(Minghui.org) I’d like to share my experience from several years ago to show how powerful righteous thoughts are and how important it is to negate the old forces.
My left leg started to hurt in 2019. Later on, I was not able to sit in the full lotus position when doing the sitting meditation. Then I felt pain even if I sat in the half lotus position. I could hardly sit for one hour when doing the meditation exercise.
I had practiced Falun Dafa for over 20 years at that point, but I was not able to sit in the lotus position in the end. Wasn’t it laughable? But it was really painful and I almost cried. What was the reason? Was it because I was experiencing menopause and my legs became hard as I was almost 50 years old? Or was it because I didn’t layer up in the cold winter? Or was it because I stood for too long during the day at my new job? It seemed everything contributed to my leg pain, yet none of these things was the cause. I had to put up with it and studied the Fa, practiced the exercises, and worked as usual.
We read Lecture Six of Zhuan Falun at the big group Fa study one Friday evening. My legs were in pain and I was not able to sit in the lotus position. The pain lasted the entire Fa study. Why were my legs so painful?
I believe that Master saw that I couldn’t figure out why and gave me a hint. I realized that it might have something to do with my desire and lust as we studied Lecture Six which directly addresses lust. I must expose my attachment and dissolve it. I decided to send forth righteous thoughts to dissolve the attachments to desire and lust.
The next day was the weekend and I spent half an hour sending forth righteous thoughts to clear away my attachment to desire and lust. But I didn’t feel I had achieved a good result. This attachment was not formed in a short period of time, so it could take a while to eliminate it.
I was about to stop sending forth righteous thoughts when some insights appeared in my mind. Even if I had omissions, I would rectify them in the Fa. I wouldn’t allow the old forces to persecute me or interfere with me. I realized that it must be the old forces’ interference and persecution if I couldn’t practice the meditation or live a normal life due to the pain. I shouldn’t accept it and must eliminate it. I continued sending forth righteous thoughts to dissolve the old forces’ persecution. I sent out this thought: even if I have omissions, I will rectify them in the Fa and not allow the old forces to persecute me. I sent righteous thoughts to dissolve the evil spirits, dark minions, and rotten demons.
My leg pain miraculously stopped. I felt like something was taken off my leg.
I was surprised how one thought could be so decisive. I realized that my thought was right and in line with the Fa. The old forces didn’t dare to persecute me and the tribulation was dissolved. I felt very light. At that moment one voice said to me, “You barely passed it.”
I realized that it was the old forces who said that. The old forces are not qualified to test me. Master arranges everything for Dafa disciples. Nobody but Master is worthy of arranging the paths of Dafa practitioners. If the old forces say that Dafa practitioners pass their tests, and we also think we met the standard and become satisfied, haven’t we acknowledged the old forces’ arrangements? Wouldn’t we be cultivating ourselves within the tribulations set up by the old forces?
I now have a clearer understanding that everything done by the old forces should not be acknowledged even if the evil acknowledges us and thinks we passed the test. We don’t acknowledge it, and don’t acknowledge the old forces. I sent forth righteous thoughts further to eliminate the dark minions and rotten demons.
Master said,
“Regardless of whether it’s the old forces’ arrangements or karma, we should first of all examine ourselves. I ask you to cleanse yourselves first even when you send righteous thoughts. Look at yourself first, and if you discover that you have a problem, take care of it. With that the old forces won’t be able to do anything; when they can’t find anything to hold against you they will back off. Of course, at the current time even if the old forces want to back off, that won’t do—clear them away entirely. After you cleanse yourself when you sit to send righteous thoughts, clear them away.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Practitioners,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume VI)
My understanding is that we must completely negate the old forces’ persecution, negate them, and eliminate them until they are completely destroyed. At the same time, we must cultivate ourselves well, let go of all attachments, assimilate to the Fa unconditionally and live up to the requirements of Falun Dafa.
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Category: Improving Oneself
