(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1998 when I was a high school student. One year later, the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) launched the persecution and spread rumors and false accusations against Dafa.
After high school, I attended a Teachers College and graduated in 2003. I was offered a teaching position at a desirable local high school and was immediately appointed lead teacher. I worked hard. My lectures were humorous and well liked by students, and their scores were often among the best. Within a few years, my achievements were recognized by my school leaders and colleagues. I was a well-known and respected teacher. I knew my wisdom and achievements were given by Master and Dafa.
The heavy workload left me with little time to study the Fa. I reminded myself I was a practitioner and held myself to the standard of a cultivator at work. My fear prevented me from clarifying the truth at school. It was obvious that I did not keep up with the progress of Fa-rectification. In 2014, I was transferred to another school. The new environment, new leaders, and new colleagues made it even more difficult for me to clarify the truth and save people.
In 2015, along with fellow practitioners I filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, the former CCP leader who launched the persecution. Around the New Year of 2016, local 610 Office staff came to my school because of my lawsuit.
I was never directly persecuted before. Although I did not show it on the surface, I was scared. I didn’t cooperate with any of their requests. I acted tough and I refused to sign anything. They tricked me, “Just check to see what’s written is true. If yes, just sign it.” I checked and saw what was written was true, so I signed it. Later I learned that I shouldn’t sign anything and I shouldn’t cooperate with any of their demands.
I am Persecuted
Soon, the local 610 Office sent a notice to my school leaders through the Education Bureau to have me removed from the teaching position. I was reassigned to the logistics department. Three other local teachers received the same notice.
I knew this unfair treatment was a form of persecution. On the other hand I thought there was nothing wrong with working at the logistics department. I would have more time to study the Fa. After I was transferred as an administrator in the laboratory, I had my own separate office. The administrator’s job was much easier than teaching, so I had a lot of time to study the Fa. But, at the same time, I was also under tremendous pressure from people around me (since this was a punishment).
In 2020, the pandemic broke out, and the school began holding online classes. I slowly broke through my fear and started to go out with other practitioners to clarify the truth and save people. When Jiang Zemin died, I realized how rapidly Fa-rectification process progressed and the urgency of saving people. So I went out with the other practitioners to clarify the truth almost every day. After the pandemic lockdown was lifted and schools resumed in-person classes, I continued to go out to clarify the truth during weekends and winter and summer breaks whenever possible.
This year, when Master’s new article, “How Humankind Came To Be,” was published, I thought I must correct my wrong removal from my teaching position. It was a persecution towards a Dafa disciple and Falun Dafa. I should not allow this form of persecution to continue.
In the summer of 2022, I spoke with the new school principal and hoped he would allow me to return to teaching. I told him about the persecution, as well as some truth about Dafa. He did not agree and said my logistics position was also very important. He was soon removed from the principal position. In fact, during the past few years, all the school leaders who heard me clarify the truth and acknowledged Dafa were promoted.
Some fellow practitioners said my current working environment was great as I had time to study the Fa. If I went back to teaching, I would be very busy and would have no time to study the Fa. They were correct. However, I thought we should not only consider ourselves, but look from the perspective of Fa-rectification. A lot of people around me had negative impression about Dafa because I was removed from the teaching position. So I must go back to teaching to clear up Dafa’s name. In addition, I had little or no contact with students while I worked in the logistical department. I needed to go back to the classroom.
I planned to talk to the new principal. He happened to be a colleague from my old school and he knew why I was transferred and no longer taught. I wrote him a letter at the end of June 2023. I did not directly talk about Dafa, instead, it was a long letter from the perspective of traditional culture. I said the morals of today’s society are rapidly declining. Students faced issues such as bullying, and they dated at an early age. They were also addicted to mobile phones, which was a big headache for parents and schools. The only way to solve these problems was to return to tradition and educate students with traditional culture, values, and virtues. I suggested the school create a traditional culture class which I offered to teach. I emphasized it would benefit everyone.
Summer vacation began right after I sent the letter. When the principal didn’t respond, I didn’t think much about it. I used my time off to clarify the truth and save more people.
In September before school started, the vice principal of the school contacted me and said I would be teaching an eighth-grade class and asked me to meet with the principal.
When I heard I could go back to classroom, I seemed calm on the surface, but for next few days I couldn’t calm down. I didn’t want to think about it, but my mind kept racing. Were these my own thoughts? They were not. I sent forth righteous thoughts quickly to clear them.
The school principal told me that he very much agreed with my views in the letter, however the school must adhere to the state curriculum. He said I could introduce traditional culture in my classroom.
After seven years, I returned to teaching.
The Requirements are Higher
As soon as I went back to teaching, I faced a serious problem - I didn’t have time to study the Fa. Even if I had time to study the Fa after finishing my work, I couldn’t calm down. In the past few years, every day I studied two lectures of Zhuan Falun. I also read Master’s new lectures and I still had time to handcopy and memorize the Fa. I began to wonder if I made the right decision to go back to teaching.
I asked myself if I wrong to go back to teaching. Certainly not. Can people who work full time practice Dafa? Definitely! There are practitioners in all walks of life. Master said,
“...as far as I know it looks like Dafa disciples are actually in all occupations. I know that there are disciples at the executive level, and there are disciples with very high social status; ” (“Teachings at the Conference in Los Angeles”)
I can definitely cultivate while working, but the requirements for my cultivation increased. I can no longer stay in my comfort zone. Changing my cultivation environment means that my cultivation reached a new stage, and I should hold myself to a higher standard. Not only must I do my teaching job well, but I must also cultivate well. I must study the Fa and do the exercises every day. I must also clarify the truth and save people. This is what Dafa requires of me. It might be difficult and I might not be able to do it well at first, but I’m determined to meet the standard.
I wanted to do well. When I decided to do the exercises every morning (I often failed to do the exercises in the morning in the past), Master helped me. Around three o’clock the next day, I woke up coughing. I wanted to go back to sleep but I was wide awake. I realized Master was telling me to get up and do the exercises. I got up and did all five sets of exercises. Although I got up early, I was not sleepy at all during the day, and I felt more energetic than usual.
I now understood what Master said,
“My fashen know everything—they know everything on your mind, and they can do anything. If you do not cultivate, they will not take care of you. If you do cultivate, they will help you all the way to the end.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
As long as a practitioner wants to do well, Master will help. If we are determined to save people, Master will arrange people to come to us. If a disciple wants to get up to do the exercises, Master will call him/her. When sick karma tribulation comes, as long as we are determined to overcome this form of persecution, Master will help us. So if I wanted to balance work and cultivation, as long as I want to do well, Master arranges everything.
Looking back at my cultivation, I saw Master’s compassionate arrangement all the way. I learned Falun Dafa in high school, and then I was busy with work and didn’t keep up with my cultivation. After being removed from the teaching position during the persecution, I had time to study the Fa more, strengthen my righteous thoughts, and do the three things. I caught up with the Fa-rectification process. Now, with the advancement of Master’s Fa-rectification, I returned to teaching. I will have opportunities to save the students. I have this desire, perhaps this is supposed to be my mission.
I am so grateful to Master for making the best arrangements for my cultivation!
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