(Minghui.org) About six months ago, after doing the Falun Dafa exercises, I planned to read Zhuan Falun, Falun Dafa's main text, but instead went back to bed and slept for half an hour. I was awoken by a dream.
I dreamed that I needed to take an exam, so I got up and intended to wash my hair. Soaking wet in the shower, I couldn’t find the shampoo. I became anxious about getting out of the house on time to take the exam—I couldn't be late. My irritation at the situation made me kick my legs and slap my arms against my blanket.
In my dream, I finally found the shampoo, washed my hair, and rushed to the examination place. Then, I couldn't find the designated room and my seat. I felt regret in my heart.
Later, I dreamed that I was floating in the sky above a lotus pond. I flapped my wings hard but couldn’t rise very high—only two meters above the pond.
When I awoke from the dream, I instantly felt an urgent need to cultivate diligently. From that day on I didn’t dare go back to bed in the morning. When I realized I might miss the exam, I couldn’t sleep at all. I did the morning exercises on time and after I finished, I listened to Master's (the founder of Falun Dafa) lectures or read Zhuan Falun. I maintained this routine for a while.
Last night, in another dream, Master Li was teaching the Fa to a group disciples who were seated in a circle. I was sleeping in a bed nearby. When Master was almost finished, I woke up and wanted to listen to him too; but Master had already finished talking; so I heard nothing. Then, Master led the disciples on a walk to a beautiful place. I saw in the distance a lake with clear, blue water and people bathing in it.
I followed closely behind Master, but after a few steps, a huge rock appeared in front of me. I had to get over this 3-meter high rock to reach the place with the beautiful water. I wondered how I could jump over such a big rock and hoped Master would hold my hand. But Master didn’t look back. I didn’t have much time to think, and became determined in my heart. I closed my eyes and jumped over the rock and went to the lake.
The path Master arranged for our cultivation is equal to our ability to follow it. Even when other practitioners followed Master easily in my dream, I dared not act because I was sleeping when Master taught the Fa.
I wanted to follow Master but I knew if I didn’t have the Fa in my heart, I couldn't catch up. Even a rock could block my way. But when I was determined in my mind, I found it wasn’t so hard to get over the obstacle. All it took was a change in thinking.
When the weather turned cold in the winter, I didn't want to get up. I only wanted to stay in bed under the warm covers. I told myself I could finish the exercises later in the day, but, I usually didn’t have time and wouldn’t complete all five exercises. When I didn’t do well in doing my exercises, the two hours extra sleep didn't help with my fatigue. I had no energy and my spirit didn’t feel right. Studying the Fa and sending righteous thoughts were also negatively impacted.
When clarifying the facts about Dafa, I couldn’t answer people’s questions well because there was no power from the Fa. A Dafa disciple’s life must be supported with the Fa.
The state of desiring comfort made me feel weak, as if I hadn't eaten for a long time.
Master said:
“So, for Dafa disciples, things overall have become ever more relaxed and comfortable. But as things get more comfortable, the pressure lessens; and when the pressure is lessened, it's apt to lead to a desire for comfort, to wanting a little more ease, to relaxing a little bit, and to seeking some relief. But the reality is, each Dafa disciple's life has been tightly wed to, like links in a chain, his cultivation. So when you relax yourself, it amounts to relaxing in your cultivation.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. IX )
I noticed that my cultivation visibly improved whenever I was more strict with myself. I didn’t have the inclination to waste time when my body and mind were filled with the Fa, and I could feel the happiness of assimilating to the Fa every day.
Whenever I wasn’t careful, I may have relaxed my requirements. The desire for comfort also arose when I was diligent because I would think I had been in a good state recently and it might be fine to relax a little bit. After that, my intention to relax crept in and weakened my diligence.
There are tests everywhere on the cultivation path. We must be aware of small things that may not be obvious. We must never relax the requirements we have for ourselves.