Improving in Cultivation by Letting Go of Ego

(Minghui.org) I'm 72 years old, and I began practicing Falun Dafa 24 years ago. With Master Li Hongzhi’s (Falun Dafa’s founder) compassionate protection, I overcame many challenges.

A number of practitioners in our area have not done well and were persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The practitioner who was our go-to person for computer technology had to move away to avoid arrest. The places where we held group Fa study and printed Falun Dafa pamphlets were ransacked. Some practitioners were even afraid of leaving home due to fear of arrest.

But we cannot stop telling people the truth behind the persecution. Under the circumstances, I stepped up and began helping other practitioners set up computer systems, making Falun Dafa pamphlets, and keeping track of the number of people who withdrew from the CCP organizations. I did most of those jobs alone. In addition, I had to make time to go out to clarify the truth to people and deliver pamphlets to each practitioner in our area.

The time I spent studying the Fa and doing the exercises subsequently decreased. As a result, I did not feel Dafa’s power of “doing more with less time.” Cultivation became more like a bittersweet hardship.

In January 2020, I fell on the stairs and injured my back. The pain kept me awake at night and made it hard for me to get out of bed. I tried my best to keep up with Fa study, doing the exercises, sending forth righteous thoughts, and working on projects. I asked myself: “Why can’t I be like those practitioners who do well in cultivation?”

With a calm heart, I searched within for my attachments. Sure enough, there were many: jealousy, hatred, competitiveness, and zealotry. The biggest mistake was that I did not deny the old forces immediately when I fell. Instead of getting up, I lay there calling out: “I'm Okay, Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good, Master save me!” I knew I was fine. However, my true intention was to have my son and his wife witness Dafa’s power.

Finding My Attachments

I did not realize validating the Fa with an ordinary person’s mindset is not aligned with the Fa principles. Dafa is serious. Master Li said,

“We have said that good or bad comes from a person’s initial thought, and the thought at that moment can bring about different consequences.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)

I knew I must spend more time studying the Fa. Due to the pain, it was difficult for me to read while sitting up. So I repeatedly watched the video of Master’s lecture to Australian practitioners. His teaching on practitioners’ cooperating as one body touched me deeply. My ego and attachment to my opinion affected coordination among practitioners. Not working well with other practitioners means I was not in harmony with the Fa. This was a loophole!

The key was how to let go of my ego when I interacted with other practitioners. I realized that holding onto one’s opinion is the same as being selfish. Master taught us to consider others first and to be selfless. I then set my mind on improving my xinxing based on the guidance of the Fa.

Not long ago, a practitioner brought many copies of a booklet to me. The books were lacking covers, so she asked me to make covers and said she would come back to pick them up. But she later asked me to deliver them instead.

To do this, I needed to ride a scooter. But I was still in pain and, furthermore, my identity as a practitioner could be exposed. Initially, I thought it was not safe for me to deliver the books, that I had to find another way. But there were no other alternatives.

Then I thought, why can’t I consider others first? The practitioner must have her reason. I needed to work with other practitioners unconditionally. The reason I believed this task was difficult and unsafe was due to ego and fear. These are human attachments that I needed to eliminate.

We should use our wisdom and work together as one body. This is how cultivators validate Dafa and improve in cultivation. As soon as I had that realization, it was like I had broken through a shell. The books were delivered smoothly. I also experienced the magical sensation of letting go of attachments and elevating my xinxing.

Another task seemed impossible to complete. A practitioner asked me to help her install a computer operating system with a USB flash drive. I had never done anything like this before. Surprisingly, I got the job done. Again, once I let go of my ego, I achieved the effect of “doing more with less.”

Finally Achieving a Breakthrough

During each tribulation, I kept up with Fa study, doing the exercises, and sending forth righteous thoughts. Compassionate Master then cleansed my body. Once, while I meditated, I saw Master mending the bones in my back. The work was flawless. Another time, I saw Master eliminate black substances from my field in another dimension.

Master hinted that I needed to increase the time I did the exercises. In addition to my morning exercises, I did an extra hour of the sitting meditation. My legs hurt so much when I sat cross-legged that I wept.

When the pain did not get better, I thought: “How can I elevate myself to a higher-level Fa? Increasing the time spent doing the exercises does not mean a higher quality of cultivation. Improving my xinxing is key. To raise my level, I must live up to a higher standard.

So, afterward, when I did the sitting meditation for one hour, my legs felt light. My body sometimes leaned forward, sometimes backward. I hadn’t had that feeling for a long time. This is the magic of harmonizing with the Fa! My back felt better. My understanding is that the Fa has different requirements at different levels; as long as I align myself with the Fa, my body will undergo a major change.

Master watches over us every step of the way. We cannot cultivate without Master’s protection and guidance. Let us treasure our opportunities, study the Fa diligently, do the three things asked of practitioners, and not disappoint Master.