(Minghui.org) I live in Europe and I am 45 years old. When I started to practice Falun Dafa in June 2010 I didn’t realize I had found such a precious treasure.
I had many questions about life since childhood. I asked myself why were we born and where were we going. I realized that I didn’t really know what I was searching for. In my teen years I began studying various subjects, but my questions still weren’t answered. After I found Falun Dafa I immediately knew that I no longer needed to search because I had found all the answers. I knew I was on the right path, and I only needed to walk forward. I was very happy.
Even when I was not in a good state, I still felt there was a transparent link that connected me with Dafa. As I studied the teachings more and my understanding of the Fa deepened, I increasingly felt that my cultivation state was off. I felt discouraged. I also felt that I didn’t have anything to share with the other practitioners when we discussed our insights and that my cultivation state was not good. I felt that my cultivation experiences wouldn’t help other practitioners.
But I now realize that I should express my gratitude to Master, because Master extended his hand to me so that I could walk on the path he prepared for me. Through various hints he let me know that I could return to my original, true self as long as I had determination and righteous thoughts.
I always thought I never experienced any miracles. But that was not true when I look back on my cultivation journey. Even the smallest and insignificant things were actually hints and encouragement to move forward on my cultivation path.
For example the day I heard about Falun Dafa, I was studying at a naturopathic school. One of the professors practiced the Falun Dafa exercises before the class every morning. Everyone was welcome to join him. I used to practice several forms of exercises. I decided to try Falun Dafa but didn’t expect anything special to happen. I arrived at the park ahead of time. While I waited I looked for a four-leaf clover – a symbol for good luck. When I first looked down, I found one. I didn’t realize until recently that it was a lucky symbol that I was about to obtain something precious—Falun Dafa.
After I learned the exercises I didn’t know how to download the exercise music from the Internet. I tried to practice the first four exercises without music and do whatever movements I could remember in the following two or three days. To my surprise, when I looked at the clock I spent about an hour doing the exercises. It was amazing that I could complete the four sets of the exercises within almost the exact time considering I had no music and didn’t remember the exact movements.
I was later able to download the exercise music. On a few occasions when I tried to do the fifth exercise, the meditation, I felt a severe pain in my head. On two of those occasions, I felt something vigorously turn in my abdomen, and my headache soon disappeared.
In the early days of my cultivation, when I did the second exercise with my eyes closed, I saw some black and white things spinning in front of me a few times. There were so many of them, and they were all different sizes. Some turned clockwise and then reversed and turned counter-clockwise.
I didn’t think too much about these hints, but I later realized that Master was encouraging me to continue cultivation.
After a while I decided to download Falun Dafa’s main book Zhuan Falun from the Falundafa.org website and print it out. I started reading but found it difficult to understand. I repeatedly read some of the sentences but didn’t understand the meaning. I spent several months reading Zhuan Falun but didn’t understand much.
My impression was that I had read a book written in an unfamiliar language. In the past I wouldn’t finish reading a book that I couldn’t understand. But I was amazed that I persisted and read Zhuan Falun many times. It was remarkable. What surprised me most was that each time I finished the book, I started reading from the very beginning again (I didn’t know the importance of reading Zhuan Falun repeatedly at that time). The second time I read I understood a lot more. I could hardly believe that I had read it once but didn’t understand it the first time.
I decided to contact other practitioners in my country after I finished reading Zhuan Falun the second time. I got the contact details from the website. I was told that there would be a nationwide experience sharing conference, and I decided to attend it. I thus started my cultivation journey.
I lived with my partner when I started to practice Falun Dafa, and we had a four-year-old daughter. But our relationship was in crisis. Although we lived together for the sake of our daughter, we were actually separated emotionally, just living under the same roof. I read Master’s lectures in various countries. I understood that I should behave righteously starting with my own home. We registered to be married even though it was not an easy decision. We got married in 2017.
I thought I had stopped a big omission of mine by getting married and would have no trouble on my cultivation path going forward. I didn’t know that we would face bigger challenges as our levels improved.
I had an accident two weeks after we married. I was hit by a door and it almost sliced through my Achilles tendon. It was very painful, but I didn’t want to see the doctor because I felt I could handle it. My husband didn’t agree but he left the decision to me.
I couldn’t stand up but I wanted to do the exercises. When I began doing them my leg felt very hot. I endured the pain and I felt light after I finished. More tests were yet to come. I tried to drive my car, work, and do the household chores as usual in the following days—but I was not able to walk. My calf became as hard as marble and my leg swelled. I sometimes had the thought that nothing serious would happen to me because I was a practitioner. Sometimes I became scared that I would no longer be able to walk, and I wept.
After I struggled physically and mentally for one week I decided to see a doctor. The orthopedist said that I should have seen a doctor immediately and that I didn’t need surgery now because the wound had sealed. I had an NMR and showed it to several doctors. Some said that I needed surgery while others said I didn’t. I did not have an operation. I felt that I failed this test because I didn’t firmly believe in Master and Falun Dafa. I have no problem walking now. But sometimes my leg aches.
My life was peaceful and I didn’t need to worry about money. My husband set up his own business when we got married. Things went well, but I was rarely involved in any Dafa-validation projects. I thought everything went smoothly with me and I could continue like this and join more projects. My husband was diagnosed with incurable cancer in the spring of 2020.
My world suddenly collapsed. I had to take care of him day and night. I tried my best to manage his business remotely and raise our daughter by myself. I had to pay two loans and a mortgage.
I was under intense stress. My situation was similar to what was described in Zhuan Falun. The person lost his job. His parents got sick. His wife had an affair. He also had to deal with the trouble his child caused at school. The first time I read this I thought, “How could anyone handle all this? Even a practitioner couldn’t handle this!”
My husband passed away last year. Looking back at what happened to me, I must say that I genuinely felt that Master was with me the entire time. My state was sometimes good and sometimes bad. I didn’t know how to deal with the tribulations. My biggest attachment was also exposed. But looking back now, I can say that I handled everything calmly and very rationally.
I know I have many attachments I need to let go. I must do better on my cultivation path. I will cultivate diligently and return home with Master.
In celebrating the 30th anniversary of Falun Dafa spreading to the world, I’d like to be a witness by sharing this article. Thank you Master for giving me the great opportunity of cultivation so that I can fulfill my vow I made to Master before I descended to this world of saving sentient beings and letting them know the beauty of Falun Dafa.
Thank you Master!