講真相

Clarifying the truth to VIPs at the weekly practice site

Greetings revered Master and fellow practitioners,

The high number of federal, state and council elections in recent years has presented several opportunities for me to clarify the truth to political candidates about the ongoing persecution of Falun Dafa, and help them witness the beauty of Falun Dafa first-hand.

In the past I did not pay too much attention to elections because contacting all of the candidates seemed to be a lot of work. I also thought it would be easier to simply contact politicians after they had won the election, and clarify the truth to them then.

However, after trying this for more than 10 years by myself, I found this approach was very difficult to achieve good results since, by the time politicians had already set up their offices and hired staff to handle the enquiries, there were much fewer opportunities to speak with the MP or councillor directly and build a relationship that would open doors in the future.

I recall from Master’s 2007 lecture to Australian disciples, he discussed at great length the importance of not only visiting politicians when there is a problem. It is also important to visit politicians to clarify the truth. Having a background knowledge of the persecution and beauty of Falun Dafa, in my understanding, provides politicians with a much better understanding that helps them position themselves better if the CCP interferes with Falun Dafa activities in Australia.

This is why I enlightened to the importance of meeting with candidates before the election and making the most of the opportunity to clarify the truth to them, invite them to the local practice site to meet with other practitioners and even learn the Falun Dafa exercises while they are there. This involved a lot of work and made me much more diligent in my own fa study, exercise and cooperation with other practitioners.

In order to conform to everyday society, and remove any confusion that I might be trying to convert them, I invited several VIPs to a meet the candidates event at the weekly practice site on the Gold Coast. When they arrived practitioners taught each of them the five sets of Falun Dafa exercises and showed each candidate photos of group practice from before the persecution in China, Fa conferences, previous Falun Dafa events in the local area, proclamations and letters of support from other local politicians. The candidates were provided time at the end to deliver speeches, and meet with practitioners who live in their electorates individually.

Master states in Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Washington DC Fa Conference (https://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2004/8/1/50926.html) “During this period of time, there’s definitely not going to be millions of gods doing divine things in the human world, and Dafa disciples definitely won’t be using their godly sides to do large-scale divine things, with full-blown divine means, in front of the masses of people in the ordinary world. Dafa disciples are utilizing ordinary people’s means to validate the Fa. They haven’t gotten involved in ordinary people’s “politics.” There’s nothing wrong with utilizing some forms from ordinary people that are useful to validate the Fa.”

After learning the exercises, several candidates commented how peaceful and relaxing the atmosphere was. It was totally different to the kind of debates they experienced at other, meet the candidates events out in ordinary society. They commented there was no hostility at all, the audience was well behaved and every candidate had a chance to speak. I understood this was a reflection of the fundamental difference between ordinary people and cultivators.

Some of them also noticed the shorter standing and sitting meditation exercises were quite challenging to perform, and commented they really respected the diligence and perseverance of practitioners who could exercise for the full two hours.

Others expressed strong dissatisfaction with the CCP’s 21-year persecution against harmless practitioners who simply wanted to exercise in the park and behave truthfully, compassionately and tolerantly in their daily lives.

One of the political candidates won the council election and later visited the practice site to encourage everyone in her electorate to join the practice site and experience the many benefits of Falun Dafa for themselves. She shared a group photo of herself with practitioners and other photos showing different exercise sets to her official social media page, which thousands of residents follow. She also wrote a letter of support for World Falun Dafa Day that thanked practitioners for their tireless volunteer work, and even gave permission for practitioners to display the letter on the Falun Dafa information board for all passerbys to read.

Master said in Essentials for Further Advancement (https://falundafa.org/eng/eng/jjyz69.htm), “The good citizens and good deeds publicized by the media—such as radio, TV, newspapers, etc.—many have been done by our Dafa practitioners since they practice cultivation in Dafa and have improved their xinxing … cultivation practice is a great and magnificent thing. Why can’t you tell the interviewers in an open and dignified manner that you do those things because you practice Dafa cultivation? If the reporter does not want to mention Dafa, we should not cover up for any form that plagiarizes Dafa and fails to validate it. All of us are trying to be good people, and this is in the interest of society and mankind. Why can’t we have a just and legitimate environment? Disciples, you should bear in mind that Dafa is harmonizing you and you are also harmonizing Dafa.”

Another political candidate who won the state election recently returned the practice site, spoke with practitioners, and set up his official marquee right next to the practice site. One of his campaign organisers, who saw Shen Yun in Brisbane, has joined the practice site every week for the past three months. She commented how Falun Dafa helped her recharge and get ready for a busy weekend of campaigning.

Her regular attendance has helped me a lot in being more diligent in attending the local practice site. In the past I would sometimes be so extremely busy balancing three everyday jobs at once that I would often need to keep working very late into the night and finish in the early hours of the following morning. On the ordinary level, I was providing well for my spouse, quickly paying off my mortgage and leading an executive lifestyle. However, being extremely busy for almost five years had severely reduced my free time to focus on personal cultivation.

Some Saturday mornings, I felt so exhausted that I would simply not wake up even if I set the alarm to sound. I later understood this was actually caused by evil beings in other dimensions who tried to prevent me from hearing the alarm or make me feel so tired I went back to sleep.

Other times, I felt irritated and a bit annoyed about spending my hard-earnt leisure time attending the practice site. I eventually enlightened this was actually my thought karma manifesting and making me feel as though I did not want to cultivate and fool me into believing I might prefer spending my free time on renovating my home or pursuing leisure activities.

After I looked within and saw what working so hard was doing to me, I let go of my attachment to luxury living, stopped working so many jobs as soon as my debts were repaid, and changed to work part-time more than a year ago. In the past year, I have experienced a completely different state of mind. My former colleagues, fellow practitioners and ordinary friends have all commented how I seem to be much more relaxed nowadays. I understood this was the result of focusing more on my personal cultivation.

Since the State MP’s campaign organiser joined the local practice site a few months ago, I have not missed any group practices, and rarely arrive late. I have noticed my energy levels have returned to their former levels, and am no longer as tired, sleepy or irritable as I used to be.

My State MP has been very helpful in providing letters of support and spreading the word about Falun Dafa activities through his social media channels. He also recently helped achieve a breakthrough with the Federal MP whose office I have experienced major difficulties in getting a response from.

After phoning, emailing and visiting my Federal MP’s office several times for the past 10 years and only ever receiving an email and one printed letter, I was a little discouraged and even unsure about whether I should continue. During this time I had only ever received one face-to-face appointment to clarify the truth about the CCP’s organharvesting of Dafa practitioners. Although he forwarded my concerns to the Foreign Minister, the MP completely refused to attend a Hard to Believe documentary film screening in his own electorate. Another time I asked for an appointment, his staff turned down my meeting request and told me the MP had nothing further to discuss about organharvesting.

After being rejected, I recalled recent media reports about my MP accepting a luxury watch from a Chinese businessman, and allegations that he misused his ministerial position to promote a Chinese mining company that he owned shares in. I thought he had really become a corrupt politician and there was little hope for him to position himself well. I felt disappointed that the situation had become hopeless, and had almost given up on him.

However, after contacting my State MP’s office about the Media’s recent negative coverage of Falun Dafa, his office quickly helped organise a phone call from my Federal MP’s office to say they had already forwarded my concerns to the Communications Minister who also received similar concerns from many other Falun Dafa practitioners across Australia. The Federal MP’s staffer said the media should not stigmatise Falun Dafa practitioners, and he encouraged me to include the media’s poor response to my earlier complaint in the formal complaint. I thanked the Federal MP’s office for taking the time to respond and the State MP for helping to achieve the breakthrough.

I understood from this experience that I must continue to clarify the truth to all representatives and not feel discouraged if I do not always receive a response. The politicians might have already done a lot of work behind the scenes that I am not aware of like my federal MP had done so over the past decade.

I recall Master stated in the 2007 lecture to Australian disciples that sometimes if a practitioner’s idea is not perfect it can still achieve very good results, especially if practitioners cooperate well together. I understood this is because when practitioners work well together, divine beings will see this, lend a hand and miracles will happen.

Master also stated in the 2016 New York Fa Conference (https://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2016/6/1/157248.html), “As you know, divine beings are helping with it, effecting miracles in the Shen Yun performers’ skills and technique both on and off the stage. The sound that comes from the orchestra and the visual impact of what people see is strengthened by divine beings, and it’s something simply unmatched. What people see and hear transcend the human plane. At the same time, the better equipped a performer is in terms of skill, the better the effect, for sure.”

I separately understood that I should not be too attached to any particular candidate winning the election as an ordinary person might. Everything is arranged by the heavens, and divine beings have the final say in who will become an elected representative regardless of what ordinary society predicts.

Master stated in the 2019 New York Fa Conference (https://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2019/6/2/177872.html), “Degenerate things are common in this troubled world, and it’s hard to accomplish good things. That’s how things are in a troubled world. Many people didn’t expect Trump to be elected in the last U.S. election, but he was. Some people believe that things are supposed to go a certain way, but then they turn out otherwise. I have always said that divine beings are in control of human affairs, and that it is they who have the say. ”

This is just my cultivation sharing. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.

 

Thank you Master.

Thank you fellow practitioners.

(Editor’s note: The author of this article is a young Australian Westerner practitioner.)

在煉功點向議員及候選人講真相

尊敬的師父好！
同修們好！

近年來，聯邦、州、地方政府的頻繁選舉給我提供了幾次機會，讓我向候選人講述法輪大法持續至今被迫害的真相，幫助他們親自見證法輪大法的美好。
過去，我並不太關注選舉，因為聯繫所有的候選人似乎很費勁。我認為在他們當選後再去聯繫、再向他們講清真相更容易些。
然而，我自己嘗試了十多年後，發現這種方法很難取得好的效果，因為，當議員已經設立了他們的辦公室，並聘請了工作人員來處理諮詢事務時，與他們直接交談並建立關係以便為將來打開大門的機會就少了很多。
我記得師父​​在《法輪大法–對澳洲學員講法》DVD中，用了很大的篇幅告訴我們一個問題：重要的是平時要拜訪政要講清真相，不要等到有問題了才去拜訪他們。據我的理解，他們了解了法輪大法遭受的迫害和大法的美好真相後，如果中共干涉法輪大法在澳洲的活動，他們就會有更好的認識，這有助於他們更好的擺放自己的位置。

所以我悟到，在選舉前與候選人見面很重要，要充分利用機會向他們講清真相，邀請他們到當地煉功點與其他同修見面，甚至在那裡學習法輪大法功法。這其中涉及到要做很多工作，也使我在自己的學法、煉功和與其他同修的配合中更加精進。

為了符合常人社會狀態，消除我可能要改變他們信仰的疑惑，我邀請了幾位參選人到黃金海岸每週的煉功點參加與選民見面的活動。當他們到達時，同修們向他們每人教了法輪大法五套功法，並向每位候選人展示了法輪功在中國被迫害前的集體煉功照片、法會照片、本地以前的法輪大法活動照片、以及本地以前其他政界人士對法輪功的支持宣言和支持信。最後安排了時間讓候選人演講，並讓他們有機會與屬於他們選區的同修單獨見面。
師父說：“在這段時間絕對不會有成萬上億的神在人間行神事，大法弟子也絕不會用神的一面在常人社會眾多的世人面前完全用神的方式大行神事，大法弟子是在利用常人的形式在證實法，沒有走入常人的什麼政治，利用了常人的一些有利的形式來證實法是沒錯的。”[1] 學完幾套功法後，幾位候選人都評價說，氣氛很祥和，很輕鬆。這與他們在常人社會中經歷的其他見面會完全不同。他們評價說，完全沒有負面想法，觀眾表現得很好，每個候選人都有發言的機會。我明白這反映了普通人與修煉者的根本區別。

有的候選人還注意到即使是把（常規的法輪功）抱輪站樁功法和靜功功法（的時間）縮短了，（對他們來說）還感覺具有相當挑戰性，並表示真的很敬佩大法弟子的勤奮和毅力，（大法弟子通常）能煉滿兩個小時。
還有候選人對中共二十一年來對無辜的大法修煉者的迫害表示強烈不滿，這些修煉者只是想在公園裡煉功鍛煉身體，在日常生活中按照“真、善、忍”去做。

其中一位候選人在地方政府選舉中勝出，隨後造訪了煉功點，鼓勵她選區的所有人加入煉功點，親身體驗法輪大法的美好。她將自己與大法弟子的合影和其他展示法輪大法功法的照片分享到她的官方社交媒體頁面上，有數千名居民關注。她還為“世界法輪大法日”寫了一封支持信，感謝大法修煉者孜孜不倦的（為當地）義務洪法，甚至允許大法修煉者將這封信展示在法輪大法宣傳欄上，供所有路人閱讀。

師父說：“目前在廣播、電視、報紙等宣傳工具中被宣傳的好人好事，很多都是我們大法學員由於修煉了大法，心性得到提高後所做的。可是報導中卻冠以該人是模範，是什麼骨干人物等原因所為的，完全抹煞了由於修煉大法而出現的行為。其主要原因是弟子們自己造成的。修煉是偉大而殊勝的事，為什麼不能堂堂正正的告訴採訪者你是因為脩大法而為呢？如果報導者不想提大法，那我們也不要為竊法而又不證實大法的任何形式抹粉。我們大家都是在做好人，對社會、對人類是有益的，為什麼就不應該有一個公正的合法環境呢？弟子們你們要記住，大法圓容著你們而你們也是在圓容著大法。”[2]

一位在州選舉中勝出的候選人最近回到煉功點，與同修交談，並在緊挨著煉功點的旁邊架起了他的官方帳篷。他的一位競選組織者，在布里斯班觀看過神韻，在過去的三個月裡，她每週都會來這個煉功點煉功。她告訴人們法輪大法功法是如何幫助她恢復活力，為繁忙的周末競選活動做好準備。

她定期參加集體煉功對我幫助很大，讓我更精進的參加本地煉功點的煉功。過去，我有時會因為同時做三個工作而極其忙碌，以至於我時常需要工作到深夜甚至第二天凌晨才能完成工作。在常人層面上看，我為支撐我的家做的很好，我們快速的償還著購房貸款，過著公司高管一樣的有品味的生活。然而，近五年以來如此極其忙碌，嚴重的減少了我能夠自由支配的時間來專注於個人修煉。

某些星期六的早晨，我會感到疲憊不堪，簡直就醒不了，即使設定的鬧鐘響了也無濟於事。後來我明白了這其實是由於另外空間的邪惡生命試圖阻礙我聽見鬧鐘的聲響或者讓我感到非常疲憊而又睡過去。

還有一些時候，我覺得把來之不易的閒暇時間花到煉功點上讓我有點惱火與生氣。我最終悟到這其實是我的思想業在作怪，讓我覺得我不想修煉，騙我相信我或許更願意把時間花到裝修房子上或享受休閒活動上。
經過向內找，我認識到那麼拼命的工作對我意味著什麼，我放下了追求奢華生活的執著，我在還完貸款之後就立即不再做那麼多的工作了，而且在一年多之前改成了做非全時制的工作。過去的一年，我經歷了心態的全然的轉變。我以前的同事、同修、常人朋友都說我如今顯得多麼的輕鬆。我明白這是我更注重自己的修煉所帶來的結果。

在我的州議員的競選助理幾個月前加入我們當地煉功點以來，我從未錯過一次集體煉功，也幾乎沒有遲到過。我注意到我的能量水平恢復到了以前的水平，再也不感到疲憊、瞌睡、易怒了。
我的州議員對我很有幫助，他寫了支持法輪功的信，並通過他的社交媒體渠道傳播法輪大法活動信息。最近他還幫助我一起在與我的聯邦議員的聯繫上取得了突破性進展。過去我在求得那位聯邦議員辦公室的答複方面遇到過很大困難。

過去十年，我多次通過電話、電子郵件、親身造訪等形式與我的聯邦議員聯繫，但只收到過他的一封電子郵件和一封信，我有點灰心，甚至不知道是否應該繼續下去。在這期間，我只獲得了一次面對面的約談機會，來講關於中共活摘大法修煉者器官的真相。儘管他把我的關注轉給了外交部長，他拒絕出席《難以置信》記錄片在他的選區裡的放映。還有一些時候，我請求面談，他的工作人員拒絕了我的請求，告訴我他對於活摘器官的話題沒有什麼再需要進一步討論的。

遭到拒絕後，我想起了最近媒體報導說他接受了一個中共商人送的一塊豪華手錶，指控他濫用部長職務為他擁有股份的一家中國礦業公司做推廣。我認為他已經變成了一個腐敗的政客，他幾乎沒有希望給自己正確擺放位置了。我覺得很失望，對這種處境感到沒有希望，對他幾乎要放棄了。

然而，在我就最近媒體對法輪大法的負面報導事件聯繫我的州議員辦公室後，其辦公室很快幫助我聯繫了我的聯邦議員辦公室，聯邦議員辦公室打來電話，說他們已經把我的關注轉給了通訊部長，通訊部長也收到了全澳許多其他法輪大法修煉者的類似關注。聯邦議員的工作人員說，媒體不應該污衊法輪大法修煉者，他還鼓勵我把媒體對我之前投訴的拙劣回應寫進我的正式投訴中。我感謝聯邦議員辦公室花時間回應，感謝我的州議員幫助我實現了與聯邦議員聯繫上的突破。

從這次經歷中我明白，我必須繼續向所有議員講清真相，即便不一定能得到回應，也不要感到氣餒。他們可能已經在幕後做了很多我不知道的工作，就像我的聯邦議員在過去十年來所做的那樣。
我記得師父​​在《法輪大法-對澳洲學員講法》DVD中開示：有時候如果大法弟子的想法不完美，還是可以取得很好的效果的，尤其是在大法弟子一起配合好的情況下。我理解這是因為當大法弟子配合得好的時候，神會看到這一點，伸出援手，奇蹟就會發生。
師父說：“大家知道，神在幫助做，神韻的演員技術技巧在台上、台下都會出現奇蹟的。樂團傳出去的聲音，人們看到的視覺效果，是經過神加持的，誰也比不了的。人們看到、聽到的是超越人類的。當然了，一個人技術條件越好效果就越好。” [3]

我個人理解，我不應該像常人一樣，過於執著於某位候選人的當選。一切都是上天的安排，不管常人社會如何預測，誰能成為當選議員，由神說了算。
師父說：“亂世就是亂象，人們想要得到什麼好的都很難。這就是亂世的表現。美國在大選的時候，很多人沒有想到川普能夠當選，他就當選了。有的人覺的什麼事情就應該是這樣，結果它沒這樣。我一直在講一個問題，我說人類是神在控制，神說了算。”[4]
以上是我的修煉心得交流。不當之處，請同修慈悲指正。
謝謝師父！
謝謝同修！
注：
[1] 李洪志師尊著作: 《二零零四年華盛頓DC法會講法》
[2] 李洪志師尊著作: 《精進要旨》<法正人心>
[3] 李洪志師尊著作: 《二零一六年紐約法會講法》
[4] 李洪志師尊著作: 《二零一九年紐約法會講法》
(編者按：本文作者是年輕的澳洲西人學員)

一個“音盲”是如何成為一名天國樂團的樂手
文：墨爾本大法弟子

尊敬的師父好！
各位同脩大家好！

天國樂團在每次的大法活動和各種遊行中，永遠是最吸引眾多觀眾的隊伍，其雄壯的音樂震撼著現場的每一個人。師父在2015年曾親自為〈天國樂團〉寫了一首詩，
“法鼓法號顯天威，去邪除惡喚回歸，末世救人驚天地，法正乾坤放光輝。”[1]
這是一個令很多大法弟子嚮往的團隊。
不過我從未想過自己要成為天國樂團的隊員，即便是已在天國樂團的家人同修數次邀請我參加樂團，我都是一口拒絕。因為我不僅對音樂一竅不通，而且是一個沒有節奏感和樂感的人，平時幾乎不聽、唱常人的音樂和歌曲。簡單地說，我就是一個“音盲”。特別是後來聽說，為了提升天國樂團的整體演奏水平，每個成員都要進行考試，規定的九首演奏曲目必須全部通過後才有資格參加活動。哇，這感覺是要把“濫竽充數”者趕出樂團。加入天國樂團，對我來說就像一個連小學還沒上的人，卻叫他去上大學，這簡直就是天方夜譚！

一、入門
二零一八年上半年的一天，坐在電腦前的家人同修對我說，他在新唐人網站上發現了一部紀錄片叫《傳奇時代》，要不要一起看看？當時我一聽這個名字，就覺得應該是一部相當不錯的影片，於是我們坐在電腦前觀看了這部紀錄片。
這是一部關於天國樂團的紀錄片，講述了天國樂團及其成員如何克服困難去各地演出。特別是有些同修年紀很大、音樂基礎很差，但通過刻苦訓練後，終於成為了天國樂團成員，並到世界各地演出，用這種獨特的方式去講真相救人。這部紀錄片對我觸動很大，當時我就想我只要刻苦努力，或許我也能行。
於是我膽膽突突地問家人同修：“你說我參加天國樂團，行不行？” 他一聽樂了，說：“肯定行。我們樂團之前的指揮曾說過，我們樂團不需要音樂家，只需要數學家。”“數學家？”我疑惑地看著他，這是我第一次聽到這種說法。家人同修說，指揮的意思就是你只要按照譜吹就可以了，譜上是一拍你就吹一拍，譜上是半拍就吹半拍，不需要你發揮，也不需要你創新。哇，這麼簡單！聽了這話，讓我這個理科生信心大增：原來就像做數學，那不就簡單多了。就這樣，我報名加入了天國樂團，成了天國樂團的一位預備隊員。
家人同修幫我選擇了中音號作為我未來的法器，他笑著對我說，“目前我們樂團沒有中音號手，好好努力，你要是練出來了，你就是我們樂團的第一中音號手。”幾天后，家人同修和我去了樂器店，花了兩千多元給我買了一個雅馬哈品牌的中音號，當時我有一點點心痛，畢竟我是初學者，還不知道能不能學得出來。
“是不是太貴了？你自己的樂器也沒有這麼好啊！”我患得患失的說，“要是我學不出來，這個中音號就給你用吧。”因為家人同修以前吹過中音號，現在吹悠峰號，但號的質量一般般。
他對我說，“差的樂器吹出來的音質也差。特別是初學者，好樂器才能吹出好聽的音樂，這會增強你吹奏的信心。不許打退堂鼓啊，這是你的法器，你得用它來證實大法，解體邪惡。”
當時，我除了興奮外，還有一種沒有退路的壓力感。腦海翻出的都是“背水一戰”，“自古華山一條道”等一些詞語。但有一個更強大的聲音衝進了我的腦海：“弟子正念足，師有回天力。” [2]
是啊，我是一個修煉人，我有師父，我是在做助師正法的事，師父一定會幫助我的，我一定會成功的！事後我悟到，修煉人沒有偶然的事情，從開始觀看《傳奇時代》這部紀錄片，一直到買中音號，應該都是師父的安排吧！或許我有這樣的使命吧！

二、苦練
當我拿著我的法器，費了九牛二虎之力吹奏出第一個音符時，我興奮不已，彷彿聽到了天籟之音，有一種大功告成的感覺。但這股興奮勁很快就煙消雲散了，因為我發現這個中音號一共只有三個按鍵，但不是只吹三個音，而是需要通過氣流速度、按鍵的組合，吹出幾十種不同的音。即便相同的音，也有連音，吐音之分，竟然這麼複雜！竟然這麼難！ ！
我有點想打退堂鼓。但轉念一想，我既然選擇了要加入天國樂團，想成為天國樂團一員去證實大法，救度眾生，那就得必須認真去練習才有這個可能，光有想法不行，還得必須下功夫刻苦去練。家人同修也一直鼓勵我：練號就是修煉，修煉就是要吃苦。於是我給自己制訂了一個訓練計劃，每天必須保證兩個小時練號，從基本功開始訓練，練音節、練爬音、練氣流……堅持、決不能鬆懈。
大概練了二個月後，我就開始參加團練，就從那個時候開始，我每週去參加團練，一直堅持到現在，直到今年三月（因中共病毒疫情）暫停。
當我第一次參加團練，與大家一起練習暖嘴的曲目，我根本沒有節奏感，忽快忽慢，緊張得我一身汗。我自己在家練是根據節拍器練，覺得還行。但團練時，根本就沒有節拍器，一下子又不知道怎麼去跟著指揮去吹了？後來我開始向外去找原因，認為是指揮打拍的手勢太模糊造成的。於是我私下去跟指揮交流，希望她打拍的手勢更清晰點，以便我看清她的手勢。誰知指揮對我說，你自己心中要有拍，要有節奏才行。我聽了，當時就傻了，自己要有節奏，我啥時才能練出節奏感？
正當自己處於很沮喪的時候，我想到自己當初加入天國樂團時，不就準備要吃苦的，這才剛開始怎麼就害怕了，要克服怕困難的心，不能退縮，相信自己一定能行，要向內使勁，得用心去練習。因為加入任何一個項目都存在著對意志力的考驗，看你能不能堅持下去？看你是知難而上，還是知難而下？
師父開示：“你說你必須堅定不移，這樣的心，到那時你真能堅定不移，你自然能做好，因為你的心性已經提高上去了。” [3]
為了練習節奏，我開始學唱譜，同時我們的聲部長也在教我們一些初學者練習唱譜，通過一段時間的練習，我的節奏感有了很大的提升。

三、考試
中音號學了半年後，我開始參加天國樂團上場規定的九首曲目考試。但凡參加過天國樂團考試的同脩大多會覺得這是一個倍受煎熬的過程。首先考試是不能看譜，不能看節拍器，不能有錯，需要一氣呵成。作為一名新手，我毫不例外也得去經受這種煎熬。從先易後難的順序，一首一首的考。
剛開始的幾首曲目用現在的眼光看是非常簡單的，但當時我每次考試時都很緊張，水平只能發揮平時的七、八成，每首曲目都要考四到五次才能通過，特別是有一首考了七次才通過。試想一下，我們團練一周一次，也就是一周只能考一次，每週都參與考試，七次意味著將近二個月考一首曲目。
我們的考官就是我們的指揮，每一次我考試失敗後，她都會細心地給我指點和鼓勵，甚至親自吹給我聽，這使我的演奏技巧、以及對曲目的理解都大大地得到了提高。在這期間，樂團的很多同修在技術上也給了我很大的幫助，他們指出了我的很多不足之處，讓我受益匪淺。在此，我感謝我們天國樂團每一位給我幫助過的同修，無論是精神上的，還是技術上的，謝謝你們！
屢戰屢敗，屢敗屢戰！這是我前期考試的真實寫照，我成了考試專業戶。面對一次又一次的失敗，有時家人同修都對我失去了信心，叫我先放一放，去練下一首。我反過來安慰他，沒關係，我一定能通過。因為我是一個修煉人，師父告訴我們修煉是嚴肅的，所以做任何事都帶有修煉的因素在裡面，天國樂團是一個證實法的項目，通過演奏出的音樂來救度眾生，解體邪惡。我要成為天國樂團的一員能那麼容易嗎？能沒有考驗嗎？ ！
師父在法中開示“師父領進門，修行在個人，全看你自己如何去修。能不能修，全看你自己能不能忍受，能不能付出，能不能吃苦。如能橫下一條心，什麼困難也擋不住，我說那就沒問題。” [3]
師父的法理讓我明白，練號也是自己修煉心性的一部分，我要像金剛一樣堅如磐石，橫下一條心，堅持練下去，一定會成功有望。
隨著心性的提高，我的演奏技巧也在迅速提高，我最後二首曲目考試，一次過關！二零一九年十二月十五日對我來說是一個很值得高興的日子，經過一年半不懈的努力，我終於通過了全部九首曲目的考試，成為天國樂團的正式隊員。
當然，通過考試這不是結束，而是作為天國樂團樂手生涯的開始，要想真正駕馭每一首曲目、掌控每一個音符，我還需要付出更多的汗水。
在加入天國樂團之前，我對考試是有一些想法的，認為考試會把很多想參與此項目的人堵在門外，因為我當時覺得能堅持參與這個項目，每週能堅持參加團練，這些同修已經很了不起了。但當我經歷了這九首曲目的考試後，覺得整個過程雖然很痛苦也很煎熬，但確實讓我在各方面提高了很多，無論是在演奏技巧上，還是在心性上，都有很大的收穫。家人同修也常說，在他自己考試和幫助我考試的過程中，他也糾正了自己很多在吹奏方面的壞習慣，他還說，考試讓他從一個“濫竽充數”者，變成了一個真正的演奏員。所以我現在也改變了原先的想法。
隨著正法進程的整體向前推進，對修煉人的要求也在提高，對項目的要求也在提高。天國樂團作為一個證實法、救人的項目，不提高天國樂團的整體演奏水平就不能起到救人的作用。
師父開示：“特別是在正法期間，所有宇宙中的正負生命都想在這次正法中能夠被救度，包括最高的層層無量巨大的神，特別是它那些個世界的眾生，因此它們都在世間、三界之內插了一腳，它們能失去這萬劫不遇的救命機會嗎？你得救我，都說你得救我、你得救我，但是表現形式可不像世間的論理認識那樣的，求人時要很禮貌的、很謙卑的才行：你救我、我得先感激你啊、我給你提供方便，可不是這個。在它們來看，你要能救了我，你得能到了我這層次才行，你得有這個威德，你才能救了我。你沒那個威德、你沒達到我那麼高，怎麼救我？那麼它就讓你摔跟頭、吃苦、去你的執著，然後把你的威德建立起來，你修煉到了哪個層次了，你才能救了它，都這麼幹。” [4]
至今家人同修還認為像我這樣一個五音不全的人，能通過全部考試，成為天國樂團一員，就像創造了一個奇蹟。但我不完全認同這種說法。
師父開示：“煉功人他的一生是經過改變的，手像、面像、生辰八字，和身體所帶的信息的東西已經不一樣了，是經過改變的。”“因為那一生是改變的，是修煉的一生。” [3]
因為當我發出要加入天國樂團這一念的時候，那麼即使我碰到再大的困難和乾擾，只要我堅定正念，師父一定會幫我度過難關的。因為，“修在自己，功在師父。” [3]
如果說創造一個奇蹟，也是師父在創造，我只是有做的這顆心而已。
我成為天國樂團正式隊員後，第一次參加了今年的國慶遊行，之後在今年一月三十一日前往悉尼參加了《慶賀三億五千萬中華兒女退出中共》活動的天國樂團演出。受中共病毒疫情的影響，天國樂團對外演出不得不暫停。雖然迄今我只參加了二次演出，但我還是感到很高興。

四、講真相
去年下半年，我在當地社區補習英語，班上的同學們來自世界各地。由於語言交流不通暢，大家上完課後都各自回家，在這樣的環境中，似乎很難找到講真相的機會。但弟子有這顆想講真相的心，師父就會給我安排機會。
二零一九年九月二十九日週日，澳洲天國樂團受邀參加墨爾本年度大型農展會演出。第二天週一上英文課時，英語老師按照慣例讓學生們寫下關於上週末發生的事。當時，我用英語簡單地描述了天國樂團在墨爾本年度大型農展會的表演，整場演出受到前來觀看的遊客和組委會的好評，我的家人同修也參加了表演，還介紹自己也是一名天國樂團的預備隊員，組辦單位明年可能還會邀請我們的樂團去表演。
英語老師看了我寫的內容，課後很高興地告訴我，說她昨天也去墨爾本農展會了，看到了天國樂團的表演，非常好。接下來，英語老師佈置了一個作業，讓每個學生寫一個關於自己休閒活動介紹的內容。其實作為一個修煉人，我們的休閒活動很少，我這次就寫自己的休閒活動是吹中音號及參加天國樂團。英語老師覺得我寫的很好，讓我在整個班級介紹我寫的休閒活動。我當時悟到，我可以利用這個機會向全班講真相。
於是，我就重新寫了自己的發言稿，寫好後讓我的女婿給我檢查一下英語的用詞和語法，看是否表達清楚了。女婿看了講稿後對我說，媽，挺好，你正好利用這個機會給你的同學講真相。因為要脫稿演講，我在家裡就把講稿背了出來。

演講的那天，我用了“天國樂團傳遞正能量”作為標題，我先介紹了自己練習的樂器情況，再介紹了天國樂團遍布全世界，在澳洲悉尼和墨爾本都有天國樂團，天國樂團主要為當地社區服務，每年參加了很多活動，例如每年的國慶遊行、復活節的班迪戈遊行，還有今年的墨爾本年度大型農展會等等演出；天國樂團演奏的音樂會給人們帶來正能量，聽了我們的音樂，有益於人們的身心健康，會給整個社會帶來光明的未來。同時我還介紹了天國樂團的成員都是修煉法輪功的，法輪功又叫法輪大法，它有四套站功和一套打坐，以真、善、忍作為日常生活行為準則。但是天國樂團不能在中國演出，因為法輪功在中國是不允許煉的，我本人在中國就因堅持修煉法輪功遭受到迫害，被中國政府抓到監獄，但是我現在也很幸運，來到澳洲這個信仰自由的民主國家。目前在中國仍然有很多很多像我這樣因堅持修煉法輪功被中國政府關在監獄。當時，我講到這裡時，我自己都哭了……全班同學和老師都給予我熱烈的掌聲。
下課後，我也將我事先準備好的英文法輪大法好的小單張發給同學們和老師，並告訴他們小單張上有相關的網站，你們可以上網了解到更多有關法輪功的相關內容，同學們和老師都欣然接收。

以上是我參與天國樂團後發生在自己身邊的一些小事，由於層次有限，不妥之處，請同修慈悲指正。
謝謝師尊！
謝謝同修。

注：
[1] 李洪志師父著作：《洪吟四》
[2] 李洪志師父著作：《洪吟二》
[3] 李洪志師父著作：《轉法輪》
[4] 李洪志師父著作：《各地講法十一》〈大法弟子必須學法〉

English translation of the sharing:

My cultivation journey from being “tone deaf” to becoming a member of the Tian Guo Marching Band

By a Melbourne practitioner

Greetings Master!

Greetings fellow practitioners!

The Tian Guo Marching Band is always the most eye-catching section in Dafa practitioners’ events and parades, its majestic melodies amaze every single member of the audience. In 2015 Master wrote a poem for the Tian Guo Marching Band,

“Drums and horns of Fa display divine might

Purging all manner of evil,

     beckoning souls back to heaven

Heaven n’ earth are in awe

     as the Band saves lives at the end of time

Its glorious light shines

in the cosmic Fa-rectification”

This is a group that many Dafa disciples long for.

I never thought that I would become a member of the Tian Guo Marching Band, my husband who was already a member of the band had invited me to join several times, but I refused. Not only did I know nothing about music, I also have no sense of rhythm, and I hardly listen to or sing ordinary people’s music and songs.  To put it simply, I am “tone deaf”. I heard from my husband that in order to improve the band’s level of musical performance, members of the band must successfully pass an examination of each piece to be eligible to participate in performances. Wow, this feels like driving out the people who are there just to make up the numbers. Joining the band for me was just like telling someone to go to college when they haven’t even been to elementary school, it was simply a fantasy!

1. Getting started

One day in the first half of 2018, my husband sitting in front of the computer told me that he discovered a documentary on the NTD website called “Legends Unfolding”, and asked if I wanted to watch it together with him. When I heard the name, I felt that it would be a great video, so we sat in front of the computer and watched the documentary.

This was a documentary about the Tian Guo Marching Band, telling how the band and band members overcame difficulties whilst performing. Also, there were some very old practitioners, who had poor musical foundations but finally became Tian Guo Band Members after hard work and practice, and performed all over the world to clarify the truth and save people in this unique way. The documentary really touched me. At that time, I thought, “as long as I worked hard, maybe I could do it.”

So I nervously asked my husband, do you think I can join the band? My husband was delighted and said: “of course. The band’s former conductor once said, our band doesn’t need musicians, we only need mathematicians”. “Mathematicians?” I asked my husband, as this was my first time hearing such a statement. My husband said, “the conductor meant that you just need to play according to the music, if there is one beat, you play one beat, if there is half a beat, then you play half a beat, there is no need for you to improvise or innovate.” Wow, it’s that simple! Hearing my husband’s words made me, a science student, and I became more confident. Turns out it’s much simpler, it’s just like doing maths. Just like that, I signed up to join the Tian Guo Marching Band and became a substitute band member.

My husband assisted me in choosing the baritone as my future Fa instrument. He smiled and said to me “Currently there are no baritone players in the band, work hard, if you can make it, you will be the band’s first baritone”. A few days later, my husband and I went to the musical instrument store and purchased a Yamaha baritone for over $2000. It hurt a little at the time, after all, I was a beginner and wasn’t sure if I could learn it successfully.

“Is it too expensive? Even your own instrument isn’t this good!” I said with worry, “if I am unsuccessful, then you can use this baritone”. My husband used to play the baritone, now he plays the Euphonium, but the quality of his instrument is average.

My husband said to me with a smile, “The sound made by a poor quality instrument is also poor. Especially for a beginner, only a good instrument can play good music, this will increase your confidence in playing. You’re not allowed to have second thoughts, this is your Fa instrument, you have to use it to validate the Fa and eliminate evil”.

At the time, other than excitement, I also felt pressure because I knew there was no backing out. Phrases such as “the last stand” and “there is only one path” appeared in my mind. But an even stronger voice popped into my head, “When disciples have ample righteous thoughts, Master has the power to turn back the tide” (Hong Yin, Volume II). Yes, I am a practitioner, I have Master, I am doing something to validate the Fa, Master will definitely help me, I will definitely succeed!

Afterward, I realised that there is nothing coincidental for cultivators. From watching the documentary to buying the baritone, this should all be Master’s arrangement! Maybe I have such a mission!

2. Hard Practice

As I held my Fa instrument and played my first note, I was so excited, it was as if I heard a heavenly sound. I felt a sense of great accomplishment. But my excitement quickly disappeared when I found out that the baritone has only three keys, but plays dozens of different notes through airflow speed and different combinations of keys. Even the same note, can be played in many ways such as slurs and staccatos, I thought it was so hard and complicated!!

I kind of wanted to back out. But then I thought about it: since I chose to join the band, to become a member to validate the Fa and save sentient beings, then I have to practice earnestly to make it possible. Just having the thought is not enough, I have to work hard and practice. My husband was always encouraging me—practicing my instrument is cultivating, cultivation is enduring hardships. So I made myself a practice schedule, every day I will practice for 2 hours, starting from the basics, scales, arpeggios, airflow……perseverance, absolutely no slacking off.

After practicing for about two months, I started participating in band practice. From that time on, I joined my husband in band practice every week, and have continued till the present, until March this year (due to the CCP virus).

When I participated in band practice for the first time, I had no sense of rhythm at all during the warm-up, I was sweating because I was so nervous. At home, I practiced with a metronome and thought I was okay. But at band practice, there was no metronome. Suddenly I didn’t know how to follow the conductor and play! Later, I began to look for reasons externally, thinking it was because the conductor’s hand signals were too vague. So I went to talk to the conductor privately, hoping she could make her hand gestures more clear, so I could see better. Unexpectedly, the conductor said to me, you need to have the beat in your own mind, there has to be a rhythm. I was shocked upon hearing this, I need to have rhythm, when can I develop a sense of rhythm?

As I felt disheartened. I remembered when I initially joined the band, I was prepared to endure hardships. I thought that this was only the beginning, so why was I already afraid? I had to overcome my fear of difficulties and believe I can do it, make effort internally, and practice hard. Because when joining any project there exists a test of willpower to see if you can stick to it, to test if you can face difficulties front on? or back away? “With this determination, if you can indeed be firmly resolute at that point, you will naturally do well because your xinxing will have already improved.” (Zhuan Falun, Lecture Six)

In order to develop my rhythm, I started to learn how to sing to the music, I sang for a while. At the same time, my group leader also asked some of the beginners to practice singing the music. Through a period of doing this, my sense of rhythm improved greatly.

3. Examination

After half a year of learning the baritone, I began taking the exams. Passing the exams is a requirement to participate in the performances.

Most of the practitioners who have taken the band’s exams feel that it is a tough process. First of all, you are not allowed to look at the music during the test, you cannot look at the metronome, you can’t make mistakes, and you have to complete the song in one go. As a beginner, I had to endure this tough process as well. Taking tests the songs one by one, from easiest to the most difficult.

Looking back now, the first few songs seem very easy, but at that time, I was so nervous during every exam. I could only perform 70-80% of my usual level, and had to take the test four to five times in order to pass. In particular there was one song that took me seven times to pass. To think about it, we had band practice once a week, meaning we could only take the test once a week. I took the test every week, taking the same test seven times means it took me almost 2 months to pass one song.

Our examiner is our conductor. Each time I failed to pass, she would kindly give me guidance and encouragement, and even played it to me herself—this helped my performance technique and my understanding of the music improved quickly. During this time, I received a lot of technical help from many other practitioners in the band, they pointed out many areas I needed to improve on, and I benefited a lot from this. Here, I thank every single practitioner in the band who has helped me, whether it be mentally or technically, thank you!

‘Defeated battle after battle, battling again after every defeat!’ This is an accurate portrayal of my initial examinations.

I became a ‘professional exam taker’. In the face of repeated failures, my husband even lost faith sometimes and told me to leave it aside and practice the next song. I consoled him in return, and thought “it’s okay, I can definitely pass.” Because I am a practitioner, Master said cultivation is serious, everything a cultivator does has elements of cultivation in it. The Tian Guo Marching Band is a project that validates the Fa through playing music that eliminates evil and saves sentient beings. Is it that easy for me to become a Tian Guo Band member? How could there be no tests?!

Master said in the Fa “The master takes you through the entrance, and cultivation is up to you, yourself. It all depends upon how you, yourself cultivate. Whether you can cultivate all depends upon whether you can endure, sacrifice, and suffer. If you can commit your mind, no difficulties can stop you. I would say that there’s no problem.” (Zhuan Falun, Lecture Four)

Masters Fa helped me understand that practicing my instrument is also a part of cultivating xinxing. I need to be strong like a Vajra, set my mind to it, keep practicing, and I will succeed.

With the improvement of my xinxing, my performance skills also improved rapidly. I passed my last two songs in one go. The date was December 15, 2019, it was a very happy day for me! After a year and a half of unceasing effort, I finally passed the exams for all nine songs and became an official member of the Tian Guo Marching Band.

Of course, passing the exams isn’t the end, but just the beginning of the journey of a Tian Guo Band member. To truly master each piece of music, and each note, I need to put in more effort.

Before joining the band, I had certain opinions about the exams. I thought that the exams would act as a barrier for many people who wanted to join, because at that time I thought the practitioners who joined the band and continued to participate in band practice every week were already amazing. But after going through the examination process of the nine songs, I felt that the whole process was painful and tormenting, but it did in fact help me improve in many aspects, whether it be in performance skills or xinxing.

My husband would often say that during his own examination process he corrected many of his bad playing habits, and the exams changed him from someone who was just there to fill the numbers into a true performer. Now I also have changed my original opinion.

With the overall progression of the Fa rectification process, the requirements for cultivators and projects are also increasing. The Tian Guo Marching Band is a project that validates the Fa and saves sentient beings. It cannot save people unless the band’s overall music performance skills is improved.

Master said “This especially holds true in the Fa-rectification period, where all of the cosmos’s beings, both positive and negative, want to be saved. And that includes even the unimaginably massive gods at the highest of planes, as well as, notably, the sentient beings of their worlds. It is because of this that they have managed to have a presence in the human world, and in the Three Realms. Could they forgo this once-in-eons opportunity to be saved? “You have to save me”—they all utter this, imploring to be saved. But the way this comes across is not what one would expect by using the kind of reasoning and comprehension found in the human world, such as how you must be courteous and humble when asking for help—“As you are here to save me, I must first express my gratitude toward you, and I will do my part to make it easier”—it’s nothing like that. As they see it, “If you are to save me, you have to reach my level first, and you must have this measure of mighty virtue before you can save me. Without such mighty virtue, without having reached my stature, how could you save me?” So they would have you trip and fall, suffer, and eliminate your attachments, after which, with your mighty virtue having been established, you will have cultivated to that level and be able to save them. That’s how they want to have it.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa” in Teaching the Fa at the Conference XI)

To this day, my husband still thinks it’s a miracle that someone like me who knew nothing about music could pass all the exams to become a member of the band. But I don’t fully agree with this statement.

Master said, “The entire life of a practitioner has been rearranged. One’s palm reading, face reading, birth data, and all messages in one’s body are already different and have been changed … because a life like that has been changed and is one for cultivation.” (Zhuan Falun, Lecture Six, Your Mind Must Be Righteous). Because when I had the thought of joining the band, no matter how difficult and great the interferences I encounter, as long as I maintain righteous thoughts, Master will help me through difficulties.

Again the words “Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” (Lecture One in Zhuan Falun).

If creating a miracle, it is Master creating it, I just have the heart to do it.

After becoming an official member of the Tian Guo Marching Band, I participated in the Australia Day parade this year for the first time, and then went to Sydney on January 31 to participate in the band performance to celebrate 350 million Chinese people withdrawing from the CCP. Although I’ve only participated in two performances so far, I am still very happy.

4. Clarifying the Truth

In the second half of last year, I was learning English in my local community, and my classmates came from all around the world. Due to the language barrier, everyone just went home after class. In such an environment, it seemed difficult to find an opportunity to clarify the truth. But because I had the heart to clarify the truth, Master arranged an opportunity for me.

On Sunday the 29^th of September 2019, The Australian Tian Guo Marching Band was invited to perform at the Melbourne Show. The next day in class, the English teacher asked everyone to write down what happened during the weekend. At the time, I briefly described in English the band’s performance at the Melbourne Show, how the whole performance was commended by visitors and the organising committee, how my husband also participated in the performance, and introduced myself as a substitute member of the band, and that the organiser may invite our band the perform again the next year.

After reading what I had written, the English teacher excitedly told me after class that she also went to the Melbourne Show that day and saw the band play, and said it was great. Next, the English teacher set an assignment for each student to write an introduction on their leisure activities. As a cultivator, we rarely have leisure activities, so I wrote about playing the baritone and participating in the Tian Guo Band. My English teacher thought what I wrote was great and asked me to introduce my leisure activity to the whole class. I realised at the time that I could take this opportunity to clarify the truth to the class.

So, I rewrote my speech and asked my son-in-law to check my English vocabulary and grammar to see if it made sense. After reading my script, he said, “mum, it’s good, you can use this opportunity to clarify the truth to your classmates.” Because I had to make a speech, I memorised the script at home.

On the day of the speech, I used “The Tian Guo Marching Band delivers positive energy” as a title. I firstly introduced which instrument I practiced then introduced how the Tian Guo Band performs all over the world. In Australia, there is a Tian Guo Band in Sydney and Melbourne, and mainly it performs locally and participates in many events each year such as the Australia Day parade, the Easter parade in Bendigo and this years Melbourne Show.

I added that the band’s performance brings positive energy to people, listening to our music is beneficial to people’s mental and physical health, and brings positivity to society.

I also said that members of the band all practice Falun Gong. That it has four standing exercises and one sitting meditation, and practitioners follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance in their daily lives.

I also clarified that Tian Guo Band won’t be able to perform in China because Falun Gong is banned from being practiced in China. I told them that I myself was persecuted, arrested by the government and jailed in China because I persisted in practicing Falun Gong. But I was also very lucky that I was able to come to Australia, a democratic country where there is freedom of faith. Currently, there are still many people in China who have been jailed by the government because they are like me and persist in practicing Falun Gong.

When I spoke about this, I even cried … The whole class and the teacher gave me warm applause.

After class, I handed out the small English “Falun Dafa is Good” leaflets I had prepared in advance to my classmates and teacher, and told them there were related websites on the leaflet which they can visit to learn more about Falun Gong. Everyone happily accepted.

Above are the bits and pieces that I have experienced since joining the Tian Guo Marching Band. Due to my limited level, please kindly point out any improprieties.

 

Thank you Master！

Thank you fellow practitioners.