(Clearwisdom.net) I obtained the Fa in 2005, but did not really begin to truly cultivate until 2008. I used to suffer from many illnesses, including severe myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscles; an abnormal growth in my breast; and problems with my ovaries and uterus. I took both Chinese and Western medicine, but to no avail. I was short tempered and often fought with others in public over trivial matters. I also quarreled with my husband frequently. If others said something bad about me, I would not be able to stand it and would fight back. I even hit my daughter to vent my frustration when I did something seriously wrong.
In early 1997, I lost my job because of my health and had to stay at home for medical treatment. I was also taking care of my sick elderly mother, while my daughter was studying in elementary school. My father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and the doctors said that they could not do anything to help him. They told him to return home and prepare for death. All this put a great deal of stress on me.
A friend and a distant relative, both of whom are practitioners, came to visit us. They told my father about their understandings of the Fa. Both my father and I had been deeply poisoned by the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) education of atheism and could not accept the Fa at that time.
Obtaining the Fa and genuinely practicing cultivation
When my father passed away on December 1, 2004, I felt empty inside. A old colleague of my father's who practiced Buddhism brought me a book on Buddhism. I flipped through a few pages and did not think it was that interesting, so I returned it. I then asked to borrow Zhuan Falun from my relative. When I opened the book and saw Master's photo on the first page, it touched my heart and I wanted to cry. I didn't understand why. I browsed through the table of contents and thought that, since this could help me get rid of my illnesses, I should try it.
However, I did not cherish the opportunity and was not diligent in cultivation practice. I felt guilty when I looked at Master's picture. At most, I only read one lecture a day and did one of the exercises. When I encountered conflicts, I did not look inward, nor did I act like a true practitioner.
It was only after my mother died in early 2008 that I really examined my shortcomings and questioned why my physical condition had not improved much. Master said, “...with one person practicing, the whole family benefits.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Fa Conference in Australia”) So why did my mother suddenly pass away? The next time I read Zhuan Falun, I remember reading the words, “The body purification will be done only for those who come to truly learn the practice and the Fa.” I knew that Master was giving me hints. One is not considered a true practitioner if one does not follow what Master said. I felt very ashamed, as three years had passed and I had not taken Master's words to heart. I calmed down and decided to start all over again.
Through Fa study, I realized that the Fa-rectification period is coming to an end. I have to raise my standard, improve my xinxing, and save more sentient beings. Master has always emphasized the importance of Fa study. Only by studying the Fa more will I be able to assist Master in the Fa-rectification process. I began to seriously study the Fa and truly follow Master's requirements.
Each time I did the meditation exercise, I could only sit with one leg crossed for a little over 30 minutes. I could not endure the pain after that and had to take my legs down. When I tried the full lotus position with both legs crossed, it was even more difficult, and my whole body would break out in a sweat due to the pain. I could not calm my mind either. I needed to break through this situation, so when I tried sitting in the full lotus position again, I kept reciting Master's words: “When it’s difficult to endure, you can endure it. When it’s impossible to do, you can do it.” (Zhuan Falun) By keeping up my Fa study and doing the exercises, my body was being cleansed and adjusted. As a result, I can now easily sit in the full lotus position for one hour.
Clarifying the truth and saving people
As a beneficiary of the Fa, I felt the urgency to save people. When I thought about fellow practitioners clarifying the facts to people face-to-face and saving sentient beings, I became very anxious, since I only informed people about Falun Gong by mail. I found my attachment of being afraid of losing face and the attachment of fear.
I began to talk to my family members, good friends, and colleagues about the practice. I told them that Falun Gong is part of the Buddha School and that it teaches Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I asked them to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations and told them that if they recited “Falun Dafa is good” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” they would have a bright future. My daughter immediately withdrew from the Young Pioneers, but my husband and his side of the family were strongly against me. I knew that they were poisoned by the CCP's lies and propaganda, and I realized that I still had a long way to go to help save them. I believed that as long as I listened to Master's words and studied the Fa well, I would be able to break through and pass this test.
I sent forth righteous thoughts to help my husband. Then I spoke to him about Falun Gong. He became very angry at first and said that I was against the CCP and would not allow me to continue with my practice. He said that it would affect my daughter's future if I carried on with the practice. I could not endure it anymore and began to argue with him.
My daughter started crying and shouted at her father: “Don't you see how Mom has totally changed? She is now much healthier, without spending any money on medical treatments, and her temper has changed for the better. Mom has stopped arguing with you and is more tolerant of your behavior. You should not interfere with her belief. Falun Dafa is good!” My daughter's words were irrefutable. After looking inward, I found that I still had the attachment of fighting. I was afraid of other people's gossip, and I still had a very strong attachment of hatred. As I studied the Fa more and constantly improved my mind nature, I began to have compassion and realized that all sentient beings are suffering. Gradually, I could calmly talk to my husband about the practice. He eventually withdrew from the CCP, and he does not interfere with me anymore.
My mother-in-law used to have some misunderstandings about Falun Gong before I practiced. Now that I am a practitioner and have been able to calmly explain the facts about Falun Gong to her, she now silently recites, “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” My mother-in-law has also benefited from having a positive attitude towards Falun Gong, as all her illnesses that had plagued her for many years have disappeared. Several of my nephews and their wives also learned the facts about Falun Gong and have all withdrawn from the CCP.
After three members of our family returned home from eating at a restaurant we frequently visited, my daughter noticed that the restaurant had undercharged us on our bill. We decided to go back to the restaurant the next afternoon to bring it to their attention. When we arrived at the checkout, the manager, supervisor, and the cashier greeted us. We told them that there was something wrong with the bill, and they immediately thought we wanted money back after being overcharged. They double checked the bill and realized that we had underpaid for our meal and had returned to pay the difference. The manager was very surprised and said, “From the time we opened this restaurant, we have never seen a customer come back to pay the difference after being undercharged on their bill. You are the first one. We truly appreciate it!” He was so delighted that he offered to open a VIP account for us. I smiled and said, “I believe in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I will not accept anything if it does not belong to me. That's why we came here today to pay what we owed.” I then offered them a DVD of Shen Yun Performing Arts and told them to watch it.
Overcoming trials and tribulations
There is a prison located hundreds of kilometers away from our city, where many practitioners are detained. Some of them were persecuted so severely that they were in the hospital in critical condition. Officials at the prison would not release them and even extended their prison terms.
In order to visit a relative detained in the prison in late July 2008, the family members of several practitioners rented a car with us. We prepared some food and water for the day and set off at 6 a.m. after sending forth righteous thoughts. We arrived at our destination at noon. I waited in the car while the rest of them went to the prison.
There is a major road in front of the prison gates, but all seemed quiet, with only a few residents living in the area. Since there was nowhere to park the car in the shade, I decided to walk over to a fairly quiet place and sent forth righteous thoughts. Three hours passed and there was no sign of the practitioners returning from the prison. I wondered what was wrong. As I was not very diligent, human notions began to come into my mind and I wondered if they were safe. I later realized that this was a test for me.
Four hours went by, and I became more anxious by the minute. As I watched the time pass 5 p.m., I saw the practitioners coming back and my eyes lit up. I could hardly express the joy I felt as I wiped the tears from my eyes.
On our way home, the practitioners told me about their experience. They said that the prison covered a huge area and included several prison districts. The guards had finished their afternoon nap at 2 p.m. and returned to work when they came across one guard who had been exposed and reported on the Clearwisdom website many times. The guard said, “As soon as you arrived, I realized that you were Falun Gong practitioners. What let you in?” One of the family members became fearful and had a lack of righteous thoughts. They then only asked to pass a message to the detained practitioner.
On the way to another prison district, they exchanged their understandings and got rid of their erroneous thoughts. They asked Master to strengthen them so that they could see the detained practitioner. In the end, they were successful.
