(Minghui.org) I started practicing Dafa cultivation in 1998, and it has been 26 years. Last year, my cultivation state was sometimes good and sometimes bad. Although I wished to cultivate well, I couldn’t break through that state. I thought it was all because of my work, that I didn’t have time to study the Fa or felt drowsy when studying it because of work. Thus, I wanted to quit my job. Master said, “I allow you to keep what you need for living in this human world without it compromising your practice...” (“Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XV)
Everything Master says is the Fa. So, why would my job affect my cultivation? I couldn’t understand what the problem was, and I was confused.
It wasn’t until I read Master’s recent articles “Stay Far Away from Peril” and “Cultivation in Dafa Is Serious” and then read other practitioners’ sharing articles that I suddenly understood the problem was me. I didn’t fully follow Master’s requirements, and I was not truly cultivating. I wanted to arrange my own path of cultivation because I did not believe that everything arranged by Master was the best for me.
For example, I work in a factory owned by my relatives. In the past, because there was not much work in the factory, and I was addicted to playing on my phone, I would often come in late and leave early. I didn’t work hard, yet I still earned a good salary.
After seriously cultivating during the last two years, I started working diligently in the factory. However, now I worked hard, but earned little money, and I was very tired. I didn’t have time to study the Fa, and I would often delay sending righteous thoughts at noon and in the evening. I was distressed and resentful that my relatives had made me do such tiring work, and they didn’t appreciate my work.
Master said,
““Since studying Falun Dafa, these workers have been coming to work early and going home late. They work very diligently and will do any assignment their supervisor gives. They also no longer compete for personal gain...”” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)
After studying the Fa, I suddenly realized that the problem again was within me, and it was my karma that caused this.
Master said:
“Namely, I’ll talk about, “Whatever Master wants, that’s what we’ll do.” Truth be told, sometimes your lips will be saying that whatever Master wants, that’s what you will do, but, as soon as you are faced with real-life circumstances, [what you said] gets diluted without your realizing it.” (“Be More Diligent,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume X)
I looked inward and realized that I kept thinking that working for long hours would make me tired and affect my cultivation, and I would then go to work one hour later. I even resented my relatives for not being more considerate and for being harsh on me. It’s not that my relatives were harsh, but that I needed to change my mindset. I realized I didn’t work hard previously, so now I need to work harder to make up for the time when I didn’t and what I owe my relatives.
I immediately changed my mindset, let go of resentment, and corrected my mistake by going to work on time. As soon as I changed, the environment around me changed as well. I now have time to send righteous thoughts at noon and in the evening; I would no longer feel drowsy when studying the Fa. By changing my incorrect mentality, everything improved.
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Category: Improving Oneself
