85-Year-Old Practitioner: How I Passed the Test of Sickness Karma

(Minghui.org) I am 85 years old and have practiced Falun Dafa for over 20 years. After I began practicing Dafa, my leg pain, foot pain, and high blood pressure were cured. My vision and hearing are very good, which allows me to live on my own in the countryside.

My son and his family live in the city and invited me to live with them. However, as a cultivator, I believed I should be self-reliant and not burden my children with my care. Additionally, living alone makes it more convenient for me to study the Fa and do the exercises on my schedule. Nevertheless, I started to think that I was growing old. I began to slack off and seldom spoke about Falun Dafa to save people.

The old forces soon took advantage of my loopholes. Last summer, I had sickness karma. For nearly a month, I didn’t have a bowel movement. I couldn’t eat and my back hurt. Initially, I didn’t tell my children. My second daughter, who is also a cultivator, said, “Master has taught us that any challenges we encounter are opportunities for us to improve. You should look within to find the attachments you have yet to let go of.” I thought about it and said, “The weather was hot during those days, so I skipped doing the exercises. Some elderly neighbors wanted to come over and play mahjong at my place, so I let them, and I even played a few games myself.”

My daughter said anxiously, “You are not recognizing how serious cultivation is. As practitioners, we cannot engage in any behavior that deviates from the Fa even once. The old forces are taking advantage of your attachments to persecute you. Please act quickly, look inward to deny their schemes, and focus on doing the three things well. Have faith in Master and the Fa so that Master can assist you.”

I began dedicating more time to studying the Fa and doing the exercises. I explained to my neighbors that they were welcome to visit and enjoy themselves in my home but that mahjong was not allowed.

However, my physical condition did not improve. I asked myself, “What attachment have I failed to let go of?”

A week later, my son arrived to take me to the city. I shared my situation with him, and he was deeply concerned, saying, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? No wonder you’ve lost weight.”

My son bought laxatives and medication for my back pain, urging me to take them. He said he would take me to the hospital right away if I didn’t. I didn’t want to go to the hospital because it might involve surgery, which would be both painful and costly. Reluctantly, I took the medication.

That night, my back pain got worse, and I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to do the exercises. I fell asleep right after I finished. When I woke up, I noticed the light on the MP3 player was flickering. I thought I had forgotten to turn it off. Not wanting to get up, I waved my hand toward it. To my surprise, the light went off but then started flickering again. I realized that Master was reminding me that I was a practitioner. How could ordinary people help me solve my problems?

In the morning, I reached out to my second daughter and asked her to come help me. This daughter has always been somewhat uneasy around her brother. She didn’t want to create a conflict and suggested, “One of our relatives works at the hospital. Maybe she could take a look at Mom first.” My son agreed to this proposal.

That evening, my daughter and I sent righteous thoughts and did the exercises together. However, my symptoms were still there. I continued to feel a lump in my stomach, which made me not want to eat. I couldn’t move due to the pain in my back. I spent the night tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Concerned about my health, my daughter explained the situation to her practitioner husband. He said, “Mother is a practitioner. Isn’t this simply a test of our faith in Master and the Fa? Isn’t it an opportunity for us to cultivate our character? How can ordinary people resolve her situation? If Mom can let go of her attachments and improve her character, her karma will be eliminated. Isn’t that a positive outcome? So, what is there to fear?”

My daughter found what he said encouraging and, in turn, looked inward and found that she had fear. We then read Master’s teachings together. Master Li has long told us that practitioners will not become sick.

Master said:

“Your spiritual journey has been well designed, and your body isn’t allowed to become sick. Really, it’s not allowed to be sick. That’s because no illness is allowed to invade you now; any pathogen would be killed by the positive energy you have. But people do create karma, and that karma will manifest in your body in a way that mimics an ailment.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference, Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XV)

Hearing this, I felt somewhat relieved. After all, Master has often emphasized that disciples will not fall ill. Wasn’t my condition merely an illusion? My anxiety about my health stemmed from a lack of complete faith in Master and the Fa. I shared this insight with my daughter and stressed the importance of conquering my fear. I was determined to overcome this trial with righteous thoughts. As I conveyed my resolve to my daughter, she too gained confidence.

However, the old forces’ interference persisted, and my trial was far from over. The following morning, I visited a relative who was a doctor. He expressed concern over the seriousness of my condition, suggesting it could be an intestinal infarction [a blocked artery]. He offered two potential solutions: an enema or surgery. But he cautioned that surgery carried certain risks.

I began to worry once again. Either choice would be a significant ordeal. I dreaded the thought of enduring suffering, burdening my son financially, and the possibility that the chosen treatment might not cure me.

My daughter said, “As practitioners, believing we are unwell attracts persecution by the old forces. Seeking medical treatment results in physical and financial hardship and burdens our loved ones. It undermines our cultivation and fosters misconceptions about Dafa. I believe that things will improve if you have righteous thoughts.”

In an instant, I regained clarity. I thought, “I am a Dafa practitioner. What is there to fear?” I resolved to return home. My daughter promptly called her husband to pick us up.

An hour later, my son-in-law arrived and said, “Mom, you have to decide on your own. You can either go to the hospital or trust in Master and return home.”

After thoughtful consideration, I replied, “I’ve thought it over, and with Master’s guidance, there’s no need to worry. I’m going home.” This time, I truly felt a sense of relief and was ready to head home.

I decided to use the bathroom before we left, thinking it might not be convenient to find a restroom along the way. I didn’t give it much thought, but as I sat on the toilet, I had a bowel movement. I felt immensely relieved and called my daughter to tell her.

Just then, I felt the discomfort and gas in my stomach dissipate, the hardened lumps in my abdomen disappear, and my backache subside. My daughter said I’d regained a healthy color. I felt completely at ease.

Although my relative initially had doubts about me not being treated at all, witnessing how I’d improved left him with no choice but to believe in the power of Dafa. In my heart, I expressed my profound gratitude to Master for saving my life.