(Clearwisdom.net)
Afflicted with a variety of ailments, my youth was filled with misery
My name is Chen Yuexia and I am seventy-one years old. Human beings in this world really endure a lot of suffering from illnesses. I can't even begin to recount the many ailments I had. I had been in poor health since I was little. I was born in a poor family. Many of the illnesses I had became chronic and persisted throughout my adult life. I got married in my twenties. Because of my poor health, I was unable to get pregnant, nor was I able to do the housework by myself, and always needed to hire help. At the time, I suffered from all kinds of diseases such as endometritis, oophoritis, gastoenteritis, anemia, neurasthenia, frequent colds, severe migraine, enteric dysmotility, chronic refractory constipation, low back pain, sciatica, hemorrhoids, hematuria, cystitis etc. Although none of these was life threatening, I was miserable.
Strong and Healthy Grandma Chen in Her Seventies
My husband used to joke that his wife had one characteristic - she smelled like medicine all over. Every month I needed a variety of injections: injections for pain, inflammation, flu, anemia, constipation. Because I could not get pregnant, we adopted a daughter. When my daughter turned fifteen, my husband had a stroke. He passed away after being bedridden for one year, leaving behind my daughter and me. I had to continue my husband's business and raise my young daughter. I was very busy during the day. At night, I had to endure the pain of multiple ailments.
In Search of Wellbeing
Life goes on nonetheless, and my ailments also clung to me. Although the medicine did not help, I did not know what else I could do. I relied on large amount of medicine every day to sustain the basic bodily functions and improve the quality of my life. I did not have any choice. I felt that such was life, and I could not be comfortable as long as I lived. Just like that, six or seven years went by, and my daughter grew up and got married. I also closed up the shop my husband left behind.
As I had more free time, I started exercising in the park two years later. Over the following ten years, I tried various Qigongs, but none of them helped me.
Grandma Chen skillfully operates computer
A new life starts in my sixties
During this period of time, I noticed a group in the park. They usually sat quietly. They were practicing Falun Gong. But at that time, I had no interest to learn it.
Half a year later, this group held an activity to promote Falun Gong. Out of curiosity, I went to take a look. I only remember that I saw the article "Lun Yu" printed on a big canvas. I found out that it belongs to the Buddhist's school. I then took a brochure with me.
With some hesitation, I went to the practice site next day. To my surprise, it felt good to cross my legs and meditate in the lotus position. I could sit for one hour in the half lotus position. Could it be an encouragement?
I practiced for four or five days, and started to feel different - how come there were Falun spinning all over my body and around my head? I was puzzled and asked other practitioners. They told me that they were helping me purify my body. I was at a loss and felt that there was so much I needed to learn, so I went to the "Nine Day Lecture Series" in my community to truly understand Falun Dafa.
Unexpected "miracles" gradually appeared. Soon after I started practicing Falun Gong, I no longer had the colds that I used to get every month, and the sciatica that had tortured me for over ten years disappeared. In the past, I could not sit or stand for long and needed to lie down, and I easily got tired and my legs felt sore and numb. I needed to have therapy twice a week. Each time I needed to do stretching and strengthening exercises for over two hours. Soon, I didn't need any of that!
I had a very strange disease that none of the doctors had a clue about. For over twenty years I had to rely on injection of painkillers to get some relief. It was a very severe "nerve pain" (neuralgia). On average I suffered excruciating pain for several days a month. Sometimes it lasted for a week. It originated from the sensitive areas of my body such as the inner sides of my thighs or my upper arms. It felt as if someone was piercing me continuously with needles and knives. I felt helpless. My affected skin could not be touched (otherwise it felt like my skin was being peeled off). As a result of the severe pain, my teeth were clenched, I cried and held my breath, and I was stiff all over. Modern medicine could not find the cause. I could only rely on large doses of painkillers to provide temporary relief, and it would come back in a month. It had lasted for twenty years. It challenged my tolerance and I truly felt that I would rather die.
After I practiced Falun Gong for two or three months every day without interruption, I found that this excruciating neuralgia had not erupted for several months. Surprisingly, my other ailments such as hemorrhoids, bloody stool, and hematuria were all gone. In the past, I relied on medication to regulate my bowel movement, and every time I went to the bathroom, I was fearful of the dysuria and the bleeding. Now all of these are gone!
I was astonished. I had been tormented by illnesses for most of my life and all the medicines, both Chinese and western, were of no avail. I could not believe that simply studying the Fa and practicing the exercises could have this effect. I felt as if I had changed to another person with a different mood and consciousness. Falun Gong is so wonderful and miraculous. As long as I am a practitioner, all of my illnesses will disappear as my xinxing elevates. What else deserve my gratitude more for this "rebirth" than Falun Gong? I did not expect that in my later years I would be saved upon embarking on cultivation.
Righteous thoughts and deeds are fundamental
Regarding the health issue, I felt that my life in the past had been truly miserable. Not until I practiced Falun Gong did I understand what it's like to be totally free of illnesses. Because of this, I whole-heartedly believe in Dafa, which has changed my life. I am determined to cultivate in Dafa. It has become my habit to study the Fa and practice the exercises every day. After three years, I could sit in the double lotus position for one hour. After another one or two years of karma elimination as I endured the pain of sitting in the lotus position, I don't feel much pain now.
When practicing Falun Gong, the development of gong is very rapid. The manifestation of Gong is also obvious. I have witnessed and experienced the energy in my body. Especially when I concentrate to send forth righteous thought, my energy is usually very strong. In public I control myself so that I would not appear unusual. But when I am practicing or sending forth righteous thought in private, I would just let it be because these are all natural phenomenon during cultivation.
Sometimes I would have strong energy just as what's described in Zhuan Falun. However, I am not attached to this. It is all natural in cultivation of the righteous way. One day when I was sending forth righteous thoughts, my daughter suddenly grabbed my hands tightly. I opened my eyes and she was staring at me and worried, "Mom, I really was afraid that you would fly away."
Suffering comes to an end and my true fortune arrives
After going through the process of cultivation during these years, I feel that I am truly fortunate to have obtained Dafa. I want to let everyone know that it is the utmost good fortune for an elderly person like myself to obtain Dafa. I only came to know Dafa at the age of sixty-five. I am now seventy-one years old and I feel like I am reborn.
I hope all people with pre-destined relationship will come to learn Dafa. Therefore I offer part of my home as a study site so that practitioners can improve together. Every morning from Monday to Friday, we gather together to study the Fa, practice the exercises, share experiences and improve as a whole.
Finally, I want to tell you the following: people suffering from illnesses are truly in misery. However, through cultivation, one can change one's path of life and one can be care-free and live with dignity! Sometimes I saw my old friends; they get old, sick and even pass away. I truly feel sorry for them. How come they don't want this wonderful Dafa? How come they prefer the ordinary life, which is full of suffering?
If you have the chance to read about my life experience here, please do not wait until all the karma manifests and then start thinking about cultivation. It might be too late then.
June 15, 2007
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