A Dream Helped Me to Examine My Cultivation

(Minghui.org) One morning, I woke up from a vivid dream. In the dream, I walked on a beach with two girls. The beach was on a cliff, and the ocean was far below. 

As we approached the edge of the beach, I warned myself to be careful and not fall off the cliff. As soon as I had this thought, one of the girls began giggling and pushed me. I fell off the edge and slid down the cliff. 

The upper part of the cliff was relatively gentle. I managed to stop slipping down and climbed back up. I told myself I was lucky that I didn’t slip down to the lower part, which was vertical.

I managed to reach the top, but before I could pull myself up, the same girl ran to me, laughing, and pushed me harder. I fell again, this time past the upper part of cliff and straight to the lower part. I was very upset. 

I tried to grab onto something to stop my fall, but there was nothing. The cliff must have been very high, because after slipping a while I still hadn’t reached the bottom. I suddenly remembered that I am a practitioner and I shouldn’t be upset. The girl was only playing a joke, and I shouldn’t be angry with her. 

I thought, “Worse case scenario, I slip to the bottom. It’s no big deal, because it's just water. I can hold my breath and float; then I'll find a way to climb up. If I drown, there is nothing I can do about it, I’ll just follow the course of nature.”

The next moment, I discovered my left hand was holding onto an iron rail that led all the way to the top. I held onto it and quickly climbed up. To my surprise, my feet were walking up a staircase and my right hand could always find something to grab onto to help me climb up. 

I wondered, how come I couldn’t find anything to grab onto before? Where did the rail and stairs come from? I reached the top of the cliff and woke up. I knew the dream had a lot to do with my cultivation. 

Slipping Down a Cliff Is a Warning 

I've lately indulged in watching TV and playing video games. I wasted a lot of time and energy on this. The night I had the dream, I talked with another practitioner about this and he made some suggestions on how to help eliminate my attachment. When I woke up I realized I must pay attention to my cultivation state. 

When Problems Arise, Look Within Instead of Outside 

In the first half of the dream, I was worried about falling off the cliff. I developed fear which immediately put me in danger. Instead of looking inside to see why this happened, I resented the girl for pushing me down the cliff and putting me in danger. Even though I stayed calm, I constantly looked outside for solutions: finding something to grab onto, how to slow down my slipping, which ended in vain. 

In the second half of the dream, I changed my attitude towards the girl and stopped resenting her; I understood her intentions, I had compassion. I no longer worried about slipping to the bottom and I was willing to accept the consequences. By doing this, I gave up my attachment to escaping danger and being safe. I was ready to bear the consequences.

As I understood it, giving up my attachment and accepting reality is returning to truth. 

When I shifted my focus from the outside environment to my inner realm, the situation immediately reversed. Handrails and staircases suddenly appeared. 

I remembered Master’s Fa, 

Master-Disciple Grace

Disciples’ righteous thoughts are strongMaster has the power to turn the tide

(Hong Yin Volume II, Translation Version B)

Everything We Experience Has Something to Do with Cultivation

Why did the handrail and staircase suddenly appear in the dream? I believe everything changed according to my thoughts. My being in danger was not the girl’s fault. It was due to my fear. I might have fallen off the cliff even if the girl did not push me, because it existed for my cultivation. 

The moment I forgave the girl, I felt as if an enormous weight was lifted. I was happy for being able to look inside in time and handling it as a practitioner. As a result I gave up my attachment to escaping from danger. 

My understanding of what Master said, is that a practitioner’s life has been rearranged, and everything we experience has to do with our cultivation. I understood that the danger in my dream existed for my cultivation. As soon as I gave up my attachment, it no longer needed to exist, and the danger was gone. 

Isn’t reality the same? A few months ago, I quit my job and came to this new environment. I ran into obstacles everywhere, but I wasn’t able to find a new job. When I had the dream, I realized I had an attachment to finding a job. 

For example, I felt I would be offered a certain job because my skills, experiences and degree all fulfilled the job requirements. I expressed great interest and showed great sincerity, and my salary requirement was reasonable, but time and time again, I did not get the job. 

I finally became frustrated and refused to look at job postings. I thought I was not attached to finding a job anymore. But after I had the dream I knew it was not true. 

What Is Virtual? What Is Real?

The dream helped me understand something which I knew before. Knowing and understanding are different. I understood that everything I experience in the human world is as virtual as a dream. 

In the dream, I really saw the cliff and ocean. I felt the sand and my feet felt the friction from trying to stop my fall. I felt the ocean wetting my shoes. Wasn’t this real? But everything changed with one thought. What is virtual? What is real? 

In the “real” world, no job, no income, and the issue of survival. Isn’t this real? Do I truly believe everything is arranged for my cultivation? I either failed to believe Master’s words or failed to remember them. 

I modified my resume over and over again and researched for tips in job hunting. Everything I did was looking outside. I wanted to quickly escape my uncomfortable situation and be safe. This was an attachment to comfort. 

I learned through my own experience that, when I gave up an attachment, what I wanted but couldn’t get would be given to me. At that time, having it or not having it was no longer important, because I had no attachment to it anymore. 

In life, getting things or losing things is not important, because none of these things can accompany me when I leave, but the virtue that I cultivate can. 

For a cultivator, everything in life is virtual, cultivating our heart is real. Dafa has taught us everything, but it’s difficult to understand it fully and live it. If one can truly see through the “virtual” and grasp the “real,” that will be real cultivation!

Master gave me a hint in my dream. Thank you, Master, for your boundless grace!