(Clearwisdom.net) I am a veteran practitioner who started practicing Falun Dafa in the early part of 1999. Since then, I've experienced many trials and tribulations. I also walked down a wrong path and have some regrets. However, with Master's merciful protection, I picked myself up and got back on the path of cultivation. After practicing as diligently as I could, I finally managed to catch up with my fellow practitioners.
Studying the Fa
To be a true disciple, I need to study the Fa more. In fact, the only reason I traveled down a wrong path was that I didn't study the Fa well. Sometimes I studied the Fa as part of my daily “routine,” instead of actually cultivating myself. I only knew that I needed to learn the Fa, but I did not look inward and use the Fa to correct myself.
After studying the Fa and cultivating myself for a long time, I can now use my whole mind to learn the Fa. As a result, its profound meaning is displayed before me. I have also memorized Zhuan Falun and read through all of the other articles written by Master twice.
Now, every time I study the Fa, the Fa's principles are clearer to me. I recall a time when I needed to pass a particular character test. I had not been able to pass for a long time, because I was used to viewing things using the thinking of the Chinese Communist Party culture.
I always thought others did not fit into my conventional way of thinking and I preferred to change them, rather than change myself. That is the selfish nature of the old universe. Whenever I spoke, I would automatically use the Party's thinking and language, which held back my true self. While studying the Fa, Master gave me a hint, that is, human concepts are also alive. As Master said: "Any matter's life can manifest in other dimensions." (Zhuan Falun)
Once I knew this principle, Master helped me to remove the distorted concepts of the CCP.
One day I had a conflict with a fellow practitioner. I had recently understood that this conflict was arranged to enlarge the capacity of my mind. At that time, my true self and false self fought with each other. My true self told me that I should meet the standard required by the Fa and therefore treat this fellow practitioner with kindness. Yet the false self, which was formed by layers and layers of everyday concepts, said: “You did it right—you should just ignore her.” Finally, I overcame these bad thoughts by using Dafa to adjust myself and got rid of the old forces' interference. It was truly as Master said: "True thoughts dissolve all. The whole sky is clear." (“Stirred by Reflection,” June 29, 2010)
When I used to chat with others and mentioned my child, who is also a practitioner, I always mentioned that he behaved just like his grandma. That is to say, he was fiercely competitive, liked to showoff, and always blamed others for his problems.
Through studying the Fa and sharing with fellow practitioners, I started to look inward and found that all the attachments that my child had were exactly the same ones that I needed to get rid of. So I used my child as a mirror and began to cultivate myself. If my child exhibited competitive behavior, it was time for me to look inward and get rid of my own competitiveness. If my child ate a lot, that showed me that I still had an attachment to food. If my child exhibited a showoff mentality, it meant that I still had this same showoff mentality.
In this way, I got rid of a lot of character flaws. By understanding different levels of Dafa's principles, my character steadily improved. Before, I was always critical of others and even talked to others in a critical tone. Now I treat everyone more compassionately. I also realized the importance of studying the Fa and understand that: "Righteous thoughts stem from the Fa" (“Be More Diligent”).
Sending Forth Righteous Thoughts
Since I cultivated the Fa diligently, I did the three things well. I knew it was Venerable Master who told us to send forth righteous thoughts, so I started doing it. But because I cultivated with my third eye closed, and since I could not see anything that happened in other dimensions, sending forth righteous thoughts was just a formality for me. I did what I was supposed to do, but I could not see the results in other dimensions.
Then I read a talk by Master where he mentioned the importance of sending righteous thoughts. I also read experience sharing articles on the Minghui/Clearwisdom website related to this topic. I finally understood the importance of sending righteous thoughts and spent more time doing it. Sometimes, I sent righteous thoughts with fellow practitioners; other times I did it by myself at home.
By studying the Fa and sending righteous thoughts for longer periods of time, I experienced the joy of sending righteous thoughts. I also felt that I had cleared up my own dimensional field.
For a long time, I experienced interference while sending forth righteous thoughts. It felt like a cold draft was blowing on my back.
Through studying the Fa, sending righteous thoughts for extended periods of time, and sharing experiences with fellow practitioners, I realized that this was bad elements in other dimensions interfering with me.
I realized that I had been acknowledging the interference, which was equivalent to wanting it, thus, it could interfere with me. After I realized this principle, that phenomena disappeared straight away. That same night, I had a very clear dream in which Master gave me a hint. He also cleared out the remaining bad stuff that was interfering with me.
Later, I noticed a growth the size of a yuan coin growing on my back just above my waist. It was neither red nor swollen and soon disappeared. This made me understand the connection between the body and the universe, and also made me feel the mighty power of our Master.
One day, one of our local practitioners was taken away. Soon my fears emerged, which caused me to slack off doing the three things. Through studying the Fa and sending righteous thoughts, the interfering elements were eliminated and my righteous thoughts were strengthened. I could once again do the three things well.
Once, I drove to my hometown. On my way home, I suddenly felt tired, both mentally and physically. If it had happened before, I would have gone home early and taken a nap. But this time it was different. Whenever the thought of being tired arose, I immediately caught myself and thought, “If you feel tired in your body and mind, that is coming from your human mind. Isn't that part of the human realm? Does an enlightened being feel tired?” I sent forth a thought to eliminate all of my human elements. After that, my whole body felt much lighter.
I realized that sending forth righteous thoughts was a battle between good and evil. When I sent forth righteous thoughts, bad elements always tried to interfere with me. When they did, I would catch them and destroy them. I was finally able to eliminate the old forces' elements, the principles belonging to the old universe, human notions, concepts, and attachments.
Clarifying the Truth
I kept clarifying the truth in an effort to save sentient beings and was able to save some of my good friends, relatives, and others with predestined relationships. All of them knew the truth and were thus saved by Dafa. Even though I did break through a lot of different levels during this time, it was still not enough, as I did not study the Fa well.
I often missed opportunities to clarify the truth, due to my fears and human notions. Some people with predestined relationships listened to my truth clarification for several years, but they still had not clearly known the truth. I was filled with regrets over this.
Through studying the Fa, I understood that: "The entire cultivation process for a practitioner is one of constantly giving up human attachments." (Zhuan Falun) I understood that if my selfish thoughts and bad substances were not removed, then I would not be able to reach the new universe's standard. If I want to step out of the old universe and into the new universe, I must get rid of my human attachments, and only then I can I have a compassionate mind, and only then will I be able to save more sentient beings.
Once, when I wasn't cultivating myself very well, I went shopping. When I clarified the truth, someone that did not know the truth set me up, and I was taken away to the local police station. While in custody, I neither complained nor felt hatred. With compassion in my mind, I told them the truth: “Every sentient being came for the Fa. You all know that Falun Dafa is good! Zhen-Shan-Ren is good! You all should play a good role in society. Venerable Master and Dafa will bring you good future!”
I was constantly sending righteous thoughts and, as a result, my whole dimensional field was peaceful and compassionate. With Master's merciful protection, I was released within a few hours. I again read Master's article in which he said, "Compassion is an enormous energy, the energy of righteous gods." (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference”)
Now I had a deeper understanding regarding this principle.
While going through many tribulations with my husband, I still held onto my emotions. Thus, the old forces used this as an excuse and made my husband divorce me. He found ample support from our good friends and relatives. While I was going through all of this, I decided not to be affected.
From 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., I did nothing but calmly clarify the truth to them. Because I had the Fa and saving sentient beings in my mind, my righteous thoughts broke through the so-called test that was set up by the old forces, and no one accumulated any karma.
My family experienced this event as a big tribulation, but I never avoided the topic when I clarified the truth. Someone once said, “Since you say that withdrawing from the CCP and its affiliated organizations will bring good fortune, why did you experience such misfortune?”
Then I would tell them the details of my experience. Doing good will get you good rewards and doing bad will get you bad results. This is a very fair Heavenly principle. People would then understand the truth and chose a good future.
When dealing with fellow practitioners, I was able to follow orders and cooperate with them to clarify the truth, send forth righteous thoughts, and encourage former practitioners to improve as a whole, to elevate as a whole body, and fulfill our duty as Master arranged.
Through my years of cultivation, I have truly felt Master's majesty, along with Dafa's miraculous and mighty power. My greatest honor is that Master chose me as a Falun Dafa disciple, which is the highest title in the universe.
Meanwhile, as a Fa-rectification Dafa disciple, we have a very important task ahead of us, that is, to help Master rectify the universe and to save all sentient beings.
To ensure that I will be able to return home, I need to study the Fa well and, with a calm mind, do the three things well and not let Master down or dash the hopes of all sentient beings.
Due to my limited understanding, please kindly point out anything improper.
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