(Clearwisdom.net) In our region, there are quite a number of practitioners who are still lingering at the stage of pondering whether to step forward or not. Some fellow practitioners have been limiting themselves to personal cultivation. They have just realized the importance of stepping forward, but at the same time, their state formed by staying at home in the past has made them lose a cultivator's determination. In other words, if we don't elevate from personal cultivation to Fa-rectification cultivation, the things we cultivate will become very fragile, and it becomes really difficult for them to take a step forward. Some fellow practitioners have stepped forward to different extents, but their apprehension and attachments have prevented them from doing better. This is not talking about those who took an evil path or those went to the opposite side. These were all gaps that the old forces and dark minions took advantage of.
I remember a while back when a practitioner said to me, "It's said that there will be another brainwashing class. What should we do?" I said without hesitation, "Negate it with righteous thoughts." Upon arriving home, I couldn't help but remember the practitioner's perplexed expression. I started to consider other practitioners' cultivation states. I remember that Teacher said, "As I've said, everything that happens today in the ordinary society is the result of Dafa disciples' thoughts." (from Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.) The surface environment is a result of practitioners' thoughts. I also realized that if some practitioners haven't rectified themselves, then the unrighteous field would affect other practitioners. This is no small issue--rectifying ourselves in a timely manner is an important matter.
So I visited some fellow practitioners and found that some of them have been feeling sleepy while doing the exercises, studying the Fa, and even sending righteous thoughts. Some practitioners were held back by the manifestation of the evil persecution due to their apprehension and attachments. Even though they know it is wrong to just sit at home, they cannot step forward. Some practitioners who have stepped forward experienced all kinds of difficulties recently. Just like a practitioner said, "That's true. I was eliminating the evil while sending righteous thoughts, but recently I forgot about it." Some people took an evil path and spread evil "enlightenment" among practitioners. The situation is very complicated.
The reality is severe. Cultivation is serious. It doesn't matter how many people are cultivating. What matters is whether a practitioner's righteous thoughts are firm.
We are one body. My personal understanding is that practitioners with strong righteous thoughts should shoulder even greater responsibilities, help those practitioners with weaker righteous thoughts to step forward, and help steer those who took an evil path onto the right road. This is also a process of walking towards selflessness. A lot of sacrifice is required when helping other practitioners. Recently in our region, a practitioner was arrested for helping others. This was because a practitioner betrayed her after being arrested. However, she walked out of prison with the power of righteous thoughts and righteous actions. There are elements in us that need improvement, and it is also a process of assisting Teacher to rectify the Fa.
At present, the remaining old forces' dark minions have nowhere to hide, so they can only hide in practitioners' fields. The purpose of our sending righteous thoughts is to rectify ourselves and at the same time eradicate the evil. If all practitioners send out righteous thoughts together, the evil won't be able to survive. Of course, whether our thoughts are on the Fa is based on our understanding of the Fa, our xinxing [mind or heart nature, moral character] standard, and rock solid determination. It doesn't just happen on a whim. So, overall, every individual practitioner's righteous thoughts constitute a powerful energy. If it is assimilated to the mighty current of Fa-rectification, it will disintegrate the final remaining evil.