(Minghui.org) I wasn't interfered with much in my cultivation, but I was very lazy and had an attachment to comfort. I came up with many excuses not to do all five exercises. For example, I thought they weren't very important as long as I could do the three things well. I knew this thought wasn't righteous, but I didn't eliminate it. Every day, I only did the sitting meditation and rarely did the first four exercises.
I once had a dream that I was waiting for a boat to cross the river. When the boat arrived, people rushed to get on board, but I thought I should wait since it was too crowded and started to do something else. When I looked back, I saw that the boat had already left, and I was the only one who didn't get on.
After I woke up, I realized that Master had enlightened me. Everyone was advancing diligently in cultivation and would achieve consummation, but I wasn't moving forward.
I looked inward and realized that, although I was doing the three things, I didn't do the exercises diligently. I made up my mind to do the exercises well, but every time I wanted to do them, I had a strong notion that stopped me and made me slack off.
I later had another dream where I was climbing up the stairs of an eight-story building. When I reached the seventh floor, there were no more stairs. I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find any and ended up walking in circles.
After I woke up, I understood that I was lazy and had a strong desire for comfort. I didn't truly cultivate myself, so I was only walking in circles at the same level.
I made up my mind again to do the exercises well, but the strong notion of not wanting to do them kept interfering with me. My main consciousness wasn't strong enough, and I didn't persevere in doing the exercises.
Afterwards, I had the same two dreams repeatedly. Then I had a final dream in which I had reached a very high level after climbing up stairs made of jade. Endless beautiful clouds and flowers surrounded me. I was very close to reaching Heaven, but there were no more stairs.
I later understood that I considered doing things as cultivation and didn't pay attention to the exercises. Master said,
“Only when you are studying the Fa and cultivating your heart and mind in addition to the means of reaching Consummation—the exercises, and truly changing yourself fundamentally while improving your xinxing and elevating your level—can it be called true cultivation practice.” (“What is Cultivation Practice?” in Essentials for Further Advancement)
“The boundless content of Dafa plus the supplementary means—the exercises—will enable you to reach Consummation.” (“Melt Into the Fa” in Essentials for Further Advancement)
Without the last set of stairs, I couldn't reach the eighth floor or Heaven in my dreams. What I lacked was the supplementary means of the exercises.
I understood that doing the exercises was also part of the Fa. The combination of cultivating xinxing and doing the exercises makes cultivation complete. I had to do the exercises, and I couldn't afford to be lazy.
When the strong notion of not wanting to do the exercises emerged, I thought to myself, “I clearly want to do the exercises, so why, at the same time, do I not want to do them?” I realized there were two different thoughts, and I remembered what Master said,
“But thought-karma can directly interfere with a person’s mind...” (Zhuan Falun)
It was thought-karma that was interfering with me, and I had considered it my own thought. I hadn't gotten rid of the attachment to laziness and comfort, so the old forces took advantage of it and reinforced the interference. It wasn't me who didn't want to do the exercises. I had to completely deny and eliminate the evil factors in other dimensions.
Afterwards, whenever the thought of not wanting to do the exercises emerged, I resisted it and did the exercises. When I did the Falun Standing Stance, the thought-karma wanted me to put my hands down, but I didn't and sent forth righteous thoughts. I made sure to do the exercises every day.
Master saw my firm mind and helped me eliminate the evil factors several days later. I no longer have any thoughts of not wanting to do the exercises. Now I can do the exercises every day and haven't had those dreams anymore.
When the weather was cold, my hands and feet sometimes get very cold, so I would do the exercises. The energy I emitted soon warmed my whole body. It felt better than covering up with a quilt or sitting near a heater. I encourage practitioners who are afraid of the cold to try it, too.
When I was writing this article and recalled the two dreams I had, I suddenly understood that not having the stairs and not knowing where they were meant I didn't cultivate diligently. To cultivate diligently was the stairs and is a way for us to elevate our levels. It is not just about doing the exercises.
I still have many attachments I need to get rid of. We must truly cultivate ourselves, improve in all aspects of cultivation, and advance diligently in order to climb the stairs to Heaven and achieve consummation.
Above is my personal understanding. Please kindly point out anything inappropriate.
Category: Improving Oneself
