Overcoming Drowsiness While Sending Righteous Thoughts

(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Dafa in 1998. During my 28 years of cultivation, there were times when I cultivated diligently, and times when I was not as diligent and did not do as well in overcoming tribulations, but I didn’t give up. A few days ago, I read a practitioner’s sharing article about becoming drowsy and how his hand drooped when he sent forth righteous thoughts. Seeing that local practitioners also experienced similar situations, I decided to talk about my experience of how I overcame this.

When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) first began to persecute Falun Dafa, Master endowed us with the ability to send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate interference and assist him in Fa-rectification. My personal experience is that the more focused and powerful my righteous thoughts are, the faster the negative elements are disintegrated—often instantaneously. When I first began to send righteous thoughts, I could feel the tremendous power. Later, however, as I became increasingly occupied with making a living, I spent less time studying the Fa and doing the exercises. I was no longer as conscientious or punctual in sending righteous thoughts as before. My human attachments grew stronger. Sometimes my hand drooped or I became drowsy but I did not realize it. When other practitioners saw me falling asleep they woke me up. Although I said nothing, deep down I was not convinced that I had a problem and believed I was still fully alert. One day I finally realized the seriousness of not being clear-minded and allowing my hand to droop while sending righteous thoughts.

For more than six months, I became sleepy whenever I sent righteous thoughts. My body leaned to one side, I felt groggy, and my hand drooped. After a few minutes, I was unable to concentrate. I even developed the mistaken thought: “If sending righteous thoughts isn’t having any effect, then why sit here and pretend? Who am I doing this for?” Sometimes I simply stopped and went to sleep, thinking I would send righteous thoughts later when I was no longer tired. Afterward, I even felt I did the right thing because I wasn’t merely going through the motions.

Then one day while studying the Fa, Master’s teachings suddenly awakened me. Master said:

“Closing your eyes and not closing your eyes both have the same effect when you send righteous thoughts. If you keep your eyes open you need to reach a state where you don’t take note of anything you see in the dimension of everyday people.” (“Righteous Thoughts” in The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)

I thought, if I became sleepy while sending righteous thoughts, then why did I insist on keeping my eyes closed? Sending forth righteous thoughts is like going into battle. If I went to sleep, wasn’t I waiting to be attacked by the enemy? When I skipped sending righteous thoughts I didn’t even step onto the battlefield. Wasn’t I surrendering without a fight? I have Master and Dafa. I must be able to eliminate my sleepiness.

I began to send forth righteous thoughts with my eyes open. Following Master’s instructions, I kept my body upright and held my palm erect in front of my chest. No matter how sleepy I felt, I refused to close my eyes and I kept looking straight ahead. When it became especially difficult to endure, I clenched my teeth, tightened my fists, or even shook my head. I believed that at that very moment a fierce battle between righteousness and evil was taking place in other dimensions, and I absolutely could not compromise. I persevered.

After persevering for a little over a month, one evening while sending righteous thoughts, I saw I was in an intense confrontation with the demon of sleepiness. I was extremely tired and on the verge of being unable to continue. Suddenly, a cool stream rushed down from the top of my head and flowed through my entire body. Instantly, I felt as though I had entered a refreshing and tranquil world. I was completely alert and energized, and all the drowsiness vanished. The difference before and after was like that between two entirely different people. I knew that Master saw my determination to overcome sleepiness and he helped me eliminate it.

That was more than 20 years ago. Now, I no longer feel sleepy. Even if I’m tired, the moment I sit down and raise my palm, I immediately become clear-minded and alert. This truly demonstrates that “...cultivation depends on one’s own efforts while the transformation of gong is done by the master...” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)

Thank you, revered Master!