(Minghui.org) I began to practice Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong) in the summer of 1999. I was 33 years old, married, and had a five-year-old son. My husband introduced me to Falun Dafa.
My husband bought a copy of Falun Gong in February 1999 in a bookstore. He was excited to read it. Within a short time, he changed, not only in his outward appearance, but also his behavior. He stood tall and seemed more confident, was full of energy and motivated, and was interested in everything in daily life. He became even-tempered and content. Not only that, his high blood pressure, which just had been discovered by his company's physician, disappeared before his appointment with a cardiologist. That doctor said that he had rarely seen such a healthy heart and wondered why my husband had made an appointment.
I was astonished and impressed that this book had caused him to improve. However, I was not yet ready to read it. But I was interested in the exercises. After my husband established a small exercise group in our town, I decided to participate. While doing the exercises, the soles of my feet became very hot and something turned in my lower abdomen. It was not difficult to learn the five exercises, but the second and the fifth ones took some effort. I had to persevere because my shoulder and legs hurt. But I felt rested after doing them, full of energy and ready for action.
Then, in July 1999, Jiang Zemin [the former head of the Chinese Communist Party] launched the persecution of Falun Gong. An all-encompassing campaign of defamatory propaganda was unleashed, which even reached my town. In the daily newspaper, the first articles were always about Falun Gong and the suppression in China, articles that were provided by the Chinese state propaganda office and slandered Falun Gong.
I was bewildered, especially since I remembered the positive changes in my husband and also found the exercises to be pleasurable and enjoyable. At about that time, my husband invited Falun Gong practitioners for the weekend. This helped me gain a better impression of the practice, especially since the people I met were so nice.
At the time I suffered from headaches and complained regularly about a stiff neck. My husband suggested that I practice Falun Gong and said that I would gain a healthy body. However, it took me another two months before I read the introductory book, Falun Gong. I'd decided to find out about the practice for myself. That would help me make up my mind. This was my introduction to Falun Dafa.
I liked what I read and could not find anything wrong in it. On the contrary, it explained many things I had not heard off before. I understood that cultivation is some kind of purification of the body and the mind. I learned that its principles, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, were the basis of the practice and that these principles should govern one's behavior. It also said that there are no coincidences in life and that any gain or loss results in a trade-off. Ever since then, I've regularly done the exercises and read the Falun Gong books.
It wasn't long before I faced a test to see if I believed what I had read. I came down with excruciating throat pain, swollen tonsils, and a high fever. I lost my voice, could only communicate in writing, and had to lie down. But my mind was clear and I was wide awake. I understood that Master was purifying my body and removing bad substances. It was not that difficult to bear the pain. My heart felt light and I felt confident.
My health truly improved. I have not suffered from any serious illness since, just minor discomforts. All of my ailments disappeared, starting with my monthly menstrual pains to a recurring migraine and my usual winter colds. All these problems disappeared within a short time. I felt renewed and understood that the Falun Dafa books taught the truth and that one cannot cultivate with an ill body. I'm still healthy, had two more children, and no longer have any of my past ailments.
When I read the first reports from China detailing the arrests and torture of Falun Gong practitioners, I was shocked. I was not going to take this sitting down. My husband and I began to do what we could to protest the persecution.
When a report about the Wanja Forced Labor Camp was published on the Internet, which recounted that 15 females Falun Gong practitioners were raped by the camp guards, I contacted our town's daily newspaper and was invited for an interview. This interview was published in the section “About People.” I was introduced as a Falun Gong practitioner. People in my area reacted very favorably.
Since then, 20 years have gone by. During that time I used many different ways to tell people about the persecution in China and ask for their support.
Falun Dafa cultivation means to cultivate one's heart. To achieve peace of mind and a calm heart, I have to improve my morals and follow the principles Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. To achieve this is a continual process of letting go and having faith, something I still follow. The more I am truthful, kindhearted, and tolerant, the stronger, more unperturbed, and content I am. In addition, my environment is also being harmonized.
When I face conflicts or difficult situations, I try to look within and find where I have not measured up to the principles. I remember something that happened when I first began to cultivate. I was waiting for a bus. After the door opened, the driver yelled at and insulted me in front of all the other passengers. In the past I would have been so embarrassed, but I remained calm and looked at it as paying off karma.
At work, I also follow the Falun Dafa principles. I got my degree in social work and work in a language school. I try to be conscientious and do my job well. My supervisor is very happy with my work and understands that she can trust me. I have two trainees and have to watch myself at times. When I refuse to accept their opinion and do not think about how it affects them, they are very uncooperative. When I want to be in control and do not trust my colleagues, they do not cooperate.
Practicing Falun Dafa helps me to be confident. Thank you, Master Li Hongzhi, for accepting me on this cultivation path.
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