(Minghui.org) I've been doing medical work in the armed forces for over two decades, and received awards for my work every year. I started practicing Falun Dafa in early 1996. For 13 years, I have been following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and have changed from a “walking medicine cabinet” to a totally healthy person.
After treating others with qigong I became full of illnesses
Seeing people suffering from pain and illnesses while modern medicine seemed so ineffective, I often thought, “If only people never got sick...” At the end of the 1980s, qigong became very popular in China. After I observed how people became healthy by practicing qigong instead of taking medicine, I thought it was magical. I became extremely interested in qigong and learned five or six types of qigong one after another. I was in my 20s and was relatively healthy at the time.
The reason I learned qigong was to treat others. However, unexpectedly, after I treated others, my own health broke down. What happened? I didn't understand until I started practicing Falun Gong.
The last patient I treated using qigong was a female patient in her late 30s in early 1992. She was suffering great abdominal pain and was unable to stand straight for three days. I was very sympathetic and treated her for half an hour until she said the pain was gone. While she became OK, I became sick. I felt so tired that I couldn't lift my arms. Things became worse the next day. I was very woozy and my head felt very heavy. My entire body felt very uncomfortable as if I had a flu.
In the two to three months that followed, I developed gynecological problems. I had never had such problems before, as I had been relatively healthy. I would not stop bleeding during my menstrual periods despite all the treatments I tried. It wasn't until I had an operation that the bleeding stopped. But it didn't last beyond several months. From then on, I searched for both Western medicine and Chinese medicine, and the effects varied. Finally, I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids.
Falun Gong gave me hope
I continued to seek treatment after leaving the army. My symptoms persisted and the only cure was to remove the fibroids through surgery. However, I was very weak by then, because I had suffered the illness for more than three years, and the long term bleeding had lowered my body's resistance to diseases. I would catch a cold easily which wouldn't go away for two weeks. Because of large doses of medicine, my stomach was damaged. I literally became a walking medicine cabinet, and I was suffering so badly.
In May 1996, coworker Xiu introduced Falun Gong to me. She had tried to talk about Falun Gong once before, but I refused to listen. My reason was, I had learned so many qigong practices but my health kept deteriorating – I simply had lost faith in qigong. This time, she introduced the theories of Falun Gong's practice to me in great detail, showed me the exercises, and told me many stories of people recovering from illness shortly after practicing Falun Gong, including herself. I said I would give it a try. She gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun, but I didn't start reading the book until a month later.
I began by reading some stories about Falun Gong practitioners. I felt it was different than the types of qigong I had learned before, and then I started reading Zhuan Falun. I didn't understand how precious the book was back then, but when I flashed back in my mind later, I realized the book was very powerful. For example, I couldn't keep my eyes open after reading two pages, and fell asleep immediately. Therefore, it took me more than a month to finish reading Zhuan Falun the first time. At that time I didn't know the mysterious mechanism of finishing reading the book non-stop (reading the book has the effect of healing) for the first time, therefore I did not experience dramatic changes like other practitioners have. Even though they were not dramatic, changes did occur: I did not need medicine anymore in order to have a normal diet; I walked with more energy. I also experienced karma eliminating episodes as described in the book.
My first karma elimination experience was having flu symptoms, and it manifested no differently than the flus I had before. Because I knew I was eliminating karma, I did not take any medicine, and it went away in about a week. Later on, as my cultivation practice progressed, the flu symptoms weakened and reduced, and didn't recur for a year. Practicing Falun Gong is indeed miraculous!
Practicing cultivation in Dafa and breaking away from treating illness with qigong
With other practitioners' help, I watched Master's lectures on video and occasionally joined the group practice in the park on Sunday mornings.
Besides my physical changes, my biggest benefit after reading Zhuan Falun for the first time was that I finally found the fundamental cause of my deteriorating health. It was made very clear in Zhuan Falun, that one should not treat illness with qigong.
Master said in Zhuan Falun,
“No genuine Falun Dafa disciples should treat illnesses for others.” (Lecture Seven)
“Why is this issue taken so seriously? It is because it is a phenomenon that undermines Dafa. You will harm more than your own health. As soon as some people heal an illness, they will itch to do it again. They will grab whoever they see to treat illnesses and show themselves off. Isn’t this an attachment? It will seriously hinder one’s cultivation practice.” (Lecture Seven)
“Some people with good inborn quality exchange their inborn quality with others for karma. That person is ill and has a lot of karma. If you heal a patient who has a serious illness, after the treatment you will feel very uncomfortable at home. In the past, many people felt this way after seeing a patient: The patient is recovering, but you are very ill at home. As time passes, more karma transfers to you; you give others de for karma. No loss, no gain. Though what you get is illness, karma must be paid for with de. This universe has this principle that no one will stop you as long as this is what you want, and neither will anyone say that you are good. The universe has a specific rule, namely, whoever has more karma is a bad person. You are giving away your inborn quality to another person for karma. With more karma, how could you practice cultivation? Your inborn quality will be totally ruined by that person. Isn’t that scary? That person’s illness is gone; he feels comfortable now, but you are suffering at home. If you heal a couple of cancer patients, you will have to take their places. Isn’t this dangerous? That is just the way it is, and many people do not know the truth.” (Lecture Two)
What a close call! If I hadn't started practicing Falun Gong, even if I died I wouldn't know what killed me.
Miracle after I stopped taking medicine
I went to the park to join the group practice on a Sunday three months after I started practicing Falun Gong, and ran into Xiu. She told me, “You have been practicing for three months. Master has taken care of you. You don't need to take medicine any more.” I didn't quite understand how to practice cultivation at the time, thinking doing the exercises was all I needed to do. Not understanding what she meant by “Master has taken care of you,” I didn't give it too much thought and answered, “OK. I'll stop taking medicine.”
I was taking birth-control pills, which was totally my own idea. Doctors would not give them as a treatment because the risk of cancer was large. I was so terrified of my non-stop bleeding that I felt I had no choice, and kept taking them for years.
I stopped taking the pills, and my menstrual period was normal that month. It was so magical. The illness which had cost me a great deal of money and suffering was gone as easily as that? It was incredible!
Then I understood that Falun Gong is no ordinary qigong, but cultivation of the Buddha Fa. Even though I did not fully understand some principles in the book, the thought of “OK. I'll stop taking medicine” produced the miraculous result of regulating my menstrual period for the first time in several years.
However, this was because of Xiu's reminding, not my own realization. During my menstrual period in the third month, my bleeding continued after the seventh day again. I was a little panicky – what should I do? After all, I had a positive experience the first time after not taking medicine, and understood some more principles through Fa-study, so I told myself, “I believe in the Fa. I will not take medicine.” The bleeding stopped on the 12th day, and my period was completely regular from then on.
Master said in Zhuan Falun,
“In order to cure illness or eliminate tribulations and karma, these people must practice cultivation and return to their original, true selves. This is how all the different cultivation schools view it. One should return to one’s original, true self; this is the real purpose of being human. Therefore, once a person wants to practice cultivation, his or her Buddha-nature is considered to have come forth. Such a thought is most precious, for this person wants to return to his or her original, true self and transcend the ordinary human level.” (Lecture One)
In my understanding, as soon as you develop the thought of cultivation practice, which is your Buddha-nature emerging, Master starts to take care of you, and cleanses your body. Therefore many practitioners have the same experience, that is, their bodies become light without illness in a very short time after practicing Dafa. Later on, even though similar symptoms appear, that is the portion of your karma that you need to bear. As long as you treat yourself as a practitioner, it will pass very quickly; if you cannot enlighten to this and regard it as illness, and take medicine or other treatments, then your xinxing has dropped to the level of everyday people. If you keep doing this, then you are not practicing genuine cultivation.
Steadfastly practicing cultivation amidst brutal persecution
On July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started brutally persecuting Falun Gong. My name was on the CCP's blacklist because I had appealed for Falun Gong at the provincial party committee. In the face of the overwhelmingly twisted propaganda against Falun Gong, as well as the pressure from my workplace and family, I did not know what to do. I could not give up practicing cultivation in Dafa. How could I give up something that had changed me from a “walking medicine cabinet” to a healthy person? So I persisted in practicing Falun Gong. One day, my son saw me doing the exercises and got upset. He said, “How dare you still practice?” My husband understood me very well and said, “Her health has improved from the practice. Just let her do it.”
At that period of time, I suffered in my heart a great deal. Dafa taught us to become good people, and gave me a healthy body. There was nothing wrong with practicing Dafa, and I would not give it up. After some pondering, I was no longer confused. I took out my precious Zhuan Falun and studied it conscientiously.
Illness has been an undefeatable enemy of humankind. Although modern medicine is very developed, there are still many diseases which cannot be treated, and many people still live in misery because of illness. However, Falun Gong has rescued millions from illnesses, and has given them new hope in life. Through practicing cultivation in Dafa, people have become pure-hearted with less desires, and have taken fame and wealth lightly, which has brought harmony to families and society. Falun Dafa's wonderfulness speaks for itself. This is indeed a pure land.
After some pondering, I no longer hesitated. I made up my mind. I would steadfastly continue practicing, and follow Master to return to my true self.
Cultivation has changed me into a more kindhearted person
I have not taken a single pill during my 16 years of cultivation. My health is as good as that of a young woman. I am never tired, and have endless energy every day. In daily life, I conduct myself according to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, look inside when problem arises, and consider others under every circumstance at every moment. I strive to treat everybody with sincerity, kindness and tolerance. My sister-in-law has praised me, and said I have no shortcomings several times in front of others. I know it's all due to the way I conduct myself after practicing cultivation that has touched them.
It was often said that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are the toughest to get along with each other. But I have a very good relationship with my mother-in-law and her family. My mother-in-law is in her 80s. She has multiple diseases including heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. One day at work, my brother-in-law called me anxiously and told me my mother-in-law had tried to defecate for two hours without success. He said the stool was stuck in her anus. I put down the work at hand and took a taxi to get to her immediately. I put on a pair of disposable gloves and applied lubricants around her anus, and then used my finger to pull out the stool little by little. My mother-in-law's pain was relieved, and the whole family was relieved.
One day in winter, my mother-in-law made a mess after a bowel movement. The whole family and the nanny circled around her and didn't know what to do. This happened just before I arrived. I quickly took off her soiled pants and washed her with warm water, and then changed her into clean clothes. Then I washed her dirty clothes. Later on, my mother-in-law fell and suffered a bone fracture, and had difficulty having bowel movements. As long as it was my day to take care of her, I managed to make her very comfortable and clean. Besides these things, as a practitioner, I often bought her food that she likes, clothing, and other necessities. Perhaps because of these reasons, her family approves of me very much.
