(Clearwisdom.net) I am a Falun Dafa practitioner living in the countryside. I was fortunate enough to begin practicing Falun Gong on July 1, 1997. The cultivation way of Falun Dafa was of interest to me because I suffered multiple diseases and wanted to get rid of them. Although I went to the exercise site of my village with the intention of having my illnesses healed, deep down in my heart I still did not quite believe that doing "qigong exercises" could cure any diseases. I went there mainly to socialize with others. When I went, I was just in time to start watching Teacher's 9-day video lectures, and after I watched it for 3 or 4 days, I had flu symptoms and a terrible headache. Although all the bones in my body were in pain, I persisted in watching the 9-day video lectures to the very end. Then, a miracle occurred. Without going to the hospital or taking any medicine, my flu symptoms disappeared quickly and I could walk with a light step. In the past, I didn't really believe it when somebody told me that qigong practice has health benefits. Now, I have personally experienced the incredible, supernatural power of Falun Dafa.
Some veteran practitioners suggested that I obtain a copy of the book Zhuan Falun, but I was a bit hesitant about whether I could really read it, since I was not quite literate. A fellow practitioner told me that some completely illiterate elderly people were eventually able read the book, so I bought Zhuan Falun to read during the group study at the exercise location. Since then, I have never stopped studying Zhuan Falun. Through Fa study, I have come to understand many principles of the Fa that I did not know before, and I have learned that this is called "cultivation". Cultivation of Falun Dafa has purified my body and elevated my xinxing. In the past, I used to think that I was the best person, but after studying the Fa, I realize that what I learned before was based on a selfish standpoint, which had deviated from the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I decided that now that I had obtained the Fa and become a cultivator of Falun Dafa, I had to think of others first and truly become a good person.
For example, before cultivation, my parents were at odds with my older brother and his wife. My parents and my brother did not talk to each other. Because of this, my parents lived with me. My brother farmed on the land that belonged to my parents, but he and his wife did not give any crops to my parents. They also never gave any money to my parents to see the doctor when they were sick. As a result, both my husband and I had to take care of my parents on our own. To make things worse, my older brother and sister-in-law even told other people that my parents favored me, which had made us really angry. After I obtained Dafa, I understood the principles of the Fa. Teacher said in Zhuan Falun:
"In cultivation practice, there may be two scenarios when dealing with specific conflicts or when others treat you badly. One is that you might have treated this person badly in your previous life. You feel in your heart that it is unfair, 'How can this person treat me like this?' Then why did you treat this person that way in the past? You might claim that you actually did not know it at that time, and this life has nothing to do with the other life. That does not work. "
Through Fa study, I truly realized why I had been suffering so much throughout my life. This is all because of karmic retribution. After I obtained the Fa, I compared myself against the standard of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in every aspect of my life and got rid of the grievances in my mind. I took the initiative to harmonize the family by starting to talk to my older brother and sister-in-law and helping them with their daily work. I tried my best not to allow myself to be swayed by anything they said or did. Since I followed the principle of "Taking the Fa as the Teacher" and showed compassion to them, their opinions of me have also gradually changed. Moreover, they have gained a better understanding of Dafa and my sister-in-law has begun to practice Falun Gong. My older brother has also read Zhuan Falun. Similarly, the problems I had with my brother-in-law and sister on my husband's side have also been resolved after I practiced Falun Gong. I have now been able to live harmoniously with them. This is the happiness and joy that Falun Dafa has brought to my family, and I am deeply indebted for Teacher's compassionate salvation.
However, on July 20, 1999 the Chinese Communist Party launched a massive persecution and arrest of Falun Dafa practitioners. Because of this, I have suffered barbaric persecution both mentally and physically, which has greatly frightened my family. From 1999 to July 2000, I was taken again and again to the town administration building and the Party School and severely beaten. I was forcibly subjected to brainwashing in attempts to force me to give up practicing Falun Gong. This persecution made my old diseases recur once, but they later vanished again with the compassionate protection of Teacher. In 2000, I was detained for 11 months before my husband was allowed to take me home. After I came back home, my husband and my child had both developed bad thoughts against me and Falun Dafa, because of the rumors and lies about Falun Gong spread on the TV, as well as their fear that I would be persecuted again. The evildoers in the town who persecuted me told them, with feigned kindness: "We treat you like this, because we are kind to your family." My husband and my child wouldn't allow me to study the Fa nor do the exercises. They burned my books, swore at me, and even beat me. I did not have any freedom, except for the right to work for the family. I started a hunger strike. I told my family that from now on, I would not eat anything and only work. So, I went to work for other people without eating anything. These people asked why I only worked but ate nothing, I then started to tell them the facts about Falun Dafa. I said the diseases in my entire body have been cured through studying the Fa and doing the exercises, but my husband did not allow me to study the Fa and do the exercises and I did not have any freedom and human rights. Is this fair? After seeing that I refused to eat anything, my son asked our neighbors to persuade me to eat something. The neighbors also persuaded my husband not to burn my books anymore. They said: "Doing the exercises is good for health. Just look at her good health due to doing the exercises. She could still do physical labor at her old age. So, let her continue doing the exercises and no longer burn the books she borrowed." After our neighbors left, I said to my husband and child: "Do you think that I would not be able to cultivate Falun Gong without any books? Nobody can interfere with me for walking on the path of cultivation. This is the choice for the rest of my life!" From then on, my husband has left me alone.
I thought to myself: only studying the Fa without clarifying the truth about Falun Gong would not do. It is not what a Fa-rectification period Dafa practitioner would do either. Since the truth clarification materials my fellow practitioners gave me had all been burned by my husband, and they dare not come to my home even if they would like to help me, I took the time when my husband was not home to go to my fellow practitioners to exchange ideas with them. After several discussions with fellow practitioners, my understanding of the Fa improved. Once, I saw truth-clarification posters on my way to another village. After I came back home, I made several dozen similar truth clarification posters to put up in my area. I had not posted any before, so I was a bit scared. Since this was the first time I went out to put up posters, I thought in my heart that it would be better if it were foggy out. I was surprised to learn that it was densely foggy after dinner time. So, I went out to put up the posters in two villages. It was dark and I could not see things clearly, but I remembered Teacher said in Zhuan Falun "When it's difficult to endure, you can endure it. When it's impossible to do, you can do it."
With my heart filled only with the Fa, I firmly believed that there is nothing that I cannot accomplish. Through Fa study, I have reaffirmed my solid determination. With a compassionate state of mind, I have gradually touched my husband. He now not only has a brand new understanding of Dafa, but is also actively helping my fellow practitioners who run into difficulties. He no longer objects to fellow practitioners coming to our home. Instead, he has treated them cordially. This is the power of Dafa, and it shows the grand compassion of Teacher. It is also the result of my righteous thoughts.
Although I still have a lot of attachments that I need to get rid of and I am still behind in many aspects compared to my fellow practitioners, I am determined to do the three things well. I will continue to study the Fa and search inside myself, not forget to clarify the truth about Falun Gong and hurry to save the sentient beings. I sincerely hope that those practitioners who are in similar situations to mine will step forward as soon as possible, do the three things well, and catch up with the pace of the Fa-rectification. Do not miss the opportunity that we have waited for from ancient times till now. Let us not let Teacher down, who has saved us with his great compassion.
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