The Joys and Tests During My Cultivation
I am a Dafa disciple from Vietnam, currently living in the Czech Republic. I was fortunate to obtain the Fa at the beginning of 2009. To me, that was the greatest joy that Master has given me. Over the past 16 years of cultivation, I have gone through many ups and downs and faced many tests. Today I would like to share with you some of the joys and tests that I have experienced along my cultivation path.
A Predestined Connection with the Tian Guo Marching Band
In September 2012, the Governor of Beijing visited the city of Cologne in Germany. The European Falun Dafa Association and the Tian Guo Marching Band organized an event to raise awareness about the persecution. I wanted to take part. I bought a bus ticket one week in advance. But on the day of departure, I caught a cold. I sent forth righteous thoughts: “Nothing can stop me from raising awareness about the persecution and to validate the Fa.” And so, for the very first time, I was able to join the Tian Guo Marching Band. I was deeply moved and wished that I could one day become a member of the Band.
Then, at the 2014 European Fa Conference in Spain, a fellow practitioner from the Netherlands introduced me to the Tian Guo Marching Band and another practitioner sent me a trombone. And so I began learning to play.
Improving Xinxing While Learning the Trombone and Participating in the Project
Master said:
“Of course, the process of cultivation is a very slow and gradual one, and one must sacrifice quite a lot. It is not very easy for one to temper oneself physically and mentally. Can one remain calm in a xinxing conflict with others? Will one be unaffected when personal, vested interests are at stake? It is very difficult to do this, so it is not that as long as one wants to achieve this goal, one can achieve it. Only when one’s xinxing and de have been upgraded can one achieve this goal. ” (Lecture Nine – Zhuan Falun)
In the 10 years that I have participated in the Tian Guo Marching Band project, I have encountered many tribulations and conflicts. I have had to eliminate attachments to fame, profit, and sentimentality — which was not easy.
For example, when I first received the trombone, I knew nothing about music. Looking at the sheet music felt like looking at tadpoles — I could not understand anything.
Master gave me hints to study basic music theory online and even gave me the opportunity to bring the trombone back to Vietnam to learn. There I met a trumpet teacher who taught me how to sing the notes aloud and memorize the music.
At the beginning of 2015, I started participating in training sessions with the Tian Guo Marching Band and also found a trombone teacher. I looked online for more lessons but only found flute lessons. I saw that they taught breathing techniques for flute players, so I thought I should also train my breathing for the trombone, and I practiced single- and double-tonguing. I applied what I learned to the trombone. I believe that Master was teaching me, and I am deeply grateful.
Participating in Dafa projects, especially the Tian Guo Marching Band, requires careful arrangement of time and resources. When I agreed to join this project, the bands’ coordinator told me: “You must have time from May to October and attend at least 80% of the parades. You also need to have the necessary resources.”
Besides the group rehearsals, I had to study on my own, hire a teacher, and pay for travel expenses for myself and my instrument, as well as accommodation.
Once in August 2015, there was a festival and a parade in Poland. I did not register to participate. Suddenly my tooth swelled and became very painful. My gums and cheek were swollen as well. I looked inward and realized that I had been calculating too much and was attached to money and profit. I was afraid to close my shop, afraid of losing customers, and afraid of spending money. When I became aware of this, I eliminated the attachment to money and profit. I told myself: “If Master said: ‘Follow me home,’ would you go, or would you stay here holding onto your shop?”
So I went to Poland and made a righteous decision to participate in 100% of the parades and rehearsals thereafter. Just as Lunyu states:
„It was Dafa that created time and space, the multitude of lives and species, and all of creation; all that exists owes to it, with nothing outside of it. All of these are the tangible expressions, at different planes, of Dafa’s qualities: zhen, shan, and ren.“
Miracles Bestowed Upon the Tian Guo Marching Band by Master
In 2017, during a parade in Ukraine, it rained very heavily on the first day. We sat on the bus and sent forth righteous thoughts. I heard Master say: “Let me give you two dragons.” I told a fellow practitioner: “It will be sunny soon.” Hai said: “What do you mean? It’s pouring rain and you say it will be sunny?” I said: “I heard Master say he would give us two dragons.” And indeed, the next few days were all sunny, and we performed from morning until 10 p.m. I am sure many of our band members still remember this.
I have faced many tribulations that seemed impossible to overcome, but Master has always helped me.
For example, at the beginning of 2018 in Berlin, some members usually practiced together on Sundays. I wanted to deliver Shen Yun materials on Saturday and practice trombone with everyone on Sunday. I bought a bus ticket to travel Friday night and return Sunday night.
I prepared a 23 kg suitcase full of lotus flowers, a backpack with sheet music, a music stand, clothes, and my trombone. Just before leaving, three people from the tax office
came to inspect. They said I had not violated any regulations but they had to write a report. I told them I had to leave for Berlin right away and that time was very short. They said: “We still need to finish the report.”
I sent forth righteous thoughts and had one thought: “I must go.”
When they finished, there were only 10 minutes left. I had to walk to the subway, take two stops, and then reach the bus station. I thought there was no way I could make it in time. I told myself: “If the bus is late, I can make it. If it has already left, I will just go home.”
But then a miracle happened — as I crossed the street, there was a taxi right there. I knocked on the door and told the driver: “I have only 10 minutes before my bus departs.” He said: “Then hurry up, I’ll get you there in 3 minutes.”
When we arrived, I still had to run through several buildings to reach the bus stop, then past a long line of buses to reach the correct one. At that time, no one was boarding anymore. The bus attendant saw me running and waited for me. I was panting heavily. He said: “Take a moment to catch your breath first.”
I was very grateful to Master for helping me make it to the bus in time.
As for my trombone, I am also very thankful to it for cooperating with me — I feel that it chose me, not the other way around.
In 2015, learning trombone was very difficult because I did not know the language well, and there were no other Vietnamese practitioners playing trombone in the band. A fellow practitioner asked me: “Why don’t you switch to baritone? There’s another practitioner who also plays baritone, so you two could learn together.”
I found a baritone teacher, but she said: “I think you should keep learning trombone. I will teach you trombone.” And so I continued learning the trombone.
My trombone is excellent. During practice exams, I often “talk” to it, and we cooperate very well. Each time I participate in a parade, coordinating with the whole group and seeing sentient beings waiting to be saved gives me even greater motivation to let go of my many attachments.
Master said:
“Everything that Dafa disciples are doing today, everyone you come into contact with in society — I tell you: you are saving sentient beings.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference)
I thank our revered Master.
Thank you, fellow practitioners, for listening.
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