(Minghui.org) I paid a great deal of attention to what Falun Dafa’s founder Master Li Hongzhi said in “Guarding Your Speech” in Zhuan Falun and memorized it. However, I didn’t put it into action and did not assimilate to the Fa.

When I reflected on my 23-year-long cultivation journey, I asked myself, “Do I meet the standard of a Dafa cultivator? Have I guarded my speech?” The answer was, “No.”

Sometimes, Dafa practitioners talk about pointless things to show off and gossip. Problems also include not caring much about cultivating speech. I am a teacher and thought that I was good at communicating with others. However, as a cultivator, I talk too much and don’t listen enough, which has hurt other practitioners.

I liked to talk about fellow practitioners, a bad habit. Although we were all talking about cultivation, our intent was not to help each other improve. It was more like an emotional release, with an attachment to showing off. Some practitioners believe they cultivate better than others, and it seems they can see others’ problems clearly. But they can’t.

A practitioner’s true cultivation state is clear to no one else but Master. If we can truly see other practitioners’ attachments, it is because Master arranged it that way, hoping that all the parties involved improve. For sure, if we can point out other practitioners’ shortcomings sincerely, we truly want to help them. However, if we just speak ill of others, it is not compassion but a result of demon nature. It also generates karma. Sometimes, when I see a practitioner’s attachment, it is a mirror image of my own. Therefore, if I can realize it and look within, I can improve myself. If I don’t look within, I will miss the opportunity to improve.

A lot of conflicts occurred among practitioners recently. In our local Fa study group, some practitioners were suspicious of others, and as a result, one practitioner developed severe sickness karma and ended up in the hospital. Given that situation, we didn’t completely let go of our attachments, didn’t look within unconditionally, and didn’t compassionately point out that practitioner’s problems. I also didn’t cultivate my speech well.

I visited the practitioner after she had returned home from the hospital, but she wasn’t there. She seemed to have completely given up practicing Falun Dafa. How could a veteran practitioner who had been cultivating for over 20 years stop practicing? Had the old forces taken advantage of her loopholes, which she found too much to handle?

I knew I should listen to her, put myself in her shoes, and respond in kind. Being mindful of guarding my speech, so as not to hurt others with my words, I was hopeful she would find encouragement and return to the path of cultivation.

During our last Fa study, we shared about guarding our speech. We talked about the importance of cultivating speech and understood that if we don’t do it well, it would cause trouble for ourselves and others.

When I talked to her, however, I made a mistake again and didn’t guard my speech. I started talking about a fellow practitioner’s problem, saying, “Some practitioners still can’t follow Master’s instructions.”

When I returned home, my teeth started to hurt when I was eating dinner. I finished my food in pain, then sent forth righteous thoughts. I admitted my mistake to Master and sent forth a thought to clear any old force factors that interfered with me in other dimensions. My teeth stopped hurting.

From now on, I will completely stop speaking ill of others behind their backs. When we speak resentfully of someone, it can cause us to lose virtue. Only when we look within and cultivate our hearts can we improve.

To guard my speech, I should start by listening to others. As a genuine cultivator, I should be humble so that people might be more willing to listen. Just as a fellow practitioner said, “Not cultivating your speech is like digging a hole. Sooner or later, you will be trapped in the hole.”

Editor’s note: This article only represents the author’s understanding in their current cultivation state meant for sharing among practitioners so that we can “Compare in studying, compare in cultivating.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)