(Minghui.org) Many things have happened around me recently. I have never written an article for Minghui, but today I suddenly had the urge to do so. Today is also the second anniversary of my starting Falun Gong cultivation practice. I would like to use this short article to thank our revered Master, who has watched out for me during the past two years. I would also like to thank fellow practitioners who have encouraged me along the way!
Quite a number of technical, local fellow practitioners and coordinators have been arrested between April of this year and today. On the one hand, I believe this happened because we were too dependent on them, making it possible for the evil forces to take advantage of our gaps.
On the other hand, I took a look at myself and made a discovery. Master wants our materials production sites to blossom everywhere, but we did not do that. I have, as a result, allowed my attachments to irritability, fear, ease and comfort, and showing off to surface, and that is being irresponsible to my own cultivation.
To prevent further evil interference, I decided that I needed to become independent. Whatever I can learn, I will learn. However much I can do, I will do.
Eliminate the Attachment to Dependency
I had a problem in the past. I thought that it was good enough to just study the Fa, do the exercises, send forth righteous thoughts, distribute truth clarification materials, and make phone calls.
But my materials were produced by others, my phone was installed by someone else, and my problems were solved by someone else. I was completely dependent on others because they seemed to know more.
It was only when problems started to appear that I realized my reliance on fellow practitioners had made them lose precious cultivation time. As a result, they were caught up in doing things rather than studying the Fa. The evil forces thus took advantage of their loopholes. I decided I should put a stop to that by starting to learn technical skills for myself.
I am engaged in liberal arts and knew nothing about electronics. But when I started to put in the effort to learn technical skills, I found that I was intelligent enough to solve technical problems. I hope everyone will realize that as long as we have the desire, we can blaze our own paths to save people.
Do Not Be Intimidated by Evil
Sometimes evil interference will not only result in arrests but also create illusions to destroy the environments of Dafa disciples. I remember visiting an older practitioner who told me with trepidation, that she learned that the police had been successful in forcing a certain practitioner to divulge the names of twenty fellow practitioners, that many elderly practitioners did not dare to come together, that we should stay away from a particular new practitioner, and so forth.
I realized at once that this was nothing more than a means to target Dafa disciples’ attachments to fear, and a way to destroy our cultivation environment. In fact, if we are not afraid, then everything is but an illusion. I shared my thoughts with this practitioner and she felt a lot better. She and her group had no further interference.
What we see or hear is not accidental. Everything is a test. If we look at and treat things from the angle of ordinary people, then we will fall into the traps set by the evil forces. Master says,
“…just by remaining unmoved you could handle all situations.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2005 Canada Fa Conference”)
If our hearts are affected, we should study the Fa more and send forth more righteous thoughts to eliminate it. That is cultivation.
Advance Diligently, Become Determined, and Establish a Workable Plan
I would also like to share my thoughts on advancing diligently in cultivation. Although I am far from doing very well, I would like to share my understandings about overcoming difficulties in my cultivation, in hopes that we can encourage each other to cherish this rare opportunity to be together and walk well this most important stage of our lives.
When we stray from the Fa for too long, we will feel very uncomfortable physically and mentally. When we do not study the Fa and do the exercises well, we will find that it is difficult to clarify the truth. We might even develop a bad headache, and so on. It is telling us that we must urgently advance and break through by studying the Fa, doing the exercises, and sending forth righteous thoughts. To save people, these three things are absolutely necessary.
Group Fa study plays an effective role. When we slack off, a word of encouragement from a fellow practitioner can renew our confidence. We should set up our own Fa study groups to create an environment for ourselves.
Of course, Fa study groups do not meet together every day, so how strict we are with ourselves becomes very important. Our Fa study can easily be interfered with by a variety of personal attachments and everyday chores. I believe we can try to develop for ourselves a workable plan according to our individual life patterns. We can set apart time for studying the Fa, doing the exercises, clarifying the truth, learning new skills, and so on. After that, implementing the plan is very important.
We have to start by making a firm commitment. Everything else, such as household chores, work obligations, playing with a cell phone, the desire to contact someone, the urge to take a nap, and so on, should not be allowed to interfere with the preset plan. Do this for three days, and a habit begins to form.
Of course, everyone's situation is different. We can slowly break through according to our own circumstances. When we assimilate ourselves into the Fa, we will find that a lot of interference from our own karma and other obstacles get resolved a little at a time, and that our righteous thoughts strengthen.
Cultivation takes constant and persistent practice. Fa study is the means of cultivation. The basis is genuinely cultivating the heart. To maintain a good cultivation state, we need to immerse ourselves in the Fa at all times and stay away from the erosive notions of everyday people. We will then find that our environment changes in accordance with our hearts.
My level is limited. Please correct me if you find anything inappropriate.
Category: Improving Oneself
