(Minghui.org) I am a 61-year-old woman who started practicing Falun Dafa in May 2002. I would like to share three of my personal experiences where righteous thoughts helped me overcome serious illness karma tribulations. I hope my sharing will encourage other practitioners who are going through illness karma tribulations.

The First Tribulation

One morning in June 2020, I woke up to a sudden sharp pain in my lower abdomen. My entire abdomen was swollen and painful to the touch. It felt as though something was blocking my stomach. I told my husband, “My stomach hurts, so I won’t go to work in our apparel store today.” 

After my husband left to open the store, I attempted to study the Fa but couldn’t due to the excruciating pain. I could only recite a phrase from Master’s teachings over and over.

“I’m Li Hongzhi’s disciple, I don’t want other arrangements or acknowledge them...” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)

I passed out, only to regain consciousness at 3 p.m. As most of the day had already passed, I thought I should drink some water and eat something. However, I had no strength to pull myself up. My stomach was still sore and swollen, and I was sweating profusely.

I knew that any tribulation, or illness karma, happened because I am cultivating Dafa. Master has rearranged our paths of life so that we can repay the karma we owe from previous lifetimes and improve our character at the same time.

That evening, my husband returned and inquired about my condition. I reassured him that I was fine, and asked him not to tell our relatives and friends about my condition, so I could focus on getting better without disruption. My husband supports Falun Dafa and readily agreed.

In between intolerable bouts of pain, I persevered in studying the Fa and doing the sitting meditation . The severe pain and bloating prevented me from drinking or eating anything, and after three days I had lost a lot of weight. My body shrunk till I was only skin and bones. At this point, I realized the importance of rejecting all the arrangements and interference of the old forces and evil factors. As a Falun Dafa practitioner, I should adhere to the Fa principles to correct myself. I am under Master’s protection and only Dafa can control my life. This thought bolstered my determination to eliminate the evil forces that were causing my illness karma. I must continue to live so I can validate the Fa and save sentient beings! I slowly began forcing myself to eat and drink in small quantities.

No longer afraid, I overcame my stomach pain so I could persist in studying the Fa and doing the exercises. My legs then began to swell and thicken, and a voice whispered in my mind, “Cerebral thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis, this is a sign of cerebral thrombosis.” In response to their challenge, I said, “I am a Falun Dafa practitioner. You are nothing in the face of my Master. Regardless of how many karmic debts I owe from my past lives, I will only bear suffering arranged by my Master, and follow the path Master has arranged. All other arrangements made by the evil forces will be completely denied.”

As I was suffering badly, a fellow practitioner suggested roping in some fellow practitioners to help me send righteous thoughts. I turned down the offer. “There is no need. Everyone is busy working on various things to save sentient beings. Helping me will disrupt their schedules. This is a personal tribulation that I must overcome on my own. Don’t worry, my firm belief in Master and the Fa will ensure that I overcome this test safely.” Ten days later, the swelling in my legs and stomach subsided. However, a bowl-sized lump appeared on the lower right side of my abdomen. I let go of my worries and concentrated on studying the Fa, doing the exercises, sending forth righteous thoughts, and resuming some of my household duties, including preparing dinner for my family.

A few more days later, the swelling in my legs recurred. This time, my legs became thicker and more swollen than before. I remained steadfast in my belief in Dafa, and refused to be moved by this illusion of illness. By continuing to interfere and sabotage Dafa and its practitioners, these evil factors had committed the grave crime of sinning against Dafa. Respected Master and Fa guardians would aid me in eliminating them. Under Master’s compassionate care and with unshakeable belief in Dafa, I managed to pass this first test in 23 days.

The Second Tribulation

At the start of 2021, I visited the provincial capital to replace three of my decayed teeth with dental implants. Before the procedure, I underwent a blood sugar test at the dentist, and obtained results of 284.4 mg/dL (15.8 mmol/L). My dentist told me that such high blood sugar levels could be indicative of diabetes. I thought to myself, “I’m a cultivator, its not possible for me to have diabetes.” Consecutive rounds of testing showed fluctuating levels, with the highest at 397.8 mg/dL (22.1 mmol/L). I later made some inquiries with a fellow practitioner. This practitioner told me that our region had a high prevalence rate for diabetes. Many families had relatives who suffered from this disease. In our region, around 20 practitioners suffered from this condition. Some practitioners had been forced to take oral diabetic medicine or insulin, while others had passed away from this illness. Very few practitioners had managed to overcome this illness tribulation. This practitioner then asked, “I saw you recently lost weight. Is your blood sugar also high?” I nodded in reply.

I knew this illness tribulation was a test for me to elevate in level, a battle between righteous and evil. Before me were two options. The first was to follow preconceived human notions and apply conventional treatment, such as restricting my dietary intake and starting to take oral medication or insulin. However, this path deviated from Dafa’s teachings and followed the arrangements of the old forces. Alternatively, I could accept this tribulation as a cultivation trial to improve my character and level. To pass this test, I would need to remove my attachments while maintaining the righteous thoughts and actions required of a Dafa practitioner. I decided to follow this option and walk the path arranged by Master.

Based on my previous experiences, unwavering belief in Master and the Fa can eliminate all tribulations, interference and attachments arranged by the old forces. Facing my confidence in Dafa, the diabetes symptoms soon vanished.

I subsequently clarified the truth about the persecution to my dentist, and he voluntarily withdrew from the CCP, Communist Youth League and Young Pioneers. Regarding the dental implant procedure, the dentist cautioned that the treatment area was large. The implants would be placed into the alveolar bone before the wound was sutured with stitches. After the procedure, I would need to take a 10-day course of antibiotics and take oral anti-inflammatory drugs for half a month. The day after the procedure, my cheeks became bruised and swollen. When the inflammation and pain became hard to bear, I would reinforce the thought that I should only bear the karmic debts arranged by Master on my cultivation path. All other karmic manifestations arranged by the evil forces should be completely denied.

I did not attend the frequent follow up examinations arranged by the dentist. As a practitioner of Falun Dafa who has assimilated to Master’s teachings, I had every confidence that my healing process would go well. Half a year later, I returned to the dental clinic. The dentist examined the scans and announced that my implants had stabilized into my natural bone. All three teeth were successfully implanted. A firm belief in Master and the Fa allowed me to pass this second illness tribulation hurdle.

The Third Tribulation

Toward the end of February 2022, I was studying with a Fa-study group one night, when I felt a sudden chill attack the soles of my feet and stomach. A bowl sized growth appeared on the right side of my abodmen after I got home. I spent the evening doing the sitting meditation, while my family members recited “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” on my behalf. 

The following morning, I woke to find myself feverish and in pain. My abodmen, knees and base of my thighs hurt badly, my calves felt sore and weak, and I suffered from diarrhea and incontinence. However, I refused to give in and continued to attend my regular group Fa-study sessions, which lasted four to five hours daily. A few days later, I started experiencing severe pain in my left collarbone, which left me unable to dress myself. Afterwards my left shoulder, neighboring neck tendon and the back of my head also started to hurt. The fever and severe pain in various parts of my body were nearly more than I could bear. 

Seeing my condition, my family advised me to go to a hospital. I replied, “You don’t have to worry. I’m not sick at all. As a practitioner of Falun Dafa, as long as I follow Master’s teachings, nothing will happen to me. You know I have been cultivating Dafa for more than 20 years. During this time, I have not taken any medication or received any injections. Modern medicine is helpless in the face of serious illnesses anyway.” My family accepted my decision after hearing me say this.

Eighteen days later, I successfully overcame this illness tribulation under Master’s merciful care.