(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners! I'm new to Falun Dafa. I began practicing it in Florence, Italy, on September 30, 2018.
I first heard about Falun Dafa in 2011 when I was managing a Buddhist Studies section on a website in mainland China. Someone posted slanderous comments about Falun Dafa. At that time, I didn't know what Falun Dafa was, but felt I couldn’t talk about something I did know anything about. I decided to read Zhuan Falun so that I had some understanding. After I finished reading it, I responded on the forum that Falun Dafa was not what the person said it was because it teaches people to do good.
I was inundated with negative replies. Few agreed with me. To keep them from saying bad things, I deleted the post. That incident had a deep impression on me: I’d always thought those who discussed Buddhist scriptures were calm and rational. What was it about Falun Dafa that made them so irrational? I later realized that they’d been brainwashed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I also realized that many people who claim they're interested in Buddhism don't really practice it or follow the teachings. I started reading the Epoch Times online.
In 2013, when I was going through some difficulty, a friend said something negative about Falun Dafa. I read Zhuan Falun again and told him it wasn't true. The friend asked me if I’d seen a certain NTD program. I said I hadn’t heard of it. At that time I noticed that many people were slandering Falun Dafa. I thought maybe I should learn more about Dafa and the people who practice it. I started watching the program my friend referred to. I saw that, in fact, many of the things on NTD were very positive.
In April 2016 I bought a ticket to Changhua, Taiwan, to see Shen Yun perform. As I sat in the theater I felt it was a divine experience.
In 2017, I hit a roadblock in my Buddhist practice. I met a monk who encouraged me to learn German. I thought if I did research and studied Buddhism academically, I'd have a breakthrough. I began studying German in Singapore.
In 2018, I moved to Munich to study German full time. I also enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Buddhism. To my dismay, I found that some of the people in Buddhist academic circles are actually after fame and fortune. Some sincerely wish to practice, but the majority mainly pursue fame. I realized that I would not find the truth I was looking for there. I also discovered a desire for fame and fortune barely concealed in some articles by well-known researchers and writers. Anyone who read them could be affected.
I decided to visit some friends in Florence. After searching for many years for a true cultivation practice, I finally found Falun Dafa. I did the five exercises for the first time.
I'm so grateful for the warmth and enthusiasm of the practitioners in Florence who taught me the exercises. The first time I did the exercises I felt that each movement had profound meaning. I had the amazing experience of my body being purified.
One night in 2017, I dreamed that a huge bug stung me on the right side of my chest. Although this happened in another dimension, the bite was so intense that it injured my body in this dimension. When I woke up, my right shoulder really hurt. The pain was so excruciating that it felt like it had reached the bone. For the next few weeks, the pain in my right shoulder increased. Finally, I couldn’t raise my right arm. I tried herbal aromatherapy and meditation, but nothing stopped the pain. I didn't bother going to the doctor because I knew modern medicine couldn’t cure it.
Several times, I dreamed that the bug returned and drilled into my body. Each time I tried to stop it, but I couldn't touch it. The pain never went away.
When I first did the exercises in Florence, I experienced the amazing power of Falun Dafa. The day after I returned to Munich, I dreamed of Master. I saluted Him and He smiled at me. I felt Master's great compassion. The dream was so vivid! Master’s benevolence remains in my heart.
The following night I dreamed that the bug returned and tried to penetrate my body from the other dimension. This time, it was stuck in my left hand but couldn't penetrate my flesh. I suddenly woke up. I could still feel the pressure in my left hand.
From that day on, I have done the exercises every day. After a few months, my right shoulder was fine. Master helped me and eliminated the negative things in my body.
After I began practicing, I continued to live in Germany for five months. I contacted local practitioners and practiced the exercises with them. I went to Zurich to help promote Shen Yun. I arranged my schedule so that I could do the exercises in the morning and study the Fa at night. This daily routine of doing the exercises and studying the Fa was very helpful.
I just wanted to share with you how I obtained the Fa. After cultivating for just one year, I am truly aware of just how precious Falun Dafa is. I plan to continue practicing diligently. I sincerely hope that everyone has the opportunity to know that Falun Dafa is good and to practice.
If I've said anything inappropriate, please compassionately correct me.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2019 Singapore Fa Conference)