(Clearwisdom.net) I recently came to the understanding that we need to do the five exercises every day. Since we are in mainland China, our environment does not allow for group practice and as a result, many practitioners only do the exercises once every few days, or not at all for a very long time. I used to be like that. I even had excuses for myself, such as Master said that “cultivation” is more important than “practice.” Whenever I thought about doing the exercises, I would feel sleepy or tired. I also tended to spend a long time on ordinary people's websites, and thus I would not remember to do the exercises even when I had time.

A few months ago, I visited an elderly practitioner. I very seldom am able to share with fellow practitioners since the persecution began. One thing this practitioner told me left a deep impression in my mind: she said that she does the exercises every day, and she never skips them.

After I went home, I started to do the five exercises every day too. In the beginning, I could not finish them. I was unable to withstand the pain after sitting in the full lotus position for 50 minutes. However, after a few weeks, even though my legs still hurt, I was able to finish the exercises.

Nowadays, I do the five exercises every day. I don't feel drowsy anymore. Sometimes I would feel sleepy before doing the exercises, but I would feel fine right after I started the exercises.

The exercises can also enable us stay away from worldly interference and temptations, because we use our spare time to do the exercises instead. Many practitioners are not diligent because they have ordinary people's desires, such as love of comfort. I know some of them even find time to play Mahjong and spend time on ordinary people's websites. We need to use our time to study the “Fa” and do the exercises and the “three things”.

Master said in the “Lecture at the First Conference in North America,” March 29-30, 1998, New York:

“Actually, you are afraid that you don’t get enough rest. Have you ever thought of the fact that practicing cultivation is the best form of rest? You can obtain the kind of rest that can’t be obtained through sleeping. Nobody would say: “The exercises are making me so tired that I can’t do anything today.” One would only say: “The exercises are making my whole body relaxed and at ease. I don’t feel sleepy after a sleepless night. I feel full of energy. It doesn’t seem to bother me at all after a day’s work.” Isn’t this the case? So if someone who doesn’t come out to do the exercises says that he has no time or uses other excuses, I’d say that it’s completely because he doesn’t have a deep understanding of the Fa and lacks the will to make painstaking efforts.”

Master's words deeply touched my heart. I used to do very little of the exercises and was tired all day. I do the exercises every day now and I am full of energy. I used to like to take a midday nap, but now I use my nap time to do the exercises and I don't feel drowsy for the rest of the afternoon. As long as we do what Master expects of us, Dafa's power will manifest in us.

May 1, 2011