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By a sister-initiate from Hebei, Mainland China
My childhood was one of loneliness, misery and depression as my father died very early and my mother abandoned my younger brother and me when we were still quite young. Overwhelmed by intense sorrow, I became insensitive to my own and others' feelings. Although the people around me gave me much loving concern and help out of sympathy, I found that no matter how much I tried I still didn't know how to love myself, much less others.
Perhaps it was divine inspiration that led one of my secondary school teacher to arrange for me to share a desk in her class with my present husband, a refined and quiet young man. While being concerned about me when we were students together, he always kept his distance. My impression of him was that of a full moon high in the sky, radiant yet remote.
On one occasion, I went to his house and met his maternal aunt, who was extremely cordial and benevolent and whom I came to call "Auntie." She was fond of me, and I also had an unusually intimate feeling toward her. Eventually, thanks to her earnest efforts in bringing us together, we were married and formed a sweet family.
Before our wedding I had a dream in which a gorgeous girl dressed in white led me along a path, and I followed her unwittingly. My feeling about this image was that my heart, after drifting for so many years, had finally found some support.
Soon after, Auntie was initiated, and she introduced me to Master Ching Hai. The first time I saw a photo of Master I exclaimed, "This is an extraordinary person." In silence I gazed at Her, as I searched my memory and somehow sensed that I knew Her. Later, I felt an intangible power pulling me to a room containing Master's picture, and no matter where I went or what I did, that room and the lovely lady in the photo remained fixed in my mind. I then got some information about the Quan Yin Method from Auntie and aspired to be initiated. Being newly married at the time, I had yet to become pregnant. Auntie loved me very much and said she wished that I would have a baby soon, but I gave her the casual reply: "There's no rush! I'll have a baby after my initiation." Immediately I felt stunned by my own words for it seemed as though I was not the one who had spoken!
Several weeks later, my initiation went very smoothly, and I thank Master for Her selfless love. Since then, I have felt an incessant flow of warm energy in my heart, and the love between my husband and me has become sweeter and more intense as he has come to understand me better. At the time I was initiated, he even volunteered to cook vegetarian food for me.
One month later, feeling that I might be pregnant, I went for a check-up at the hospital and soon learned that I was indeed expecting. I was so happy that I cried because my baby, to be a vegetarian from birth, was a gift from Master. Throughout my pregnancy, I remained in good health, and when I meditated I could feel my close ties with the little life within me. However, my husband sometimes showed concern, fearing that the child and I might not be getting enough nutrition from my vegetarian diet. I reassured him calmly, as I myself firmly believed that eating vegetarian would make our baby even healthier. Then, after I received a routine medical exam, my husband smiled with satisfaction when the doctor said, "Your baby is extraordinarily strong and full of vigor!"
While giving birth to the child, I felt Master bestowing Her abundant love and blessing on me, and the doctor was amazed because I was very calm and seemed to experience no pain during my delivery. Compared to other expectant mothers, I was firm and optimistic. After going through labor with very little difficulty, I gave birth to a lovely baby girl. The new-born was rosy and plump, and glistened with a crystalline, jade-like glow. Looking at this glorious life on my chest, I was filled with a gentle feeling, and experienced God's intense love for me.
Since that day, my daughter has grown up normally, and compared to other children is amiable and otherworldly in her demeanor. She always has a smile on her face, and often gently consoles seniors at just the right time when she senses they are in a bad mood. This little angel also has a sensitive heart. Sad stories often bring her to tears, and she shows great love and concern for small, weak animals. "We mustn't harm them because animals are humans' friends," she says. My daughter has also brought more warmth into our family, and my husband has recently begun to practice the Convenient Method.
Master has given me a family of angels - our Auntie, my husband and our child. I feel we have come back from the distant past, and met again in this lifetime to achieve a common noble ideal. I have found my long-lost love, and now, I love not only myself, but also know how to love others through God's grace.
Dear Master, I don't know how to thank You. Our whole family wishes that You will remain forever healthy, young and beautiful!
