(Minghui.org) I am a 64-year-old Falun Dafa practitioner who experienced the extraordinariness of true cultivation.
Just as so many others, I was taken to a rural village during the Cultural Revolution. Once there, I came down with epilepsy, and shortly after, decided to marry a local farmer.
My illness did nothing to dampen my determination for a better future. Our family thus worked hard, lived frugally, put our two children through university, and bought a house for them in the city in 1997.
Health Worsens
I began to suffer pain in my joints in 2002. To reduce my discomfort, I took strong painkillers. Yet as my illness progressed, I took higher doses at more frequent intervals. The joints in my hands and feet were deformed to such an extent that by the end of 2002, even the slightest movement had me howling in extreme pain.
At the end of my endurance on April 15, 2003, I asked my husband to take me to the hospital. My condition was serious, so the county hospital transferred me to the city hospital, which then transferred me to the provincial hospital. There, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, myasthenia gravis, severe interstitial lung disease, goiter, and a host of other complications. The hospital advised my son to take me home to die. However, my son insisted on having my illnesses treated at the hospital.
So I received treatments, but my condition continued to deteriorate. I knew that my family would soon exhaust their savings, so I contemplated suicide. While in the restroom I planned to jump out the restroom window, but I could not reach the ledge.
Because I was in the restroom so long, my son broke down the door and witnessed my failed suicide attempt. He put me into my wheelchair and pushed me to a deserted area of the hospital where he begged me to stay alive for him. In return, I told him that he had to let me go home.
Getting down on his knees, he implored me. “Mom, please live on for me,” he begged, “even if it is only for a little while more.” I replied, “If you want me to stop my suicide attempts, take me home. I refuse to stay here any longer.”
My son acquiesced and tearfully sent me home.
By then I had become so emaciated that I was just a bag of bones. My joints had also become severely deformed. By that point, I was ready to give up any hope of recovery.
Resolve to Cultivate Dafa
When I was at my lowest point, a friend gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun and told me that only Falun Dafa could save me. I was skeptical but briefly glanced through the book’s contents.
The situation seem confusing: If even the best hospital in the province could give up all hope of curing me, why would my friend still claim that this book was able to perform such a miracle?
But a few days later, I decided to read the book. Even if a cure was unlikely, any alleviation of my suffering would be welcome. Interestingly, that night after reading, I could go to bed without help.
Inspired by this small improvement, I began to read in earnest. Gradually, I was able to sit up and lie down on my own. On reaching the end of the book, I threw away all my medications and resolved to cultivate in Dafa.
I read the book diligently and my condition gradually improved until I could stumble around in our yard and do chores. Finally, my husband could work again in our fields.
Master rescued me from the brink of death and gave me this second chance, cementing my resolve to cultivate Dafa for the rest of my life.
From then on, I lived by the Fa principles I learned from reading Zhuan Falun. No matter how uncomfortable I felt, I thought, “I am a Dafa disciple. Not only am I capable of completing these tasks, but I must also be able to accomplish everything at a high standard.”
Fellow villagers, impressed by my work ethic and rapid recovery, asked to know the secret to my miraculous cure. I told them, “I recovered thanks to Falun Dafa.” I had fully recovered by September 2003.
Skeptical fellow villagers finally accepted that my miraculous recovery was real, and soon after, 12 villagers wanted to cultivate in Dafa. Having witnessed my amazing recovery, my husband naturally became one of the first to obtain the Fa.
Encouragement During Karma Elimination
Life is never smooth sailing, and a practitioner’s path is even harder. At the end of our autumn harvest, Master began to eliminate sickness karma from my body.
As such, all my limbs became swollen and I was in great pain. I had learned from the teachings that Master was removing the root of my sickness, and that this was a tribulation I had to overcome.
I looked at Master's photo in Zhuan Falun and clasped my hands. “Master, I know you are helping me eliminate my sickness karma,” I said. “Please go ahead; I can bear the discomfort.” I clearly saw Master's eyes blink in response.
The swelling around my joints, hands, and feet soon began to worsen, turning my skin red, then purple. Yellow pustules also developed in large numbers on my skin. Any movement of my joints resulted in severe pain, yet I continued to diligently study the Fa, practice the exercises, and distribute Dafa truth-clarification materials.
Once while distributing materials during this time, I accidentally stepped on a stone and broke a large boil on my foot. Although I did my best to tolerate the excruciating pain, my eyes were filled with tears. However, I silently willed myself to stay strong.
I then saw a large golden lotus edged in glistening pink floating in the sky. The scene was so pure and bright that I was unable to hold back my tears, moved by Master’s sign of encouragement and reassurance of His presence by my side.
I stood firm in my belief that I would be able to overcome this tribulation. Finally, the pustules broke, releasing bloody pus as I started on the road to recovery. I knew upon my recovery after 33 days that I had overcome my first major tribulation as a cultivator.
Karma Elimination Strengthens Belief in Master
The next tribulation began in June 2004, when I developed breathing difficulties along with tremendous chest tightness. Knowing that Master was arranging to eliminate my sickness karma for the second time, I gritted my teeth and tried to carry on with my daily chores, although I was forced to stop soon as my condition worsened. Still, I remained determined to ride out this tribulation.
My son returned home and was appalled at my condition, and he wanted me to go to a hospital.
“You know how severe my illness was when I first returned home from the hospital,” I said. “If not for Master, I would have lost my life. So my life belongs to Master. If it is Master’s wish that I leave this world, then I shall leave with no regrets. If it is Master’s wish for me to live, I will not die.”
Unable to do even the simplest chores, I watched videos and listened to audio recordings of Master’s lectures. This time it took 12 days for me to recover.
Having twice witnessed the power of Dafa, my son was convinced and refrained from interfering when I suffered from my third episode of sickness karma.
The first two tribulation to eliminate sickness karma in my lungs prepared me for the third and last of such sickness tribulations.
Prior experience from my first two encounters only served to strengthen my belief that Master is always by my side, that I have nothing to fear! After enduring for 16 days and with help from Master, I made another miraculous recovery.
After my recovery, my body began to improve by leaps and bounds until I was restored to complete health. It has been 12 years since I passed my last sickness karma.
I am grateful to Master and Dafa for saving me from the brink of death and giving me a new lease on life. For this, I am determined to cultivate diligently.
Wishing revered Master a happy birthday!
Category: Health Benefits
