(Clearwisdom.net) Studying the Fa and doing the exercises in a group is the cultivation environment left to us by Teacher. After July 20, 1999, I lost this environment and slacked off in my cultivation practice. As a result I often had symptoms of sickness. When looking inward, I realized that I was failing to genuinely cultivate and was particularly lagging behind in my Fa study and doing the exercises.

Teacher said,

“You must study the high-level Fa thoroughly and know how to practice cultivation. The five sets of exercises will be taught to you all at once, and you will learn them all. In the time to come, you will be able to reach a very high level—one which is so high that it is beyond your imagination. As long as you practice cultivation, it will not be a problem for you to achieve the Right Fruit in cultivation. ” (Zhuan Falun)

I wanted to genuinely cultivate, but I felt that I needed a group environment for studying the Fa and doing the exercises to keep myself on track. Soon after I had this thought, several local practitioners and I started a group environment.

Four practitioners and I set up a practice site on October 4. This enabled us to do two things: to do the exercises at 3:50 a.m. with all practitioners across China and to send righteous thoughts globally at 5:55 a.m. We began to get up at 3:50 a.m. and participated every day. After sending righteous thoughts, some of us went to work and the others went out to save people. Practicing in this way did not delay anything, but instead gave us more time to study the Fa. With this, our righteous thoughts became stronger, and we knew to look inward when conflicts occurred. Our xinxing improved and the things we did went smoothly. When we kept up in Fa study, we kept up in every other aspect. It was just like Teacher said, “We stress holistic improvement and holistic upgrade. ” (Zhuan Falun)

The practitioners mentioned how good it was to participate in the group morning exercises because they were able to experience the feeling of “cultivating as if we were just starting.”

Now I would like to share my experiences participating in the group morning exercises.

The Group Morning Exercises Enable Practitioners to “Let Each and Every Thing Be Measured Against the Fa” (”Solid Cultivation” from Hong Yin)

I made an agreement with the other practitioners that, if I failed to turn up at the practice site, they had to phone me. After they had called me twice, I realized it was not good to have to rely on others. In cultivation we must rely on ourselves. So I set my mobile phone to 3:35 a.m. Whenever the alarm rang, I would get up instantly. This is how I let go of my attachments of relying on others, laziness, and seeking comfort.

Sometimes when doing the sitting meditation my legs really hurt, and I was also in mental anguish. However, whenever I wanted to give up, the image of fellow practitioners sitting upright like Buddhas helped me to continue. I would repeat silently, “When it is difficult to endure, try to endure it. When it looks impossible and is said to be impossible, give it a try and see if it is possible. ” (Zhuan Falun)

Instantly I did not feel the pain in my legs anymore; my whole body felt very light and my mind felt at ease. Since we had this environment of “letting each and every thing be measured against the Fa” we all elevated very quickly. With this environment we were able to share after the group exercise, so we not only helped each other to fix any incorrect movements, but also solve our xinxing problems. When a practitioner had a xinxing problem, the other practitioners would help by sharing from the perspective of the Fa and letting the practitioner look inward. One practitioner made some cushions for the sitting meditation. She gave me the thickest one and left the thinnest one for herself. From this I really experienced the realm of “attain[ing] the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism” (“Non-Omission in Buddha Nature” from Essentials for Further Advancement). It also made me feel deeply ashamed. The two of us studied the same Fa, but I was lagging by such a big gap. I felt it was very good to join the group morning exercises.

Joining the Group Morning Exercises Is a Process of Changing from a Human State to a Divine State

Before joining the group morning exercises I often had a headache, had no strength, felt mentally ill at ease, and fidgeted. Normally I paid a lot of attention to the hours of sleep I needed. Sometimes when I woke up at 3:00 a.m., I would ask myself, “Should I do the exercises?” My answer was very simple, “Oh, forget it, I need to go to work tomorrow!” Then I would go back to sleep. Since I was using the time for the morning exercises to sleep, I started having dreams that were designed to give me hints, telling me that I was too fond of sleeping and that I was not being diligent. Without a group cultivation environment, it was very hard for me to take control of myself.

After starting the morning exercise environment, I cherished it and was there every day. I never skipped the morning exercises even if I had symptoms of a “fever” or “feeling dizzy.” I made the morning exercises the priority in my daily routine. If I gave up and went back to sleep, then it would be very hard for me to find time later to do the exercises. I really cherished doing the morning exercises.

Teacher said,

“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.’ ” (“Lecture at the First Conference in North America”)

After joining the group morning exercises I did not feel any discomfort from sleeping less, nor did it affect my work or daily life. On the contrary, I felt more energetic, more efficient in the things I was doing, and the rhythm of my life accelerated. As a practitioner, as long as we believe in Teacher and the Fa, and do things in line with Teacher's requirements, we can certainly change our human state into a divine state.

My Dimensional Field Becomes Clearer after Joining the Group Morning Exercises

After joining the group morning exercises, I felt that my dimensional field became clearer. I also felt that after studying the Fa, it would more easily enter my heart. I had a better understanding of what cultivation was.

I work full time and am also responsible for doing all of the housework. Maybe this was a karmic debt that I owed in the past. Regardless, it might help me to improve myself. I would look after my husband's everyday life so my spare time was quite limited. In the past I considered my husband to be a burden because he made my life extremely hard. Since I had a very strong attachment to living an ordinary life and could not let go of anything, I had little time to study the Fa and it was hard for me to concentrate during my Fa study. Sometimes when I studied, my mind drifted away and I felt my own dimensional field was not clear. I felt that I was wrapped up by a thick substance that hindered my ability to assimilate to the Fa. I felt sleepy and would have headaches or pressure in the head. I would have to to stop and go to bed. This state lasted for too long, and I failed to make a breakthrough, which really worried me.

When Teacher found out that I wanted to study the Fa with a calm mind and assimilate myself into the Fa, He began to help me to clean up my thoughts. When doing the exercises with the group I saw that some bad substances had fallen away. It was just like Teacher said, “With every bit of improvement in your state of mind, some bad things will be eliminated from your body.” (Zhuan Falun)

In the evening decided that I would not go to study the Fa with another practitioner, so that I could make a breakthrough in being able study all by myself. I needed to let go of the attachment to relying on other practitioners.

Before Fa study I wash my hands, tidy my clothes, and send righteous thoughts, sending out the thought, “eliminate all factors that interfere with my Fa study.” Then I hold Zhuan Falun in both hands, look at Teacher's photo, and say, “Teacher, please help me to ensure that I can study the Fa with a calm mind.” So that my mind does not drift away, I read out loud. Incredibly, that time, I finished reading two lectures without having any feeling of tiredness, and what I had read all went into my heart. The more I read, the clearer my dimensional field became, and the more I liked to read. My husband, who was in another room playing computer games, said, “You are doing very well in your Fa study today. I heard it all. I will also benefit if you can keep doing this in the future.” I knew it was Teacher who used my husband's mouth to give me encouragement.

This all came about because of what happened the night before when I studied the Fa with another practitioner. We were each reading one paragraph at a time, but before we finished reading one lecture, I felt my throat turn sour and was unable to produce any sound. Eventually I had to ask the other practitioner to do all of the reading and I just listened. The next day I read two lectures and felt very relaxed. This led me to appreciate Teacher's words:

“Our Falun Dafa school enables one to make quick progress. As long as you upgrade your xinxing, you will make quick breakthroughs at each level. ” (Zhuan Falun)

After that, whenever I had time I would study the Fa, and I stopped feeling that it was a difficult thing anymore. Sometimes I would study three lectures a day. This was something that had never happened to me in the past.

I feel that joining the group morning exercises has been really good. It has helped me to keep up not only in doing the exercises, but also in studying the Fa. My dimensional field has become clearer, and I have paid more attention to sending righteous thoughts four times a day. It is just like Teacher said,

“The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts. ” (“Drive Out Interference” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)

With the improvement of my Fa study, I have realized two things about genuine cultivation: one is genuine cultivation with the Fa, in other words, doing the three things well, and the other is genuine cultivation with practice, which is to measure every thought and every deed with the Fa and to look inward when encountering the problem of letting go of all kinds of attachments and desires.

The above is my experience in joining the group morning exercises. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the practitioners who provided the environment for morning exercises and all of the practitioners who have helped me. Moreover, I am grateful to Teacher's compassionate salvation!

Please kindly point out shortcomings.