Finding Genuine Contentment Practising Falun Dafa

Yali, 28, is an elementary school teacher. In 2007, she participated in a Falun Dafa workshop for teachers arranged by the Department of Education of Hsinchu County. There she was given the greatest treasure a human can ever receive: She completely changed her view of life. Filled with gratitude, she says, “Practising Falun Dafa allowed me to walk on the genuine path to contentment.”

Yali spreads the news about Falun Dafa during World Falun Dafa Day

A Bitter Childhood

Yali could never understand why her life was so unfortunate before she became a practitioner. Her parents died in a car accident when she was barely two months old. Her uncle and aunt took care of her. Then, her beloved uncle died in a car accident. She lived with her sister, aunt, and grandmother for many years. Her aunt remarried and she didn't fit in with the new family. She was left out of everything.

Life goal to be happy

She decided that getting a good job, finding a good husband, and having a healthy body would make her happy.

She studied hard at school and was always among the top three in her class. She graduated with honors and was the only person to earn a teacher's certificate, allowing her to teach immediately after graduating. She was confused at work and didn't think that teaching was of any value, especially when facing naughty students and irrational parents. She just couldn't find satisfaction and the purpose of life.

She had a few boyfriends, but she couldn't see herself married to one of them for the rest of her life.

Yali's physical health was not the best, and she often had stomach aches and diarrhoea. She frequently came down with colds and had a hard time falling asleep. When her illnesses acted up, she felt stressed out and in despair, “I would pay anything for someone who could stop my pain.” She took different kinds of medication and health food and did yoga. Nothing worked. Her step-father ran a Chinese medicine store, but none of the prescriptions could improve her health.

From Doubting Falun Dafa to Being a Steadfast Practitioner

She didn't start practising Falun Dafa after attending a Falun Dafa workshop, because she had doubts. After a while, she convinced herself that she wanted to practice Falun Dafa for three reasons:

1. Many intellectuals, such as physicians, lawyers, and professors, practised Falun Gong. They talked about their experiences with enthusiasm and glowing faces.

2. There were so many people practising Falun Dafa around the world that it would be impossible that all of them were deceived.

3. All the Falun Dafa information and teaching materials were available for free on Internet. The practitioners volunteered to teach Falun Dafa at no cost. There is no profit involved and no reason to lie.

Understanding the Reasons for Tribulations

She knelt down in front of a bookshelf, opened Zhuan Falun, started to read, and couldn't stop. She read the entire book sitting on the floor. The content of the book had touched a special place in her heart: “So that is what it is!! The truth of the universe! If I had known it earlier, my heart would not have been so bitter and sad in the past.” Yali finally came to understand the meaning of life. She was a lost sheep that had found her way back home. She knew why she had suffered so much and no longer held any regrets. She finally could let go of her bitterness and anger, and she was grateful for having had the opportunity to suffer.

Regaining Health

Yali’s health improved without her noticing until she realized that she hadn't had a stomach ache or diarrhoea for a long time and she slept well every night.

The first time she went home after she had begun to practise Falun Gong, her stepfather said, “Your complexion looks great!” Yali told him about Falun Dafa. Without telling her, her stepfather went to learn Falun Dafa at a local practice site and bought all the Falun Dafa books. He also told his customers about the benefits of the practice.

Her grandmother was worried about Yali practising Falun Dafa, but her aunt spoke well of Falun Dafa and told her grandmother that Falun Dafa was good. The grandmother then bought a CD player and asked Yali to help her buy the Falun Dafa lecture tapes in Taiwanese.

Teaching Became Her True Vocation

Yali put up a poster in her class with the words “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.” She finally understood how to teach these precious children. In one class, her students’ average scores on monthly tests were frequently the highest. Even the director was surprised. In another class, there were some unruly students that once made Yali want to walk away from teaching. Falun Dafa gave her strength to teach these students. She insisted that, no matter what, she had to teach these students the principle of doing the right thing. A semester later, although her students did not have the best grades of all the classes, they behaved well. Although students in other classes smoked and drank at school, Yali’s students did not get involved. Some boys often approached Yali during recess to tell her what good things they had done. When these students graduated, several mothers called Yali to thank her for her efforts and help.

This year she was assigned to a group of students that were often obnoxious and caused grief to many teachers. Yali knew that she shouldn't complain and that she had to teach these youngsters Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. There was a boy named Han, who used to kill small animals like frogs and often lied without thinking. He threw a tantrum when Yali tried to reason with him. Yali didn't give up and continued to teach her students the principles of Falun Dafa. One day Han came to Yali and told her, “Miss, what you said was true.” From then on, Han no longer misbehaved. He stopped killing frogs. When other students made mistakes, Han would tell them what Yali taught him. He told Yali that he wanted to do good because he wanted to accumulate the white matter, virtue. Other teachers commented to Yali that Han had changed so much and had become a good student.

Conflicts with Students' Parents Resolved with Compassion

One student's father was known for being difficult. He had filed complaints against the director and some outstanding teachers. Later he was unhappy with Yali and spoke ill of her behind her back. Yali wrote to this father, thanking him for donating books to the school. She also gave him a health book, knowing that he had health problems. Yali also smiled at him whenever she saw him. After some time, a teacher told Yali that he saw that father buy and read the book Zhuan Falun.

One time, two parents were fighting because their children were injured during a fist fight. A wanted B to pay for her son’s medical expenses. B refused, saying that A’s son had problems, too. Yali persuaded A to place herself in B’s position and try to understand B’s problems. A calmed down and said that she would let go. After B heard A’s decision, B stopped being angry and was willing to pay for A’s loss.

Gaining the Principal's Approval

Another teacher began to practise Falun Dafa because of Yali. A director, after talking to Yali about life's principles, said to her, “How come you know so many good principles at such a young age? Falun Dafa does seem good, I should find the book and read it.”

The school wanted the students to improve their values and morality. Many teachers asked Yali for help because of her practice. On Yali’s birthday, the principle sent her an email to congratulate her and thanked her for teaching the students the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

Getting Support to the End the Persecution

When Yali passed around the school a petition to end the persecution of Falun Gong in China, most teachers signed it and so did some students and parents. When she took the petition home, her relatives rushed to sign the petition to support human rights. A cousin of hers who was in an elementary school asked to take the petition to his school and have his teachers and classmates sign.

A cousin of hers was an official in the government and often travelled to China. He knew some officials from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He was deceived by the CCP’s propaganda and held a negative opinion about Falun Dafa. Yali continued to clarify the facts of the persecution to him without getting into an argument. She also tried to do her best to let her cousin see the beauty of Falun Dafa. One day her cousin sent her a text message, saying, “I like Falun Gong because of you and am glad I could learn more about it.”