(Minghui.org) Once one’s age reaches a certain stage in Chinese society, one is considered “old” in many aspects. People address the person as an old person, adding the adjective “old” in front of his/her title, since being old is somehow to be respected.
Similar remarks are heard among practitioners. They still show a different attitude when around a senior practitioner. They may show extra tolerance, understanding, politeness, and attention.
Elderly practitioners also acknowledge this type of address and treatment. They feel that it is quite normal, and that it's how it should be. In reality it is an ordinary people’s notion. I believe that it will pull elderly practitioners back into the realm of ordinary people and create much trouble and danger for them.
Elderly practitioners should not be restricted or confined by the sense of being “old.” Rather, they should get rid of the notion and not accept it. One should not have a thought of such a notion. Being “old” has nothing to do with us practitioners.
We all know from studying the Fa that the universe goes through four stages – formation, stasis, degeneration, and destruction, and human beings go through birth, aging, illness, and death. Birth-aging-illness-death is the state of human beings. Human beings have lived this way for millions of years. No one can escape it.
Practitioners are supernormal, and will not be confined by the rules at the human level. These rules do not work with practitioners. Master has altered practitioners’ paths of life. The factor of being “old” is no longer effective on practitioners.
Furthermore, Falun Dafa is a cultivation method that cultivates both the body and the mind. The gong (cultivation energy) that we cultivate is stored in every cell of our body. As we keep storing it, we keep transforming in the direction of youth. Most veteran practitioners have practiced Falun Dafa since before 1999. Having cultivated for so long, how can “old” still have anything to do with us?
Our recognizing “old” equates to our wanting, accepting, and seeking it. It will come, and the symptoms of being old will appear. Our ears become numb, our eyes blur, reactions slow down, and memories are lost. Our limbs become rigid, and our movements slow down. Going further, one will get ill and die. Isn’t it dangerous?
The old forces will do what they want to do, because they found a good excuse. If you do not change your human notions, reject, deny and get rid of them, Master and other righteous deities will be unable to help. No one will interfere because you want it yourself. This is the law of the universe. So it is important that elderly practitioners rid themselves of the notion of being old.
I am over 70 years old. I have practiced Dafa for 26 years. I have gone through such a state and have learned my lesson. Master extended my life. As soon as I admitted “old” in my thoughts, my body immediately felt somewhat uncomfortable. As long as I denied it, thinking that I am a Dafa practitioner and would not be affected, my health immediately returned to normal.
Master said, “In fact, let me tell everyone that matter and mind are one and the same.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
My understanding is that since matter and mind are one and the same, then if all thoughts from our mind are good, righteous and based on the Fa, the material messages that our body receives will be the same, and our body will function properly. Otherwise, if all the material messages that our body receives are bad, the body will show deterioration due to the bad messages.
This is the power of Dafa. This issue also applies to other areas.
Master said,
“As a cultivator, you must cultivate and temper yourself in the environment of everyday people and gradually abolish attachments and various desires.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
Once, I carried 20 pounds of rice and produce on my shoulders and walked several miles. The wind was strong and cold. I felt too tired to walk when I was near my home. I thought about taking a break. But then I thought, “No, I need to rush home to send forth righteous thoughts. I am a Dafa disciple. This is nothing.” I became energetic immediately and was no longer tired.
I always feel light, as if my feet are not touching the ground, when I'm walking. It felt like I was weightless. I did not feel that I was walking fast, but people walking beside me would fall far behind.
I live on my own. I take care of everything by myself, and seldom bother my children. I always refuse them nicely when they want to buy things for me or bring things over. They did not complain at all when they were harassed during the Communist Party’s “zero-out” campaign [a concerted effort to force every practitioner on the CCP’s blacklist to renounce Falun Dafa]. I told them that one should not sign anything. They agreed.
An elderly practitioner’s good health by itself is evidence enough to show people the goodness of Falun Dafa. It is the fortune we obtained when cultivating in Dafa. This is the most obvious thing for a person to see.
Editor's note: Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions, for which the author is solely responsible. Readers should evaluate the article's merits on their own.