(Minghui.org) Dafa practitioners wished Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa, a Happy Chinese New Year at the Fairview Library Theater in Toronto, Canada on January 13, 2023. They expressed their infinite gratitude to Master and said that no words can describe how grateful they feel for practicing Falun Dafa. Practitioners said, “We vow to cultivate genuinely and do the three things well to repay Master!”

Falun Dafa practitioners in Toronto wish Master Li a Happy Chinese New Year!

Young practitioners wished Master Li a Happy Chinese New Year.

Encountering Falun Dafa While Searching for the Purpose of Life

Kacey and his family are grateful to Master Li for introducing Falun Dafa.

Kacey grew up in Toronto. It was his goal to find a good paying job and make a lot of money. He said, “I lived for the sake of pursuing materialistic things such as buying brand name clothing, purchasing luxury cars and going on vacations.

“I have a friend named Mike. He and I would often explore and talk about different philosophies and the way of life. We began to look into cultivation books, such as Buddhism, Daoism and Egyptian religions. We often discussed what we read.

“I realized one day that Mike quit smoking. He told me that he found Falun Dafa and wanted to be a Falun Dafa cultivator. I began to look into Falun Dafa and Master Li’s lectures. However, the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance were very high standards for me at that time. I did not dare to call myself a practitioner but I still listened to Master’s audio lectures every day. I suddenly enlightened to the fact that I might not encounter such a good cultivation practice after I died or reincarnated. I began to take cultivation seriously.”

Kacey began practicing Falun Dafa in 2010. “I had always been upright and easygoing prior to cultivating Dafa. I did not like seeing people getting bullied, but I was a selfish person. I put my personal gain and profit before anything else and did not care how other people felt. After I began practicing Falun Dafa I stopped focusing on materialistic gains. This, however, does not mean I want to live like a poor person. I just no longer have any strong desires to earn money or pursue secular things. Dafa has also taught me to be selfless and altruistic. I became less selfish.”

Two years later, Kacey met his wife Judith, who is also a Falun Dafa practitioner. After they married, Kacey and Judith had a lot of conflicts due to different personalities. “I used to argue and hold grudges against my wife whenever we got into arguments. However, I knew that being a Falun Dafa practitioner means that I need to abide by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

“We had different opinions about parenting but the principles of Compassion and Forbearance helped us get through a lot. Things always had to go my way in the past. I learned to reconcile and not fight. We are no longer as selfish as before and instead we think for each other more often. We’ve become more considerate of each other when we get into conflicts. The good that we put in for each other also paid off. We have a happy and harmonious family now.

“We have two daughters, Ellie, who is six years old, and Berlyn, who is three years old. We benefited greatly as a family since we are all Falun Dafa cultivators. My daughters are learning to abide by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to become better people. My older daughter, Ellie, has a lot of self-discipline and is very responsible. Berlyn also follows in her older sister’s footsteps and is learning to be an obedient child.”

Ellie learned to practice Falun Dafa’s five sets of exercises with Kacey ever since she was one year old. Berlyn often asks Ellie if they can practice the exercise together before bedtime. Both of them also study the Fa with Kacey. Ellie learned that a cultivator needs to look inward, find one’s own shortcomings and rectify them. When Judith lost her temper last week, Ellie ran over to her mother and said, “Mommy, you need to look inward.”

Kacey said, “My family is extremely grateful to Master Li Hongzhi for introducing Falun Dafa to the public. We wish Master a Happy Chinese New Year.”

Overcoming Suffering and Hardship

Elham is from the Middle East. Her life has been challenging and filled with hardship ever since she was born. She was upset and pessimistic and always wondered, “Why is my life so hard? Why do I suffer so much?” When she was a child her elders talked about the existence of higher beings. She read and searched for different books about religion at bookstores, hoping to find the divine and the true purpose of life.

Elham said, “I attempted to commit suicide multiple times when I was unable to bear the suffering in my life. I woke up from these attempted suicides each time and my body would fully recover. I fell into a fire pit one time and my skin was burned. I got into a serious car accident when I was pregnant. I survived each time. I felt like the divine was looking after me and did not want me to die, but I did not know why.

“I was diagnosed with a brain tumor when I was in my early 30s. I was so happy because I always wanted to end my life. I could finally leave this world. However, I still felt sad deep within because I had yet to find the divine and the purpose of life. I felt it was unfair to just die like that.”

Elham sincerely prayed to the divine, “If you do exist, can you reveal yourself? I have been searching for you all my life. Please reveal yourself to me before I die.”

She’d earlier downloaded a Persian language version of Zhuan Falun when she was searching for the true meaning of life. Elham suddenly remembered Zhuan Falun and decided to read the book. When she began to read, she realized, “I finally found the answers to my questions. I began to cry. I knew the meaning of life after reading the book. Within three months I was able to do household chores and lead a normal life.

“I was so happy after reading  Zhuan Falun and I no longer want to die. I knew how precious life and having a human body is. I treasured the opportunity to cultivate. Therefore, I went to the best hospital to receive treatments for my brain tumor. When I asked the doctor, ‘How much longer will I be able to live?’ The doctor told me that I was a healthy person and that the tumor was gone.”

She also remembered her thyroid cancer. When she touched her neck, she realized that the lump had disappeared. She suddenly remembered a section of Master’s lectures. 

Master said, 

“I won’t be teaching you how to heal, as that’s not part of our practice. But an ailing body is a real impediment to anyone serious about spiritual practice. And so I will purify your body for you.” (The First Talk,  Zhuan Falun)

She enlightened that Master gave her a new life to cultivate Dafa. She chose to forgive those who hurt her in the past and to live well from now on.

“I want to thank Master for answering my prayers, revealing the principles of life, leading me on a righteous path and for bestowing on me a new life. I want to be a diligent practitioner and rectify myself.”

Elham exclaimed, “Master, Happy Chinese New Year!”

Taking Fame and Gain Lightly and Gaining Without Pursuit

Prashant is grateful to Master and wishes him a Happy Chinese New Year.

Prashant began practicing Falun Dafa with his mother 18 years ago. He has studied the Fa, practiced the exercises, and clarified the truth with his mother since he was a child. He recalled, “My mother became more patient and tolerant of my father after she began practicing Falun Dafa. Our family was harmonious and happy.” The positive changes fostered Prashant’s growth. After graduating from college, he studied for his doctorate in Canada.

He knew that a cultivator should eliminate the heart of pursuit and take fame and profit lightly. Therefore, Prashant has been able to face everything with a calm heart and follow the course of nature. He believes that Master has arranged every cultivator’s path. 

“I was able to calmly face six professors’ three hours of questioning during my doctorate oral defense. I answered each question clearly and concisely. My classmates admired how I was able to remain calm and answer my professors’ challenging questions. The truth is, I am a cultivator and was able to take lightly the results of my oral defense.

“I obtained my doctorate degree smoothly and was hired immediately after graduation. Master has bestowed this on me.”

Since the beginning, Prashant has always paid attention to Fa study. He studied the Fa in English in the beginning. After learning the meaning of Master’s lectures, he started to read  Zhuan Falun in Chinese. Prashant also began to read Master’s other writings such as Hong Yin, and Essentials for Further Advancement in Chinese. 

Prashant was also kind towards his classmates. Though many of his Chinese friends could not understand why Prashant practiced Falun Dafa, he befriended them and they studied together. His Chinese classmates gradually opened their hearts to Prashant and asked about Falun Dafa. 

Prashant said, “Master has guided me along every step of my path. I firmly believe I can overcome all obstacles. With the upcoming Chinese New Year, I would like to wish Master a Happy Chinese New Year! Thank you, Master, for your compassionate salvation.”