(Minghui.org) I am 84 years old, and started practicing Falun Dafa, also called Falun Gong, in 1996. I suffered from many ailments before I started practicing Falun Dafa, but I recovered from these illnesses soon after stepping into cultivation practice.
I felt my “baihui” acupuncture point spin when Master did “guanding,” and the energy very quickly rushed through it, sending a warm current through my body. I also strongly felt the “great heavenly circuit” circulating in my body.
Master said:
“The cultivation in our Falun Dafa avoids using this method of one energy channel bringing hundreds of energy channels into motion. From the very beginning, we require that hundreds of energy channels be opened up and make simultaneous rotations.” (Lecture Eight, Zhuan Falun)
It is just as Master said in Zhuan Falun. The rotations could be felt alternatively at the front and the back. I also felt the circulation of the “mouyou” heavenly circuit inside me.
Master said:
“Haven’t we talked about the Fa refining practitioners? Normally, you will discover that your heavenly circuit is always rotating. Though you are not practicing, this layer of energy mechanisms installed outside your body, that is, a layer of large external channels, is driving your body in practice—it is all automatic. It can also rotate in reverse, as it rotates both ways and is constantly opening your energy channels.” (Lecture Eight, Zhuan Falun)
The circulation of energy in my energy channels is also quite powerful. I once shared the same bed with my sister. She said, “Why is it that I could feel your muscles pulsating on your legs?” I told her it was a result of my cultivation, and a manifestation of “the Fa refining practitioners.” She looked under the blanket but my legs appeared normal. She felt it again when she was close to me, and that was enough to convince her about the power of the Fa, and led to her decision to practice Falun Dafa herself.
Speaking Up for Falun Gong When Unfairly Maligned
I was arrested and taken to a brainwashing center soon after the onset of the persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The location was a guest house. I knew it was the start of a new CCP campaign because I have personally experienced many of them. Historically, no one targeted by any of its campaigns has been able to escape unscathed. Yet, I did not want to give up such a great practice.
But not giving up meant I’d have to contend with the ruthless CCP machine, and that worried me. At first, I avoided criticizing Falun Gong when I was asked at the brainwashing session, by telling them that I recovered from all my illnesses after practicing Falun Gong. In the next class, they demanded that I admit that Falun Gong is a superstitious practice. I said to them in return, “Isn’t going to the temples to burn incense a superstitious practice? Yet, that does not stop many Party officials from going to temples. That was condemned as being superstitious during the Cultural Revolution.”
As I reflected on what happened at the brainwashing center, I asked myself why I could not openly admit that Falun Dafa is good. Why was it that I could not speak the truth when Dafa was being unfairly maligned? Did I really have faith in Master and the Fa? I told myself that this wasn’t right, so I must go to the brainwashing session tomorrow to make clear where I stand, and state that Falun Dafa is really great, and I will continue practicing it. This time I was determined, regardless of the consequences.
Besides, what was the worst that could happen to me other than death? At the thought of that, I felt my body being lifted. My heels were off the ground with only the tip of my toes still in contact with the ground. I knew that this was encouragement from Master, so my confidence rose. The incident also confirmed what Master said:
“...let me tell you that a person can levitate once the great heavenly circuit is opened...” (Lecture Eight, Zhuan Falun)
However, when I got to the brainwashing session the person in charge there did not demand anything from me. He said to go home, as the brainwashing session was over.
The Real Me Remains Untouchable
I have been to Tiananmen Square to validate Dafa three times. I was arrested on all three occasions. Even though I never gave the police my name, I was released.
I was dead set on going to defend Dafa with my life. My thinking was quite simple at the time – if the police were to start firing at us, I would be the first to move to the front. The fact is, many of the Dafa practitioners who went to Tiananmen Square had the same thought.
That did not mean I was completely fearless. After another practitioner was arrested, she asked me to bring her some stuff from home and also look after her mother. My fear started to surface. Although I managed to take the items to her at the detention center, afterward I felt fear in the form of a substance pressing down from the top of my head. I felt much better after I eliminated this substance and was a lot calmer the next time I went there.
In my dealings with the CCP officials, I realized that there is an untouchable part at the bottom of my heart. That is the unwavering faith I have in Dafa. That part of me, the “real me,” is solid like a rock. The CCP’s persecution and harassment only stirs the dust deposited on this rock, but never disturbs the rock in the slightest bit. I consider the dust to be all the bad human notions I have formed over my lifetime. On the other hand, the rock represents my purest innate nature. It comes alive the moment it’s touched upon, and fills my mind with righteous thoughts. Fear is just those bits of dust that have been stirred, which means it’s a good time to clear them out.
I was arrested by the police after another practitioner from our county dropped my name after she was arrested. They demanded to know where I sourced my Dafa informational materials. I told them, “In this tiny county all news has been blocked, so you don’t have access to the real news. That’s the reason I am handing out these pamphlets. I will tell you where I got them. In our provincial capital, this material is everywhere, in building corridors, on window ledges, in bicycle baskets… They are everywhere, and when the wind blows, you can grab them by the handful.”
Another security officer promised to release me if I told them about my contacts. I said, “You are asking me to betray my fellow practitioners? No way!”
The police chief tried to intimidate me by putting me in the middle of a room surrounded by police officers and my relatives. It was eerily quiet in the room. The chief broke the silence, “There are some elderly Party comrades, though they are all Party members, who chose not to abide by the Party’s rule and insist on practicing Falun Gong.” I quickly stopped him, “What is wrong with Falun Gong? Falun Gong is based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and teaches us to be morally upright people. Jiang Zemin instigated the persecution against Falun Gong, so he is in the wrong. Do you think the CCP is right all the time? Was the “anti-rightist” campaign right? How about the Cultural Revolution?” Seeing that he was not about to convince anyone, he left the room.
I went on a hunger strike after I was taken back to the detention center. The policewoman in charge of the cell said to me, “I heard that if you don’t eat they will send you to cells where criminals are held. The people there will not care how you end up there or anything about your background.” I said to her, “This mortal body of mine is no big deal. My children and grandchildren are all grown up now. I am not scared of dying. But how will you deal with my death? Killing a person is an unforgivable sin. Do you know that all those who take part in the persecution will end up in hell?”
I was released a few days later.
Finding and Eliminating Attachments
I often ask myself, “Do I truly have complete faith in Master and Dafa? To have that faith I must do exactly as Master says.” I feel that I have been too strong-willed and self-centered. Therefore, I constantly ask myself whether I am doing it for recognition or falling prey to demonic interference from my own mind. These are issues I am highly concerned about myself, so I often remind myself to be more humble, and not get excited about my accomplishments.
I have some personal insights in relation to the teaching about looking within. Whenever I feel the presence of an attachment to something, I normally find it to be physically located in a part of my body. That makes sense, as our attachments are physical entities in another dimension. I find that directing my righteous thoughts toward that specific part of my body is quite effective at eliminating the associated attachment. For example, if I feel slightly negative towards someone else’s good news, I immediately know that it is jealousy, and this emotion can be located in a specific spot around my heart. I can therefore target that spot to eliminate this attachment. Sometimes an attachment can be located in a particular spot in my brain too.
Pressure on the Head
A practitioner once asked Master why they felt their head was heavy while doing the exercises. Master said:
“Having a heavy-feeling head isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Once a person develops a gong column (gongzhu) through cultivation, it will have some weight and he’ll feel it, too. If a big ball of light emerges up above there, it will exert pressure on you, as well; if a Buddha sits above it, this will exert even more pressure on you. Don’t worry about what’s above there, as that’s just how cultivation is. It’s all good. Many, many things might appear on top of your head; even people who work on qi might have a big qi column emerge.” (“Explaining the Fa for Falun Dafa Assistants in Changchun,” Explaining the Content of Falun Dafa)
I experienced this feeling. In fact I have felt the heaviness weighing me down while doing the exercises for more than 20 years. Sometimes it can be unbearable. After doing the wheel holding exercise, I have to take a rest before completing the rest of the exercises. When doing the meditation, I can hardly lift my arms up to do the strengthening-the-energy-with-the-hands part of the exercise. I have to lie down after doing the meditation exercise due to the pressure exerted on me from above. It takes me two-and-a-half hours to complete the exercises when it normally should take two hours. My back is bent when I walk. I have to keep straightening my back and lift my chest when I sit on the sofa. I constantly feel a strong yet fine energy in my back that seeps through and presses down from the top.
It’s like a chronic condition that shows no sign of relief. I drag my feet when it comes to clarifying the truth to people. I sometimes really don’t feel like going out, but I understand that if I did not go out that day, it would be even harder to go out the next day, not to mention the precious time I would have lost in one day.
Living for Others and Dafa
Master said:
“Dafa disciples, you are golden light in the mortal world, the hope of the world’s people, Fa-disciples who help Master, and future Fa-Kings. Keep diligent, Awakened Ones that walk the earth: Everything of today will be the glory of the future.” (“Congratulatory Message,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress Vol III)
Every time I thought of that - that I am the hope of the world’s people and that I no longer just live for myself but for others and for Dafa – I knew that I should not be lazy, and needed to go out. I have not missed a day yet, even though I sometimes find it difficult to walk. I have been going out every day from nine in the morning until about one or two in the afternoon. I normally lie down for a short rest when I get home before starting on my Fa study.
The energy inside my body is rather strong. I don’t feel cold in the winter and never feel too hot in the summer. I sometimes feel that my body is hot both inside and out, but it’s not the kind of heat from hot weather, as you can’t cool it down by chewing on an ice cube. For example, we have had many 40 degree (104°F) days this summer, but I didn’t sweat much, and my throat never felt dry or irritated when I was talking to people about Dafa. The heat of summer has never stopped me from leaving the house.
I live on my own and am not dependent on my two sons, both of whom have high-level jobs. I bought a car which I keep at my daughter’s house. It’s used for transporting Dafa materials.
I live very simply. A pot of rice congee lasts me a few days, and has never gone sour on me. A bowl of re-heated congee is a normal meal for me.
It is sometimes difficult to get myself out of the house in the morning, but I have always savored the joy of bringing home a list of names of people who quit the Party. I do take a little rest before studying the Fa.
Udumbara flowers have blossomed all around my house and yard, with clumps of them everywhere. The grapes in my yard flourish despite lack of care, their vines laden with grapes. Some of the luffa I grew were 1.2 meters in length, and most people could not believe it until they saw them. Some practitioners whose celestial eyes are open have told me that they always see a big Buddha sitting at my house.
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