(Minghui.org) I began cultivating Falun Dafa in 1996 and am now 77 years old. In recent years, I noticed signs of aging but didn’t take them seriously. However, while carrying a fifty-pound bag of rice upstairs one day, I suddenly strained my back. This limited my mobility and plunged me into the challenges of aging. I now wish to share my cultivation experiences from the past year of overcoming this ordeal with fellow practitioners.
In Zhuan Falun, and other scriptures from lectures across various locations, Master has repeatedly addressed the topic of cultivation for the elderly. When studying the Fa before, I always felt that “old age” was still far from me. This time, studying again amidst adversity, I understood more. By clearing away the negative thoughts, I strengthened my resolve to return to my original true self. Master has repeatedly enlightened me through the Fa, guiding me toward the state one should cultivate.
A three-week bout of red eye symptoms (a medical condition with many causes) served as a wake-up call, reminding me to avoid online pollution and purify my mind. The persistent red eye condition stemmed entirely from phone use, video scrolling, and online shopping. Bad habits I had already overcome resurfaced, justified by the excuse that my phone contained professional information.
In reality, I was browsing mostly irrelevant content—especially videos related to qigong practice—which immediately penetrated my body and even created interference. This red eye episode serves as a reminder to completely abandon these harmful habits and dedicate the freed-up time to studying the Fa.
The back pain also reminded me to treat cultivation seriously. Besides doing the three tasks as a Dafa cultivator, we also need to eliminate notions, not to treat practicing as a form of insurance, not to take the tasks we carry out lightly, or just go through the motions without much thought.
Over the past year, with a devout heart, I reverently copied Zhuan Falun twice. Each day, I transcribed two or three pages, focusing not on quantity but on internalizing the meaning. As I copied by hand and read aloud, silently reciting in my mind, I immersed myself wholly in the Fa, finding boundless joy.
Simultaneously, I studied Master’s other lectures, Hong Yin, Essentials for Further Advancement, and recently published scriptures. Dafa has cleansed my mind of various negative thoughts, karma, and harmful notions, eliminating external disturbances.
My mind has become clear and peaceful, and I have benefited greatly. Physical changes have also been significant: my hands no longer tremble, the age spots on my hands have gradually faded, and my legs and feet feel strong. I have come to understand that matter and mind are one, and a profound and subtle nature of the Fa principles.
I must cultivate myself to eliminate complacency and increase practice time. The repeated occurrence of insomnia throughout the year—something I’d never experienced before—is no coincidence.
For me personally, extending practice time stems from two deep-seated reasons: First, during periods of severe persecution, evil forces deprived me of both space and time for practice. Coupled with my own insufficient righteous thoughts, I focused solely on meditation for an extended period, neglecting the standing exercises.
Another subjective reason was that during morning exercise, my mind was impure and filled with random thoughts, and I failed to achieve stillness. This significantly impaired the effectiveness of the exercises. I failed to follow Master’s arrangements. Though I’ve practiced for two to three decades, my actual practice time has fallen far short of what’s required. Thus, increasing my practice time now also serves to make up for past shortcomings.
Recalling the days of group morning exercise, gathering at the park before work to practice together—those were truly unforgettable, beautiful times. The energy at the practice site was incredibly strong. The morning air was fresh, filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers, while the practice music was gentle and soothing. Plus, instructors were always present to help everyone correct their movements.
After July 20th, mainland China lost its environment for group exercise, and times became self-determined based on individual circumstances. Most fellow practitioners around me increased their time by adding an evening session to their morning routine. Master enlightened me to add practice time in the early morning.
Now, my exercise begins immediately after sending forth righteous thoughts. Of course, this requires adjusting daily habits, completely eliminating any inclination toward comfort, and maintaining a consistent, well-suited practice routine within my environment. I am determined to persevere steadfastly in cultivation. I am deeply grateful for Master’s compassionate guidance and blessings!
In my predicament, I kept pondering this question: If cultivating Dafa can transform people toward youthfulness, why am I experiencing such severe aging?
Master taught us:
“A person’s gong will not increase if he merely does the exercises and fails to cultivate his character. Meanwhile, a person who only cultivates his character but does not perform the exercises of the Great Way of Spiritual Perfection will find the growth of his gong strength impeded and his innate body (ben-ti) unchanged.” (The Great Way of Spiritual Perfection)
Therefore, during morning exercise, we should strictly regulate our movements, immediately correct any long-neglected areas, eliminate doubt, remain steadfast, and cultivate to the end. The body and spirit should unite and integrate the five sets of exercises.
After correcting my foundation, I truly felt the profound mystery of morning exercise—where mastery is revealed in the subtleties, and is indescribably wonderful. Comparing my movements to instructional videos, my practice seemed largely accurate. Yet that is not enough; I need to pay close attention and not let my mind wander. Only then can one achieve complete unity of body and mind throughout the entire morning exercise.
During my ordeal, Dafa manifested miracles, purifying my body and mind once again. I experienced the wonder and magnificence of Dafa cultivation anew, feeling a sense of freshness akin to the beginning of cultivation.
Physically, my sprained back healed completely in just two months, without missing a single day of practice. My skin became smooth and fair, my posture straightened, my legs strengthened, and I walked with energy, no longer experiencing shortness of breath. The age spots on the back of my hands gradually faded, my hands stopped trembling, and I no longer shook when holding chopsticks. My memory also greatly recovered and improved, and I was energetic and cheerful every day.
My current understanding is that the cultivation issues faced by elderly Dafa disciples are extremely serious. Influenced by the common notion that “old age is inevitable,” we, too, have accepted this as normal.
The phenomenon of aging is also an enigma that every elderly practitioner encounters. It tests the depth of one’s genuine faith in Dafa and is a hurdle that must be overcome. This hurdle carries the risk of either ascending or falling; mishandle it, and one may slip backward. Several years ago, I actually stumbled on this very issue.
Since everyone’s karma varies, the cultivation path is also uniquely arranged for each individual—it cannot be uniform. I am well aware that several members of my family passed away in their 70s and 80s. I regard each day of my present life as a gift extended by Dafa through cultivation.
I devote myself wholeheartedly to practicing Dafa and diligently fulfill the three tasks to the best of my ability. I realize that the signs of aging appearing in my body are not coincidental; they serve as a reminder. Only by eliminating the notion of aging from my heart can I rid my body of these signs.
There is another extremely serious issue: signs of aging are often accompanied by sickness karma. The slightest inattention can lead to major tribulations, especially for older practitioners—this is a significant hurdle, and it may even result in losing one’s physical body. Cultivation involves no trivial matters; this should serve as a wake-up call for us all!