(Minghui.org) I have been practicing Falun Gong since 1996, and I have benefited from it both mentally and physically. I am deeply grateful for Master's saving grace and protection. I would like to share some of my cultivation experiences.

Passing the Test

In March 2000, all the labor camps in Liaoning Province were ordered to administer a written test to all their inmates. One part of the test slandered and defamed Falun Gong, and the inmate had to explain his position in detail.

There were over a hundred Falun Gong practitioners being held in Panjin Forced Labor Camp at the time, and I was one of them. All of us refused to renounce our faith, despite the brutality we faced.

Each of us used the test to validate Falun Gong. We related our personal cultivation experiences to describe Falun Gong, the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and how we had benefited from the practice in mind and body. We explained that Falun Gong is an upright cultivation way and that the propaganda was meant to mislead people.

A week later, we were notified that we had failed the test and had to take another one. This time there were no questions that slandered Falun Gong. It was as Master said:

“When disciples have ample righteous thoughtsMaster has the power to turn back the tide”("The Master-Disciple Bond" in Hong Yin II)

We had passed the test with great results! What we did had stunned the prison authorities and guards and given us a chance to clarify the truth in an unusual way.

Doing the Falun Gong Exercises

The Masanjia Women's Forced Labor Camp (now closed) was infamous for its brutality when it came to Falun Gong practitioners. Because the practitioners refused to give up their belief, their cells were closely monitored. The practitioners were subjected to brainwashing day and night and forced to read material that slandered Falun Gong. Their cells were searched thoroughly on a regular basis for Falun Gong material.

In 2004 they were forced to watch a video and ordered to learn another kind of exercise. Instead, they all stood up and began doing the Falun Gong exercises.

The authorities never asked for a report of the incident, and never again did they try to force practitioners to do that.

The practitioners had memorized Master's teachings and took every opportunity to send forth righteous thoughts and recite the Falun Gong teachings.

Falun Seen Spinning on Television on New Year’s Day

Instead of doing forced labor on New Year’s Day in 2003, everyone had to watch television programs that slandered Falun Gong. Suddenly, on the TV screen a large colorful Falun was seen spinning, accompanied by the exercise music. It was majestic, solemn, and sacred. Everyone was pleasantly surprised, and they stared at the television with their full attention.

Several minutes later, the guards arrived and turned off the TV. For those Falun Gong practitioners who were under tremendous pressure, tortured, and refused to be "transformed," it was a great encouragement. They understood that they were never alone. They were deeply grateful for Master's compassionate salvation. This event also unnerved the prison authorities.

Secret Transfer Witnessed by Accident

An elderly practitioner was forced under tremendous pressure to renounce her faith against her will. When her husband visited her in prison, they were allowed to stay overnight in a room in the visitor’s section. Her husband was standing in front of a window around 9 p.m., where he could see the main entrance. There he accidentally witnessed something that shocked both of them.

At the main entrance two columns of armed guards stood at attention, flanked by several police cars. The practitioner’s husband saw a Falun Gong practitioner with her mouth taped shut being dragged out of a small room that was used to torture practitioners.

Her hands were held behind her back, and she was bent over almost in half. After she was dragged and pushed into the car, the trail of cars slowly drove away. How many others were dragged away like this? No one knew.

During this secret transfer, the rest of the Falun Gong practitioners were forced to watch brainwashing videos, with their curtains shut.