(Minghui.org) My emotion was stirred after reading a Minghui website article on how to eliminate stubborn attachments.
The practitioner who wrote the article was tormented by the attachment of lust for a long time. It reminded me of how I struggled to get rid of the attachment to sentimentality. We seem to have gone through similar experiences, in terms of the length of time, and the degree of pain.
Painful Emotional Experience
I had a painful emotional experience when I was single. My boyfriend and I abruptly broke up, and it brought me great pain that lasted many years. This pain followed me after I became a practitioner around 2003. I felt the demon of sentimentality in another dimension controlling my life.
I thought about my ex-boyfriend every second. His image was stamped on my mind, and I could not get rid of it. I was imagining ways to meet with him. I could not shake off his image, and I was not able to study the Fa. I knelt in front of Master’s photo, and asked for help. It helped a little, but not for long.
I knew I could not go on like this, and had to make changes. I tried many different methods, such as reciting the Fa, to stop the interference. It was quite effective, but as soon as I stopped reciting the Fa, the thoughts came back, and I was in agony again!
Sharing with other practitioners did not help much. I also sent forth righteous thoughts, but since my understanding on this issue was not clear, I could not lock down on a specific target to eliminate. Thus I did not have any breakthrough.
My condition was sometimes good and sometimes bad, and this lasted more than 10 years. I gained a new understanding through Fa study around 2016, practitioners’ sharing, and reading Minghui articles. I realized the reason I could not eliminate the attachment was because I failed to look at the issue from the standpoint of Fa-rectification. I was doing personal cultivation instead.
What tormented me was the demon of sentimentality that I had been feeding. Because of my attachment to the relationship, I continued to “nurture” the demon with my human thoughts. It eventually became so large that it started to control me.
Once I recognized what I did wrong, I began to send forth righteous thoughts and rectified my thoughts. For example, whenever I saw or heard a couple’s affectionate behaviors or sounds, I would immediately send forth righteous thoughts.
It was not a coincidence that I saw those acts or heard those sounds. They were things the demon wanted me to see and hear, so that I could feed them to it. My primordial spirit did not want them. I am a life that came from a high level in the cosmos, and I should not be interested in behavior existing in the three realms.
I realized the demon also manipulated my mind with music that I used to listen to, especially love songs, and sentimental attachments to people and things. Whenever inappropriate thoughts or behaviors emerged, I would quickly send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the demon of sentimentality. I erected my palm if I could, if not, I would silently say, “You, the demon of sentimentality, is coming into my space again. These are the things you want to see and hear, but I do not want them! I am eliminating you now!”
I was able to swiftly breakaway from its control, and purify my mind. Those distracting thoughts did no longer linger in my space when I studied Dafa books or did the exercises. My state of mind improved, and I felt well!
Suggestions for Practitioners Dealing with Lust Issues
I would like to share the following with practitioners who are experiencing the issue of lust.
You must differentiate your true-self from what the demon of lust wants, and send forth righteous thoughts as soon as inappropriate thoughts arise. The lust demon needs those things to keep it alive. When you eliminate it, you’ll be free of lustful thoughts and such behavior. You must also constantly rectify your mind. Your righteous thoughts will then become stronger, and you’ll be able to breakaway from their control.
I also want to emphasize that merely rejecting lustful thoughts is not enough. You need to send very strong righteous thoughts and say, “mieh!” (eliminate). Eliminate it completely and do not give it room to survive.
We will one day become the king or lord of our world. So how can we let those low level filthy elements control us? That would be truly sad!
Category: Improving Oneself
