(Minghui.org) I was born in China after the millennium. I began to practice Falun Dafa in China during the pandemic and am now studying overseas.
I have been deeply attracted by the beauty and kindness in traditional culture since I was a child. I am often moved by the good deeds of my family and teachers around me and I have always longed to find a true way that guides me to be a good person and elevate myself.
Regrettably, due to the persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), I never knew about Falun Dafa, until a college teacher introduced it to me during the pandemic. I understood that the purpose of one’s life is to assimilate to Dafa and return to one’s true nature. It is such a blessing and honor to practice Dafa in this chaotic world. No words can express my gratitude to Master for his compassion and salvation.
Breaking Away from Modern Notions, Embarking on the Path to Return to Tradition
Born in China, where morality collapsed after the CCP ordered the persecution of Falun Dafa in 1999, it was that little bit of traditional culture left in my upbringing that sustained the goodness of my nature and allowed me to connect to Falun Dafa despite the heavy contamination of atheism and modern notions.
I always wanted to be a person of righteousness, indifferent to fame and wealth, while caring about the world’s people. Despite the CCP’s various campaigns to wipe out traditional culture, some of these values, such as kindness and selflessness, still lived on and were deeply rooted in my heart.
As I grew up, I became more sophisticated in the murky Chinese Communist Party-culture society, and my heart became increasingly gloomy. In high school, the interpretation of ancient society was all about class struggle, and there was no compassion or kindness in sight; the modern works I read outside the classroom told me that human nature is evil and death is the end of one’s life. The meaning of life is all about indulgence and pleasure.
At that time, I felt that my morality was declining with the tide and I couldn’t do anything about it. I wanted to know the deeper meaning of human existence, but I felt that all the theories I read were empty and could not guide me. Deep down, I was longing for something that could help me transcend the world. I wished I could wash away the filth on my soul and be a good person. But in such a society, it isn’t easy. I was incredibly bitter and desperate inside; I had no interest in anything, and I just wanted to cry.
However, an amazing and remarkable opportunity presented itself to me. While I was attending a college in China, I met a teacher who practiced Dafa and who had a profound knowledge of traditional culture.
In the year before I obtained the Fa, I read a great deal about Chinese and Western traditional literature and painting, and the depictions of the divine’s compassion, brightness, beauty, and holiness shattered my atheist notions. I also learned more about spiritual cultivation, which made me realize that traditional culture has always taught people to emphasize virtue and kindness and that human nature is inherently good.
My teacher told me about Falun Dafa and the persecution that began in 1999. I admired the courage of the practitioners who risk their lives to stand up to the CCP’s violent suppression, uphold their faith, and clarify the facts to the world.
Dafa also taught me that all human suffering comes from karmic retribution and is caused by wrongdoings committed in previous lives. It is a natural principle that good is rewarded and evil punished. Gods and Buddhas are always watching over people. Dafa explains the truth about all things in the universe. It is the Way that I had been looking for. I decided to practice Falun Dafa.
After that, my teacher gave me the precious book Zhuan Falun. During the pandemic, I took online classes at home. This allowed me to have a stable cultivation environment. I continued to study the Fa and do the exercises every day.
I often copied and recited Hong Yin in the silence of the night, and the words often moved me to tears; each word was so precious and sacred that it resonates with the deepest part of my heart.
As the saying goes, “It is difficult to be born in the Middle Kingdom, and it is difficult to encounter the righteous Fa.” In such a declining world, amidst the overwhelming modern notions that lead people to evil, it is the supreme honor and great joy of my life to encounter Dafa. Thank you, Master!
Going Against the Current, Returning to My True Nature
At home, I am the only daughter, doted on by my parents and the object of praise from relatives and friends. Before taking up Dafa, I only knew how to take but not to give. I didn’t respect the elderly at home. I never tended to my younger cousins. I also developed many attachments such as vanity and jealousy. I cut my hair very short, and liked to fight with boys. I spoke rudely with a sharp tongue and did things hastily and rashly without regard for others’ feelings.
In high school, under the influence of my peers, I was exposed to films and television that promoted pornography and violence. Every night before going to bed, I felt panicked and short of breath, feeling that demons and ghosts were under the bed and staring at me.
After I obtained Falun Dafa, I was transformed. For the first time in my life, I was able to distinguish that those filthy and degenerated thoughts weren’t my true self. The goal of cultivation is to get rid of the those negative thoughts and restore my pure nature. I changed my old selfish behaviors and learned to put others before myself. I truly appreciate the beauty of being selflessness and the wonderfulness of practicing cultivation in Dafa.
In addition to the spiritual enlightenment, my physical health also improved. I feel as light as a bird, full of energy, and no longer have panic attacks, headaches, or insomnia. The excruciating pain I had during each menstrual period was also gone.
By following Dafa’s requirements to treat others with compassion and by maintaining a peaceful mind, I was surprised to find that my skin condition improved. It became smooth and turned fair and rosy. My rough hair also became sleek and soft. I also learned that as a girl, I need to be gentle, kind, and humble towards others.
At home, I became more attentive to my parents. I cooked delicious food for my family, took on household chores, and cared for younger cousins when they visited. My family all said that I had become a different person.
In college, cheating was prevalent among the students. But Dafa taught me to respect my teachers, study hard, be honest, and avoid following the crowd. I used to be mean and bitter, negative and resentful, but now I have become peaceful and optimistic, with pure and simple thoughts.
Not long after I obtained Falun Dafa, I went abroad to further my studies and started an internship simultaneously. In addition to the academic pressure, I also had work stress. By persevering in the five sets of exercises, I can be highly focused throughout the day and do things without distractions. Because of my concentration, I am often able to complete tasks that would have been almost impossible.
My work involves creative writing. In the beginning, I had no inspiration, and my writing was dry and boring. But Dafa granted me wisdom. The principles of Dafa guided me to create pieces based on kindness and that convey true beauty to the audience. Now, my writing is becoming more concise and vivid.
I often regretted the things I did before that didn’t meet the moral standards, and I wondered if I could make up for my mistakes. It pains my heart to see people’s morality going downhill rapidly in the CCP society and the whole of society dominated by negative elements. Even if one wants to be a good person, one does not know what the standard of a good person is. However, Dafa teaches me the eternal truth of the universe. With Dafa’s guidance, I can work on my heart to quit all bad habits, eliminate filthy thoughts, and become a good, selfless person! I can’t describe how excited and grateful I am to encounter Dafa in this life.
Influencing My Surroundings
Several good friends of mine in college were “little pinks” (who support the CCP) and who didn’t know much about the evil history of the regime. When I first told them about Dafa and the persecution, due to the influence of the CCP’s propaganda, they couldn’t accept it and were scared.
With my continuous practice, I was surprised to witness the changes in the people around me: my friends, who used to have very irregular schedules and were depressed, gradually became optimistic and open-minded. Their facial complexions also improved, and they looked younger.
When we gathered together for dinner in the past, they were all chattering and talking non-stop about games and gossip, and were full of complaints; after I had practiced for a period of time, I felt that my compassionate and peaceful state of mind was also influencing them, making them quieter and more peaceful. It’s true that when one person practices the righteous Fa, it benefits all around her.
My friend Ava told me that I had changed a lot since I took up Dafa, and that I seemed to have no worries or complaints and was different from everyone else, which made her willing to confide in me about her thoughts and spend more time with me. Ava agreed to quit the CCP organizations she’d joined. So did some other friends, who finally understood how brutal the persecution is and that one shouldn’t be persecuted for one’s faith.
It’s amazing to think that a spoiled brat and resentful person like me could make so many positive changes within such a short period of time. Just imagine if the CCP had not persecuted Falun Gong, would Chinese society today be in such a state of moral degradation, where everyone is an enemy? Would young Chinese people like me still be paralyzed by their pessimism about society?
I am so fortunate that I didn’t miss Dafa in this era, which is hard to come by in eternity. I am infinitely grateful to Master for giving me the sacred opportunity to practice Dafa and return to the truth.
(Selected submission to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day on Minghui.org)
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