Being Diligent Starts with Doing the Exercises

(Minghui.org) The article titled: “Some Enlightenment: Practicing the Exercises in the Morning Helps Me to Stay Diligent” had a profound impact on me.

Not doing the morning exercises well and not being diligent in cultivation are attachments that I had not resolved for years.

When I listened to an experience-sharing article on a Minghui Podcast, I realized that the loopholes in finding various excuses for myself in not getting up early and doing the exercises were getting bigger and bigger. Master Li told us,

“...Let each and every thingbe measured against the Fa,Only then, with that,is it actually cultivation.”(“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)

I was just like an ordinary person; I simply could not get up early.

From the principles of the Fa, I understood that participating in the morning exercises helps get rid of laziness and the attachment to sleeping too much. After reading the Fa, I understood that “sleepiness” is not a demon, but it can function as one. I’m a practitioner, and I cannot allow myself to be controlled by demons. I thought about the many omissions in my cultivation over the years: Laziness, sleepiness, wishing to be comfortable, self-interest, hiding my mistakes, and refusing to take responsibility.

I wondered if I was still a cultivator! I shouldn’t allow myself to be lazy. For practitioners, every day is precious. Only by doing the three things that Master requires of us are our lives meaningful. If you understand the principles of the Fa but fail to implement them, then are you cultivating? I made up my mind to read the Fa diligently and start each day by doing the exercises.

Since 2018, after my daughter left for college, my personal time became relatively flexible. Unknowingly, I became lazy and I wanted to sleep in. Due to the increase in my free time and slacking off, I also made excuses for myself: I can practice anytime. If I have more time, I do more; if I have less time, I do less. I meditated for one hour in the morning, did the exercises for one hour at noon or at night, and I read the Fa every day. If I had more time, I went out and told people the truth about the persecution. I felt that was enough.

By reading the Fa, I understand that Master taught the Fa from low to high levels and spelled everything out for practitioners. How high we can cultivate depends on our diligence. The more diligent I am in reading the Fa, the more I assimilate to the Fa.

After I gradually began slacking off, I couldn’t even guarantee doing one hour of the exercises in the morning. My sending righteous thoughts in the morning was also often sloppy due to being sleepy and muddle-headed. My loophole kept getting bigger and bigger!

I knew in my heart that I made mistakes in this respect, but it was difficult to push myself to get up early and do the exercises. It was also difficult for me to overcome the interference of “sleepiness.” This test was like a mountain pressing down on me.

Many times when I couldn’t get up and kept sleeping, I dreamed that I was in a puddle of mud or even a toilet. Sometimes, I dreamed that I fell into a cesspit or that I was sleeping in the toilet. I knew that Master was giving me hints, but I always forgave myself and said I would do the exercises later. In this way, day by day and year by year, I wasted a lot of time. Although I knew I needed to do something, I still couldn’t make up my mind to get rid of the interference of sleepiness. I was also ashamed, which is why I didn’t write experience-sharing articles. Master said,

“...If your will is not firm,The hurdles are like mountains.How will you transcend this mortal life?”(“Severing,” Hong Yin II)

From the principles of the Fa, I understood that cultivation is not difficult, the difficulty is that I cannot let my attachments go. As far as my current cultivation state is concerned, my will is not firm. I have not been steadfast, and I was unable to make up my mind to break through the layer of matter that caused all kinds of bad thoughts to take advantage of my loopholes, interfere with me, and drag me down.

Now is the time for me to completely clean up all distractions and strengthen my righteous thoughts! Every thought, every word, and every action must be based on the Fa. I want to be a true Dafa disciple and regard myself as a genuine practitioner.

When I truly regard myself as a Dafa practitioner and always insist that I accord with higher standards, it is no longer difficult to get up early. As long as there is this firm thought, sleepiness does not exist. In the early morning when people are still asleep, the soothing and beautiful exercise music starts. As I do the exercises, I realize and experience the beauty and excellence that are not available in the everyday world. I am surrounded by energy and feel my whole body meld into Dafa’s energy.

It is not difficult to be diligent for one day or two, but it is difficult to be persistent. In actual practice, if I can maintain an unchanging routine in doing the morning exercises for 10 years, I will be a practitioner who is brave and strives to attain a Buddha’s divine status.

The above is my current understanding. This is also the beginning of a change in my cultivation state. Thank you, fellow practitioners, for alerting me to this sharing experience!