(Clearwisdom.net) I was fortunate enough to begin practicing Falun Gong in July 1994. At that time I had very strong attachments to personal gain in this human world, so I was not diligent in my cultivation practice. However, compassionate Teacher did not leave me behind. All my illnesses disappeared during my cultivation without my being aware of it.
In the early days of the persecution of Falun Dafa after July 20, 1999, the Party committee of our company assigned three people to follow me and keep me under surveillance in an effort to force me to renounce Falun Gong. The household registration officer, Xu, from our local police station went to my workplace to watch me. The Party secretary of the neighborhood party committee, Yuan, was my personal monitor. The members of the Security Department of our workplace were well informed of my whereabouts. At the time my company listed me as a key member of Falun Gong, so the Disciplinary Commission and the Organization Department endlessly talked to me, took notes and ordered me to write the guarantee statement. One time officer Chen just came up to me in public and searched my bag. I was also faced with pressure from home. However, no matter how much intimidation and how many threats I suffered, I only repeated one sentence, "I have done nothing wrong in learning Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance!"
Teacher Compassionately Gave Me Hints
At that period of time it was like the sky was covered with dark clouds, taking my breath away. Because my colleagues were poisoned by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), they saw me as an undesirable. Because of this I became more attached to fear. One day when I was doing the Fifth Exercise "Reinforcing Supernatural Powers" six Chinese characters "What are you afraid of?" and "Come back!" clearly appeared before my eyes. It was a hint from Teacher. At that time one group after another of diligent practitioners went to Beijing to stand up for the Fa However, countless groups of practitioners were detained and sent to brainwashing centers or detention centers, fined or sentenced to prison terms. I was really in pain. I looked at the sky at night and cried out in my heart that such a good exercise was defamed, that Teacher was slandered and fellow practitioners detained. I said to myself that this injustice knew no bounds.
I wiped away my tears and went to my hometown to hand out truth-clarification materials. I went to one village after another at night while silently reciting Teacher's Fa-rectification formulas. I did not feel cold or afraid. On the contrary, I felt very warm in my heart. One day when I was putting up self-adhesive posters, I stepped on something hairy. I looked down and saw a black dog quietly wagging its tail, as if it was welcoming me. The following day, banners fluttering in the breeze were hanging on the branches with the words "Falun Dafa is good" as well as "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." This shocked the evildoers and brought the sunshine of spring to the biting cold winter. When I was delivering materials to homes, I saw that they were all shining. I knew it was Teacher's encouragement.
Believing in Teacher and the Fa, All Illnesses Disappeared
When one of my relatives moved into a house in 2004, I went to offer my congratulations. There were about 30 to 40 guests. All of a sudden I felt a stabbing pain in my back. My stomach hurt, my face was blue, and my arms and legs were as cold as ice. Several people supported me since I could not stand by myself. I wanted to vomit but nothing came out, and I wanted to have a bowel movement but also failed. My distress worried them so much that someone phoned my family and others wanted to carry me to the hospital on a stretcher. In pain, I sent forth a very resolute righteous thought: "I am Teacher Li Hongzhi's student. I cannot sully Dafa's reputation in front of my relatives and ordinary people. Nothing is allowed to touch me! All the evil factors have no right to persecute me!" I asked Teacher to help me. Then I sent forth a righteous thought and silently repeated the Fa-rectification formula. I thought of the word "mie" (eliminate), as big as the colossal firmament, and also thought to eliminate everything that was not righteous. Two hours later, the sickness karma that meant to take my life was disintegrated by the Fa-rectification formula Teacher bestowed on the practitioners.
Cultivation is a very serious matter. A local practitioner failed to break through the "interference" of sickness karma for a very long time. Two practitioners and I went to this practitioner's home to send forth righteous thoughts. When we got closer to the practitioner (later deceased) one thought flashed through my mind, "It's already come to such a bad stage!" I was a bit scared. Because of this thought, I felt that some kind of substance went into my body. Upon returning home, I felt my chest was burning and I began to spit out an acidic liquid and sticky saliva. Two days later a sarcoma the size of a quail egg grew in my larynx. It was hard to the touch. I dared not talk about it to my family. I was a bit worried, as well. It lasted for a fairly long period of time and did not turn for the better even though I kept doing the three things the practitioners should do.
When I studied the Fa with a calm mind, I saw this:
"If you are a true practitioner, our Falun will safeguard you. I am rooted in the universe. If anyone can harm you, he or she would be able to harm me. Put simply, that person would be able to harm this universe." (Zhuan Falun)
I thought I was a Falun Dafa practitioner protected by Teacher, so I could just go on. I could not bring a negative effect to Dafa. But, by looking inward, I found that I had the attachment to being unwilling to help fellow practitioners because I thought I would waste my time on the road. So, I failed to make fellow practitioners' business mine and I failed to help fellow practitioners from the perspective of the Fa. The old forces took advantage of the selfishness that flashed in my mind. On the other hand, since I thought the old forces were so big, I myself became very small.
After finding the attachment, I sent forth one powerful righteous thought to totally negate the arrangements by the old forces, to eliminate the the dark minions and rotten ghosts of the old forces that brought harm to my body. Even if I had loopholes, I would rectify them during my cultivation practice, and I also begged Teacher for help. The illness karma was disintegrated right after the emergence of righteous thoughts. The happiness and the lightness that I experienced after letting go of all the attachments allowed me to witness the supernormal power of Dafa. I was determined to listen to what Teacher said and follow him closely.
Talking about the Truth to Persuade People to Withdraw from the CCP and Its Affiliated Organizations
To clarify the truth to persuade people to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations is the mission and responsibility of the Fa-rectification period Dafa practitioners. I went with fellow practitioners to the streets and alleys, as well as the surrounding supermarkets, schools, and shops in the latter half of 2008. These were our platforms for “clarifying the truth.” Except for a minority of people who had been severely poisoned, more than 90 percent of the people we spoke to could be persuaded to withdraw from the CCP and its organizations. Those who were saved included people from all walks of life. We even persuaded those who came up to ask the way. Based on people's level of acceptance, we tried to reach them in a few simple words. We talked about the truth of the persecution of Falun Gong, or the cosmic changes, or the fact that whose who did not believe in higher beings and always did bad things would suffer catastrophes. We tried to appeal to their kindness and intuitive knowledge. All this earned their respect and understanding.
A tall man in his 60s, who looked like a government official, asked me about where the bus station was. I pointed him in the right direction without saying anything further. When I was about to leave I suddenly stopped. Why was I there? Why didn't I clarify the truth to him? I was thinking this as I walked. When I raised my head, I saw that the bus station had been moved. I turned around instantly and found the man, "I am sorry, Sir, just now I pointed you in the wrong direction. Since they built an overpass, the bus station has been moved." When I saw that this displeased him, I said, "I wish you a happy, healthy, and long life!" He turned around and said with a smile, "Thank you!" Then I said, "You look like an official." "That was something in the past, so don't mention it anymore," he answered. Then I said, "Have you heard about withdrawing from the CCP and its subordinate organizations to stay safe? Chinese people around the world, including scholars and specialists as well as police officials, have quit these organizations. This is very important for you!"
He hesitated for a bit and said, "My wife and I often go to the local park to take a walk so we often saw this (he gestured at the truth-clarification materials). Falun Gong still exists. Are you a Falun Gong practitioner?"
I replied, "Yes, and you are predestined. It is said that by learning the truth one can receive blessings. Since you have already read the truth-clarification materials you must know the meaning of the withdrawals. Since you had experience being a member of the CCP, you know better than ordinary people what the CCP is like. You don't need to spend a penny and you don't need to go through any formalities. You only need to quit the CCP in your heart. Please tell me your name?" "My surname is Gao," he said. I told him, "Gods and Buddhas only look at a person's heart. It will also count if you use a nickname. Shall I choose the name Gao Jian for you?" He nodded in agreement. I added, "It will be even better if you can remember 'Falun Dafa is good' and 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance' is good!" Then I waved goodbye to him. He said, "Wait a moment!" Then he said with a lot of concern, "Please be careful, the Communist Party is still very strong, so you cannot eliminate it just yet." I said, "It is not us, but Heaven that wants to eliminate it." I told him the story about "The Stone with Hidden Characters." He raised his thumb and said, "Falun Gong is really great! I wish you success!"
In recalling my 17 years of cultivation practice there is gratitude and regrets. The gratitude is that Teacher scooped me out of hell and cleansed me. What's more, Teacher changed me from an everyday person full of karma into a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple. It is the foremost title and the most magnificent being in the cosmos. I have experienced happiness that I had never known before. I simply cannot express my gratitude to Teacher in words. As for regret, I failed to do well in the beginning because of my attachment to fear, so I missed a lot of opportunities for cultivation practice and elevation. Besides, I also have a lot of attachments that I have failed to realize. I must cultivate myself well to save more sentient beings to repay Teacher's infinite grace.
For anything that I did not do well, please feel free to comment and correct.