(Minghui.org) I am 70 years old and live in Pune, India. Our compassionate Master Li (Dafa’s founder) has given me a new life that I never ever thought I’d have. I can’t express how grateful I am to Master for this chance at salvation and for cherishing me as one of his practitioners. I will try my best to fulfill my responsibilities.
I am truly grateful for this precious opportunity to share my humble experiences with everyone. I’d like to tell you about my cultivation journey.
After I began practicing I often felt Master offering us his immense compassion. In the absence of tests arranged by Master, how can I know my hidden attachments and karma that I accrued in my past many lives? By practicing Dafa exercises and regularly reading the Fa teachings, I see that I have many wrong notions, like fear of losing beloved ones, fear of death, jealousy, selfishness, resentment, hatred, inferiority complex, and many more.
After I began practicing I understood I developed all these notions and attachments postnatally. But our benevolent Master still picked me up from this ordinary human beings’ filthy situation, cleansed me, and purified me from my core – and this is not all, I might also be blessed with enlightenment if I can meet the standard. How profoundly fortunate I am! I am eternally grateful to our Master.
Before I began practicing Falun Dafa in 2016 I suffered from chronic illnesses like asthma and hyperthyroidism. I practiced alone for nearly a year. I did the exercises by watching videos. I also read Zhuan Falun. When I read Zhuan Falun for the first time, I felt this book was written for me. I experienced many amazing things after I began practicing, and miraculously all my ailments were gone within six months. I did not see a doctor again.
In 2017, a local gathering of Maharashtrian practitioners was held in Pune, and I met many practitioners. They helped correct my exercise movements. I also learned about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of practitioners in China.
When I first began practicing, many deviating thoughts popped up in my mind. I could not find out what was going on with me – and if it was right or wrong. I had fear and doubt whether I would really be able to practice and if I would be able to cultivate. I was determined to persevere in reading the Fa and doing the exercises every morning. By reading Zhuan Falun daily, my understanding of the Fa gradually became better. I was able to see through the old forces’ interference in practice and tried to get rid of them. Gradually, I could do the exercises well and experienced energy in my body. Our Master and fellow practitioners helped me a lot.
Master said,
“As a Dafa disciple, no matter what setting you are in, you should do well, do even better, and quickly eliminate your shortcomings and the things you shouldn’t have.” (Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XIII)
Being Dafa disciples of the Fa-rectification period, we local practitioners were visiting various places on the occasions of mass gatherings and festivals for raising awareness and distributing fliers. But in March 2020, the COVID pandemic put to halt all outdoor activities.
As we were not able to go out, I started to read the Fa at home. Along with Zhuan Falun, I read Master’s other lectures, which boosted my understanding of the Fa. I also read the experience sharing articles on Minghui.org, which gave me the courage to overcome the tribulations in life and also improved my understanding of many principles.
I would like to share two examples of how I learned to look within, which led to improvements in my xinxing.
One evening, I suddenly felt my breathing was heavy, it was not normal. My chest felt as if there was a heavy weight on it. I was confused and worried that if I told my husband he would take me to a hospital. The situation soon became worse, at the same time, I was trying to look within and find out my shortcomings and attachments, or any bad deed that I committed. I was clueless. Suddenly, the fear of death surrounded me. My breathing became more difficult and at one point I was unable to breathe.
In my heart, I asked Master to save me and give me one more chance. I felt I had not completed my task of helping Master save the people I vowed to save, nor eliminated my attachments. I also regretted that I would fail to achieve consummation. I pleaded to Master, “Please bless me, Master.” I was suddenly aware of my thoughts, and I kept looking within and correcting any unrighteous thoughts.
I recalled that some time ago, I had killed many cockroaches in my home with insecticide. I repented in my heart, “Master, please forgive me. I will not do it again.” It was a miracle that just a couple of minutes after that my breathing became normal, as if nothing happened. I know our Master saved me!
Tears of gratitude rolled down my face. As a practitioner, I realized that I should not have killed any living being intentionally. The illusion of sickness karma was a test for me and a payback for my bad deed. I also realized that the sickness issue showed that I am not fully diligent in cultivation. I still have many attachments, and many times I act as an ordinary person. I am now even more determined to be aware of unrighteous thoughts and notions and get rid of my attachments as soon as I recognize them. I must try hard to practice Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
However, at times, I would still become less diligent, and when I slacked off in my practice or become lethargic, the old forces interfere and arrange a “sickness karma” test for me.
During the pandemic, I spent plenty of time at home doing housework and didn’t have a chance to interact with people. I did the exercises in the morning and participated in the afternoon online Fa study. Even though my husband (a non-practitioner) and I are the only ones who live in our home, he seldom talks to me. Throughout our long married life, we have been an unmatched couple. But I have a strong attachment to him and sentimentality. He is kind and has an outgoing personality. During the pandemic, he maintained his relationships via online platforms.
I always sought my husband’s love and emotional support but he ignored me. With so many different attachments continuously reflecting in my mind, I felt overly anxious and could not control my thoughts. My mind was turbulent with a mess of thoughts. I was afraid and wondered if I would become psychologically unbalanced with no one to talk to and share with. We had tough times living with each other throughout our married life. I felt he often treated me unjustly. One day I broke that dreadful silence and a conflict started between us. I vented all my past and present anger, fears, jealousy, resentment, and hatred on him, badmouthing him.
After I began practicing Falun Dafa, I understood why, even though we are an unmatched couple, we were destined to be together. He is actually helping me to eliminate my karma from past lives — so I should thank him. Although this is easy to say, it’s hard to do. It is not easy to rise to high levels from the realms of an ordinary person. Despite having many attachments, and by facing harsh situations, I am learning to cultivate towards and align with the pure and sacred values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. From the Fa, I understood that even if something seems hard — it is possible and can be done. I know that I have to try hard in practicing forbearance. I am determined to do better in this.
I was reluctant to share and discuss my personal life with other practitioners, but thinking that it is I who is practicing Dafa, not my spouse, I should eliminate my human attachments. I should not shy away from stepping forward to seek help from fellow practitioners, so one day I dared to share this matter with my study group. They pointed out my attachments and shortcomings. I accepted them all as I truly wanted to change to become a better person and a true Falun Dafa cultivator. I understood that it was a test arranged by Master to help me recognize the strong attachments embedded deep within me so that I should try hard to get rid of them as fast as possible. Only then can I align with Dafa’s standard.
Master said,
“When encountering conflicts, cultivators should bear them. Furthermore, you yourself should be able to endure, and only then can you truly ascend.”(Teaching At The Conference in Houston)
Family conflicts are now reduced, and the home situation is harmonious. Whenever conflicts take place, I look within and find my shortcomings. This has helped me to gradually eliminate my attachments. With the power of Dafa, and by maintaining righteous thoughts and practicing compassion, even family relations with near and far relatives has improved. This affected my husband positively. Now, whenever conflicts or arguments take place, he tells me that he has read Zhuan Falun and that Master said very clearly how to live by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, but I am not practicing correctly. I know that Master is encouraging me through my husband, and telling me to follow the principles!
Reading the experience sharing articles of Chinese practitioners on Minghui.org has also helped me a lot. Since 1999, they’ve faced severe persecution, but they still work hard to help one another and to encourage each other, despite being in such a harsh environment. Also, maintaining harmony within the family and among the practitioners as well, and supporting each other as one body of Dafa practitioners. Their diligence moves my heart and I have great respect for them!
Currently, I am a part of the international E-mail Project for truth clarification. The weekly meetings and sharing have helped me a lot. I also try to participate in local flier distribution and exercise demonstration activities whenever possible. It is always an amazing experience sharing the good news of Dafa with people face-to-face. Recently, I joined some other elderly practitioners to participate in an International Book Fair event in another city. We handed out thousands of fliers. I am truly thankful to Master for this opportunity!
In the end, I would like to remind myself and others that Dafa is priceless and solemn. It is recreating us by molding us and making us like pure gold so that we can achieve enlightenment and fulfill our vows to assist Master in awakening people. I want to express my eternal gratitude to Master for imparting to us the Dafa (Great Law) of the cosmos and for saving us.
Also, a hearty thanks to all my fellow practitioners who directly or indirectly, helped me improve my cultivation.