Tightening the Strings of My Cultivation

(Minghui.org) I have been cultivating in Falun Dafa for 26 years and I am 62 years old. I am writing about my recent cultivation experiences to report to Master and to share with fellow practitioners.

Our residential community has been locked down for more than 20 days. The lockdown measures have become more and more stringent, not even allowing people to leave their houses. Cars that monitor residents pass by many times daily, with large, loud-sounding speakers.

I have made good use of the time since the lockdown of our residential community to study one more talk of Zhuan Falun than normal. When I study the Fa, I sit in the full lotus position with an upright posture. I am strict and serious when I study the Fa, so I feel that I absorb every sentence into my mind.

Master said,

“On one occasion I allowed my mind to be linked with the minds of four or five enlightened ones in extremely high realms. Their level of attainment was so great that non-practitioners would think I was exaggerating were I to describe it. They wanted to read my mind. Others have no way of doing that, given how many years I practiced for; their powers have no way to breach my space. Nobody is able to know me or what I am thinking. Yet in this case, I consented to their wish to know my thoughts, and linked my mind with theirs for a period of time. But once the connection was made I found it hard to take. That’s because regardless of my level of attainment, I am part of this mortal world and acting with a purpose—to save people—and my mind is on that. Whereas their minds were so still it was unsettling. Were it just one being who was that still, it wouldn’t have been that significant, but there were four or five sitting over there, with stillness like a pool of standing water, and I couldn’t sense anything from them. Those few days my mind really felt uneasy; the sensation that was lingering would be hard to describe. That kind of complete emptiness, free of all intention, is beyond what most people could imagine or ever experience.” (The Third Talk, Zhuan Falun)

Tears fell as I read this passage. I thought, “Master, it is really not easy for you, and there are also things that we do not know and cannot imagine. You are withstanding great suffering and making great sacrifices for the Fa-rectification, the sentient beings, and for us.”

As I continued reading and finished studying The Fourth Talk, my legs were still in the full lotus position and I hadn’t moved them at all. My legs felt very comfortable. I thought, “I won’t let my legs come down.” I carried on studying The Fifth Talk with a serious attitude and a consistent pace, and I managed to get all that Fa into my mind too.

Halfway through studying The Fifth Talk, my legs felt a bit numb but I did not care. I needed to persist in finishing The Fifth Talk. I thus persisted. This had never happened before. Normally, when I study one talk of Zhuan Falun, I need to put my legs down many times, and I also feel sleepy. This time, I was very clear-headed from the start to the end. This was truly miraculous. When I am diligent in my cultivation, Master encourages and empowers me.

I had taken the computer into my mother’s room the night before and said, “Mom, let me share an article with you.” As I placed the computer on the bed, my mother took out a bottle of oil to rub into her hands. I did not have any thoughts about it and forgot about it. After reading just a few sentences, my mother started to clap her hands loudly. I asked, “What are you doing?” She stopped clapping.

I continued reading. However, after reading just a few sentences, she picked up the mouse and started to fiddle with it. The cursor ran down the page. I asked “Why are you fiddling with it?” She asked, “What is this?” I became a bit anxious and said loudly, “Why do you make people detest you so much?” She said, “How do I make people detest me?” Her words woke me up. I was in the wrong, so I kept quiet and didn’t say anything else. I maintained my xinxing and continued reading the article.

This matter exposed many of my attachments, such as blaming others, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) culture, impetuousness, and being strict with others. When I dug further, I found more. When I was studying Master’s Fa, Master enlightened me. Because our practice directly cultivates one’s heart, one must not place so much emphasis on all of these conflicts and attachments. This is our practice’s most critical component. Therefore, I must try my best to correct myself and cultivate myself. I said to Master in my heart, “Thank you Master for your enlightenment.”

During the past few days, I have strengthened and increased the amount of my Fa study. When I have some short periods of spare time, I memorize Zhuan Falun and Hong Yin. On top of increasing my Fa study, I have also increased the time that I spend sending forth righteous thoughts. I send forth righteous thoughts nine to ten times every day. When I send forth righteous thoughts, I need to attain the effect of truly eliminating the evil. If I can’t achieve this state, what is the purpose of sending forth righteous thoughts?

When I send forth righteous thoughts, I maintain a clear mind, focus my concentration, and never allow my palm to fall or close up. Sometimes, when I feel a little foggy-headed, I immediately rouse myself and use all my might to shout the Fa-rectification formula in my mind, “fă —zhèng— qián— kūn—xié— è— quán— miè!”

Whatever strength I have I will use. After shouting the formula in my mind two times, I no longer feel sleepy. While sending forth righteous thoughts, I have often felt strong energy passing through my body. I have not seen any supernatural phenomena over all these years of my cultivation, but if I were to see, this scene would be spectacular. Just like fireworks during the new year, it would be a colorful and grand scene. Wherever the energy reached, all the non-righteous elements would be totally disintegrated. This was how I felt.

I have tried to cultivate myself well during this period of time. I get out of bed every day at 3 a.m. punctually, and complete the five sets of exercises. During the lockdown, some practitioners have gradually become relaxed and have started to watch television programs and dramas, play games on their mobile phones, play mahjong, drink beer, or spend more time sleeping. With these types of influences from society, if we are not careful, we will be dragged down in our cultivation.

Having cultivated in Falun Dafa for so many years, we have survived all sorts of tribulations and difficulties. Let us tighten the strings of our cultivation and treat every day like a new day, or treat every day like our last day to do well the three things that we should do. Fellow practitioners, let us cultivate diligently together!

Due to my limited cultivation level, kindly let me know if there is any room for improvement.

Thank you Master! Thank you fellow practitioners!