(Minghui.org) I was 42-years-old when I began practicing Falun Dafa in 2011. I had been suffering from multiple diseases, including cervical degeneration, frozen shoulder, insomnia, hair loss and gynecological diseases. During the Chinese New Year, I received a text message that talked about Falun Dafa and its persecution by the Chinese communist regime. When I read it, I remembered that I had been given a copy of Zhuan Falun in 2007.
Though I had read through the book when I first received it, I didn't start practicing Falun Dafa at that time. But I understood that as long as one followed the principles in the book and behaved according to Truth-Compassion-Forbearance, one would improve one's mental and physical well-being, fundamentally improving one's life.
After receiving the text message, I found the copy of Zhuan Falun and started carefully reading it. The Fa principles articulated in the book nourished my heart and soul. I began to read it repeatedly, and in less than a month, my health was miraculously restored! My mental health was greatly improved as well. I felt calm and became considerate of others, which shocked my family. Witnessing the profound improvement in my health and personality, both my husband and daughter started practicing Falun Dafa too.
Before my husband started practicing Dafa, he had been plagued by severe cervical degeneration, high blood pressure, rhinitis, congenital coccyx stenosis and other health problems. After listening to the recordings of Master Li’s lectures one day, he fell asleep. While he was lying there, he felt a big hand stroking the entire length of his spine. When he woke up, the pain from both his spine conditions disappeared.
From then on, our family of three has been bathing in the Buddha light of Falun Dafa.
I work as a project manager in a bank. During the first few years of my cultivation, I clarified the facts of Dafa to my coworkers as a third person. (I did not say I was a practitioner.) Almost all of them quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and renounced its affiliated youth leagues. With continued cultivation practice and improved moral character, I started to refuse gifts from the subdivision staff. I told them that I believe in Buddhas and that I did not accept gifts.
During the time when thousands of practitioners filed their legal complaints against Jiang Zemin, the former CCP dictator who launched the persecution of Falun Dafa, I also wrote one and mailed it to the Supreme Court. With continued practice, my moral character improved, and I had a clearer understanding of Fa principles. My fear has gradually weakened.
As my moral character improved, I realized that refusing gifts from my colleagues that they were giving to influence me was a way to validate Dafa and awaken sentient beings. I spoke to Master Li in my heart and said, “From now on, when others try to give me a gift, I will use my true identity of a Dafa disciple to clarify the facts and persuade them to quit the Party and its affiliated organizations.”
A bank vice-president and her husband own a high-end food store. I was shopping in the store before the Chinese New Year, and the husband noticed me and wanted to gift me some expensive food items. I politely declined and told him, "I'm a Falun Dafa practitioner. Master Li has told us to become better and better people. I cannot accept any gifts or money. But, please rest assured that I will unconditionally help your wife at work.”
He was very surprised and said, "I didn't think there were any people like you nowadays!" He asked me many questions, and I spent over an hour answering him and sharing about how Falun Dafa had fundamentally changed me. He was so impressed and happily agreed to quit the Party.
I helped another manager in the bank where I work to solve a big problem, and she was very grateful. I told her about Dafa's wonderfulness and the happiness I experience in cultivation practice. She wanted to learn Dafa too, so I gave her a copy of Zhuan Falun and told her to read it carefully all the way through.
She accepted the book and expressed her sincere appreciation. During the Chinese New Year, she wired me 1000 yuan (USD$150) to thank me. I texted her, "As a Dafa practitioner, I cannot accept any money or gifts. Helping others unconditionally is my greatest pleasure."
"Elder sister, I understand now,” she replied. “I need to read the book more. My husband wants to read it too."
Before the Chinese New Year, several coworkers wanted to give me gifts. I politely declined and clarified the facts to them and they all agreed to quit the Party and its affiliated organizations.
I have an assistant at work. I had previously clarified the facts to her, and she quit the Party and its affiliated organizations. During the bonus assessment period at the end of the year, she used her connections and was given the top bonus. I ended up with the second tier bonus. She felt guilty afterward and texted me a thank you for giving up the top bonus for her.
I had a hard time letting go of the situation upon seeing her text message. I thought, "Everyone knows how much effort I put into my work throughout the year. No fair person would ever give me the second bonus while giving her the top bonus. This is too much!"
When I calmed down, I thought, "I am a practitioner! I must look within and discover why I feel so awful." I found my attachments to reputation, vanity, saving face, competition, resentment and jealousy, all of which need to be removed. A Dafa practitioner should be considerate of others, treat others with compassion and tolerate others under every circumstance.
After looking within, I texted her back. "It's fine. I wish you all the best." She was very touched. From then on, she has been proactively taking on some of my workload. This has given me some free time to study the Fa.
As a result of being considerate of her, I not only raised my moral character, now I have more time to practice Falun Dafa.
After my father passed away, my two elder brothers and I had conflicts about the inheritance and were on bad terms. Since practicing Dafa, the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance have cleansed my heart. I looked within for my shortcomings and let go of my attachments to benefits, resentment and competition.
I treated my brothers with the compassion and tolerance that I have cultivated in Dafa. I gave up my share of the inheritance. Our families reconciled. My brothers' families have felt Dafa's wonderfulness from my conduct and all of them quit the Party. Moreover, several of them have started practicing Dafa as well.
If it weren't for Dafa, my relationships with my mother and brothers would not be like they are today. Perhaps we would have ended up fighting and not speaking to one another forever. Dafa has given us a happy family once again.
I thank Master Li for giving me a healthy body, a kind heart and a happy family. Dafa has turned me into a person who strives to be selfless and altruistic.