My Falun Gong Cultivation Practice Experiences

L. Th. Ton
(Durham, North Carolina)

 I. Introduction.

My name is Lo that Ton. I practiced Falun Gong since June, 1998. Presently, I am living in Durham, NC and I work for Duke University as an Analyst Programmer. Prior to emigrating to America in 1975 from Viet-Nam, I served South Vietnamese Foreign Affairs, at home and overseas.

 -Search for new path.
 During the early settlement of my family in the USA, we struggled very hard for survival but only getting lost deeper and deeper in the society of ordinary people. I thought the life of a political asylum as a result of the loss of my original country, is no more nor less a prisoner’s life. To help me out of the maze, I tried to hold firm my Buddhist Religion as a guidance. However, despite my diligent learning and cultivation, the answer to my basic questions of life has never come. I only get more pessimistic and skeptical when learning that Sakyamuni Buddha already gave warning about the Dharma ending period. According to the Buddhist scriptures, in the ending period of Dharma, in the ending period of Dharma, even the monks cannot save themselves-let alone salvation to humankind, because of their misinterpretation of the Dharma and many divided groups fighting each other, ignoring Buddha’s basic teachings. Consequently, I had tried many other methods of cultivation, including Cao Dai Buddhism, Yoga Universal Energy Cultivation, etc…but all was in vain, because people only seek help from outside, either for miraculous blessings or healing illness. It appeared that there is no end to my search for new path. The truth of universe still remains a mystery. All kind of tribulations troubled me. 

 -Enlightenment.
 However, I don’t give up. “It is not the end of my search yet”, I said to myself. And, fortunately, it was during the very moment of uncertainty, Master’s Zhuan Falun entered into my life. The book which is a gift from my son, had opened a new horizon. I was immediately enlightened to the Fa as it is manifested in the very beginning of Lunyu, through the Master’s message: ”To explore this domain, humankind must fundamentally change its conventional thinking”. I understood that I must let go of all the ordinary attachments, all the stubborn thinking that created difficulties and obstacles to me on my road to enlightenment. Otherwise, I would have to crawl forever within the boundary delimited by my own ignorance. So, I decided to make a fundamental change: Leave behind all the old way of cultivation including my Buddhist belief, my knowledge of western philosophy, my admiration and love for modern science and technology, my desires for the conveniences of the materialistic life in the ordinary society etc…With this change in mind, I read the book with my heart the first time through and I started practicing at home with the help of my son who also is a Falun Gong practitioner. Then I attended the 9-session seminar in November 1998, and became a happy practitioner. That’s how and why I became involved with Falun Gong.

 II. Experiences as a Cultivator.

 Now I talk about my experiences as a Falun Gong Cultivator. Sincerely speaking, I have no extraordinary stories to report. Just an update of progresses as far as my Cultivation and Practice are concerned.

 -Zhuan Falun In, Wandering Spirits Out.
 Several months before I attended the 9-session Seminar, I felt symptoms of demonic interference in my self cultivation at home. My shoulder rotator cuffs pains have been so acute that my doctor had to put me away from work for four months in preparation for a major surgery. My mind was disturbed by many strange messages and unknown fears that sometimes created critical situation. I believed that something was interfering with my cultivation, so I talked to my son. He suggested that I read Master Li’s book over again and guided me to practice at the Group Practice Site, then helped me enroll in the seminar the following month. After completion of the seminar, with a clear mind and a strong determination to study Fa, I found the situation has improved, physically and mentally. 

 During night time practice, while sitting full lotus in meditation, I could feel energy moving up my shoulders and eliminating the pains. My legs which felt very heavy before, become lighter and lighter. My vision which was blurred for years is getting better and better. My upper and lower teeth which have lost surrounding bones and gums causing painful bleeding, become stronger and healthier. Before I practiced Falun Gong, the deadly flu virus attacked me every winter, even after I’ve taken flu shot. And the whole winter always was a miserable season. But the flu ceased to visit me after I practiced Falun Gong and I feel more energetic in all seasons. As a result of the physical improvement, I canceled all doctor visits including the pending shoulder surgery and eye check.

 I also stopped using medicine and terminated my dental insurance. Mental improvements were substantial. The house had a brighter look. Communication among family members was improved. My wife and daughter have happily joined me, as well as my son and many fellow practitioners in our cultivation practice, making my home a more cultivating environment. I also feel happy with my task of validating Fa. A few wee before Christmas last year, my son forwarded to me an e-mail in Vietnamese language he could not read. I found that this was a Vietnamese non-practitioner who, I believe, could have access to Falun Dafa via e-mail, attacked Fa. Not only he did not believe in the Master’s teachings, he criticized me for abandoning Buddhist religion in exchange for Falun and Tianmu. Despite being aware of many Vietnamese practitioners and my explanation and clarification, he continued sending very critical e-mails. Many friends even have suggested that a debate forum be opened to discuss publicly any issues he raised. However, I thought we should not go out of proportion in dealing with a stubborn non-practitioner and decided to stop arguing with him, realizing that the resistance by his karma had dominated and controlled him. With extreme patience and careful handling, I asked him to read the book through and attentively. At the same time I sent him the local newspapers reporting about the Falun Day Proclamation by the City of Durham, North Carolina, including the Proclamation honoring Master, and many good articles that have positive impact on the public. Miraculously, he became silent and stopped causing troubles. I believe the power of the Fa had subdued his evil thought and I hope he will be enlightened to the Fa and become a practitioner. 

 -Falun Dafa saved life. 
 Right on the first day of seminar, the power of Great Law gave me strength and encouragement. It was an auto accident in which I have almost killed a human life. It was about 7:15p.m when my car was heading on to the seminar site. I saw a police car parked on the right shoulder of the street a few blocks from my home. Since my vision was limited in winter evening time, I could not see clearly from a long distance the police officer who was standing on the yellow line to direct on coming cars. When I approached pretty close, about 10 to 12 inches, my car suddenly stopped in front of the police officer who stared at me while I was sitting unshaken on the driver’s seat with my foot on the brake pedal. Surprisingly, the police officer politely directed me to drive through. Nothing happened. I could leave the site and arrive safely on time to the seminar. “Thank God”, I said to myself, “I’ve escaped an accident”. Honestly, I cannot understand why and how my foot was set on the brake right before my car could have hit the policeman. I can just only say this really is a miracle.

 -Xinxing Tests I passed.
 -My work environment has significantly improved: For years I struggled in vain for equal opportunity and protection. The more I fought the more troubled I was. I was always upset with the way conflicts were settled and I blamed people for abusing me, for setting up cases to hide their mistakes. I had the perception that all conflicts always ended up with me to be victim. Unpleasant things like that went on and on for years, until I read Zhuan Falun and understood how the principles of “no loss, no gain” works. I knew I must change myself and stop blaming people. I would look inside myself first for the cause of conflicts and accept loss because loss means elimination and transformation of karma into “de”, the virtues that make my loss become my gain. With that new attitude, I made a drastic change that requires extreme patience and forbearance. To my surprise, co-workers’ attitudes also have changed. As a result, I have more peace than worry at work. I just want to say thanks to the people for the opportunity to upgrade my xinxing (moral standards) and I’ve been changed into a different person. I now have more confidence in my work. I can calm down and handle conflicts better, producing positive results. Even the most aggressive co-workers now become my friends. Co-workers who used to stay way when I introduced Dafa, now listened to me, particularly after Falun Gong entered Live for Life (a health maintenance program for Duke University employees).

 -Neighbor Testing.
 After I entered the first year of cultivation, I encountered many difficult situations in my neighrborhood. The first incident took place in the front yard of a repairman who lived 3 blocks from my house. This man hurt me by pushing my lawnmower against my foot (causing me to fall back) while I argued about his poor repair work that he recognized and admitted it’s his fault. Not only I did not fight back, I gently explained to him that I wanted him to finish the repair so that I can use the machine to cut grass and I would pay for any additional work and I left. I later contacted his wife regarding the incident. She noticed he was in bad mood and she apologized for his bad deed. The second incident: Another guy who lived on the other side of my house came and asked me to sell a used car that belonged to my younger son. Because my son had moved and worked out of state, I agreed to sell his used car. After this man agreed on the price ($1,000.00) he said he has no cash but he would like to do car services in return. He shown me his ID to verify that he works for a local car service station. But after he got the car, he only came to do service one time for my car, and never came back. I called the man several times but he never responded. I could do nothing but let the guy go with the car and take no action, realizing that this man must have financial troubles or difficulties. And I didn’t regret for the loss. This is another xinxing test I was able to pass.

 -Step forward commitment.
 All my achievements so far are good, but still at the individual level and I feel I ‘ve not done enough. When thinking of our fellow practitioners in mainland China who have safeguarded Dafa with their lives, I regret for myself and I feel like the Master is sadly disappointed in giving me this warning: “You cannot always rely on me to bring you up higher level while you yourself do not move. Only after the Fa is explicitly stated do you make a move. If it is not taught clearly, you dot not move, or move backward. I cannot recognize such behavior as cultivation practice. At the crucial moment when I ask you to break away from humans, you do not follow me. Each opportunity will not occur again. Cultivation practice is a serious matter. The distance has become greater and greater. It is extremely dangerous to add anything human to cultivation practice. In fact, it is also fine just to be a good person. But you must be clear that you choose your own path”. Dear friends, let’s step forward to assist the Master in undertaking the mission of Fa rectification and take the chance to face the life and death tests in this important moment of history. Be a particle of Fa. This is a step forward commitment.