[Video] From Despair to Hope: A Mother’s Healing Miracle

Preface: Miraculous Udumbara flowers were found in my garage—sacred blossoms said to bloom every 3,000 years. Their appearance marked a turning point in my life, symbolizing my journey from chronic illness and despair to health, joy, and purpose.

On the early evening of Friday, October 4, 2024, my nine-year-old son made a remarkable discovery in our garage: about 100 tiny white flowers. No larger than a grain of rice, they were blooming along the edge of the drywall. Their delicate petals and slender stems gave them an almost otherworldly appearance.

What made them truly extraordinary was their lack of any supporting plants, branches, or leaves. These tiny flowers clung to the drywall—without water or soil. My instincts immediately told me they were Udumbara flowers, rare blossoms from Buddhist lore said to bloom only once every 3,000 years. Wow!

For me, their appearance was deeply personal. These tiny flowers symbolized the transformation I had undergone—a journey from a life of chronic pain and despair to one filled with health, happiness, and purpose. Here is my story.

My name is Jami Smith. I was born in 1977 into a Mormon family in California, the youngest of seven children. My childhood was turbulent, filled with conflict and abuse, leaving me with scars both physically and mentally. When my parents divorced, I was just 16. Unable to live with either of them, I quit school and began to work.

I was a sickly child, plagued by numerous health problems. At the age of six, I fell from a tree and suffered a concussion. Not long after, I faced a severe staph infection that spread throughout my body. The life-saving surgery left me with painful wounds that took years to heal.

By the age of nine, I was already grappling with severe menstrual cramps, migraines, and a heart murmur. Constant fatigue plagued me, and I often missed school to escape the relentless pain.

During my teenage years, I turned to drugs and alcohol to numb myself. But they made things worse. At 18, I almost died from an abscess behind my tonsils.

Before long, I met my first husband.

Family life did not reduce my suffering. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, fibromyalgia, and IBS. At 20, gallbladder attacks and kidney pain were added to the list. While six months pregnant with my first child, I was rear-ended by a speeding car. Thrown into the air, I landed hard on my tailbone. Miraculously, my baby was unharmed, but the accident left me with injuries that caused years of debilitating pain.

Housework became nearly impossible, and the strain began to take a toll on my family life. After the birth of my second child, my first marriage ended. For the next nine years, I lived as a single mother, taking nursing classes in a community college while raising my children.

When I remarried in my 30s, my new husband brought love and stability into my life, yet my health continued to decline. On bad days, I had to crawl to move around. Guilt weighed heavily on me as I struggled to care for my children and manage our household. I often found myself questioning if life was even worth living.

One night in September 2018, overwhelmed by despair, I broke down and pleaded with God for help. “Why is life so hard?” I cried out.

Over the years, I tried countless treatments—naturopathy, alternative medicine, and meditation—but nothing worked. About two weeks after my desperate prayer, I attended a culture fair in Logan, Utah, with my family. A Chinese man handed me a flyer about Falun Dafa, an ancient spiritual practice. Returning home, I pinned the flyer on a board and forgot about it.

Months later, I stumbled upon a YouTube video featuring a Falun Dafa practitioner. She had survived a serious car accident unharmed, but her car was totaled. Her story deeply fascinated me, and I began researching the practice.

I discovered that Falun Dafa is rooted in the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. I was also shocked to learn that practitioners in China face severe persecution for their beliefs.

Remembering the flyer, I found Falun Dafa’s official website and read a lecture by its founder, Master Li Hongzhi. His teachings struck a chord with me. For the first time, I understood the deeper meaning behind suffering: it was a way to pay back karma from past wrongdoings. This perspective helped me let go of my bitterness and embrace a more positive outlook on life.

I ordered the book Zhuan Falun and read it whenever I could. I also began learning the exercises. While reading and practicing, I often felt a powerful energy, like electricity coursing through my hands and arms. It was a unique and profound sensation I had never experienced before.

The standing movements were relatively easy to follow, but the sitting meditation was a challenge for me. Sitting with my legs crossed for an extended period was painful due to past injuries. Initially, I could only manage a few minutes. However, I set small goals to gradually extend my meditation time.

As I persevered, the changes were remarkable. Within weeks, my back pain disappeared, my energy levels returned, and one by one, my chronic ailments faded away. For the first time in my life, I felt truly healthy and happy.

After a year of consistent practice, I achieved the ability to meditate for a full hour. I am very proud of this accomplishment. Through this journey, I gained a profound understanding of the old saying: “No pain, no gain.”

In July 2019, my family attended Provo’s Freedom Festival. While exploring the exhibitions, my son pointed out a Falun Dafa booth. We went over and shared our story with them. This was the first time we met fellow practitioners.

Our three younger kids also began to cultivate, reading the teachings and doing the exercises with me. They learned to be honest, compassionate, and respectful and they now share household chores. This allowed my husband to focus on his HVAC business, which grew because of his improved customer service and dedication.

With my newfound health and energy, I could homeschool my children, manage the household, and even volunteer at cultural events to raise awareness about Falun Dafa and the persecution practitioners face in China. I also began to work from home as a sales rep, making extra income for our family. My life, once dominated by pain and despair, was now filled with purpose and joy.

Early this year, we watched a video of a 2016 Shen Yun dance “The Mystical Udumbara”. We were mesmerized by the beautiful dancers dressed like flowers. Udumbara was thought by Buddhists to have blossomed once every 3000 years. The first recorded eyewitness of these sacred flowers happened in 1997 when several Udumbara flowers grew on the face of a buddha statue in Korea. The appearance signifies the beginning of a new era in the human world. We are very excited to see this miracle in our home. I used to be cynical about life and miracles taught in religion. After 6 years of practicing Falun Dafa, I no longer have any doubt about life, spirituality and the concept of Creator. My life is a miracle.

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