(Clearwisdom.net) I started practicing Falun Gong in 1996. However, I didn't study the Fa well or have a good understanding about cultivation. As a result, I stopped practicing for three years when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began persecuting the practice on July 20, 1999. Luckily, with help from fellow practitioners, I began cultivation again in the spring of 2003.
Initially, I didn't study the Fa often or practice the exercises on a daily basis because I only wanted to cure my illness. As a result, my illness didn't improve. I am now 62 years old and haven't stopped practicing Falun Gong for several years. Being contaminated in the big dye vat, my head was full of fame, fortune, and emotion. For many years, I pursued personal interests and gathered lots of karma. I suffered from heart disease, back and leg pain, stomach pain and I had a nervous breakdown. I didn't have time to feel good. The older I got, the more severe my illnesses became. Every day, even though I did the exercises, I also thought about taking medicine that cost me more than 5,000 yuan every year.
In November 2006, I shared my experiences with fellow practitioners. They pointed out to me that although I had cultivated for many years, my illnesses didn't get better because I didn't study the Fa well, didn't have enough belief in Master and the Fa, and I didn't do well with the three things. I truly found the root cause of my gap, and since then, I have been studying one lecture in Zhuan Falun every day. I also read all of Master's lectures and articles, including Hong Yin. I now truly understand that we are walking on the road to becoming enlightened beings, and our bodies have been fundamentally changed. Why should we be afraid of the illusion of sickness karma? Can everyday people's methods cure a God's "illness"? Studying the Fa has become the most important thing in my daily life. I do the exercises every day and I have also began clarifying the truth to my relatives. Whenever there are opportunities, I clarify the facts or distribute truth-clarifying materials, and I try to keep up with Master's Fa-rectification process.
My xinxing subsequently improved and my body was purified. One day when I was working in my garden, I suddenly had symptoms of a heart attack. My heart beat became very fast, and I was dizzy, short of breath, and shaking. I immediately realized that I was going through a test. I had Master and the Fa, so I had no fear. I held onto the handle of the pick, went home, and took a nap. When I woke up, I felt better. I have not had any similar experiences since.
One day in September 2008, I took a walk in my yard after dinner. When I went back inside the house, I suddenly felt that the right side of my body wasn't under my control. It felt as though I had symptoms of a stroke. Although I could still move, it was difficult. Immediately after having this thought, it changed to, "I am a practitioner and have the protection of Master's fashen. Thus, the evil can't persecute me. Even if it were intended to eliminate karma and to overcome hardship, it should not result in my body becoming immobile." I then remembered Master's words in Hong Yin II about overcoming tribulations, of them being temporary and being an illusion, and of having god-like thoughts. As such, I had no fear. It required using all my strength simply to eat using chopsticks, but I didn't want to let my children see or know about my condition. When I walked, I had to walk slowly, so it wouldn't alarm my children, since I've had pain in my right leg before. Only my spouse, who is also a practitioner, knew of my situation. Although I was in that state, I still did the exercises the next morning. As difficult as it was, I didn't stop. When I sent righteous thoughts, I couldn't hold my hand up, so I had to use all my strength to do so. On the tenth day, my hand and leg had some strength. In a month, I was almost fully recovered.
I'd like to thank Master. I know that if I didn't cultivate Falun Dafa, I may have suffered from a stroke and would not have recovered.
Through overcoming illness tribulations, I know that as long as we strongly believe in Master and the Fa, and are walking on the road to become enlightened beings, everything we encounter will lead us in that direction. Yet, to really believe in Master and the Fa, gradually become selfless and put others ahead of ourselves, we must study the Fa more, study the Fa well, do the three things well and look inward on everything. We can then successfully complete cultivation and return home with Master.
