arrived at my stop. I felt great as I got off the bus. Everything looked good to me, and I was happy to see everyone. I hadn’t felt so relaxed for a long time. Sales that day went exceptionally smoothly. I no longer cared about the numbers, and I didn’t mention them to my husband when I got home.
One day, the mall wasn’t crowded, so whenever a customer came in to try on clothes, we worked incredibly hard to assist them. As long as they didn’t tell us to stop, we kept getting clothes for them to try on. We valued every customer. Before I knew it, my coworkers were starting to place orders, but I hadn’t made any sales until the early shift employees left. I thought that was it for the day, when a young couple walked in. The woman said she had had an appointment with one of our employees who had just left with the early shift. Since the couple came in late, someone on our shift would have to take care of them. My coworkers were already busy with other customers, so I had to attend to the couple.
When I learned it was a pre-booked appointment and the customer already had credits on her account with us, I felt confident that they would make purchases, and I was secretly delighted. I guided them around the store and gathered all the clothes they liked so they could try them on in the fitting room. They picked out two outfits, but after trying them on, she didn’t like them. I then walked her around again and suggested a few more pieces, but she still wasn’t satisfied. I asked her what she didn’t like about the clothes she had just tried on and what kind of clothes she preferred. She replied, “I don’t like anything too wide-legged, too slim-fitting, too casual, or leather. I prefer something dressy and feminine and nothing too revealing.”
She said she was very picky and then smiled. I reassured her, saying, “Don’t worry. Let’s take our time trying things on. With many options available, we will definitely find something you like.” We walked around the store two more times, and I recommended a few outfits for her to try on. Finally, she found a style she liked, and I even helped her find a pair of shoes that matched. She was delighted and complimented me on my patience and excellent service. After completing the sale, I walked them to the door. She said she would come to me next time and ask for my help to find something else.
After they left, the manager called me over and told me that the customer I’d just taken care of was Xiaohong’s client. Since Xiaohong had assisted them in paying for the store credits, I would not get any commission for the sale. I immediately felt uneasy and asked, “Why? You didn’t tell me they were her customers before I helped them! There were other customers in the store at that time, and I could have helped them if you had let me know. Now the sale is completed, and you’re telling me I won’t get any commission? If they had already made arrangements, why didn’t Xiaohong wait for them? The customers came in right after she left. I don’t understand your reasoning.”
The more I spoke, the angrier and more frustrated I became. The manager said it was company policy. I stopped talking, realizing something within me was not right. Although I appeared calm on the outside, I was struggling inside.
Back home, I reflected on what happened that day. I thought that, since Master had arranged this cultivation environment for me, nothing was accidental. What attachment was Master trying to help me eliminate? I had worked all day for nothing since I lost the commission, and I felt frustrated. Wasn’t that an attachment to profit? I was anxious when I had no sale. Was this just a way to eliminate my impatience? Wasn’t it normal for my coworker to go home on time? Why was I so upset? This was an opportunity to eliminate my jealousy. As a cultivator, I strive to cultivate compassion. In everything I do, I should consider the needs of others. My primary focus should be on others’ well-being. I should view this order as a favor to her. How could I not even have this little bit of kindness? With these thoughts, my heart gradually calmed, and the material burdens that had been weighing me down began to lift.
Later, I discussed this with fellow practitioners. Through our conversation, I realized I hadn’t identified the root attachment that had triggered my feelings. When the customer mentioned she had store credits, I was secretly pleased and convinced that she would make a purchase that day. The saleswoman who was meant to assist her had left, leaving me with an opportunity.
Master said,
“We have said that good or bad comes from a person’s initial thought, and the thought at that moment can bring about different consequences.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
Thinking back, I realized that my first thought was selfish, I tried to take advantage of others. I felt wronged and upset. How shrewd I was being! This first thought was not in line with the Fa, and from there, the subsequent events unfolded.
Articles in which cultivators share their understandings typically reflect an individual's perception at a point in time based on their cultivation state, and they are offered in the spirit of enabling mutual elevation.
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Category: Cultivation Insights
