(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1996, but I did not actively cultivate myself until 1999. My cultivation state was not stable. I became passive about my job and could not achieve the diligent state of “...cultivating as if you were just starting...” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. IX)
At work, I often delayed my assignments until they could no longer be delayed, so I did poorly in my company. At home I was also reluctant to do the things I should do. Sometimes I cultivated diligently, but other times I just could not study the Fa and do the exercises well. This adversely impacted my cultivation environment at home and my ability to clarify the truth.
With the rapid progress of Master’s Fa-rectification, I realized I must change my state, otherwise I would miss the precious opportunity. I strengthened my Fa study and sending forth righteous thoughts, and I spent more time studying the Fa every day. I started to take the subway instead of driving to work every day, so that I could use the commute time to study the Fa.
I began reading other practitioners’ experience sharing articles on the Minghui website. Many practitioners who did well with Dafa work also diligently studied the Fa and sent forth righteous thoughts. I started taking sending forth righteous thoughts more seriously and extended the time. For example, I began extending the time I sent forth righteous thoughts in close proximity to prisons from thirty minutes to an hour. I gradually cultivated myself more diligently than before.
When I read on Minghui that some local practitioners were illegally imprisoned and suffered brutal persecution, I went there and sent forth righteous thoughts. However I felt my righteous thoughts were not strong enough, and extending the time did not improve my state either.
My youngest daughter (also a practitioner) told me that she suddenly saw something evil like a virus or bug wearing a crown, holding a scepter in its hand and staring at us viciously. It had an evil-looking grin, looking threatening and mocking us. Behind it were a bunch of smaller viruses and bugs.
I went near the prison to send forth righteous thoughts again but still felt my righteous thoughts were very weak. I lacked the sacred state of mind, and felt as if my ability and thoughts were imprisoned. I wondered if my cultivation state was not good, or if my Fa instruments were not powerful enough. I also wondered if I could upgrade my Fa instruments in order to thoroughly clear out the negative things.
After I returned home, my daughter told me that she saw Master give us a divine bow, which was much more powerful than before. The divine bow shone with a powerful glow, and had more gems on it.
I suddenly remembered Master’s Fa which greatly enlightened me,
“When a person’s human attachments are strong, you won’t be able to see his righteous side; only when their righteous thoughts are strong will you feel that Dafa disciples are different. That is why you often cannot see clearly other practitioners’ states. Human attachments won’t necessarily show themselves in the same way. So they can make you feel powerless, down, or make you lethargic and lazy; this thing tries to keep you from being energetic. Let me tell you that a lot of those bad, microscopic beings cover you and your thinking like dust, but they’re actually nothing, and when you send righteous thoughts you can eliminate those rotten things.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference”)
“But many Dafa disciples just have weak righteous thoughts and act as though they are powerless [to change things]. Sometimes in your cultivation you are unable to pass a test or identify your attachments, and that’s because you have not taken some little problem(s) seriously. But actually, no matter how small a problem is, it’s unacceptable if you can’t meet the standard. As time goes by, the person will become dispirited, and they will amplify this feeling. The karma elimination that is manifesting right now is also caused by these low, rotten things.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference”)
I began to try to eliminate the rotten things arranged by the old forces in my body. I told myself that I could eliminate them with a single righteous thought. As a result, it took me only a short time to send righteous thoughts, specifically targeting and eliminating these things. When I sent righteous thoughts with complete faith in the Fa, I could feel they were strong enough to split a mountain.
Afterwards, I started to send forth righteous thoughts towards the prison again. I felt a steady stream of powerful energy surrounding me, and I felt like I had entered another dimension. I felt holy, powerful and invincible, and my power completely overwhelmed the evil.
I now feel energetic and full of righteous thoughts instead of feeling dispirited and lazy.
I suggest that if other practitioners feel depressed as I did, they should pay attention to sending forth righteous thoughts targeting the low-level rotten things. Let us all become energetic and diligent again.
Thank you Master for your compassionate salvation.
This is just my personal understanding. Please kindly point out any inappropriate.