(Minghui.org) I am over 50 years old and come from the countryside. I have been practicing Falun Dafa for 15 years. Below are some of the positive life changes that I have experienced since I started the practice.
Ever since I was born I had health problems. A congenital hip dislocation (CHD) caused my lower back and knees to bend abnormally. My body was crooked and coordinating my legs was a constant challenge. I had difficulty balancing as I walked. I couldn't sit like a normal person, and had to kneel.
Due to my disability, I was mocked and humiliated when I was a child. I became cynical and jealous. I didn't like seeing other people happy. I didn't continue on to middle school because I couldn’t walk the long distance to school.
I often looked at myself in the mirror and sighed, thinking how unfair life was. Even a fortuneteller predicted my life would marred with shortcomings.
I married into a poor family at the age of 23. Luckily, my husband is very nice. We had a daughter a few years later, and I led a busy life taking care of my family and worked hard to pay off our mortgage.
I learned about Falun Dafa at the beginning of 1999. Practitioners told me that the founder of Falun Dafa treats every student equally, regardless of their profession or social or economic status. He cherishes everyone and purifies the bodies of students, even those with terminal illness.
I didn't think that my legs could ever become normal, as my disability was from birth. Nevertheless, I had a strong wish to learn the practice.
I was told that I should read the book Zhuan Falun from start to finish. I used all my spare time to study the teachings of Falun Dafa and learned the five exercises. The practice became an integral part of my life.
I understood that all of my suffering had reasons behind it. My bad temper, lack of trust, and strong jealousy gradually diminished as a result of studying the teachings.
It was inconceivable at first for me to cross my legs in the double lotus position to do the meditation exercise, as it was very hard for me to separate them. I started holding the position for a few seconds, and then increased the time to one minute, then two minutes, three minutes, etc. Soon I was able to sit in meditation with one of my legs crossed, and later both of them crossed in the double lotus position.
Because my body was crooked it was very difficult for me to hold my body straight to do the second exercise, the Falun Standing Stance. Standing for half an hour with both arms raised was very hard. However, I persevered until I could complete the exercise.
Within less than five months, I could feel that my bones had straightened, and I was taller. My friends and relatives were stunned to see that I was not limping anymore and that I was standing more upright.
I used to wear baggy clothes to hide the shape of my body. After I recovered, I went to visit my mom wearing a fitted silk dress. When my aunty saw me, she commented: “What a lovely woman you look in that dress. Falun Dafa has really helped you!”
The persecution of Falun Dafa started in July 1999. As a new practitioner, I heard of many practitioners being arrested and tortured for speaking up for the practice and letting people know the facts about Falun Dafa. I was deeply touched by their actions and knew that Falun Dafa was good. I said to Master in my heart, “Since I am lucky to have become a practitioner, I will be a good disciple.”
Even though I wasn't quite clear about what I should do, I had a strong wish to safeguard Master's reputation and the practice. With righteous thoughts, I wasn't afraid during the peak of the persecution and matured a lot in my cultivation.
I started telling people that Falun Dafa is good and that the propaganda on TV is full of lies. My family worked together to distribute handwritten information about the persecution, and we hung up homemade banners in the street with the words “Falun Dafa is good.”
We established a group study site at my home. I was able to study the teachings of Falun Dafa with fellow practitioners and work on improving my character, while also planning how to collaborate our efforts to help more people understand the truth about the persecution. I also decided to produce truth-clarification materials for the neighboring areas.
I fully believe that I must follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance when facing a difficult situation, and urge myself to do well in this regard. I obtained so much from the practice and wanted to repay our master. As long as something needs to be done to help people understand the truth about Falun Dafa, I am determined to complete the task, no matter how difficult it first appears.
When we started a project to clarify the facts using cell phones, I learned how to install new software, download audio files and phone numbers, and cope with other technical issues. I taught others to use cell phones to send multimedia texts and helped them set up their devices.
I learned how to use a computer to install operating systems, print materials and burn DVDs, and help others set up material production sites. This was all quite difficult for someone like me with only an elementary school education.
I usually study the teachings of Falun Dafa first to quiet my mind, and then work on the technical issues. When I feel exhausted or frustrated, I think of the technical pioneers among our practitioners and how hard they have worked to create software and programs that help us to clarify the facts. Compared with what they have put in, my efforts are really nothing.
Following the teachings of Dafa, and with my genuine wish to help more people understand about the practice and the persecution, there's nothing that I cannot achieve.
My father, who doesn't practice, visited me out of the blue when I was producing truth-clarification materials at home. He was stunned by the quality of the products we made.
When he looked at one of the flyers, he commented on how well the article read, its accuracy and factual information. It was about a young local man who was arrested recently for installing satellite dishes that allowed people to watch New Tang Dynasty Television. My father said that many people were talking about the incident and that they don't like the way the CCP deals with practitioners.
I asked my father if he knew about this incident. He said that he was in the crowd when the man was arrested and saw the whole thing happen. He added, “There are so many talented people who do Falun Dafa. Your DVDs and brochures, especially the Nine Commentaries on Communist Party book, detail things we have personally experienced. Retired officials even say that the Nine Commentaries records the real history of the CCP.”
When I told my father that I wrote the article on the flyer, he was totally surprised because I had had such a limited education. I said, “Practicing Falun Dafa inspires our wisdom. We can achieve a lot with Master's guidance and our genuine thoughts for others.”
My father believed that the officers who arrested the young man would fear public opinion and think twice before they did something like that again.
My father was moved when I told him that practitioners, even including those over 70 or 80 years old, save their own money to buy supplies to make these materials. “The materials carry so much of their heart, their suffering, and their kind wishes,” I told him.
“You will see the day when justice is served,” he replied.