(Minghui.org) Greetings esteemed Master, and fellow practitioners!
I am 71 years old this year. I came across Falun Dafa at the end of 2019, and in early 2020 I officially began Falun Dafa cultivation practice.
I learned about Dafa by surfing the Internet, as at that time I was very interested in world politics. It was at that time that I learned that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was persecuting practitioners of Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa). I was very upset, but I didn’t know anything about Falun Gong. However, I did know that the CCP could crush any movement in just a short period of time. A typical example is the Tiananmen Democracy movement. But after 20 years, Falun Gong still stands strong in China. At that time, this was extremely impressive to me.
I went to the main Falun Gong website to learn more, and I watched the video of Master teaching the Falun Dafa exercises. At that time, I was not moved, but I was interested in watching Master’s Large Hand Signs -- although I didn’t know what it was all about. So, I slowly listened to Master’s nine lectures. I listened to them twice, and then read Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa. At this point, I completely awakened. I realized there is truly no greater happiness. I would like to sincerely thank Master for saving me and letting me know that returning to my true origin is the real purpose of being human.
My nephew in Vietnam showed me the The Great Way of Spiritual Perfection. I also watched the video of Master teaching the exercises, and I learned them myself. Every morning I practice the exercises for one hour, and in the evening when I return home from work I meditate. At first, I could only sit for five minutes, then ten minutes, then fifteen minutes, but by two months later my body had changed greatly. I previously had many diseases, and I had to take up to five medicines every day. I am now healthy, without taking medicine. I stopped doing regular exercises in the morning, so that I could spend more time doing the Falun Dafa exercises. I thank Master for purifying my body.
From then on, I realized that Master was taking care of me. Therefore, I always persevere in cultivating, studying the Fa, doing the exercises, and cultivating my xinxing -- I never slack off a day. In studying the Fa and looking back at myself, I clearly see that bad habits, such as narrow-mindedness, selfishness, and anger had become habits without my realizing it, and I knew that I needed to change and let them go.
I recently heard the sound of chanting in my ears. At first I heard a small sound, then it became clearer and clearer. It chanted all day and all night. When I slept, I heard the chanting, and felt very uncomfortable. I often chanted in the past and read Buddhist scriptures. Now they were appearing in my mind.
Master said:
“There is another kind of powerful karma that greatly affects cultivators—it is called thought karma.” (Lecture Six, Zhuan Falun)
I knew that, so I didn’t waver, but for three months I sometimes wondered if it was thought karma, or if there was something in my ears. Sometimes I wondered if I should go see a doctor and ask for help.
Three months later, I had not passed this test, yet I faced another test. The pain in my right arm became more and more severe. This affected my doing the second Dafa exercise, and my right arm often fell -- I couldn’t hold it upright. At home, my wife urged me to see a doctor -- I was really shaken.
This mistake created a loophole for the old forces to take advantage of. Because my enlightenment quality was poor, I could not pass these two tests, and it lasted for nearly a year.
Master said:
“In cultivation one needs to eliminate karma, and that is painful. How can one increase gong comfortably? How can one otherwise remove one’s attachments?” (Lecture Six, Zhuan Falun)
Nearly a year later, I went out to practice with other practitioners, and after a while both of these illness karma symptoms ended. Only then did I realize that Master had given me a hint. I had to give up my doubts, fear, and lack of faith in Master and Dafa.
My wife didn’t believe at first, but she saw the positive change in my physical and mental health, and she saw that the entire family had benefited greatly from Dafa. So she actively supported me in my cultivation.
I currently spend all my time doing well the three things as asked by Master. As a Dafa practitioner, I always strengthen my faith in Master and the Fa, and diligently walk on the path that Master has laid out for his practitioners. Therefore, I would like to thank Master for showing me His compassion.
These are some understandings at my level. I ask that fellow practitioners please kindly point out anything not in accordance to the Fa.
(Presented at the 2023 Seattle Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)
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