(Clearwisdom.net) One day in November 1997, a colleague of mine came to visit me and my husband. She brought us a copy of Zhuan Falun and told us that this practice had great health benefits. Since I was in good health at the time, I didn't pay much attention to her recommendation. Besides, I was still a believer of a certain religion back then. I did, however, accept the book out of politeness.
Interestingly, just a few days later, my good friend also came and asked me and my husband to practice Falun Gong. I figured that this practice must be something special, given the number of people attracted to it. So I decided to give it a try. When I took out the book Zhuan Falun that my colleague gave me, my husband asked if he could read it first since he was a faster reader.
I remember it was past 9 a.m. when my husband started to read the book. He continued to read it without stopping. By mid-afternoon, he suddenly said to me, "This master is a Buddha." I was really taken aback by his words. All I had learned since I was young had been atheism; I had no concept of a Buddha. I replied casually, "How could that be possible?" I took the book from him and flipped through a few pages. I couldn't see anything extraordinary; so I returned the book to him and decided to read it more carefully after he was finished.
I spent two days pondering what to do. Eventually I made up my mind to practice Falun Gong wholeheartedly and sincerely.
I went to a group study and exercise site for the first time on November 13, 1997. As soon as I stepped into the room, I felt surrounded by a warm atmosphere. The room was not too big and was packed, and everyone had smiles on their faces. We first read Essentials for Further Advancement and then turned to Zhuan Falun. Afterward we practiced the meditation, and I learned how to sit in the full-lotus position (double-leg crossing) from veteran practitioners. I was able to put both of my legs on top of each other, but I couldn't sit in this position for long. As a matter of fact, I had to put down my legs after a few seconds of double-leg crossing. Just one additional second caused excruciating pain in my legs.
My xinxing gradually improved as I kept on studying the Fa. In the past I had frequent conflicts with my daughter-in-law. After I began my practice of Falun Gong, I strived to be considerate of her. Witnessing the changes in me, she became very receptive of Dafa. She asked to read some cultivation and Fa-promoting materials, and she sometimes even helped me distribute them. She also tried to do more of the household chores. Our family became more harmonious and happier.
After a period of cultivation, I realized that I was still attached to the religion I had practiced previously. I felt depressed and was in pain every time I thought of it. Once I woke up in the middle of the night and asked myself what I should do. I knew it was impossible for me to give up Falun Gong, but at the same time it felt so difficult to sever myself from the old religion. Just when I was hesitating, a warm current suddenly poured from my head to my toes twice. I felt extremely good, and all my worries disappeared. I knew Master was taking care of me. Now that my body was purified, was there anything I couldn't let go of? I was determined to catch up in my cultivation.
I began to experience elimination of sickness karma not long after starting cultivation. One day I felt uncomfortable at the group practice site; it seemed like I caught a cold. I knew Master was purifying my body; so I stayed until the Fa study was over. When I returned home to do the exercises, I felt so cold that my teeth were clenched and my whole body was shivering. Despite my symptoms, I managed to finish all five sets of the exercises. As soon as I lay down, I began to have a fever, which lasted for the whole night. When it was the routine exercise time the next morning, I suddenly became clearheaded and felt very light, as if nothing had happened. I was very energetic and went to do the exercises again.
On another occasion I had a stomachache. The pain was so intense that I doubled over in bed. My sweater and hair were soaked in sweat, and my face turned yellowish. I only had one thought, that Master was eliminating sickness karma for me. I went to the bathroom to vomit, throwing up everything I ate. My son and daughter-in-law insisted that they send me to hospital, and I stopped them, saying that I'd be fine. As a matter of fact, I completely recovered in just a short while. I even asked my husband to cook some noodles for me to eat.
Such miracles that occurred for me and my husband were numerous. My experience was that as long as we believed in Master and the Fa, everything would be fine.
After more than ten years of cultivation, I feel that Dafa is deeply rooted in my mind, and I can never leave Dafa. Regardless of what I encounter, the first thought I have is the following passage of Master's Fa:
"For a cultivator, all the frustrations he comes across among everyday people are trials, and all the compliments he receives are tests." ("A Cultivator is Naturally Part of It" from Essentials For Further Advancement)
As cultivators in the Fa-rectification period, we should solidly cultivate ourselves, and at the same time, fulfill the grand mission to save sentient beings. Let's walk well every step and follow Master home.
