~ Narrated by sister initiate Xiao Chao,
Taichung, Formosa
Compiled and written by sister initiate Chen Guiju,
Taichung, Formosa

Sister Xiao Chao is now twenty-five, but she grew up with out knowing the warmth of a loving family life. When she was six years old, she accidentally discovered that her father was having an extramarital affair. Family peace suddenly gave way to chaos and agony as fights between her parents became a common occurrence. Her brothers and sisters also started to communicate by fighting. Even the family meals were a source of anxiety, since no one knew when their father would throw a tantrum.

Throughout her childhood, Xiao Chao was often so heartbroken that she often thought of taking her own life. However, at such critical moments, she felt an unknown energy like a shield descend from above and embrace her helpless soul. Curiously, she would touch it with her little fingers and feel a firm though transparent wall around her. The protective sound shield would remain with her until her sorrow passed.

However, being so deprived of love in her family caused the seeds for a negative attitude toward others and society to be planted, which began to emerge as she got older. In secondary school, she began to seek worldly pleasure through tobacco and alcohol, and often engaged in fighting. She also ran away from home. Her slogan at the time was "As long as I like it, there is nothing I can't do to get it." This saying bolstered her courage to try all kinds of forbidden things, and she never gave a second thought to anything she did. The graveyard became her favorite place for late-night smoking and contemplation. Masking her inner despair was a false declaration of fearlessness: "What is there to be afraid of? I have only one life to lose. Take it if you want!" Even at the swimming pool, she would dive from as high as she could climb, just to get a taste of suicide. She was unable to fill the emptiness in her heart, and constantly thought about dying. When she had a health checkup at age twenty-one, the doctors found many problems, including a fatty liver, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, and a high leukocyte count. Then, Sister Xiao Chao's inner despair only worsened.

Some time later, a colleague introduced her to the Quan Yin Method, and her initial reaction was scornful: "Are these people out of their minds to want to become vegetarians at such a young age?" Like many ordinary people, she failed to see beyond Master's "outer appearance" and made no attempt to hide her rude criticisms. However, she was soon overwhelmed by the carefree, contented, and peaceful aura that the fellow practitioners she met could not conceal. She began to explore the Truth, studying Master's teachings through the News magazines, Master's audiotaped lectures, and The Key of Immediate Enlightenment book series. Slowly, people around her noticed a change; she became very radiant and graceful in character. When asked about this transformation, Sister Xiao Chao said, "I've never seen a Master who is so frank, straightforward, and natural. She is really different than other masters. I've found that other religious sects only try to change their believers' fate, teach them how to prostrate, give magical incantations, fill worship halls with suffocating smoke, and follow a lot of self-contradictory and meaningless rituals."

Soon after, she became initiated into the Quan Yin Method. It was then that sister Xiao Chao discovered the answer to the lifelong mystery about what had protected her during those dark moments of her childhood. It was the "sound current" that had shielded her. So it was Master who had been protecting her all along, even when she drifted farther and farther away! Now, sister Xiao Chao is content to enjoy this soul-warming sound current every day, as it washes away the traces of her unhappy past and fills her with tranquillity.

In the past, her mind was often burdened by negative thoughts so heavy that she wanted to erase them by having brain surgery. Calmly but firmly, she now says, "Through meditation and helping with the Center's work, I have become more sensitive. I had unknowingly let my past negative thoughts contaminate the surrounding atmosphere. Now I must quickly erase them as soon as they emerge, so I won't be deceived by Maya again."

She is also aware of the need for a positive focus. "We have to be even more cautious in our actions, speech, and thoughts during work, and always remain focused. When the mind plays tricks by generating such thoughts as 'I am so tired - it is all right to take a rest,' or 'I haven't had enough sleep lately,' it will affect our disposition and participation in work. We must quickly reinvigorate our spirit, gather our vitality to launch another charge, and not be disturbed by Maya! Each time we complete a job, we achieve a great victory over ourselves. As our 'immunity' grows stronger, we are able to stand steadfast when another test comes. We also become able to laugh at Maya for trying to deceive us with such thoughts as 'I am tired,' 'Someone else will do the job,' or 'The more I work, the more mistakes I will make.' To overcome ourselves is to defeat Maya, because it can only sneak in when we are weak. Participating in our local Center's work is a cornerstone of our spiritual progress. We should not be afraid to become polished and refined if we want to progress; the more we are polished and refined, the brighter we will shine."

Less than a year after her initiation, sister Xiao Chao had another health checkup. No longer was there any sign of the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms that had been present earlier; she was also free of the excruciating pain that doctors had not been able to diagnose. A previous allergic condition that had caused her eyes to swell shut at times was also gone after she became a vegetarian. And her frequent asthma attacks, which were aggravated by smoking and used to send her rushing to the hospital for emergency treatment, were greatly diminished. Also, since beginning to practice the Convenient Method, she has been able to gradually overcome her tobacco and alcohol addictions. "Very often the craving for a cigarette drove me crazy. Those euphoric feelings kept creeping back into my mind, and stealthily I would smoke a cigarette. But I would regret it as soon as I had taken a puff. It was Maya that was deceiving me with that illusory feeling."

For a time after her initiation, sister Xiao Chao continued to suffer from asthma attacks on nights before leaving for retreats. She would spend these long, agonizing times in a half-prone position, repeating the Holy Names. However, she had strong faith that she would make it through, because she was certain that it was Master cleansing her karma. Though she always brought her medicine to the retreats, her symptoms would be gone as soon as the retreat began. After several episodes of cleansing, her asthma was cured and she no longer had to rely on medical treatment. She realized the incredible truth that the Quan Yin Method is a panacea for all illnesses. She now has a different perspective on her unfortunate childhood: "Looking back, I can see that all of those outer experiences actually strengthened my faith in the one and only path to liberation."