New Practitioner: Falun Dafa Brings Me Hope and Illuminates My Life

(Minghui.org) The first time I heard about Falun Dafa was in China in 1999. Even though I knew many people practiced Dafa, I didn’t know much about it. I just thought they practiced to keep fit.

I heard that practitioners went to Zhongnanhai (the central government compound in Beijing) to appeal. I later saw the news report about the Tiananmen self-immolation incident (I later learned that this was actually staged by the CCP to deceive people). The image was deeply embedded in my mind. Even though I did not believe anything the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) said in its news reports, I felt that Falun Dafa had nothing to do with me.

I traveled to Canada in 2014 where I met a Falun Dafa practitioner. She was an elderly lady who was very friendly and kind. She was distributing fliers in Regent Plaza and told me the significance of quitting the Chinese Communist Party and its youth organizations, and the meaning of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Her explanation amazed me. I wondered how it was possible that she was a member of the “cult” the CCP claimed Falun Dafa was. I started to doubt the CCP’s propaganda, but I didn’t take the materials she offered me.

I settled down in Canada in 2015. I saw that elderly woman again at the airport. She recognized me and said we met before. She offered me a pamphlet about Falun Dafa. This time I accepted it out of respect for her. We chatted briefly and I left. I put the flier on my bookshelf at home but forgot all about it because I was so busy.

One day I passed the Chinese consulate in Vancouver and saw many people holding banners and protesting the persecution. I knew it was a peaceful protest held by Falun Dafa practitioners. By this time I had been in Canada for a few years. I learned more about what was happening outside China and I gained a deeper understanding of China. I admired their courage and yearned to join them. I started to pay attention to Falun Dafa.

The COVID virus caused panic worldwide in 2020. In order to know the true situation in China I watched a lot of videos on social media because I wanted to tell my friends and relatives there the latest developments of the pandemic. Those videos helped me understand more of the CCP’s history and what happened to China. My mindset underwent a fundamental change. What surprised me was that all those videos were made by Falun Dafa practitioners. I earnestly wanted to know more about Falun Dafa. This opened up my cultivation journey.

Master said,

“It is because a practitioner is most precious, for he or she wants to practice cultivation. Therefore, developing this thought is most precious.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

I looked up Falundafa.org and learned the exercise movements online by watching Master (the founder of Falun Dafa) demonstrate them. I also read the articles written by new practitioners on the Minghui.org website. By reading them I saw where I needed to improve. For example, when I did the second exercise, I put down my arms when they felt tired and heavy. When I watched the videos, many elderly ladies easily finished the second exercise. Was I less capable than them? The fifth exercise requires one to double cross the legs. As practitioners we should do them correctly. Due to an old knee injury I couldn’t even sit with one leg folded, let alone doing the single or double leg crossing. This issue bothered me.

I accidentally met a practitioner in May 2020. It seemed accidental, but I later realized that it was actually arranged by Master. Master didn’t want me to miss this opportunity of a millennium. I told the practitioner the issues I had when I did the exercises. He helped correct my movements and told me the significance of quitting the CCP. He said that our practice is cultivation, we cultivate ourselves. We don’t just practice exercises. He gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun and explained that we read the Fa as well as practice the exercises.

I immediately began reading Zhuan Falun. I learned the importance of cultivating xinxing, being kind to people and elevating to higher realms. Reading Zhuan Falun deepened my understanding of Falun Dafa.

In order to overcome my laziness and also to improve quickly, I started to go to the practice site in June 2020.

Although the pandemic affected many people and caused them anxiety, I was calm because I learned from Zhuan Falun that,

“In order to cure illness or eliminate tribulations and karma, these people must practice cultivation and return to their original, true selves.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

“One should return to one’s original, true self; this is the real purpose of being human.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

By practicing Falun Dafa I experienced many positive changes. My injured knee no longer hurts and I am able to play badminton again.

I sent an email to the Global Quit the CCP Service Center on October 4, 2021, to formally declare that I withdrew my membership in the Youth League.

I attended the activity at the Vancouver Art Gallery on May 8, 2022, and met many practitioners. In May I began going there each weekend to practice the exercises with the group. I soon began going to the practice site at the city center on Sunday and met even more practitioners. Discussing and exchanging experiences with them, I better understood what it means to cultivate oneself, and how to identify and eliminate attachments.

One day when we began meditating, I could hear people talking and cars coming and going but I gradually calmed down. Even though my eyes were closed I could see blue and white lights. It seemed that the outside world had nothing to do with me. I remained in that state until the meditation music ended. When I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar environment again.

I’m lazy sometimes. I used being busy as an excuse not to practice the exercises. Sometimes it was late at night and my eyes felt tired. I told myself that I didn’t need to read the Fa. I slacked off when I couldn’t gain any new insights when I read Zhuan Falun or when doing the exercises was challenging.

I had a dream one night. I was reading Zhuan Falun and Master appeared at my doorstep. He asked, “What are you doing?” I woke up. I shared with the practitioner about my dream. He asked me if I focused when I read the Fa. He said that Master urged me to study the Fa well. He told me to read the Chapter “Why Doesn’t Your Gong Increase With Your Practice?” In it Master said,

“Let me tell everyone that the fundamental reason for one’s failing to increase gong is this: Of the two words "cultivation" and "practice," people only pay attention to practice and ignore cultivation.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

Since then practicing the exercises and reading the Fa became an integral part of my life. I read the Fa at night no matter how busy or tired I am. I listen to the recordings of Master’s Fa lectures when I drive. Other practitioners send me messages to encourage and support me.

One day I experienced something amazing. In Master’s Fa lecture in Guangzhou, it mentioned that a practitioner was not injured when she was hit by a car, even though she left a big dent on the car hood where her head struck it. Another practitioner was grazed by a falling iron pole but a Falun prevented it from directly hitting the practitioner. I found this hard to believe. Did such amazing things really happen?

The next day I was going out with a friend. He backed the car out of the garage, and I stood behind his car to make sure he didn’t hit anything. He was about to drive forward. At that moment I felt it wasn’t safe to stand behind his car so I moved to the side. He suddenly reversed his car and sped backwards! Everyone was frightened. My friend was frightened too. He said that he didn’t intend to reverse. But I was calm and not scared. I thanked Master in my heart. Master gave me a second life. Later on I rang another practitioner and explained what happened. He said, “Yes, Master protected you. Every practitioner has experienced amazing incidents. Some realize what happened but others don’t. Every genuine practitioner is protected by Master’s law body.”

In 2022 I participated in the parade to commemorate the April 25^th Peaceful Appeal and I also participated in the one to mark the July 20^th Anniversary of the persecution. I also attended the assembly and parade in Vancouver to celebrate 400 million Chinese people quitting the CCP. For the first time I was in the parade as someone who already quit the CCP.

After practicing Falun Dafa for three years, I now finally understand the meaning of my life. I understand that the real meaning of life is to assimilate to the universal characteristics of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, return to my true self and to my real home. I get answers to many problems and questions I have by reading Zhuan Falun. I’m now filled with hope. I have a light in my life that illuminates my journey forward.