(Minghui.org) Two experiences that were “bottlenecks” in my cultivation left a deep impression on me. The situations were resolved after I gained a new understanding about respecting Master and believing in the Fa.

In his article published on Minghui.org, “Master Has Paved Our Way Back Home,” a practitioner wrote, “So what is it that we cultivate? I realized that what we cultivate, from the beginning to the end, is our respect for Master and our faith in Dafa. With this respect and faith, Master leads us upward.”

These words touched me because I experienced what the author mentioned.

When my thoughts were not quite in the Fa, I thought I passed a test myself—that I did well on this test, or I quickly broke through that one. But when I reflected on what happened and my thinking was based on the Fa, I realized how little I’m able accomplish on my own. Humans are weak, everything we have is given by Dafa; it’s all done by Master, all of it; we have no reason to feel complacent and self-congratulatory.

I came to two significant realizations about cultivation. One is that I comprehend the Fa through studying the Fa a lot, and that the Fa rectifies my notions and incorrect thoughts that do not conform to the Fa. The other is that when I do not understand the deeper meaning of the Fa, yet I study the Fa with a tranquil mind and total faith in Master and the Fa, Master opens a door and reveals the deeper connotations of the Fa.

I felt I hadn’t genuinely respected Master or believed in the Fa until I had this recent realization. When I met the standard of a cultivator, it was because the Fa granted me everything. My success is not caused by how capable I am, my realizations, the tribulations I overcame, or what I attained. These are things Master and Dafa bestowed on me.

All I need to do is respect and believe in Master and the Fa.

My celestial eye is not open, and my understanding of the Fa is shallow, so I did not think I had any power. Whenever I read about the supernatural powers other practitioners experience, I always feel I don’t have them.

When I send righteous thoughts at work, I usually go to a particular place. But people smoke there, and the smell bothers me. One day, I suddenly thought about asking Master to remove the smell because it affected my ability to concentrate while sending righteous thoughts. The smell disappeared. It might sound like a small matter, but this experience affected me deeply because I never had such a righteous mindset before. I did not believe I had supernatural powers. Through this experience I felt like I recovered a lost treasure.

Through this incident, I also realized that I did not believe in myself. I did not have a clear understanding of the Fa, and did not know where I was positioned in the Fa.

I am a life created by the Fa, so I am a particle of the Fa. All I have to do is to assimilate to the Fa. Master has prepared everything we need on the paths of our cultivation. As soon as we have faith and our righteous thoughts emerge, everything we need is there, waiting for us.

My not believing in myself was the excuse I had to not believe in Master and the Fa. I selectively accepted parts of the Fa, but it was mixed with my understanding and stubborn notions, which greatly reduced my faith in Master and the Fa. When I look back now, I feel ashamed.

This is my understanding at my current level. Kindly point out anything that is not in keeping with the Fa.