(Minghui.org) I am a young Falun Dafa practitioner who recently began my cultivation journey, and I would like share my story.

I was born with fragile health, and every few days I would fall ill. Even a simple cold would turn into pneumonia. My mother searched out all kinds of medications and folk remedies in an attempt to help me, and my family spent almost everything they had on my medical care.

After I became a practitioner, my mother told me that, in the past, many people in our area once practiced Falun Dafa did the exercises openly in the mornings and evenings. A relative told her about Falun Dafa in 1998 and gave her a copy of Zhuan Falun. But shortly after, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began the persecution of Falun Dafa, and she no longer dared to practice. She abandoned the thought of helping me improve my health by practicing it. As a result, I missed my first opportunity to practice Falun Dafa.

Despite the ongoing persecution, many practitioners approached me on the street, at the markets, and in other places to tell me about Dafa. Because I had been influenced by the CCP propaganda, I always kept my distance, saying, “No, I don’t understand,” and quickly walking away.

My Boyfriend

Time passed quickly, and soon I was 31. I was employed by an internet company and often worked overtime, which left me exhausted by the weekend. As a result, I often stayed home and, like many other young people, I had no interest in getting married. However, my mother placed great value on me becoming a bride, and through her arrangements, I met my future husband, Yong,

My mother mentioned that Yong and I had been classmates in elementary school and that our families lived close together. When I interacted with Yong, I felt that he was trustworthy and someone I could truly rely on. Two and a half months later, we officially began dating with the intention of getting married.

During a phone conversation, I asked Yong what he was doing and he said he was reading a book. When I asked him which book, he replied, “Zhuan Falun, the main teachings of Falun Dafa.”

Although I said nothing at the time, my mind was in turmoil, and I was completely at a loss. On the one hand, I felt that Yong was a very good person, kind and honest and clearly different from others I knew. On the other hand, I was aware of the CCP’s widespread negative propaganda about Falun Dafa. What should I do? What if my family didn’t approve?

I told my mother of my concerns, but she was surprisingly calm. She said, “I know his grandparents practice Falun Dafa. As long as he’s a good person, let him read the books as long as he doesn’t tell others about it. You don’t have to practice it yourself.”

I felt my mother was right. As long as Yong was a good person, that was enough. He didn’t smoke, drink, or play games. Actually, he didn’t have any bad habits. It’s really hard to find someone good like that these days. After weighing the pros and cons, I continued our relationship. During this time, Yong would intentionally or unintentionally tell me about Falun Dafa and even gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun, but I didn’t take it to heart.

My college roommate Ling contacted me to say she was coming to Beijing and hoped we could meet. Ling had left to study in the United States after graduation, and this trip back to China was to handle visa issues. I happily agreed and said my boyfriend Yong and I would pick her up at the high-speed rail station.

We picked her up and went out to dinner together. Over the meal, she shared her recent experiences, recounting the freedom she felt abroad—including her conversion to Catholicism. She also talked about her enjoyable trip to Japan on her way back to China. Based on her personal experience, she could now see how domineering and authoritarian the the CCP was. I was surprised to learn about her new faith, and I agreed with her assessment of the CCP. Yet, brainwashed by the Party, I thought I had no control over these things and just needed to mind my own business.

Yong talked with Ling about Shen Yun, something I knew very little about. He explained that Shen Yun promotes traditional Chinese culture and exposes the persecution of Falun Dafa. I felt a little nervous, worried that Ling might not understand. But Ling appeared familiar with Shen Yun and even discussed with her boyfriend in a phone call that evening the idea of watching Shen Yun sometime. Her positive reaction reassured me, easing my concern about Yong practicing Falun Dafa.

Before the 2025 Chinese New Year, Yong and I went to Japan on vacation. I was initially unsure about our sleeping arrangements, but Yong reassured me we would stay in separate hotel rooms since we were not yet married, which put my mind at ease. During our trip, we attended a Shen Yun performance. On that day, we arrived at the theater early and found it quickly filled to capacity. I took in my surroundings and saw seniors, young adults our age, and children, all neatly dressed, all eagerly awaiting the performance.

As the curtain rose, I felt as if I were transported to another realm. The dancing was so beautiful, and the backdrops, costumes, and programs blended together in a harmony that defies description. It was the first time I had ever witnessed such artistry. One particular segment made me understand the unimaginable cruelty of the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa, especially the heinous act of organ harvesting from living practitioners—I was horrified!

After returning home, I shared my impressions of the Shen Yun performance with my family and showed my mother the Shen Yun program. I explained that Yong’s grandfather had been sent to a forced labor camp for practicing Falun Dafa and later died from the torture he endured. My mother said she knew Yong’s grandparents and that it was his grandmother who had given her the book Zhuan Falun in 1998. At that moment, I had a greater understanding of just how vicious the CCP’s persecution was.

Through conversations with my mother, I became curious about reading Zhuan Falun. So, one day, I finally picked up the electronic version of the book Yong had given me and began reading it. Looking back, I am thankful to Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, for arranging for me to meet Yong and thus find Falun Dafa.

Getting Married

Being frequently ill as a child, I also suffered from recurring nightmares. Sometimes in my dreams, I found myself unable move, but remained conscious—a phenomenon commonly known as sleep paralysis. When this was severe, it would occur during my midday nap, on the bus, or in the middle of the night. The disrupted sleep-wake cycle caused by frequently staying up late was also very distressing for me.

One evening, I remembered the copy of Zhuan Falun that Yong had given me, so I opened it to read. Before I had even read a few pages, I was suddenly overcome by drowsiness; it was the first time I could recall falling asleep so quickly. During my work lunch break, I tried to read a few more pages, but I kept yawning and was again overcome by sleepiness. It felt as though I'd grasped a lifeline. Because reading Zhuan Falun made me fall asleep, I considered it a “cure” for my insomnia and made it a point to set aside time in the evenings and at my lunch break to read a few pages.

Because I always felt sleepy when I tried to read Zhuan Falun, I didn’t read much of the book, let alone have any deep understanding. But something miraculous happened anyway: After I began reading this precious book, my nightmares completely disappeared! So I came to truly accept Zhuan Falun and Falun Dafa.

Time flew by, and before I knew it, Yong and I had been together for almost a year. Our parents began making arrangements for our engagement and wedding. We became preoccupied with buying a house, decorating, and all the pre-wedding preparations, so our reading and studying of Falun Dafa were temporarily put on hold.

During our engagement, I was faced with a test. My cousin, who had worked in the neighborhood administration of the community where my future in-laws lived for many years, was aware of their situation. She asked me, “Do you know if anyone in Yong’s family practices Falun Dafa?” When I said I did, she replied, "That’s all right. Your mother-in-law practices, too, but you shouldn’t.” If I hadn’t seen Shen Yun and if Master Li hadn’t cleansed my body, perhaps my marriage would have been at risk. Once again, I was deeply grateful to Master Li.

We obtained our marriage certificate in February 2025 and held our wedding in September. After getting the certificate, I went home for the weekend and stayed at Yong’s house. Yong’s grandmother was there at the time, and she told me the facts about Falun Dafa and recounted the miraculous phenomena she experienced after beginning the practice. She mentioned that she, my mother-in-law, and Yong hadn’t taken a single pill for many years and were in excellent health, which shocked me. I really had the idea of learning Falun Dafa, but I still didn’t bring it up.

After our wedding in September, we went to Yunnan on our honeymoon. At the hotel, I started having nightmares again, and I also felt inexplicably depressed and down. I said to Yong, “When we get back, I’ll study the Dafa teachings and do the exercises with you.” Yong happily agreed. With that one thought of studying Dafa, I instantly felt happy and my depression vanished.

When we visited Yulong Snow Mountain in Yunnan, I wasn’t feeling well and remained in the hotel. Yong suggested, “I can teach you the exercises if you want.” I readily agreed. He taught me how to send forth righteous thoughts, how to do the five exercises, and led me through the exercises for half an hour. I felt the movements weren’t difficult, except I couldn’t sit in the lotus position.

Making Progress

That was how I began to practice Falun Dafa on my honeymoon, and new chapter of my life had begun.

Truly Understanding the Severity of the Persecution

After I started to practice, I asked Yong about the CCP’s suppression of Falun Dafa. He found me a documentary called Now and For the Future. I started watching it over the weekend and gained a comprehensive understanding of the situation. I saw the vicious nature of the CCP, learned about how practitioners are being persecuted and have suffered, and also saw the efforts made by practitioners—both at home and abroad—to expose the persecution.

After watching each episode, I was able to maintain a strong sense of self and concentrate my thoughts when sending righteous thoughts. I began to truly understand why my mother-in-law, Yong’s grandfather (who died as a result of being persecuted) were able to firmly cultivate Falun Dafa despite the overwhelming persecution they suffered. I admired them even more for their unwavering faith in Falun Dafa and Master Li.

Then I watched the movies Coming for You and Once We Were Divine. In addition to Master’s great compassion, I learned where I originally came from and why I am here.

Witnessing a Miracle of Dafa

I used to have abdominal pain every time I had my period. Sometimes the pain was so severe that I couldn’t walk or go to work. I would take half a day off to rest in bed, covered with thick blankets, and apply heat packs to my abdomen and lower back. For the next few days, I would have to keep myself wrapped up tightly, and if I caught even a slight chill, my abdomen would immediately start to ache.

Two months after beginning to practice, I suddenly discovered that my menstrual cramps were no longer as painful as before. One month, two months, three months passed, and the pain was gone completely. I knew that Master had helped me eliminate this part of my karma, which further strengthened my belief in Dafa and Master. It’s so good to have Master taking care of me!

Illness Karma

After becoming a practitioner, I learned that physical discomfort is an illusion caused by karma. I’d heard Yong, my mother-in-law, and his grandmother share how they overcame illness karma challenges and wondered when I would face an illness karma challenge.

One morning, I woke up with a sore neck, similar to a stiff neck from sleeping in the wrong position. I told Yong I had a stiff neck. At first, it was just a dull ache, which worsened when I turned my head. I didn’t think much of it, figuring it would get better in a few days. By Friday, the discomfort was still there. On Saturday, the symptoms seemed to lessen. On Saturday night, we agreed to do the exercises on Sunday morning. During sleep, I was awakened by a sharp pain in my cervical spine. I had never experienced such intense pain; even turning over was excruciating. I tried several positions, but nothing helped, and I couldn’t lift my left arm.

When we started doing the first exercise, my left arm was a little stiff and I couldn’t straighten it. I made up my mind: “I reject anything that isn’t Master’s arrangement. I must cultivate, and I must complete the exercises.” As I was doing the second exercise, a miracle occurred. I could raise my arm perfectly. I excitedly demonstrated it to Yong. After completing the second and third exercises, my arm pain subsided. After I did the fourth, I could walk normally, and my shoulder felt better After completing all five exercises, I felt that most of the symptoms had disappeared, leaving only slight pain.

I knew I had overcome this tribulation of illness karma, and I was very excited and happy that I had. The miraculous power of Dafa further strengthened my belief in practicing Dafa. I smiled and said to Yong, “I'm better now. I’ll go cook for you.”

Letting Go of Attachments

As I delved deeper into studying the Dafa teachings and read fellow practitioners’ articles, I learned that, as cultivators, we must cultivate our character and let go of attachments in order to transcend the human realm.

First, I broke my addiction to my phone. It's common for young people to binge-watch dramas—historical romances, crime thrillers, and so on. I’d watch them as soon as a new show came on a major Chinese video app. Outside of work hours, my phone was always in my sight. When I got engrossed, I could stay up all night. I also loved reading novels. When short videos became popular, I became obsessed with them, watching those bloggers flaunting their wealth. I knew deep down that these videos were full of human desires, making people restless, and inciting feelings of jealousy and competitiveness. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t control myself.

After I started studying Dafa, I resolved to break my addictions to novels, TV dramas, and short videos. Instead, I would spend my time studying the teachings, cultivating myself, caring for my family, and returning to a normal life. At first, I thought it would be difficult, but several months have passed since that thought arose. I haven’t looked at any of my old novels, I’m unmoved by colleagues’ discussions about TV dramas or variety shows, and I haven’t opened any of the major video apps. Occasionally, when the thought arises, I strengthen my righteous thoughts to eliminate it. That’s how Yong and I broke our phone addictions together.

We used that time to study the Dafa teachings, do housework, and visit our parents to help with chores. Life as a cultivator made me feel a peace and tranquility I had never experienced before. My previous restlessness and emptiness disappeared, and I experienced the joy of Dafa cultivation.

Improving My Character

Since I started practicing Falun Dafa nine months ago, I have begun to focus on cultivating my character. In my interactions with my colleagues, I have learned to look inward and find my own attachments—such as jealousy, competitiveness, fear of trouble, and resentment in the midst of conflicts. I strive to eliminate them.

I’ve been working at this company for eight years now. My data department team has grown from just me to over a dozen people, and I am now in a junior management position. My supervisor and I have supported each other and worked hard to complete one project after another. Some of these tasks were part of my regular job duties, while others were additional responsibilities.

After my supervisor started overseeing multiple departments and my team grew from one person to a dozen, I communicated with my supervisor less and less. She would inform others of work assignments first, and then those colleagues would contact my department for coordination based on their needs. I felt marginalized. I started to feel uncomfortable, unable to adapt to this change. I became jealous of coworkers who frequently participated in meetings and discussions about overtime with her, feeling that I was no longer valued. I also became competitive with my coworkers, often criticizing them based on past experience.

Meanwhile, because the company had made significant changes to the financial procedures, a senior manager approached me and asked our team to assist. Due to the urgency, we often worked overtime, while our finance colleagues generally left on time. I started to feel resentful, jealousy overcame reason, and I started venting my frustrations, relying on my past relationship with the senior manager. For a long time, I frequently argued with my supervisor, initially refusing her requests, explaining how complicated it was for us, and questioning why we were given this task instead of another department. Over time, I clearly sensed her impatience, and I always complained more when I did the work she assigned. At that point, I didn’t know what to do.

Dafa gave me the answer. Master said that when conflicts arise, we should first look inward and see where we went wrong. I calmed down and found jealousy—I was jealous that other coworkers didn’t have to work overtime while I did, upset that I was being taken advantage of. That jealously made me want to compete with my supervisors and colleagues and to avoid any hardship. I realized that nothing happens by chance, that every event is an opportunity for me to cultivate my heart. I still have a lot of karma to repay, so I need to have a heart that can endure hardship, to put others before myself, and to improve my xinxing. I made up my mind to change myself.

First, when I see coworkers leaving on time while I still have work to do, I'm no longer jealous. I tell myself to find joy in hardship and that doing extra work isn’t a bad thing. Second, I no longer refuse extra work assigned to me by my supervisor, nor do I complain. I don’t focus on who my supervisor meets with each day or how often we communicate. Instead, I focus on the tasks she assigns, and even when she’s impatient, I respond with a smile. Third, when working with coworkers that need our department's cooperation, I patiently listen to their needs before offering my opinions and calmly express any difficulties our department faces. I changed, and the environment changed accordingly.

A miraculous transformation occurred: work arrangements became smoother and more reasonable than before, and my colleagues and I were able to leave work earlier than before. Although I still spent only a little time with my supervisor each week, her trust in me was restored. We stopped arguing, and she would occasionally share her work experiences and her small emotional changes with me. Whenever disagreements between departments seemed imminent, things would miraculously calm down, and we would reach an agreement in an instant. All sorts of troublesome matters get resolved smoothly afterward.

Truly, words cannot describe the unprecedented joy and peace I feel at work after my character has been elevated. I am happy about my improvement. At work, I have also rediscovered human attachments such as resentment and aversion to trouble. Although these negative thoughts and feelings may still surface, I strive to eliminate them. Falun Dafa has changed me, truly transforming me into a much wiser and capable good person.

I am keenly aware that I am still far from meeting the standards of a truly qualified Dafa disciple, and I have not yet eliminated many of my attachments, such as to selfishness, the desire for comfort, self-interest, and so on. I will steadfastly walk the cultivation path Master has arranged for me, regard hardship as joy, and strive forward in my cultivation.

Thank you, Master!

(Selected submission in celebration of 2026 World Falun Dafa Day on Minghui.org)