Beware the Traps of Online Shopping

(Minghui.org) I often overheard coworkers and others talking about a certain online shopping website, claiming that they had gotten great deals. My attachment to gain arose, and I joined this website. 

It truly enjoyed it at first, since I could buy inexpensive items, and save money and time without having to go to the mall and supermarket. I also bought items I could not find at the local stores, for instance, clothes that were unique and pretty. Besides, there were different kinds of products advertised on the website. It was like a gigantic supermarket. 

Whenever I needed something for myself or my family, I just logged into the app and shopped. When I had free time at work, I searched the site for things I wanted. 

I could easily spend an hour or two, until I was dizzy and my eyesight was blurry. My vision worsened and I couldn’t see clearly, so I decided to stop shopping after I found the items I wanted. 

It was as if I was addicted to the website, which lured people to keep on buying – I wanted this product, that product, and more.

I knew my cultivation state wasn’t good, so I decided to delete the web page after I purchased the item. It worked for a while, but then my family needed an item, and others talked about their online purchases. I couldn't resist the temptation, so I downloaded the website app and started to shop again.

Other relevant web pages constantly notified me about their products, claimed I was a reputable customer, and offered me discounts and incentives. 

I couldn’t stop myself and continued to invest time and energy shopping online. I checked the website every day for the status of my purchases or to compare products. I was exhausted and couldn’t calm down; I even had difficulty studying the Fa.

Master, the founder of Falun Dafa, said,

“People say being addicted … let me tell you what addiction is. People believe that, medically, when one’s addictive nerve is being stimulated and becomes strong, one has addiction. That’s actually not true. What is it? In your body, a “you” is accumulated over time that bears the exact same appearance as you. However, it is composed of that thing and it controls you. Because it’s a very strong attachment that forms into your image, it is therefore so very strong that it can control your heart. This is because it’s formed by a very strong attachment.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference,” Team Blue Translation)

“Even drug addicts are the same. Some people who do drugs say it’s okay and that it’s not a big deal for them to do drugs. Sure, it did feel pretty good. Do it again? Not a big deal. Do it one more time? Okay, now you can’t control it anymore. Why is it? After the substance is inhaled, it forms a thin and faint layer of you. One inhalation will do because it’s highly addictive. When you inhale it the second time, this thin and faint “you” becomes more substantial. Another inhalation will make it more substantial. More inhalations will make it more and more substantial and so it becomes stronger.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference,” Team Blue Translation)

An Attachment Turned into a Narcotic

The shopping website was like a narcotic, eating me one bite at a time, and making me depend on it. I sensed that the “self” that loved shopping existed in another dimension. 

It was made up of attachments, such as pursuit of gain, lust, and sentimentality to my family, and it formed a false self. It is already difficult to get rid of attachments, and I kept strengthening them! I therefore decided to uninstall the app again. 

I noticed that the shopping app was connected to WeChat, a Chinese multi-purpose instant messaging, social media, and mobile payment app. When the Minghui editorial team said that practitioners should uninstall WeChat, I didn’t hesitate and deleted it. 

But, when I used the shopping app to communicate with customer service, my WeChat friends’ location and purchase information showed up. This alarmed me, so I finally made up my mind to get rid of the shopping app once and for all.

I wanted to share my recent experience of breaking the habit of online shopping, as well as finding and eliminating my attachments. Master helped me in the process, and I sensed Dafa’s immense energy.

I became a practitioner in May 1998, and I’ve had many ups and downs on my cultivation path. I didn’t know how to cultivate and search inward at the time, because I had so many attachments and human notions. 

When problems arise now, I can spot a specific attachment, and I have more confidence in my cultivation.

Thank you, Master!