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My Experience of Giving Up Attachment to My Smartphone

July 14, 2024 |   By a Dafa practitioner in China

(Minghui.org) I’m a young Dafa disciple who enjoyed using a computer, iPad, and smartphone. There are two sides to using these devices. On the positive side, I was able to quickly grasp and learn technical skills. I could also help other practitioners with tasks like installing operating systems. On the negative side, addictive behavior emerged while using these devices in my spare time. I enjoyed watching Korean shows, Western movies, and short videos, and also liked online shopping, among other things. I noticed that although it seemed these things weren’t related to CCP culture, they nonetheless greatly weakened my will to cultivate diligently. Time passed quickly—hours would slip by, and I struggleed to concentrate during Fa study.

I tried for a long time to break through this attachment but did not succeed, but my determination to improve remained. There were a few days when I started feeling a foggy sensation in my head, as if something negative was clinging to me. I recalled past experiences when similar feelings preceded my indulging in watching videos on my smartphone, which alerted me. I decided to let go of this attachment by intensifying my righteous thoughts and spending long hours clearing my dimensional field.

Instead of driving to and from work, I started walking, which took nearly an hour each way. During this time, I focused on sending righteous thoughts. If I couldn’t do it during the day, I would do it when I got home in the evening. Every morning at nine o’clock sharp, I sent righteous thoughts for half an hour. Additionally, I would do it for half an hour at noon and six o’clock in the evening. When I felt weak, I sometimes asked Master to strengthen my righteous thoughts. During these sessions, I felt a surge of powerful energy.

After persisting for some time, I felt my state improve. However, that negative influence still persisted. I looked inward and discovered that I still enjoyed watching videos from Dongtaiwang [an overseas website that can be accessed in China to break through the CCP’s Internet blockade]. While I had stopped watching regular videos, I still felt attached to the ones made by Dafa practitioners, especially news updates, and I spent quite some time on this habit. Sometimes during lunch, I would quickly open my computer to watch these videos while eating, thinking it was okay because they were made by Dafa practitioners. Some practitioners said it was difficult to break through the CCP’s Internet firewall, but I never felt that way, as the videos played smoothly. I later decided to remove Dongtaiwang from my bookmarks. During lunch, I instead listened to programs discussing the disintegration of the CCP. The more I listened, the more interesting it became. I also listened while working if I was not busy.

After I stopped watching short videos and constantly checking my phone, I found that I had time to read experience sharing articles from other practitioners. It had been some time since I had read sharing articles. I downloaded several months’ worth of Minghui Weekly and started reading the articles, one by one. The more I read, the more deeply I was moved, and I was eager to continue. Other practitioners endured hardships in their cultivation, yet they measured everything with the principles of Dafa, which deeply touched me. I felt I was truly improving bit by bit.

In one sharing article, the practitioner recounted how her daughter-in-law reported her husband for practicing cultivation. Despite this, the practitioner wholeheartedly cared for and accommodated her. She bought groceries for her daughter-in-law and stored them in her fridge while taking away the old ones. Despite the daughter-in-law’s persistent resistance, the practitioner continued to hold herself to the standards of Dafa. I truly admired her steadfast cultivation.

In contrast, I used to look down on my sister-in-law, finding fault with her for being overly demanding, staying at home doing nothing, and always criticizing others. She would block me if I didn’t answer her calls or reply to her messages promptly, and she also complained about the gifts I gave her. In short, I never seemed to know how to avoid getting on her nerves. I have recently changed my perspective. I know she isn’t as bad or as unreasonable as I thought. I knew that without the guidance of Dafa, ordinary people like her were just trying to get by.

I can now truly devote myself wholeheartedly to validating Dafa. I have fewer distracting thoughts. When walking or driving, I send righteous thoughts whenever possible, and recite “Your Main Consciousness Should Dominate” in Zhuan Falun. When encountering issues at work, I am able to look inward.

In the past, I used to get angry over trivial matters, but now I can really calm down and consistently look within. Previously, after resting at home for a while, I would adjust my cultivation state. No matter how I reminded myself to be a true cultivator at work, however, I often forgot this when facing challenges. I’m now able to keep my mind stable throughout the day.

After the Chinese New Year holiday, work became busy, and I hadn’t distributed any truth-clarifying materials for nearly two months. But after I started sending righteous thoughts for extended periods, improvements gradually happened without my awareness.

When I went out to distribute materials a few days ago, I found myself hesitating and feeling stuck, despite being eager to go out. It was as if something was holding me back. I eventually stepped out, carrying the materials on my back. When I had successfully distributed three sets of brochures, a sense of joy emerged from deep within me. It wasn’t just happiness; it was an indescribable joy! Perhaps it was the joy of all the beings in my world. Afterward, distributing the remaining materials went smoothly.

I believe that many things are interconnected, such as my continuously memorizing Zhuan Falun. Since the Chinese New Year, I have been focusing more on memorizing the Fa, and through the process I’ve gained insights that I didn’t grasp while reading. I’ve also come to understand the importance of looking inward. Long sessions of sending righteous thoughts, combined with memorizing the Fa, and a strong desire to improve, gradually helped me progress in various aspects.

Of course, there are still areas where I need to improve. My cultivation isn’t as diligent as it should be, and I haven’t done enough in saving people. These are areas I must break through and excel in. I will strive to do better.

I hope other practitioners who, like me, are addicted to their phones can set them aside, break this habit, and focus on diligent cultivation.