(Minghui.org) Greetings compassionate Master! Greetings fellow practitioners!
In 2015, I came across information about the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in China. I was deeply indignant about this horrific crime, and I signed the petition to end the persecution. Unexpectedly, two years later, I was diagnosed with an illness that modern medicine cannot cure. Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) truly saved me.
I work in a fast-food restaurant. In 2016-2017, in addition to chronic insomnia, low blood pressure, and other issues, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a disease that modern medicine cannot cure. I tried both Chinese and Western medicines, but nothing helped. Fortunately, in mid-October 2017, I learned to do the Falun Dafa exercises myself from the Internet. For more than three years now, I have been very healthy. I do not take any medication. I would like to share with you how I obtained the Fa and began doing the three things Master Li Hongzhi (Dafa’s founder) asked us to do.
The first time I heard Master’s teachings, I felt both familiarity and excitement at the same time. Master said, “...as a practitioner, you shouldn’t hit back when attacked, or talk back when insulted...” (The Fourth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
In today’s society, everyone wants to achieve more—they want to be better than others. But Master teaches people to hold themselves to a higher standard. I was really touched when I heard these words.
As I continued to listen to Master’s teachings that sound so simple but are so profound, I realized they are the truth. These were principles I never heard before. As I listened, it felt like my surroundings immediately brightened. It felt like I suddenly awakened from a long sleep. I repeatedly listened to the recordings of Master’s Nine Lectures. The more I listened, the more I understood. As I continued to listen, I felt very fortunate to have encountered Falun Dafa.
I started to look inward and correct my behavior. When I looked back at the way I was before, I was very far from the standard for being a good person! I was very short-tempered, irritable, prone to making mistakes and so many other bad things.
I began to think about Master’s teachings. I realized that a human being’s true nature is to be truthful, compassionate and tolerant, that’s who I really am. So where did these bad qualities come from?
When we put something like a cell phone on a table, after a few hours, we can see a layer of dust accumulating on it. After living in this world for so many years, not to mention how many reincarnations we’ve been through, how much “dust” has accumulated and is covering us? I continued to read and listen to the Fa. I wanted to get rid of that “dust,” find my true self, and let go of my attachments.
After I began practicing, my insomnia was gone and I was able to sleep. I could sleep anywhere no matter how much noise there was, and I slept very soundly. My physical condition also started to improve. Although I couldn’t see anything through my celestial eye, I could feel Master purifying me every moment. I felt the Falun rotating in my body, and that I was surrounded by an energy field. I felt negative substances being removed from my chest and head. When Master adjusted my head, I heard a very loud sound. The places where I was injured before were adjusted one by one, by Master.
My family members didn’t believe in Dafa at first, but were astonished to see the changes in me.
Master really lifted me up from hell! He constantly purified me. Before I began practicing I felt I had already reached the end. I really have no words to express my gratitude to Master!
When I look back, I realize that Master has been taking care of me for years. When I was in middle school Master started teaching the Fa in China. During those years I often had very special dreams—I saw countless Buddhas, Taos, and Gods who filled the sky. Sometimes I saw scenes of exploding or burning planets, and many other things. But at the time I thought those were just dreams so I didn’t pay attention and forgot many small details. I realize now that Master showed me scenes of the Fa rectifying the cosmos.
For me, studying the Fa was more challenging than doing the exercises. When I read the Fa, the karma in my body, especially in my head, constantly interfered. Some reactions were very strong—making me feel very painful, uncomfortable, and sleepy. Sometimes when I was reading, due to the interference I could not close my mouth, or I moaned in pain. If I read alone it took me a long time to finish a lecture. So, in addition to continuously reading, I decided to memorize the Fa.
Now after more than a year, I have memorized 7 lectures of Zhuan Falun. I know I’m slow but I won’t give up. Fellow practitioners who intend to memorize the Fa, please don’t hesitate. If I can memorize the Fa in the state that I was in, surely anyone can as long as we are sincere and consistent.
I also feel that I eliminated a lot of sentimentality that I had before I began practicing. Even though I’m now married I still keep in touch with a male friend I knew 10 years ago. I didn’t want to be in that situation anymore, but I felt an invisible bond that was hard to break. After I began practicing I realized that perhaps the old forces arranged this to see if I ultimately chose to cultivate or fall in love. I did not hesitate and chose to cultivate.
That old friend was extremely miserable, but I knew that I needed to keep my heart unmoved because everything is an illusion. I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the emotion I felt. I told Master that I sincerely want to cultivate. I do not want to get entangled in this emotion. I understood this was a postnatal thing, and doesn’t belong to my true self. I felt Master’s strengthening and I got over it very quickly.
I’d like to tell you about my family. When I started practicing Falun Dafa my family didn’t agree, because they practice Buddhism. I persistently explained and talked about my amazing experiences. Now my entire family in Vietnam believes in Dafa and regularly recites the auspicious phrases: “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
By reciting them, many of my family members recovered from serious illnesses. For example, the doctor said my mother had to take medicine for the rest of her life. After she began reciting the auspicious phrases, she recovered from pain in her joints, her stomach, bad nerves, etc, and her blood pressure became normal. Many times, the pain was so bad that she could not sleep. Whenever this happened, she recited the two phrases and slept soundly. The next day she was fine. She is extremely happy and has great faith in Master and Dafa. She is 83 years old but is healthy. Her complexion is rosy and she no longer takes any pills.
After my brother was diagnosed with terminal cancer he regularly began reciting the auspicious phrases and doing the exercises. He still has a tumor, but for nearly 2 years he is healthy and does not take any medicine.
My family has experienced many other miraculous stories. I know that it is all thanks to Master’s great compassion; There are no words to thank Master. Now, my mother, siblings, and nephews, and nieces in Vietnam have begun telling people about Falun Dafa and handing out lotus flowers.
My husband and children have been practicing for about a year, and have also become very healthy. The back pain, neck pain, and chronic headache that my husband had for many years and that doctors could not cure, are now gone.
Master said,
“You might be unwittingly rebalancing the bodies of whoever is in your presence, since it has the power to correct anything not right. And that includes the ailments of the body, since the human body is meant to be free of such things; illness is not the normal state of the body.” (The Third Talk, Zhuan Falun)
Unfortunately in Vietnam, many people have misunderstandings about Dafa. I began clarifying the truth to friends via social media. Some of my classmates have started to cultivate, and many people I’ve talked to now believe that Dafa is good and sincerely recites the auspicious phrases. Some feel they’ve experienced Dafa's miracles. Recently a friend got sick with the Covid virus. I advised her to recite the auspicious phrases and she is now fine. Some of my friends asked for large quantities of lotus flowers and key chains printed with the auspicious phrases to give to their relatives and friends. I sent them these presents along with information about Dafa. I feel they are wonderful and I am sure that they will have a good future.
I live about 70 km from Nantes. On Saturdays, the other practitioners and I often go there to clarify the truth. I take the train for about an hour to participate. I come back in the late afternoon and go to work at night. This summer I was scheduled to work on Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. I felt this was interference from the old forces and that I needed to overcome this obstacle. Some weeks I switched my shift with coworkers. Other times I work 2 more evenings and have someone else work the first 2 hours on Saturday. I denied this interference and asked for Master’s help. Now I only work one more day and on Saturday I can start working at 6 p.m. Thus, the problem of having time to clarify the truth has been solved.
I am the only practitioner in my area so I distribute newspapers and flyers to end the Chinese Communist Party to local residents by myself. Once when I was heading out to distribute materials, I suddenly felt negative energy in my leg. It was painful and difficult to walk. I’ve had it a few times before but ignored it. I thought, “Do you want to prevent me from saving people?” I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate it, and it disappeared within seconds. Since then it hasn’t reappeared.
I’d like to tell you about a small experience I recently had. We applied for a permit for Saturday, August 14, to hold a truth-clarification activity in Nantes. But by Friday afternoon, August 13, there was no approval decision from the government. It was not until late on Friday that I received a message from fellow practitioners that the permit application had been approved. I rushed to buy a train ticket, but the TER train didn’t have a return trip on time for me to go to work. That night, I remembered that I learned to drive a car. I’ve never driven myself into a big city and parked in a parking lot, so I hesitated. My husband said, “The road to Nantes is difficult to drive, it’s even difficult for me.”
That Saturday morning I decided to drive myself. My husband said, “If you don’t go this time, others can do it. It’s okay to be gone once.” He also said, “Today, there will be heavy traffic on Saturday.”
I still decided to go. I told myself, “You should not let anything get in the way—it’s all just a test and a challenge.” There are very few practitioners in our area. Even though three practitioners planned to participate that day, it was still very few compared to other places. I felt that with one more person, the energy field would be stronger, so I shouldn’t let a small obstacle stop me.
A group of anti-passe Santitaire protesters passed by our truth-clarification site that afternoon. While I distributed newspapers, I glanced at our truth-clarification area and saw a line of people waiting to sign the petition calling for an end to the persecution of Falun Dafa in China. I was extremely moved.
After the protesters passed they returned and gathered right next to our truth-clarification site. I was happy that many sentient beings came to learn the truth and that so many people signed the petition. It was a very moving scene. As I distributed materials, a member of the protest group said, “I’ve seen clips about Falun Gong on social media. You guys are doing great! Some people say you’re [slanderous word omitted], but I don’t see it at all, I think you guys are amazing!” He did not cease to praise Falun Dafa in front of everyone.
As I walked down the street wearing my yellow shirt with the words Falun Dafa on it, a young man said loudly, “Falun Gong!” and put his thumb up.
I am really happy for people who understand the truth and are saved. Looking back over the experiences I had that day, it’s no coincidence that I needed to overcome so many obstacles.
Master said,
“But for you, disciples of Dafa, you cannot let up in what you need to do—namely, the three tasks. By all means, you mustn’t. Nothing less than your mighty virtue, your cultivation, and all that you shoulder is bound up in these.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI )
“As I have shared with you before, you are not in fact saving those people for Master’s sake, and neither is it done for others. You are saving them for yourselves, for very possibly those are to be the future sentient beings of your paradises, or are to belong to your expanse. You can’t let it become that when you return to your rightful place, you are like a commander-in-chief without an army, with it completely empty there, just one lone figure occupying that massive cosmic body. Buddhas aren’t supposed to be impoverished; they should be wealthy. The lives there are your riches, and only with them will your paradise be able to thrive. They all count as riches—every life counts as riches.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI )
As Dafa disciples during the Fa-rectification period, we have the opportunity and honor to do the three things that Master entrusted us with. They are not only our sacred mission but also a great honor that not all beings are offered. Let us cherish the glory that Master bestows on us. We must not let people down. Let us all do well so we can be worthy of Master's benevolent salvation.
I know that I haven’t cultivated diligently, and my cultivation state is still far from the standard requirements of the Fa, but I will continue to try, and try harder.My understanding is limited. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
Thank You, Master, for your great compassion! Thank you, fellow practitioners.
(Presented at the 2021 France Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)