(Minghui.org) I have practiced Falun Dafa for 21 years. I strive to follow Master Li Hongzhi’s teachings, resist today’s moral decline, consider others first, and take care of my family. Under the social pressure in China, I risk my safety, just like tens of millions of other Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa) practitioners, to save those who are deceived by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Why? Because Master said, “...because you are altruistic beings created by Dafa that have roles in Fa-rectification and that have truly enlightened.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York)
My Daughter Starts to Practice
My daughter had a lot to do with how I started to practice Falun Dafa. During the 1999 Chinese New Year, she insisted that we visit a relative in another city, even though she did not know the relative well. During the trip, an acquaintance offered me the main book of Falun Dafa, Zhuan Falun, which opened my eyes about Falun Dafa.
I practiced at home alone and only read Zhuan Falun to my daughter occasionally, but the seeds of Dafa took root in her young heart.
She was a little spoiled, but whenever she threw a tantrum, she would have a fever or headache the next day. I would pick her up from school and suggest that we read the Fa together and see what Master wanted us to do. She usually agreed. Amazingly, she would recover by the next day.
Time and time again, she witnessed Dafa’s power and understood that she needed to be good and follow Master’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
When Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party was published, she was in middle school. I told her about quitting the communist organizations. She immediately wrote a declaration to quit the Youth League and the Young Pioneers.
She was single-minded in studying and was admitted to a college in town. She came home every weekend. She studied Zhuan Falun by herself, and one day, asked me to teach her the exercises.
She was able to let go of the attachment to self-interest. Five of her college classmates applied for a state grant. When it was approved, the class leader distributed the money to the entire class. My daughter did not agree with how it was handled but did not want to confront the class leader. She quietly gave her share of 900 yuan (USD$127) to one of the five students and asked her to divide it among the five who most needed it.
Two years later, before she left China for graduate study, many of our relatives came to give her a send-off. To our surprise, her aunt, who wasn’t very close to us, gave her 20,000 yuan.
My daughter said, “Mother, what Master said is so true—no loss no gain.” Then, she told me about the incident in college. I was happy about what she did.
She graduated and was offered a good job outside of China. I knew as long as she treated herself as a genuine practitioner, Master would take care of her, so I did not need to worry
Master said, “They will not take care of you if you do not practice cultivation. If you practice cultivation, they will help you all the way to the end.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
Now my daughter has become a naturalized citizen of the United States and is well established. She is walking on her path of cultivation steadily.
Husband Sees Through the Evil CCP
Although my husband has not begun to cultivate, he understands the basic truth of Dafa and supports my cultivation. He had already quit the three major communist organizations, but his perspective on the Party was still unclear. He sometimes commented I was “involved in politics” by distributing truth-clarification materials and used bills that had truth-clarification information printed on them.
A few years ago, my family installed a satellite dish. To keep them from being contaminated by the CCP, I made NTD television the only channel available to watch. After that, my husband was able to understand the true nature of the evil Party and dared to express his feelings.
The authorities where he worked once told every Party member to pay his or her Party dues owed over the past years. My husband said, “The CCP is so wicked. It must be short of money again. All it does is fool people. I’ll have to say something at today’s Party meeting.”
At the meeting, he asked the Party secretary in front of many people, “Secretary, do I have to pay the membership dues?” The secretary told him that he had to. So my husband asked if he could quit the Party and was told that this was even more impossible. He then asked the secretary to explain to him the intricacies of communism, to which the secretary didn’t respond.
When my husband told me this, I was very happy and complimented him. His coworkers were surprised that my husband was so bold and dared to say such things.
My husband watched the NTD television and Epoch Times’ live broadcasts of the marches in Hong Kong last year. He saw the Hong Kong police using water cannons and tear gas, which he thought was unjustifiable suppression.
When he saw the CCP’s media reports that reported wrong instead of right and dared not show any actual footage of the events, my husband was very upset. He cursed the Party for its gangster tactics and deception. I said, “That is how the CCP usually reacts—fake, big, and empty—great, glorious, and correct.”
That sharp contrast clearly showed him the ugly face of the CCP. He never again said I was involved in politics.
Master said,
“Once people can see those evil things clearly, that will expel from their minds the poisonous elements from the propaganda produced by the slanderous media of China's communist government. This means you've saved those people, and that one act enabled them to make it to the next stage.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York)
My husband has not officially begun cultivating Dafa, but he is doing the exercises with me every day now. I sincerely thank practitioners at NTD for their hard work, which enables more people to see through the Party.
Over the years, my husband has also been a direct beneficiary of my cultivation. For example, he was promoted to full professor and was chosen to be a graduate school adviser.
Master said,
“We teach salvation of both ourselves and others, as well as of all beings. Thus, Falun can save oneself by turning inward and save others by turning outward. While turning outward, it gives off energy and can benefit others. This way, within your energy-covering field others will benefit, and they may feel very comfortable. Whether you are on the street walking, in the workplace, or at home, you can have this effect on others.” (Lecture Three, Zhuan Falun)
Master said,
“Dafa disciples' cultivation is not merely for individual Consummation. Saving sentient beings is the responsibility of Dafa disciples, a responsibility that those cultivators who bear the title 'Dafa Disciple' must fulfill.” (“To the European Fa Conference,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress Vol. III)
I strive to follow Master’s requirement to awaken the conscience of more people.
A Woman Changes Her Impression of Practitioners
One day, my husband and I took the train to visit a relative in another city. I read the Fa on my cell phone for a while, then chatted with the couple sitting next to me. When the husband went to the bathroom, I took the opportunity to clarify the facts to the wife.
She looked at me from top to bottom and asked about my occupation. I told her I was a teacher at a university. She said, “No wonder. When you boarded the train, I noticed how well-dressed and polite you were.”
She asked me if university teachers also practice Falun Gong. She thought that all Falun Gong practitioners were like her neighbor.
She explained, “My neighbor was imprisoned for practicing Falun Gong. After she was released, her family looked down on her and often abused her. Her husband beat her, her brother-in-law beat her, and even her own son beat her. They disrespected and bullied her. It was all because she practiced Falun Gong. So I thought all Falun Gong people were like her.”
I told her that this practitioner’s family had been deceived by the evil CCP and that Falun Gong is a great cultivation way, that it teaches people to be good and to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
“Practicing Falun Gong keeps a person physically and mentally healthy,” I said. “It teaches people to consider others first and to be a good person no matter where they are. Many people who practice Falun Gong are highly educated. Dafa has been embraced in more than 100 counties worldwide.”
The woman exclaimed, “So Falun Dafa really is good! I see the beauty of Dafa in you.”
Through this incident, I understood more deeply Master’s words: “A Dafa disciple should be a role model for others and look like a dignified human being.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York)
A Successful Woman Understands the Truth
Once on an airplane, I sat next to a lady wearing designer clothes. I certainly couldn’t skip clarifying the truth to her. I complimented her on her scarf, saying, “Is that a XX brand? It’s very elegant.” Pleased, she responded, “Yes, it’s a limited edition.”
I said, “No wonder. It looks really stylish on you, plus it’s so unique. Is your trench coat also XX brand?” She nodded with pleasure. I said, “From the way you dress, I can tell you must be successful. You certainly have great taste.” This paved the way for an easy conversation.
I told her about a Chinese tourist holding her child as it defecated at the entrance of the Burberry outlet in London.
I said, “The moral standards of the Chinese people are declining by the day. Even basic civility and courtesy are ignored, let alone respect for other countries. Disgraceful!
“In fact, it is the CCP’s atheism that is harming people. People defy heaven and earth and fight among one another. They ignore the traditional values of benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, wisdom, and faith and don’t believe that good is rewarded and evil is punished.”
“China’s five millennia of civilization have been destroyed. It is a nation without faith or moral standards.”
Then I talked about the staged “Tiananmen Self-immolation” and Falun Gong. She listened very carefully and agreed with me. I sensed that she was a kindhearted person.
I continued, “The CCP lures people to value money and do evil for money. It is leading people into a dangerous abyss. So we must withdraw from all the organizations controlled by the CCP. Only by doing so can we escape disaster when heaven destroys the CCP and not to be buried along with it.”
The lady agreed to quit the Youth League and the Young Pioneers. I told her, “You are both kind and wise. You will definitely be protected by gods and Buddhas.” She smiled sincerely.
A Brokenhearted Girl Smiles
On my way to visit my daughter, I had a layover at Pudong Airport in Shanghai. I walked around the shops in the airport. After clarifying the truth to one of the clerks, I saw that my connecting flight was delayed by three to four hours. I had to get something to eat.
I entered a crowded restaurant and saw an empty seat opposite a young lady. I asked if the seat was occupied and she said it wasn’t, so I sat down and ordered. I was paying cash but I was two yuan short, so I took out my bank card. The other lady immediately took out two yuan and offered to pay. I thanked her but didn’t take it.
While waiting for my order, I started up a conversation and learned that she and her boyfriend had just broken up. She had come to Shanghai to revisit the places they had visited together. She was in tears talking about her loneliness and memories. I listened quietly.
I thought I could comfort her by telling her about tradition. I said, “We Chinese talk about fate, and there is a saying, ‘Fate brings people together no matter how far apart they may be.’ You see, you and I are meeting today no matter how far apart we were.” She nodded slightly.
“If you and your boyfriend have exhausted your predestined relationship, then don’t force it. Marriage is divinely arranged, and one should follow the course of nature. Being stuck in helpless pain is of no use and would worry your family. So just let it go.
“Life still has many wonderful things in store you, and being such a kindhearted girl, you certainly will have a beautiful life. I believe good is rewarded with good. Do you?” She nodded.
I told her I was a person of faith and believe that gods and Buddhas protect good people. “I’m visiting my daughter, who is also a person of faith,” I said. “Although she is studying abroad on her own, I am not worried about her, because she is blessed by gods and Buddhas. We both believe in Falun Dafa and strive to be good people.”
The young lady’s mood gradually improved and I persuaded her to quit the three communist organizations.
Before she left to board her plane, I told her, “Sincerely recite, ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good’ and your mood will improve and your life will be beautiful and happy.” She smiled sweetly.