(Minghui.org) I was 27 years old when I first came into contact with Falun Gong. I was very confused at the time, as I did not know how to live, the meaning of life, or why had I come into this world. I did not want to drift along with society because I felt that humans were very shallow. I thought that this shouldn't be all there is to life. I believed in supernatural forces more and more and was constantly looking for something. I thought I was looking for my real self. I had an unhappy childhood. My father abused alcohol and was often not home, and he often beat my younger brother. My mother was overwhelmed and did not know how to handle this situation.
My younger brother was then killed in a car accident. Lacking a stable environment, I started drinking. In my youth, I asked myself, Who am I? Why have I come to this world?
I was interested in Buddhism early-on, even though there were no Buddhists in my family. Sometimes I thought that maybe I had been a monk in a previous life, and even thought about living in a temple. I read some books on Buddhism, and I was thus sure there were some things we don't see in this world. However, I didn't find anything practical that really helped me. My lifestyle at the time was not very good. I didn't work, lived in a recreational vehicle, abused drugs, and did some illegal things. My friends and I spent our time wandering around and were isolated from mainstream society. This kind of lifestyle was very difficult. It was not only risky, but also destroyed my health. My physical and mental state were very poor from daily drug use, and I often had back pain. Sometimes I could not sleep for days and had severe paranoia. I knew my condition was becoming worse and worse, but I could not extricate myself from the situation.
In 2006 I decided to go to Switzerland, and was waitressing at a hotel during the winter. Toward the end of winter, I ran into an old friend. I knew she practiced Falun Gong and I wanted to know if it could help me. I had heard about Falun Gong a long time before that. After talking to her for a long time, I asked her for a copy of the book Zhuan Falun. My life changed from that day on. Even though I was unclear and unable to immediately understand a lot of the book, it seemed very special. I kept reading, and was thinking, “Aha, now someone can answer all the questions I encounter in my life.” I was deeply touched by Zhuan Falun. My friend and I continued to meet, and she taught me the five sets of Falun Gong exercises. I started to cultivate. After I finished reading Zhuan Falun, I immediately stopped drinking alcohol and using drugs. My physical and mental conditions quickly changed for the better, and life became meaningful. After I returned to Austria, I sold my recreational vehicle, got a job, rented an apartment, and started a normal life. Life without drugs and crazy parties was not easy for me, but Master helped me. He taught me that the nature of the universe is Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and those who live by these characteristics are good people. I understood the unfortunate things in my life were all caused by my own karma; good begets good, and evil begets evil. I realized the significance of my coming into this world, and that a normal life is also meaningful. I have been cultivating for six years. I am married, and my husband and I own a small video recording company.
Master has helped me, and rescued me from my unfortunate situation, without costing me a penny. He explained the meaning of life and that there is something more noble. He taught me how to be a person with integrity. I am full of respect and gratitude to Master. I hope more people can recognize and get on the cultivation road guided by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Thank you.
From the Call for Submissions to Commemorate the Twentieth Anniversary of Falun Dafa’s Introduction
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