(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I’m 86 years old this year. I started cultivating Dafa in 1995. In the past 30 years, my cultivation path was calm and undisturbed. My biggest enlightenment is to tolerate and persevere. I’d like to report my cultivation experience to Master and share with fellow practitioners.
I was a midwife when I was young and I studied for four years in the U.K. When I returned home, my parents wanted me to work for our family’s restaurant. My family has a total of 11 children and I was the only one who was willing to give up my job and help our parents.
Running a restaurant is very hard work as one has to get up early and work late. I was young and energetic at that time so I was able to juggle many tasks simultaneously. I managed the kitchen and front desk, took care of the customers, and handled the vegetable and fish suppliers, etc. I felt I had to be assertive otherwise others wouldn’t listen to me. I was very assertive and decisive at work and had strict requirements for the employees. For example, during the Chinese New Year, I requested them to rest on Day 1 and return to work on Day 2. Those who did not come to work on Day 2 no longer worked at our restaurant.
I used to think that if I didn’t scold others, they wouldn’t be afraid of me or do their jobs well, so I had to be very strict. If I relaxed a little, things would get out of control. At that time, I shouldered everything on my own and I also took care of my parents.
To take care of my parents, the restaurant and my younger brother’s two sons, I gave up having my own family. One of my younger brother’s wife left the family and my brother was working in Indonesia, so I became responsible for taking care of his two children—one was a year old and the other was almost three. My family saw my sacrifices and even though I was very assertive, they all listened to me.
In 1995, one of my good friends told me about Falun Dafa and said that this practice is very good and told me to practice together with her. After attending the nine days lectures with her, I felt that Falun Dafa was good and I started practicing.
I couldn’t understand anything when I first obtained the Fa. For example, I smoked when I read Zhuan Falun. Then I read Lecture 7 in Zhuan Falun about smoking. Master said, “In the field of this class, no one thinks of smoking a cigarette. If you want to quit, it is guaranteed that you can do it. When you smoke a cigarette again, it will not taste right.” I immediately quit smoking and never touched a cigarette again.
My biggest change after cultivating was that my temper improved. I learned to be tolerant. In the past, I couldn’t stand being criticized and I exploded if anyone did. My family always gave in to me.
I’m tolerant now, and I remain silent or smile if people criticize me. I apologize if someone scolds me. When I think of Master’s Fa, I’m able to give up everything. I didn’t want to lose my virtue. My siblings said, “Wow, you’re different now. You used to always scold people.”
I’ve cultivated for 30 years and I’ve always been in good health. I occasionally get headaches or fevers but I recover after doing the exercises. Sometimes if my legs or feet hurt, I would recover after doing the second exercise. The local government requires all elderly people to have a medical check-up. After the check-up, the doctors say that some indicators are higher than normal and prescribe some medicine. I accept the medicine, but I don’t take it because I don’t need it.
My family saw that I have always been healthy, without illnesses, and could walk very well. I even go out every day. They have been observing for the past 30 years. Later, one of my younger brothers also starting practicing Dafa.
After my younger sister’s grandson got married, they stayed in my house because their house was not ready and I lived alone. After moving in, they placed their stuff everywhere but I didn’t say anything. They initially occupied one room before piling their stuff in one more room and the living room. They only paid for the water and electricity.
I didn’t make a fuss. I only needed one table to study the Fa and room to do the exercises. They could do whatever they wanted. I also cooked for them.
When their baby was born, I had to help take care of the baby who was only one or two months old. I carried the baby while studying the Fa with practitioners online. After hearing the baby making noises, practitioners asked if there is a baby in my home. After cultivating, I was no longer attached to gains and losses. I would try to help if I can, and I don’t make a fuss.
Even though I didn’t have children due to my sacrifices for my family, I did not regret it as I have obtained the most precious gift: Dafa. Maybe the reason I was able to obtain Dafa was due to my dedication to the family and filial piety towards my parents. I was very glad I made that choice.
As I was helping my parents with their restaurant business, I didn’t have any salary or CPF. My parents then bought two landed properties and listed me as the owner. After my parents passed away, I sold the houses and bought a house for myself. I kept some money and distributed the rest to my siblings. I thought that it is better that I kept some money so I won’t have to ask others for help.
If I don’t have any money, I can also sell my current house and buy a smaller one. I cannot live without a house and rely on others. I still need to support myself and not trouble others. I used to be very attached to money but had let go of these attachments after I began cultivating.
Master said, “...as a cultivator should follow the course of nature. If something is yours, you will not lose it. If something is not yours, you will not have it even if you fight for it.” (Lecture 7, Zhuan Falun)
A practitioner from Indonesia wants to read the Chinese version of Zhuan Falun but couldn’t keep up with the others during Fa study as everyone was reading very fast.I told her, “Come and read to me. I can tell you the words if you don’t know. Don’t be in a hurry. Take it slow. If you can’t finish in one year, two years is fine too.”
I studied the Fa with her and taught her to read in Chinese. We studied together twice a week. In the beginning, she could not read the first lecture but I told her to read to me and I would correct her if she doesn’t know the words. I also instructed her to continue reading when she went home otherwise, she would forget how to read the words.
She sometimes stuttered when she read. She finished reading the beginning, but couldn’t finish reading the last few words. I really had to tolerant and patient. Now she can read the first lecture quite well.
On the surface it looks like I’m helping her, but we are actually helping each other as this experience helps me to be tolerant and it eliminates my impatience.
During the first few years when I started cultivating, I didn’t have time to do the exercises with others as my 97-year-old mother was still alive and I still had to work. I only studied the Fa with practitioners once a week at a practitioner’s home. I did the exercises more than three times a week but I seldom did them at home.
The other practitioners encouraged me to study the Fa with everyone at the Activity Center. I gradually started studying the Fa and doing the exercises with everyone. In 2012, I traveled to the U.S. with practitioners to attend a Fa-conference. Since then, I always cherish every opportunity to attend a Fa-conference.
Master said, “When it’s impossible to do, you can do it.” (Lecture 9, Zhuan Falun). I understand that even if things seem impossible to do, I should still do them. Even if I don’t know how to do them, I must do it. Even if I couldn’t walk out of it, I must get out of it. Once I get through it, everything will be fine. Every time when I felt tired and didn’t want to go out, I change my clothes, and I immediately feel better as soon as I get out of the house. Sometimes, practitioners would ask, “Are you attending Fa-study today?” I felt tired and said no. But when I persevere and go to the Fa-study group to study with practitioners, I feel energetic.
Sometimes I didn’t want to get up in the morning to do the exercises but practitioners call me and remind me to get up. I feel better once I get up, and it feels good to remove the attachment to comfort. My condition would be even worse if I didn’t go for Fa-study or exercises.
Once I was careless when walking and stepped into a drain. My ankle was twisted. The doctor said it was a bone fracture. I couldn’t do the full lotus position and I could only bend one leg. I did the exercises despite the pain. I said that as long as I can bend my leg, I won’t care about anything else. I could gradually do the full lotus position and the ankle later fully recovered.
After the COVID pandemic started, practitioners and I did the exercises together online. We started at 4:20 a.m. every day and did the standing exercises for 1.5 hours. We meditated after we sent forth righteous thoughts.
It has been more than four years since the practitioners and I did the exercises online. Recently, the practitioner, who was in-charge of playing the exercise music, enlightened that we should not continue doing the exercises at home as the pandemic has ended. We decided to stop the online exercises.
I enlightened that this is not personal cultivation. We have to validate the Fa and should go outside to do the exercises. I decided to go to the tourist site as there are many tourists there. I left the house at 7 a.m. and studied the Fa on the bus. The round trip takes about 2 hours and I could finish one lecture. I started doing the 5 exercises at the tourist site from 8:30 a.m. and left after sending forth righteous thoughts at noon.
When I was doing the exercises, I could hear practitioners telling the tourists, “Do you see her? She’s 86 years old…” I can hear the astonishment from the tourists. I’m very glad that I could use this method to validate the Fa. I have gained three ways in one shot: I studied the Fa on the bus, did the exercises at the tourist attraction, and I also validated the Fa.
After I retired at 75 years old, I started participating in many overseas Dafa activities. I went go to the U.S. Fa Conference every year and I participated in the Hong Kong parade and the New York parade.
The Hong Kong parade was the longest as we had to walk 10 km. I participated in the parade four or five times a year. This went on for almost 10 years. Each time, I was able to walk for four to five hours without stopping. I was able to get through it smoothly without any problems, just like a young person.
Something amazing happened to me when I was at the Hong Kong airport and I was traveling to the U.S. Many people were lined up to use the restroom at the airport in Hong Kong. After using the restroom, practitioners and I went through the customs and entered the waiting area when I suddenly discovered that my small fanny pack was gone. My passport, boarding pass, and money were inside it. I was about to board the plane. What should I do?
I recalled that I must have left it in the restroom. However, I was not able to re-enter Hong Kong again. What to do? Moreover, it’s been a long time. Will the fanny pack still be there? We looked for the airport staff and informed them of my situation. The staff quickly went to the restroom to search for the pack. Though there were still a lot of people queuing up, one cubicle was locked. The people queuing up said that it seems the door has been locked and they can’t use it. When the airport staff opened the door, she found the fanny pack neatly placed on the toilet paper box.
Who could have locked this cubicle? The cleaning staff couldn’t have locked it. Master must have helped lock it so no one could take my fanny pack, and I could successfully travel to the U.S. to attend the Fa Conference. Thank you, Master, for looking after me!
In the 30 years of cultivation, I’ve been able to walk to this day because of my faith in Master and the Fa. Though there are no turbulent waves, the attachment to comfort will easily erode one’s will. I’m very fortunate that through studying the Fa, doing the exercises, and also encouragement and help from fellow practitioners, I’m removing the attachment to comfort and I made it through.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2025 Singapore Fa Conference)