(Minghui.org) I’m 73 years old. Before practicing Falun Dafa, I had numerous health problems. They included high blood pressure (215/110 mmHg), severe migraine headaches, and a herniated lumbar disc. My poor health prevented me from working and I even had difficulty taking care of myself. After I began practicing all my ailments disappeared, and I’m so grateful to Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa, for everything.

It’s been 17 years since I took up the practice and Master has protected me in numerous tribulations. I’d like to tell you how I overcame a sickness tribulation in November 2023.

My husband passed away three years ago, and I live with my son and take care of two school-age grandsons. Although I practice on my own, I’m able to access Minghui every day and read practitioners’ sharing articles and Master’s new articles.

One day I ate some dried pomelos (an Asian citrus fruit). No one wanted them but I didn’t want to discard them. As I ate I thought, “I hope they don’t give me a stomachache.” The next day I went to the farmer’s market as usual to tell the people about Falun Dafa. On my way back my stomach started to hurt. The pain worsened after I got home.

I did not want to eat, but I cooked dinner for my son’s family. That night the pain kept me from falling asleep. I vomited and had diarrhea. The symptoms let up around 5 a.m., but then I started to have sharp pain in my lower abdomen. It was so bad that I could not straighten my back.

I quickly looked within. I knew that I dozed off when I read the Fa (teachings) and I fell asleep when I sent righteous thoughts or meditated. These were serious problems in cultivation because I failed to think, speak, and act based on the teachings, thus I gave the old forces an excuse to persecute me.

I sent righteous thoughts and asked Master for help, while reminding myself that practitioners are not sick. Master said,

““I’m Li Hongzhi’s disciple, I don’t want other arrangements or acknowledge them”—then they won’t dare to do that. So it can all be resolved. When you can really do that, not just saying it but putting it into action, Master will definitely stand up for you.” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)

I knew that the ordeal happened because my thoughts were not righteous. When I thought that eating too much pomelo might give me a stomachache, that was an everyday person’s thought. That thought plus my poor cultivation state invited the old forces to intensify the illusion of illness.

Because my symptoms were so severe, my son, daughter-in-law, and her parents urged me to go to the hospital. My son was very upset and said, “You could die from a perforated appendix!”

I told them, “I know you all worry about me, but I practice Falun Dafa and Master Li is watching over me. Please be assured that I’ll soon be well.”

I explained, “When a person gets sick, of course he needs to go to a hospital, the earlier the better. But I am a practitioner and this is not an illness. It is me eliminating karma. I have a test to pass and will not treat it as an illness.”

The next day all the symptoms went away, and in five days I was fine. My family witnessed Falun Dafa’s healing power and how Master protected me from an otherwise serious medical condition.

For an everyday person, the severe symptoms I had could have led to an infection, sepsis and possible surgery. Master shouldered most of the pain for me. I thank Master for repeatedly saving my life. There is nothing I can do to repay his grace except cultivate more diligently and eliminate my human notions and attachments. I will fulfill my vows, study the Dafa teachings well, and help save more people so that I can follow Master and return to my true home.

This is my understanding at my current cultivation level. Please point out anything not in line with the Fa.