(Clearwisdom.net) I have been practicing Falun Gong for over 14 years. Under Teacher's compassionate protection and guidance, I have continued to elevate my level and managed to overcome the trials and tribulations that I have encountered as I cultivate in the Fa. I would like to share my humble experiences to help fellow practitioners who have had a difficult time with their cultivation.
When I obtained the book Zhuan Falun in 1995, I found that it answered a lot of questions that I had from practicing different forms of qigong. Words could not express my joy: I had found the high-level cultivation practice that I have been searching for! I might not have understood much of the profound Buddha Fa that Teacher has imparted when I first started, but I knew very well that one must follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. Falun Gong is remarkable! And I was determined to practice it!
Making Teacher's new Fa lectures available to fellow practitioners
After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started its suppression of Falun Gong in 1999, our local Fa study group soon disbanded, and I was unable to obtain Teacher's new Fa lectures, or hear any news from fellow practitioners. It must have been Teacher's arrangement that I learned to use the Internet, so I could have access to the Fa lectures on the Clearwisdom website. I was overcome with joy when I was able to obtain them, but also remembered that there were practitioners in my area that did not have access the Fa lectures. So, I would print them out and pass them around.
It wasn't long, however, before the CCP started to block access to the Clearwisdom website, and I was unable to access it. Once again Teacher helped me, as a practitioner soon installed a software program on my computer that helped me to bypass the CCP's Internet blockade. I then learned how to produce truth clarification materials, as I simply wanted to make Teacher's Fa lectures and news about the persecution available to other practitioners. I reminded myself that I must be responsible for the Fa and for practitioners. That meant that I must pay attention to detail, refine the quality of printed materials and distribute them in a timely manner. I initially passed these materials to only a few practitioners, but over time I would distribute them to many practitioners in the area.
I also learned how to submit articles for the Clearwisdom website, help people to quit the CCP on-line, and burn DVD's that could help to clarify the truth. As a result, practitioners in my area were able to study the Fa and distribute truth clarification materials. I always tried to learn to use the required technology as long as it helped to let people know the facts about Falun Gong and save people.
My husband, son, daughter-in-law and cousin have been very supportive, and helped me to produce and distribute these materials, even though they were not practitioners. My son has since become a practitioner. Even when the persecution was most severe, I didn't stop printing and distributing materials. I have been making materials now for ten years.
It may appear that "I" have been providing these services, but it has always been Teacher's arrangement that have made it possible. Teacher made arrangements so that I could fulfill my wish when I wanted to make the lectures available to the practitioners around me, and the Fa has given me wisdom to complete these tasks. Despite my age, I have become wiser and more alert, enabling me to learn this new technology quickly. When I needed to resolve an issue, an idea would suddenly come to my mind and the issue would be resolved successfully. My son often comments, "You are quite remarkable for your age!" I felt rather pleased with myself at first, but realized I was only able to accomplish these task because of the Fa. After 14 years of cultivation, it has become increasingly clear to me that my every accomplishment has always been made possible because of Teacher's arrangement. All I have done is to follow Teacher and assist Him in Fa-rectification.
Helping practitioners to return to cultivation
On a particular weekend in April 2007, I met a fellow practitioner that I had not been in contact with for a long time. She did not look well. I asked others about her and was told that she started practicing Falun Gong in 1998. Prior to that, she had rheumatoid arthritis and had to rely on other people to care of her. When the persecution started, she moved and lost contact with other practitioners. She had a copy of Zhuan Falun, which she read occasionally, but had no other Falun Gong books. She was afraid of the persecution and never really cultivated over these past few years. Her rheumatoid arthritis had since become worse and she was in constant pain, relying on a wheelchair to get around..
When we met, she said, "How wonderful! Teacher made this arrangement for me to run into you. Please help me!" I replied, "Of course it is no coincidence that we came across each other. I shall do my utmost to help you. You can count on it."
I gave her copies of Teacher's Fa lectures and Minghui Weekly. She excitedly told me, "I felt energetic when I returned home from seeing you that day. I was able to clean the house and did many of the household chores." She then told me that her daughter kept encouraging her to practice Falun Gong. Since then I often called on her and brought many Falun Gong materials, including Teacher's Fa lectures in Guangzhou and Australia, Shen Yun Performing Arts DVD and a copy of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. I also gave her a copy of the exercise music and asked a few practitioners to study the Fa and share their cultivation experiences with her.
As she started practicing Falun Gong again, her health gradually improved, and although she still had difficulty walking, she could manage to walk up and down the stairs, saying to herself as she went, "Falun Gong is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good." She also no longer needed a wheelchair, and could do all the housework by herself. Almost every time I visited, she would excitedly say to me, "It is Teacher that has saved my life. Without Teacher or the Fa, I would not be well. My daughter and grandchild both encourage me to diligently practice Falun Gong."
To help her start speaking to people about the persecution, I accompanied her when she visited her old colleagues. A colleague exclaimed, "Last time you came you were in a wheelchair. Now you walked here. What a transformation." We started talking about her health improvements were a result of her cultivation practice. We also talked about the CCP and we suggested that she quit. During that visit, two people decided to quit the Young Pioneers, a CCP organization. We also visited two of her old neighbors one day, and the elderly couple decided to quit the CCP and asked if they could borrow some Falun Gong books to read.
As this practitioner continued to cultivate and make progress, she started to run into many trials and tribulations, as she could not let go of her attachment to taking medicine. She also didn't study the Fa and practice the exercises much. I continued to call on her, but she did not improve much. Sometimes she would even argue with others. When she felt physical pain, she would not search inward for the root cause, but instead would take medicine to ease the pain. She also told me that she felt like giving up Falun Gong all together.
"Why don't I just let it go?" I thought. But then realized it was wrong of me to think like that. Teacher would never give up on any disciple. Teacher said,
"Cultivators must have human thoughts in order to cultivate, after all. Such a person's sore spots are going to be sensitive when they're hit upon, and sometimes the person will even defend himself with some kind of argument, fearing scorn. So, regardless of how he got out of there, he should still be able to enter this environment of Dafa disciples. You cannot push these people away. Instead, you should get close to them and show them warmth."
"Broaden your hearts and minds some, for they are your fellow disciples, Master's Dafa disciples."
"Dafa can strengthen even diamond, so could it be that we can't help one such individual person to improve? No environment can compare to that of Dafa disciples. As long as your righteous thoughts, as Dafa disciples, get a little stronger and you collaborate a little better with fewer conflicts, the strength of your efforts to save people will be greater." ("Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference")
I burst into tears after repeatedly studying these passages of the Fa. Teacher does not want to give up on her, so Teacher arranged for me to meet her again. It is the old forces that wanted to drag her down, but I must never acknowledge their arrangements. When I began to search inward, I thought that I must have been overcome with joy and complacency when I saw her making progress. I decided that we ought to continue to have a Fa study group so that she could have a stable environment to study the Fa. Another practitioner helped me to form a Fa study group in September 2009, where we started a daily schedule of studying the Fa, practicing the exercises, sending forth righteous thoughts, and reading truth clarification materials together.
To this day she is still following the schedule and her cultivation practice is going well. I have a steadfast belief that things will be fine as long as we follow the path Teacher has left for us and do the three things well.
Helping my mother-in-law
My mother-in-law is 79 years old. She, too, gave up Falun Gong when the CCP started to persecute practitioners. However, she still thought about the practice, and every time I saw her, she enjoyed listening to stories and news about Falun Gong. One time, she had a stroke and then started to suffer from dementia. She lost a lot of her memory, especially in recollecting her family. But, she still remembered Falun Gong, and when I was there she would repeat with me, "Falun Gong is good" and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good." She would even recite some poems from Hong Yin. Falun Gong must still have an important place in her heart.
In June 2009, my mother-in-law's condition took a turn for the worse. She could not talk properly, lost control of her bladder, and she lost a lot of weight. The doctor told us, "She is very ill, and has a fever because of a lung infection. She has high blood pressure and degenerating kidneys." The doctor added, "We will give her all the required medicine and treatments to make her feel better, but she might not get better. You must be prepared for the worst." My mother-in-law lied on the bed with an oxygen mask and all sorts of tubes inserted into her body.
All of our family began to prepare for her funeral, but I thought, "I must study the Fa with my mother-in-law, so that she will at least complete the final part of her life with the Fa in her mind. I must not leave reason for any regret." As I stood at her bedside, I repeated, "Falun Gong is good" and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good" to her, as well as recite extracts from Hong Yin and Lunyu. On the fourth day of doing this, as soon as I arrived at the hospital a nurse approached me and excited told me, "The fever has receded. Her heart rate has come down." I took the opportunity to clarify the truth about Falun Gong to the nurse, and she agreed to quit the CCP.
My mother-in-law made a miraculous recovery, and all tests showed that her body was functioning normally again. The doctor said happily, "This old lady is tenacious. She made it!" Within 2 weeks, she was able to eat properly, and she checked out of the hospital after 25 days.
When she returned home, I looked after her and read Zhuan Falun to her. I also let her listen to Teacher's Fa lectures and music. It has been nearly two months since she left the hospital, her memory is gradually returning, and she can at least recognize her family and remember their names. She knows who she is and where she is. She can repeat with me, "Falun Gong is good" and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good," and is able to do the easier parts of the exercises.
None of the miracles were made possible by taking medicine or having treatments. These miracles manifest through the mighty power of Falun Gong and Teacher's compassion. I have a steadfast belief that more miracles will occur as long as I persevere in studying the Fa with her.
I shall not disappoint Teacher, who has suffered the greatest in saving us. I shall reinforce my righteous thoughts and fulfill the pledge I have taken to assist Teacher during Fa-rectification.
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