Overcoming Tribulations With Righteous Thoughts

(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Dafa in 2005, and I am now 64 years old.

People were busy preparing for the 2020 New Year, when news of our area going into lockdown was announced, as the coronavirus was spreading throughout the country. No one was allowed in or out of the villages or towns.

I was at a loss after hearing the news. I sat on the bed and wondered what to do after dinner. Was this the human catastrophe predicted by many prophecies? If the real catastrophe comes, how many people would remain? Shall we just sit at home and wait for the catastrophe to pass?

I was extremely saddened. What should I do? Could I just let sentient beings be dragged away by the Red Devil? I burst into tears at the thought of this.

I lived in a rural area. I had to get a pass if I wanted to leave the village, and would not be allowed to leave without good reason. But I couldn’t just sit around at home.

I remembered that one could check on the Minghui website for guidance. I turned on the computer and read about practitioners breaking through numerous obstacles, and putting up truth clarification stickers, distributing cards, and many different brochures while their areas were in lockdown. How could I stay at home?

The next day, I bypassed the checkpoint by making a detour via a mountain road and went to my sister’s home in the city, ten miles away. Their community had a net stretched out, smeared with oil to prevent people from passing through. I parked my electric bike on the side of the road three miles away from my sister’s home and walked the rest of the way, using paths and alleyways. The route I took was also blocked with boards and nets, but I managed to crawl through a small gap.

My sister was surprised to see me. I told her that I could reach six or seven neighboring villages going by mountain roads under lockdown from my village. I wanted to take Dafa brochures to distribute them. She said Master would help me as long as I had the desire, and she would provide me with the materials.

She prepared over 40 brochures and cards for me. I packaged them into individual bags after I got home and distributed them in neighboring villages. I always offered incense to Master before I went out, asking Master to protect me and to let the villagers cherish the materials.

When the pandemic caused serious panic in the community, I was out almost every day distributing materials. I didn’t miss any of the 100 or more homes in our village and didn’t encounter any interference when I went to the other villages. I didn’t think of anything when I was out distributing materials. I just kept reciting Master’s Fa:

“A Great Enlightened One fears no hardshipHaving forged an adamantine willFree of attachment to living or dyingHe walks the path of Fa-rectification      confident and poised”(“Righteous thoughts and righteous actions,” Hong Yin II)

“Gods and Buddhas walk the earth,Bringing worry to the wicked and evil.Dafa, the solution for a troubled world,Puts a stop to its downward slide.”(“Illuminating all,” Hong Yin II)

Overcoming Tribulation of Sickness Karma

I made an appointment to meet a fellow practitioner at 8 p.m. I rode my bike to meet the practitioner after 7 p.m. but fell in a ditch at a turn. I pulled the bike out, but it was damaged. I sent forth righteous thoughts to stop the old forces’ interference. I thought, “Only Master was qualified to test me.” I needed to meet with the practitioner.

My face was bloodied, and my wrist was dislocated. I couldn’t do anything but push my bike home. I was unable to lift my hands, and they hurt me so much that I couldn’t study the Fa when I eventually got home. I stayed in and endured the pain. On the seventh day, I was sweating profusely.

I begged Master to help me. Master hinted that the old forces were causing the interference. I sent forth righteous thoughts right away to eliminate their interference. “I am Master’s disciple. Whoever persecutes me is committing a sin.”

With Master’s support, all my symptoms disappeared within ten minutes, and my wrists recovered a few days later.

I looked inward to see what attachments provided the old forces with an excuse to persecute me. I found many human notions. If it wasn’t for Master’s protection, it would have been disastrous. I realized that no matter what the tribulation is, only 100% trust in Master and Dafa will see us through all the time.

Master said,

“I am rooted in the universe. If anyone could harm you, he or she would be able to harm me. Put simply, that person would be able to harm this universe.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

My back became noticeably hunched not long after my wrists and face healed. It felt like something heavy was pressing on my back. I sent forth righteous thoughts and looked inward.

I remained in this state for three years without much progress. I forced myself to straighten my back while I walked, studied the Fa, or did the exercises. But it went back to the hunched state after a while. I was extremely anxious, and asked Master, “I’m only in my 60s. My hunched back is noticeable. Am I discrediting Dafa?”

I mentioned my situation at the Fa study group. Practitioners said that I couldn’t always be that way, and needed to straighten my back. I asked them to help me send forth righteous thoughts. I also told Master in my heart, “Master, I will by no means discredit Dafa.”

The word “illusion” came to my mind when I sent righteous thoughts the next day. After I finished, my back was straightened. I knew that Master had removed the bad substances that the old forces forced upon me. I thank Master for his benevolent protection.

I will seize the time to cultivate myself well and save more sentient beings. I will work harder, live up to Master’s expectations, let go of my human attachments, and follow Master back home.