(Clearwisdom.net) I am 60 years old now. I had a stroke when I was younger that made me mentally dull, and I had to take sick leave and stay at home. In 1995 I began practicing Falun Gong, and my life drastically changed.
I was 39 years old when I had the stroke. Half of my body was numb, one side of my head was in constant pain, and I could not make a fist. The specialist at the local hospital said that there was something wrong with my body's ability to make blood and that it was too sticky, with clots in it even when it was first made. I was hospitalized for six months and treated with regular cerebral thrombosis treatments, but I did not get any better. When I got out of the hospital, my mind was blank, my eyes looked dull, and I could not remember much from the past.
My workplace used insurance to give me sick leave. I had a re-examination later and it showed that my condition was still serious. The doctor asked me to be hospitalized again and said that other people with a similar condition would have been paralyzed. I was on sick-leave and the pay was very low. It was not enough to live on, so I still wanted to work and earn some money. My workplace then agreed that I could work in the finance office. I could just come to work and I didn't really need to use my brain. I could sleep if I there was nothing for me to do.
I practiced some other forms of qigong to treat my sickness, but they did not work. Someone told me about Falun Gon and said the effect on curing sickness was supposed to be very good. Since the qigong I had practiced earlier didn't help, it was not easy for me to believe it and said, “You try it first and let me know how it goes. If it really does work, then I'll practice it.”
After practicing for over a month, the other person returned and said, “I asked around and there are a lot of people whose sicknesses were cured after practicing Falun Gong.” I said, “I'll practice it then.” I brought home a copy of Zhuan Falun and Teacher's exercise-teaching video. I read Zhuan Falun at home and learned the exercises with the video. The veteran practitioners were holding nine-lecture classes where they played Teacher's Fa-teaching videos. I joined the one in September 1995 for a two-week class. I remember clearly that on the 28th day after I began reading Zhuan Falun, all my symptoms showed up again. Since half of my body was numb, I was hardly able to get about, and I had a bad fever. I knew at that time that Teacher was cleansing my body for me. Three days later, my entire body was very relaxed and I felt very good. My mind was clear and I no longer forgot things. I experienced the wonderfulness of feeling so light in my entire body and I knew that my cerebral thrombosis was cured.
A few days later I met a doctor from the hospital of our workplace at the entrance to her apartment building. She had bought two bags of rice, each about 55 lb. She observed, “You look very vigorous.” I replied, “I'm good now since I practice Falun Gong—my sickness was cured.” She said, “Then can you help me get these bags of rice upstairs?” I said, “Sure. I'll just carry them for you.” She said, “Oh, please don't. I don't want to be held responsible if something goes wrong. Our employer spends the maximum in our medical fund on you. If something happens, even the little money we have won't be enough to cover your treatment.” I said, “No problem. I've been practicing Falun Gong and I have a lot of strength.” I then took a bag and carried it all the way to the fifth floor without resting. The fact that my face didn't turn red and my heartbeat was not much faster even surprised me.
When I first began reading Zhuan Falun, I thought that, since the stroke had made me a little dull, I should study the Fa and do the exercises more. At first I would study two lectures a day and measure myself against the Fa whenever I encountered problems. Before that, I used to get angry very easily and frequently fought with my wife. After cultivating myself, I developed forbearance and ceased arguing with her and learned to be forgiving. I learned to think for others when I encountered issues with both my family members and others.
We usually read the Fa after doing the exercises at all the exercise sites that I went to. I completed hand-copying Zhuan Falun five times and was half way through my sixth time by July 20, 1999. The practitioners at the exercise sites that I went to all had a rational understanding that this Fa was good and none of us has given up cultivation despite all kinds of pressure.
I learned to yield to others after practicing Falun Gong, to both family members and others, especially with regards to material interests.
In the past there was a rule that anyone who owned housing also earned a small subsidy. My father-in-law did not own housing and he lived with us. But he said to my wife, “Put my name down also on the house title. That way I can earn several dozen more yuan every month.” My wife asked me about it and I didn't oppose it. After living with us with this arrangement for many years, he began saying that our house belonged to him and that he would leave it to his son after he died. I didn't really take it personally at the time, but my wife and my son were angry. I said to my wife, “We should let him stay. I don't mind even if he takes over the house; I'm not going to argue with him.”
His behavior got worse when he video-recorded a magazine and said during the recording, “My son-in-law practices Falun Gong. This is his Falun Gong material and by turning him in, I want to make a contribution.” He even told his son to spread his words to me, hoping that, by using this as a threat, he could take over the house. At that point I thought that he had gone too far, and I told him in no uncertain terms, “The reason I never argued with you before was because I practice Falun Gong and did not care about such things, but if you use this as a threat to try to take over the house, it is wrong and an insult to Falun Gong, and I will not allow it!”
A few years have passed since that incident and, even though he treated us like that, I do not hate him and have always been very kind towards him. He realizes it and says, “My oldest son-in-law treats me the best.”
Conflicts within the family happen sometimes on the path of cultivation. My daughter-in-law was once swayed by the television propaganda and said Falun Gong practitioners kill people. Thus she was afraid of me and, when my grandson was born, she would not let me get close to him because she was afraid that I would kill him. But later, through what I did every day, she gradually realized that I was not like that. She no longer worried about it and agreed that I took the best care of the child. She often says now that she feels the most comfortable when I take care him. I told her that it is because I am a Falun Gong practitioner. Now she knows that Falun Gong practitioners are the best people.
My grandson studies the Fa with me when I take care of him. When he was three, another kid wanted to fight him. He said, “I am not going to argue with you. I practice Falun Dafa and I have Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.” He never fights with others and never gets angry. Another day we were watching the DVD of practitioners around the world wishing Teacher happy new year. He said, “Teacher is there.” “Where?” I asked. He pointed to the wall, “Over there. Can't you see? Look, Grandpa, there are so many Falun in our room. They are on the wall, on the ceiling, and on the cabinets. Teacher is sitting over there on the wall, looking at us and smiling. You can't see it?” I said I couldn't.
My grandson now goes to first grade, and I take him to and from school. Sometimes I would ask him, “You only play these days and don't even study the Fa anymore. Do you still remember Teacher? Do you still remember Falun Dafa?” He would say, “Grandpa, of course I remember. I would not forget. I will always remember that Dafa is good.” I would say, “Let me give you a quiz then. What is the highest Buddha Fa?” He would say, “Grandpa, you told me that a long time ago. The highest Buddha Fa is 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.'” “Falun Dafa is good” has already taken root in his heart.
Our entire workplace knows that my cerebral thrombosis was cured by practicing Falun Gong. The people from the company that owns my workplace know it, too. Once when we were having a major meeting, a leader from our workplace said, “If you all practiced Falun Gong like so-and-so (meaning me), then how much in medical funds would we save? Our workplace now can barely bear that burden. Look at those who practice Falun Gong. For many years they did not take a cent out of the medical fund.”
The current director knows that Falun Gong practitioners conduct themselves very well. Once he said to me, “You always read the same book. Don't you get bored?” I said, “I learn something after I read it once and learn something new after reading it again.” “Really? Then let me take a look at it, too.” He took it away for a week, but he did not read it through. He only read bits and pieces. Returning the book to me, he said, “This book is very good. You can practice Falun Gong within our workplace wherever you like—I do not mind.”
One department in our workplace gives out high salaries as well as high bonuses. Sometimes the customers at this department also give commissions, making positions in the department very desirable. The director said to me, “Many people gave me gifts to fight for a job in this department but I didn't give it to them. You never gave me a cent, but I'm coming to you myself. You practice Falun Gong, and your honesty and your trustworthiness prompt me to offer you this job.” I said I didn't want it. Later he asked me again and told me to think about it. He said he didn't understand why I would want to do the things I am doing now and would not take a good position that was being offered to me. I said that I did not attach much weight to those things and I politely refused his offer. I also said that I had my personal reasons and that I am a Falun Gong practitioner.
Another time he asked me to take over the director position of the Material Section, which is also a position with a very high salary. He again said the same thing, “Because you practice Falun Gong, I trust you. Whatever conditions you ask, I'll make them happen.” I talked to him for a long time in order to not take this offer. He was touched by the integrity of Falun Gong practitioners, and from then on his admiration of Falun Gong practitioners has increased.