(Minghui.org) I am a 78-year-old retired elementary school teacher. Before I took up Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong), I suffered from a blood disorder called thalassemia and led a life of misery.
I was anemic from the time I was a child, so my hemoglobin was always been low. My blood pressure and blood sugar were also low. That meant I was always tired.
I did not seek treatment for my condition until it caused me to collapse when I was over 40 years old. I was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with thalassemia, a hereditary disease with no cure.
As I got older, all my organs began to fail due to the long-term shortage of blood, and I ended up with all kinds of ailments, such as an enlarged liver and spleen, gallbladder inflammation, gastritis, gynecological problems, colitis, insomnia, and severe diarrhea.
I had to take strong medicine to stop the diarrhea, but the medicine seriously damaged my liver. I became emaciated and frail, with a bad complexion and skin. My hair began to fall out in bunches, so I had to wear a wig. I was no longer able to teach and was transferred to a different job.
I tried various methods to mitigate the pain, from exercises to qigong practices, to Chinese medicine and other health care products. But nothing worked. My condition worsened to the point where I had to get blood transfusions to keep me functional.
To make a bad situation worse, I felt that I had to fight for fame and personal gain at work even though I was already a top teacher. I often asked myself why I had to be tormented like this.
My life turned around in 1996 when three people introduced Falun Gong to me. I began practicing on February 2, 1997.
When I went to the group practice site for the first time, I saw so many people were meditating peacefully and comfortably, accompanied by beautiful music. But I was unable to sit with them for more than 15 minutes because of extreme back pain. Even though I wasn't able to do the complete meditation, my body still felt light afterward.
I have since attended the group practice every morning no matter what the weather was like, or how painful my legs were. I also went to group Fa study in the evenings. I gradually became able to put one leg up during meditation, and eventually could meditate with both legs crossed.
The practitioners at our group were from all walks of life, and we all shared our understandings after studying the Fa. I deeply felt that the environment of Falun Gong cultivation was a pure land.
From then on, I strictly followed Dafa's principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to guide my life. All of my illnesses disappeared shortly after I began the practice. I gained weight, my complexion became rosy, and my skin became bright. I could eat anything and I slept soundly.
I have since never been to a hospital or taken any medicine. I am very healthy. One of my former students, who was a researcher specializing in blood, learned about my recovery and said to me, “Falun Gong cured your thalassemia, which is something that empirical science cannot explain.”
I understood that difficulties in life were due to karmic retribution and that the purpose of being human was to return to your true self. I no longer worried about life being unfair or actively pursued fame and profit. I became happier, and my life became bright and upright.
My temperament changed along with this added perspective on life. I became easygoing and peaceful. I paid more attention to my husband and children's needs and took on more housework. My family noticed my change and appreciated the beauty of Dafa. They all supported me in my practice.
After the persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999, I went to the provincial capital and Beijing to appeal for my right to practice. Later, I was detained for a month. The local police often came to my home to harass me afterward.
One police officer asked me why I went to Beijing. I told him my personal experience, how Dafa saved my life and how Dafa guided me to become a better person.
I asked him, “How could I still have a conscience if I did not stand up to defend my master?” He was shocked to learn about what I had experienced and stopped participating in the persecution. He also protected me secretly.
The top officials in my school all knew that I worked diligently. They also witnessed my changes and knew how much I saved on medical expenses after I started practicing Falun Dafa. They protected me even though they were under pressure, and were all rewarded with blessings in life.
My husband has always been by my side. When I was released from detention, he did not complain about anything. After I told him that I might be fired from my job and that we might have financial difficulties, he kindly told me that we would face the hardships together. I was very touched.
When a police officer asked him about his opinion on my practicing Falun Gong, he told the police officer, “I understand her and support her belief.”
My Dafa practice has brought happiness and blessing to my entire family. Both my son and daughter have happy and harmonious families as well. I would like to share my experience and tell everyone about the goodness of Falun Dafa and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.