(Minghui.org) I am a competitive cyclist. On July 20, 2024, while out training, I collided head-on with an oncoming truck. I was thrown backward into a roadside guardrail made of exposed steel rebar. Any of these alone could have been fatal, yet I managed to survive. Besides facial injuries, the accident caused lung collapse, severe bleeding in my chest cavity, and grade 4 liver lacerations.
Although I usually train alone, I happened to have invited a friend to join me that day. Because of this fortuitous arrangement, I was able to receive prompt medical help despite being on a rural road with no signage. Master Li was already protecting me even before I began practicing Falun Dafa.
I was rushed to Pingtung Christian Hospital. Because the facility lacked the equipment needed to treat my injuries, I was immediately transferred to Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital for emergency treatment. I spent three days in the intensive care unit after my condition was stabilized.
I was subsequently transferred to a general ward, only to discover that I had no more strength. As a competitive athlete, my physical condition before the accident was at its peak. But immediately after, even the few steps needed to enter the restroom left me completely exhausted.
1. The Process of Becoming a Cultivator
I had started to do the Falun Dafa exercises just before my accident, though I had yet to read Zhuan Falun. While I was in hospital, my father gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun. After finishing the first lecture in the book, I found that my strength had significantly improved the following day. During my 10 days in the general ward, I read the entire book three times. I also did the exercises, despite having a drainage tube in my chest that caused intense agony every time I moved. When the doctor came to check on me the following day, he discovered the fluid draining from the tube was remarkably clear and gave permission to remove the chest tube.
Doctors initially believed that the severe lacerations on my face would require reconstructive surgery. Unexpectedly, my facial wounds healed so well that when my bandages were removed, the doctors determined no surgery was needed at all.
The day after my discharge, I set up my indoor training equipment and resumed my cycling workout at home. The doctors were astounded to see my rapid recovery during my subsequent follow-up appointment.
Under normal circumstances, liver rupture patients would suffer prolonged, intense fatigue, leaving any form of training completely impossible. Yet I was able to resume physical training the day I returned home from the hospital.
Incredibly, just two and a half months after my discharge, I was able to stand at the starting line of a race. Fueled with joy at this second chance in life, I managed to win second place. Fellow cyclists considered my recovery nothing short of a miracle.
2. Letting Go of Jealousy and Competitiveness After Cultivating Dafa
Before practicing Falun Dafa, I was a competitive person who was constantly jealous of fellow cyclists. I used to feel a deep sense of unfairness whenever fellow cyclists, who achieved mediocre performance during training, went on to win races. Their success would trigger feelings of intense jealousy within me. My feelings changed however after reading the chapter on jealousy in Zhuan Falun:
“You may think that you are good at everything, but your life does not have it. That person is good at nothing, but his life has it, and he will become a boss.” (Lecture Seven, Zhuan Falun)
The negative feelings I had been harboring quickly vanished.
Previously, when I saw naturally gifted athletes, I would feel frustrated. I put in a lot of hard work and wondered why others were able to reach the same level with barely any effort. Since practicing Falun Dafa however, I have gradually relinquished my feelings of unfairness and stopped comparing myself with others.
Fully invested in winning, I used to suffer from insomnia before races due to excessive nervousness. The pressure to win would make me stiff and tense, resulting in poor performances. After practicing Falun Dafa, I gave up my preoccupation with winning or losing and stopped experiencing pre-race anxiety or sleeplessness. My new mindset allows me to retain my calm and adapt with greater flexibility. With my newfound ability to perform at my absolute best, I have consistently achieved fantastic results.
3. Shifting Attitude Toward Family Members
I used to lack patience when communicating with my family. Convinced that my way of thinking was the best, my tone would be harsh and contain my desire for control. Whenever my family failed to act within my expectations, or whenever I found certain habits of theirs deplorable, I would intervene, argue, or even express my dissatisfaction through anger or frustration. Instead of solving anything, my actions only intensified the uncomfortable atmosphere at home.
Through cultivation, I gradually came to realize that “...everyone has his or her own fate...” (Lecture Five, Zhuan Falun). Each person has to walk their own path and face specific tribulations in life. It is inappropriate to impose my will upon others, let alone dictate the choices they make.
Once I started to come around, my impatient temperament began to mellow out. When things go down the wrong path now, I no longer let my emotions dictate my actions or make stinging remarks. Instead, I take a step back and pause for a few seconds. Instead of giving emotionally charged criticism, I strive to communicate with gentle tones that show my consideration and care.
This transformation was so gradual, I did not realize it was happening until one day when my father asked me, “Hasn’t your attitude and way of interacting with us changed a great deal?” Only then did I realize how much my character had elevated.
4. The Influence of Cultivation on Team Leadership and Teammate Interactions
I am a member of a cycling team. In the past, operating under the mistaken belief that “a strict mentor produces outstanding protégés,” I convinced myself that only the most direct and strict criticism would push everyone to confront their own shortcomings. For that reason, I treated my teammates harshly.
Although my intentions were good, my strong desire to help my teammates avoid pitfalls and improve our collective performance meant I was relentless in my approach. During post-race debriefs, I would adopt an impatient, condescending tone and demand everyone follow my instructions to the letter. Predictably, my aggressive approach backfired on me. Even when my analysis was spot-on and my reasoning sound, my defensive teammates would simply ignore me. Instead of improving our performance, I succeeded in creating a tense post-race atmosphere, leaving our relationship strained and awkward.
After cultivating Falun Dafa, I started to let go of my desire to prove myself or exert control over the situation. I softened my approach and started engaging my teammates more considerately and with a warmer tone of voice. In this way, I achieved results that my previous tactics could never produce.
During one race, I won first place while my other teammates finished third and sixth place. Afterward, the teammate who placed sixth came to me, frustrated and dejected. “We train together, our strength and fitness levels are nearly identical,” he lamented, “So why the huge gap in our race results?”
Before cultivating Dafa, I would have bluntly lashed out. “Your form creates so much wind resistance! You missed all the little details, didn’t even use the right gear. Isn’t it obvious why you lost? Did you stop to consider if your limited stamina could support your excessive waste of energy? Or did you just underestimate your opponents?” My harsh dismissal of his hard work and dedication would have hurt him. He would have distanced himself from me as a result, even if he knew, deep down, that I meant well and wanted to help.
So, instead of resorting to criticism, I sat down and patiently went through the entire race with him. In my analysis I explained how, instead of relying on brute strength, I developed a pacing strategy tailored to the terrain. I also explained how a well-chosen riding posture could reduce wind resistance and conserve energy expenditure, especially on flat and smooth roads.
At the start, he displayed resistance and some hesitation. Having relied on the same techniques for so long, perhaps he believed his approach to be the best.
I no longer had the desire to “win” this argument and force him accept my feedback. Instead, I pointed out the key details in his form that could be improved, and then teased him in a lighthearted tone, “It’s perfectly fine if you don’t want to change. It just means I’ll keep beating you in our future matches.”
My humor and sincerity left my teammate reeling for a moment, and the defensiveness in his eyes vanished once he realized my desire to help him improve was genuine. He quickly replied, “I’ll change it! I’ll change it! I’ll get right on it as soon as we return!”
This incident left me with a profound impression. In the past, I believed a harsh approach and unsparing criticism was the only way to convince a person to change. My former approach would have failed to help my teammate improve and worsened team morale.
Yet through cultivation, I came to realize the importance of letting go of one’s competitive nature and aggressiveness. Instead, approaching those around you with kindness and consideration will imbue your words with genuine strength, capable of touching hearts and inspiring positive change without hurting anyone.
I recently applied to six different universities to continue my post-graduate studies. The first few responses showed I had been rejected. This setback would have filled the person I was before cultivation with dejection and anxiety. Having cultivated Dafa, however, my heart remained surprisingly calm.
According to Master,
“A cultivator should follow the course of nature. If something is yours, you will not lose it. If something is not yours, you will not have it even if you fight for it.” (Lecture Seven, Zhuan Falun)
When the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology (YunTech) released their decision, not only was I accepted but also ranked first among all admitted students. This led me to realize this was no coincidence, rather, an arrangement by Master Li for me to cultivate and share the teachings of Falun Dafa at YunTech.
My placement at the top signifies the importance of my mission and responsibility. As I go through the next two years of my master’s program, I will cherish this environment, cultivate well, and validate the Fa on the path Master Li has arranged for me.
(Presented at the 2026 Taiwan Fa Conference)
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