Western Practitioner: A Cultivation Anniversary

September 29th was my day to celebrate ten years of cultivation in the eternal Great Universal Law. When I first began, I set specific goals how I would go about following the tenets of Falun Dafa.

First off I decided to read the Fa first, every morning, before I would read anything else! That set the tone for the rest of the day--to focus on the spiritual messages inherent in Master's teachings. Before going to sleep at night I would recite, "Get up, make tea, read the teachings of Master Li." I have stuck to that for ten years. I made another rule: whenever I get into my car, I would recite " Falun Dafa Hao," not turn on the radio on my way to my destination, no matter how far, and think good thoughts along the roads. These thoughts frequently focused on things in my life I am grateful for. Two car accidents, each in a brand-new car, left me uninjured--two more events for which to express gratitude.

Though I am the only one in my family of six cultivating the Great Law, the family members and their spouses, and even our grandchildren, are hugely supportive of my practice and have occasionally done some work for Dafa on their own. I have read "Zhuan Falun" many times, as well as all of Master's other teachings. My Essentials for Further Advancement is ready to fall apart, but has special meaning for me, so I won't replace it. Our practice site assistant gave it to me as a gift many years ago, and it travels with me everywhere.

Fortified with the messages contained in Master's teachings, I did not fall apart when numerous pebbles made walking on the cultivation path a challenge. One of our daughters was diagnosed with incurable cancer seven years ago, and my husband of 50 years with incurable cancer two years ago. I continued to believe Master's words that nothing in life is accidental, and

"Everything you encounter is directly related to your cultivation. So you always need to treat it as cultivation and find reasons inside yourself." ("Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Switzerland" 1998)

Along the way I have seen many Falun and look at that as an encouragement to continue the practice. The marvel of the practice has been shown to me in several ways. The grandest proof of my trust in Master is this: our daughter has been cancer-free for almost five years, and my husband, who was supposed to have died one year ago is doing well enough to go hiking and fishing. Master has indeed told us, "when one family member practices, the whole family benefits."

What makes me persevere in cultivation? The profound realization that I was given the best in life anyone could possibly hope to receive--the opportunity as a cultivator to become part of the grand, predestined designs of Dafa; the Universal Law; the genesis of all that has ever existed and will continue to exist, according to Master's plan. There is no way I would ever reject this most treasured gift.