(Minghui.org) I obtained the Fa at the end of 1998. After the persecution began, my husband opposed my practicing, so I had to do it at home secretly.
I wanted to practice to cure my ailments, such as rheumatoid arthritis. I also recognized the value of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and didn't want to give up the practice.
In 2008, when I was listening to Master's lecture, I heard the word “cultivation.” It stood out and was imprinted in my mind. I said, “Master, I want to cultivate!” With this one thought, a practitioner brought me Master's book Essentials for Further Advancement. I know it is precious and studied it immediately.
Master said,
“My truly cultivating disciples, what I have taught you is the Fa for cultivation of Buddha and Dao. Nonetheless, you pour out your grievances to me over the loss of your worldly interests, rather than feeling upset for being unable to let go of ordinary human attachments. Is this cultivation? Whether you can let go of ordinary human attachments is a fatal test on your way to becoming a truly extraordinary being. Every disciple who truly cultivates must pass it, for it is the dividing line between a cultivator and an everyday person.”(“True Cultivation” in Essentials for Further Advancement.)
I cried when I read this, and it touched my heart. I want to be one of Master's true disciples. Before long I could recite Master's article “True Cultivation.” I also obtained other Dafa books and studied them carefully.
Divorce
My husband was not happy when my second daughter was born. He seemed to randomly find excuses to fight with me. He cursed me and hit me when he saw me sending righteous thoughts.
My husband knew I was determined to practice Falun Dafa, and gave me an ultimatum. It was either Falun Dafa or him, but not both - he wanted a divorce. I answered, “I don't want a divorce because I don't want to give a negative impression of Dafa. However, if you try to stop me from practicing, I am not afraid of a divorce. I am determined to cultivate Dafa.”
“Then I won't give you a house, land, or any money for living expenses,” my husband replied.
We live in the countryside. We have a courtyard with five main rooms and two side rooms. I told him that I don't care if he doesn't leave me anything, “But I won't leave here!” I exclaimed. “As long as I have a place to practice and study the Fa, I will be OK.” In the end, he gave me the two side rooms, but no land.
Even village officials remarked that they felt he was cruel to me, but I just thought about Master's poem,
“Life is short,You've merely stopped over at the inn.”(“Infatuated” in Hong Yin III)
I told Master in my mind: I am here to stay at this inn. I choose to cultivate Dafa. I am lucky enough; other belongings are all secondary.
Running a Small Business to Make a Living
I was penniless after the divorce. My youngest daughter was supposed to live with her father, but she wanted to live with me. We were short of food and could only afford steamed buns and pickled vegetables.
As a practitioner, I should be able to feed myself. I crocheted two pairs of children's shoes and sold them for six Yuan at the market. I then bought a bundle of spinach so my daughter could eat.
I also helped others do craft work to earn money. I saved 82 Yuan. Some practitioners suggested that I buy and sell shoes, scarves and other accessories, or crochet some small bags to sell at the market. I took their advice and made 120 Yuan the next time I went there.
The first day at the market, a practitioner told me that Master asks us to do the three things well, therefore we should make use of the marketplace to save more people.
I borrowed 200 Yuan from my sister and my eldest daughter, who is already married, to do some small business. Practitioners taught me how to clarify the facts and I helped more than 10 people quit the CCP every time I went to the market.
When I had saved over 100 Yuan, I gave it to the practitioner who was running the materials production site, but she didn't accept it. I was upset and pleaded with her: “Please accept my heart as a Dafa disciple!” She reluctantly took the money.
Seeking Happiness Through Hardship
One snowy winter, no sunlight was coming in to our room. However, we could only spend a small amount on coal to keep warm during the winter.
When I returned home from the market with my second daughter one time, there was no gas or electricity. I had bought some red bean buns and cucumber so at least we had something to eat.
I said to Master in my heart, “Master, I don't feel it is hard!” When I turned around, the electric kettle was steaming. Since the water was boiling, I thought the power was back on. However, when my daughter went to turn on the TV, the power was still out. I realized that Master was helping me when he saw my steadfast faith in cultivation. My eyes filled with tears - tears of happiness and gratitude.
Clarifying the Facts at the Market
One time, I didn't manage to sell anything at the market for four days. A practitioner suggested that I go to a different area. I then went to another market, which was over 12 miles from home. I rode my bicycle there as I was afraid my electric bike would run out of electricity on the way.
I was asking for directions along the way and met four people. I told them about Falun Dafa and the persecution and helped three of them quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. When I arrived at the market, a practitioner was waiting for me and gave me dozens of Shen Yun DVDs to hand out.
When I gave a DVD to a young man, he asked me if I knew what he did for a living. I replied, “It doesn't matter what you do, this Shen Yun DVD benefits anyone.” He said, “My job is to look for people like you, but I don't want to do it today.” Then he left.
Master was able to protect and help me when I put down my human heart. I handed out all of the DVDs in half a day. I was very happy.
It was raining on the way home. My first thought was, “If my MP3 player gets wet I won't be able to listen to Master's Fa.” When I got home, my whole body was completely dry, but the road around me was soaked. Master protected me.
“Experiencing a Test in My Cultivation”
On my way home from the market one day, a middle school student was riding an electric bike in the opposite direction. He was speeding and knocked me to the ground.
My left leg had been hit and I had a large gash in my leg, exposing the bone. I recited, “'Falun Dafa Is Good!' I am alright.” The student stood there motionless. He looked very frightened.
I told him not to worry, and that I wouldn’t ask for compensation. Instead I asked him if he had quit the CCP yet. He replied, “Yes. Others already helped me to quit.” I continued, “Please remember, 'Falun Dafa Is Good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good!'” He told me that he would remember.
After I got home, I noticed that my pants were stuck to my flesh. My feet were black and bruised. Both my hands felt numb and were swelling, but I didn’t feel any pain. My daughter wanted to go to the school to find the student who hit me, but I simply replied, “I am experiencing a test in my cultivation. The student didn't hit me on purpose.”
That afternoon I was studying “Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference.” Master said,
“Perhaps you owed it something in the past, in which case just repay it. But you're a cultivator, so you should let go of your worries, and Master will definitely take care of you.”
I understood that this was karmic retribution and I had just repaid my debt.
Through this incident, I looked inward and discovered that I have the attachment of sentimentality and worry. The old forces took advantage of my loophole. The main reason for this was that I didn’t study the Fa much. I also realized that I didn't believe 100% in Master and the Fa.
Now that I found my shortcomings, I will correct them with the Fa principles. Under Master’s protection, one third of the gash in my leg healed within three days. A week later, my leg was completely healed.
