(Minghui.org)
Greetings, Master!Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I’d like to share my cultivation experiences from when I changed jobs.
I obtained the Fa when I was in middle school. I got a well-paying job in a big tech company after I graduated from a research institute. But the job was busy and I had to work overtime and I didn’t get home until late at night. I was also a proofreader for The Epoch Times newspaper and my job was to proofread the paper before it was sent off to the printing factory. I worked two days a week as a proofreader. I normally came home from work and did the proofreading, and then went back to my company after 9:00 p.m. to finish the extra work. Sometimes it was early morning when I finished my overtime. I stayed at the office to continue working the following day. I had this routine for three years. I enjoyed the salary as well as the prestige this company brought to me. But I didn’t always have time to do the three things. I felt uneasy in my heart and didn’t think my job was suitable for me, so I decided to resign from this position.
I stayed at home for a while before I started to look for a new job. I decided to look for a stable job that didn’t require me to work overtime, even if it meant a lower salary. I sent out my resume to many organizations and also pleaded to Master to help me. At that time, a previous colleague whom I hadn’t contacted for a long time sent me message saying that he had changed jobs. He said that he worked regular hours in his new job. I looked at his new company online, and it was an American company. It still had a job vacancy, which was aligned with my profession. I was surprised that I hadn’t noticed this company before. I got an interview after I sent out my resume. I then passed five interviews within this company. Though I got offers from other companies, which required me to work overtime, I decided to wait for the reply from this American company.
When I had the final interview with this American company, the officer in charge said that I had passed the interview, but still said with some reservation, “We have interviewed some other candidates. If your direct manager hasn’t changed his mind, he will start the recruitment process and present the paperwork to headquarters. You need to wait for the final letter.” Luckily, I was busy with interviews with other organizations during those few days, so I was not very concerned. I found a missed call after another interview. I replied to the call immediately. It might be I was too tired after the interview, because I said on the phone to the HR officer, “I’m sorry I missed your call because I was in an interview.” Instantly, I knew I that I shouldn’t have said that, but it was too late. The HR officer asked which company I had the interview with. I told her the company name although I knew it was their competitor. I sensed the awkwardness at the other end.
I felt a bit panicky and lost after the call. I was wondering if the HR officer would have some bias against me. But I regarded it as an opportunity for me to let go of my attachments. I then took it easy. I got the final offer one week later. My salary was higher than I had expected, and higher than the salary I had with the company I had resigned from. I initially only wanted a job that didn’t require me to work overtime, but unexpectedly, I got a job with a higher salary. I was very thankful to Master. I said to Master that I would definitely use my extra time to do the three things well. I realized that the gains and losses in my life are prearranged and that I didn’t have the final say.
I started to adapt to the new work environment in the new company with excitement. The work was interesting. My line manager and colleagues were friendly. The company provided free food and drink. I finished work on time. My line manager often asked me if my workload was too much, and said he could reduce it if it was. I got many leave days. This was my dream job. I even worried if it would be harder for me to improve myself in such a comfortable environment.
Tests came, nevertheless. I received a notification for an urgent meeting one afternoon. We were notified that there would be redundancies in the company. The redundancy wave from the US had flown through to my department. A colleague I’d had a meal with the previous day was made redundant. It shocked me, though I knew that a cultivator should take gains or losses in everyday society lightly. That colleague took work seriously and often worked overtime.
I realized that I had fear. I feared that I would be made redundant one day. But I understood that Master had arranged my life. I set right the relationship between me and the work. I didn’t work extra hard due to the chance of redundancy so as to seek acknowledgment from my line manager. I started and finished work as normal, and clarified the truth and introduced Shen Yun to my manager.
However, I forgot my promise to Master that I would use the extra time to do the three things. During that time the news that another big American company was recruiting a large number of people was everywhere. This company was No. 1 in its industry. Previously it didn’t have vacancies in my area. But now there were many vacancies that I was interested in and they were in line with my present job description. This was a rare opportunity.
My attachment to personal interest arose. I wanted to fly higher and make more money. I would make a great leap forward in my career and gain fame and personal interest if I was recruited by that company. I bought many tech books and used my spare time to study them to prepare for a job change. I updated my resume regularly to get ready for the change and for a possible redundancy from my present company. That way I could minimize my losses.
As I was indulging in personal satisfaction, I couldn’t find my credit card one day. I suddenly remembered my promise to Master. I had even forgotten about it for some time. It might have been because I didn’t remember my promise, Master appeared in my dream one night. Master kindly encouraged me and told me to cultivate diligently. Master became very big. I looked up at Master. Then I woke up. I have rarely seen Master in my dreams, though I had cultivated for 10 years at that time. I felt reassured that Master had been by my side all the time. I decided to take my spare time seriously.
I didn’t have a set time for Fa study myself, so I joined an online Fa study with other members of The Epoch Times. The regular and stable Fa study helped me improve in my cultivation a lot. It also helped me improve my work performance. I did the work more efficiently. As it was midnight after the online Fa study, I didn’t have energy to look for another job. Gradually, changing jobs was not that important to me. I saw the recruitment information from that company from time to time. I thought to myself that if I indeed was destined to work for that company, I would be offered an interview and be accepted even though I didn’t put in my resume again. I gradually let it go. I prioritized my Fa study and studied the Fa every day. I didn’t receive any reply from that company. Instead, I received a work offer from a Dafa project.
After I worked in the new company for more than a year, a coordinator for a Dafa project became interested in my work skills. We had a discussion in person one day. Frankly speaking, I went for the meeting with the intention of declining his offer. Though I knew it was not accidental that he had invited me for a chat, I had a deeper fear inside, because I was afraid that he would talk me into the job. After our discussion, he thought that I was perfect for the job and invited me to join the project.
But I was not willing to give up my good job and salary. I said, “I will be promoted next year. Let’s follow the course of nature.” I continued jokingly, “If I get made redundant by my company, I will surely believe that this position has been arranged by Master.”
The head of my Human Resources Department came to my manager one afternoon a month later. I heard my name mentioned during their conversation. I remembered what I had said to our project coordinator and thought it might be my turn to be made redundant. I was a bit afraid, yet still expected it. I was called into a meeting room. I saw my line manager and the higher manager inside the room. The higher manager said, “No, it is not redundancy. Congratulations to you! You are getting a pay raise. Your good performance has been noticed. It is a decision from the US headquarters.”
My salary went up to the level of the promoted position, plus there was an unexpected bonus. I was very happy, yet inside my heart I felt a bit of sadness for no reason. This thought flashed through my mind, “Master, I want to join the Dafa project very much. But I am puzzled by how to deal with it since I have been given a pay raise. If the Dafa project is my mission, can you please give me a hint?” To my surprise, my job changed soon after my promotion, and I had to do a new project. My work was not as interesting as before. I became tired of the work and had the thought of resigning after a while. I planned to resign or change positions after the new project had finished. I knew that my company was open to employees changing positions. I then could continue doing the work I liked, having a well paid salary, and enjoying the worry-free lifestyle. But rationally I knew that the Dafa project suited me and needed more practitioners to join. I also wanted to grasp this good opportunity to establish my mighty virtue and didn’t want to leave any regrets for myself.
I realized that my pursuit of fame had prevented me from joining the Dafa project. I had the thought that one’s pay was connected to how capable one was. I didn’t want to lose my social status. But I understood that sooner or later I had to let go of this attachment. Though I had some fear, I remembered Master’s Fa.
Master said,
“Clarifying the facts and saving sentient beings are what you need to accomplish. There is nothing else for you to accomplish. There is nothing else in this world that you need to accomplish.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2015 New York Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XIII)
After a big struggle in my heart, I decided to resign from my current job and accept the full-time position with the Dafa project.
When the company’s new project was finally completed, I faced the issue of when to present my letter of resignation. We got a bonus every three months. The most secure way to present my resignation was after I got my bonus. But I felt it was inappropriate, although almost all everyday people did it this way. As a cultivator who should be considerate of other people, I knew what the right thing to do was. Nevertheless, I discussed this issue with practitioners who were managers of the company. I was expecting that they would suggest that I get the bonus before I announce my resignation. But all of them said that managers wanted to know as soon as possible when their employees wanted to leave their positions.
I remembered that when I was having a meal with other practitioners, I learned that one practitioner had given up his position in a company in the year that he could get paid the most bonus, the best one in 10 years. He resigned from his position and gave up a bonus of tens of thousands of dollars. He joined the Dafa project and became a full-time employee in an urgently-needed position. If it was me, I might have told the coordinator practitioner that I would do the job part-time first and then become full-time the following year after I was fully paid the bonus.
I felt sorry for him in my heart. I knew he was a similar age as me. He didn’t have his own house or car, and lived in a small rented apartment. But he gave up such a large amount of money.
Master said,
“Think about it, everyone: Human beings live in this world for nothing but renown and self-interest.” (Teachings at the Conference in Switzerland)
I found I had the attachment of jealousy because I couldn’t imagine that I could give up such a big amount as he did. Many full-time practitioners in Dafa projects have given up well-paid positions in everyday organizations.
I found the gap between that practitioner and me. If I considered others first, I should let my manager know as soon as possible that I was planning to resign so that he could take the next steps. If I considered my personal interest first, I would put my manager in an awkward position. I understood that it was a test for me to see if I could give up personal interest. Furthermore, my manager had supported me very much over all these years and had helped me a lot. I couldn’t only consider myself and let him down.
I decided to pass the test and present my resignation immediately. My manager put my resignation date after the bonus date and sent it to his manager. I was happy that I didn’t lose anything as long as I took it easy. But things turned around the following day. They had a meeting with me and changed my departure date to the date before the bonus date. I knew it was a test for me. I didn’t argue with them and signed the letter. Later on, I found that if I stayed in the company for 10 days more, I would have received the bonus for another three months. But I was not moved because I made the right choice.
Looking back at the process of my changing jobs, I came across many xinxing tests. I kept doing the three things well. My experiences in the two everyday companies laid a good foundation for me to do the Dafa project. It was the best arrangement if I looked at it from the perspective of cultivation. Every incident was connected and were the best arrangements. I am now in a Dafa environment every day. As my cultivation state becomes more stable, I have found that some attachments are not that hard to let go. I have often experienced the joy and happiness of xinxing improvement. I hope that I will always have righteous thoughts when challenges come and that I will always cultivate diligently.
The above is my cultivation experience. Please kindly point out anything that needs improvement.
Thank you, Master!Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Experience sharing article presented at the 2025 Taiwan Fa Conference)