(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Dafa in 2014 after I was diagnosed with cancer.
Master Li Hongzhi said,
“There are special ones that can enter, though. If they can give up everything then they can enter, but otherwise, they can't enter right now." (“Fa-Lecture During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference”)
I felt lucky to be one of the special ones who could still enter the practice, and I took it very seriously.
In the beginning, I spent most of my time studying the Fa. Right away, I forced myself to do the sitting meditation in the double lotus position for at least an hour in spite of the excruciating pain in my legs.
I got up at three o'clock in the morning to do the standing exercises. I did two hours of sitting meditation every evening and then studied a lecture of Zhuan Falun. I made myself sit in the double lotus position while reading the book with full focus. Whenever I had time, I would recite and memorize poems from Hong Yin (vol. I, II & III)
I rode a motorcycle to far away villages to post Falun Dafa material and put up banners in the middle of the night. Whenever I came up to a crossroads, there would always be something that seemed to be a hint from Master pointing the way. One time, I entered a wooded area. All the birds chirped as if they were welcoming me. I didn't feel scared or lonely.
Within a few months, my physical health improved dramatically.
Like Master said,
“After a period of cultivation practice, our Falun Dafa practitioners look quite different in appearance. Their skin becomes delicate and reddish-white.” (Zhuan Falun)
Even I was surprised and thought to myself, “Falun Dafa is really amazing!”
Standing Up for Falun Dafa
One morning, I heard a practitioner saying that a poster that defamed Falun Dafa was put up next to a school. It was a high traffic area and could have deceived many people if not removed.
I kept thinking about this that night when I was doing sitting meditation. I wondered if Master was giving me a hint; I wondered if I should take the poster down and eliminate the evil. Two thoughts came to me at the same time. One said, “You are a new practitioner and lack of experience. Let those veteran practitioners take care of this.” Another voice said, “You have such an attachment to depending on others.”
Master's words suddenly appeared in my mind.
“Some of the people who have obtained the Fa and, at this human surface, come to know the meaning of the Fa, have had their lives extended through the Fa; some of them have received all kinds of benefits, such as good health, harmony in the family, indirect benefits to their relatives and friends, a reduction of their karma, and even Master’s bearing things for them. In other dimensions, their physical bodies are being transformed into God-bodies. Despite this, when Dafa is about to consummate you, you are unable to step forward from humanness, and when the evil persecutes Dafa you are unable to stand up to validate Dafa. These people who only want to take from Dafa and not give for Dafa are, in the eyes of Gods, the worst beings.” (“A Suggestion” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
I woke up at 2 a.m. that night. It was raining and I hesitated. Then I remembered Master's words:
“Steadfastly cultivate Dafa, the will unflinchingThe raising of levels is what’s fundamentalIn the face of tests one’s true nature is revealedAchieve Consummation, becoming a Buddha, Dao, or God”(“True Nature Revealed” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
I put on a raincoat and went to the location. The poster was about three meters long and one-meter high. Just as I was about to tear it down, a man walked toward me pushing a bicycle.
“What do I do? Why was there a person here so late at night?” My arm froze in place and I felt the fear inside of me. I thought to myself, “I am already standing here. He already saw me. It's okay because I have Master protecting me, it's okay...”
A few minutes later, it seemed that he had passed me. I turned and saw that he walked away. I quickly took the poster down. I knew everything was arranged by Master. My attachment to fear was eliminated after that experience. I posted Falun Dafa material at bus stops and residential buildings. Some people asked, "Aren't you afraid being arrested?"
I told them, "What is there to afraid of? The police are the ones doing the bad things; they are the ones that are afraid."
I often recite Master's poems:
“Should you have fear,it will seize upon youIf thoughts are righteous,evil will collapseThe cultivator’s mindis loaded with FaSend righteous thoughts,and rotten demons explodeGods walk the earth,validating the Fa”(“What's to Fear” from Hong Yin vol. II)
“Rectifying Fa as I go, penetrating all layers of the cosmosAll choosing to oppose the rectification were eliminatedWhen Heaven wishes for change, who'd dare obstruct?The cosmos, now rebuilt, will never again turn bad”(“Rectifying the Fa” from Hong Yin vol. III)
One evening, I went out with a fellow practitioner to post Falun Dafa information. It was about one o'clock in the morning by the time I got home. I thought to myself, “I will sleep in and do the exercises in the evening.” About 5 o'clock in the morning, I suddenly felt that I could not move; a cloud of black substance came to me. I knew it was trying to destroy me. Just then, my body automatically emitted a vibration from head to toe. The field of vibration completely surrounded me and it was about one foot thick. After a few minutes, the black cloud disappeared and my body was back to normal. I immediately sat up and sent forth righteous thoughts.
I realized that I was getting complacent and had an attachment to comfort. The evil took advantage of my loophole and tried to destroy me. It was Master and Falun that protected me.
Looking Within During the Time of Tribulation
As my physical condition improved, so did my business. Gradually, I let up on Fa-study and became less diligent in cultivation. I started to think more of my business and even used Master's words "cultivators can conform to society to the maximum extent as they cultivate” as an excuse. I thought, “I was a cancer patient who was about to die. Now that my business is doing so well, this is also validating the Fa. I am showing people that we practitioners have normal jobs and normal lives just like everyone else.”
With that thought, I became even busier. It was right before the Chinese New Year, and I didn't even have time to eat, let alone to go out and talk to people about Falun Dafa. Even though I was able to do the exercises every day, I couldn't calm my mind to study the Fa. A fellow practitioner came to help me for a few days; another practitioner thought I was being interfered with by the old forces. She sent righteous thoughts for me.
After the Chinese New Year, my shop was not as busy as before. I was finally able to go out to put up Dafa posters and talk to people. But the next day, I started feeling chest pain. I could hardly breathe or move without the pain. I knew it was the old forces persecuting me.
When I really looked within, I realized that I had many hidden attachments. For example, I looked down on other practitioners, believing that they had an attachment of fear. Since I am a single, I like to be by myself and go places on my own. I didn't like to study the Fa with elderly practitioners and complained that they read slow and often made mistakes. I felt I was better than others and had a strong attachment of showing off.
“Because of practicing cultivation among everyday people, a lot of our practitioners cannot release many of their attachments. Many attachments have already become second nature, and these people themselves cannot detect them. This mentality of showing off can manifest in any situation; it can also surface when doing a good deed. In order to gain fame, personal profit, and a little benefit, some people often brag about themselves and show off: "I’m very capable and a winner."” (Zhuan Falun)
I didn't tell any practitioner that I was going through tribulations and thought no one but Master could help me. I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate all evils and all that did not conform to the Fa.
A few days ago in a half sleep and half awake state, I saw creatures like eels and snakes in my blood vessel. I pulled them out one by one and threw them on the ground in piles. I saw a creature under my right arm. As I tried to pull it, its head split open and showed something like teeth. It was filthy and gross. I suddenly woke up and immediately sat up and sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate those bad things.
The next day, my body was back to normal again. I knew Master had helped me and showed me the wonders of Dafa.
Master said,
“...in the several years of your cultivation, I have not only borne an incredibly great deal for you, but also, along with this, constantly given you hints for your improvement, looked after you for your safety, and settled the debts that you owed at different levels so that you can reach Consummation—these aren’t things that just anyone can do, and neither can they be done for everyday people.” (“Drive Out Interference” from Essentials for Further Advancement)
There are no words that can express my gratitude to Master!
