A fellow practitioner in her 70s, dressed in thin clothes, recently visited me. She told me that she was not cold and even wore such clothes in the cold of winter. I felt the need to wear a coat that day, and I am in my 50s.
She had changed from six months prior and looked younger than her age. She told me that this was Falun Dafa’s mighty power.
Her daily routine includes getting up at 2:30 a.m. to meditate for two hours. After meditation she sends forth righteous thoughts, then reads one lecture from Zhuan Falun. She then goes out to clarify the facts about Falun Dafa to people, and in the afternoon she reads two or sometimes three lectures of Zhuan Falun.
I was impressed, and my eyes filled with tears. I felt that I had fallen behind in my cultivation.
She was in a hurry and left after our conversation. I realised that Master had arranged our meeting, since my xinxing was not improving. There was a big gap in cultivation level between myself and this practitioner.
Struggling to Become Diligent in Cultivation
I reflected on my recent cultivation path, which had been extremely difficult. I could not get up for the global sending of righteous thoughts in the morning and would fall back to sleep after the alarm rang. Before I knew it an hour had passed, so I would get up feeling sad. I tried to catch up on my practice at night but then became drowsy while reading the Fa.
I knew this state was not good, and I was struggling to become diligent. I looked within and found that I had not let go of my attachments to fame, profit, and emotions. I also had the attachment to doing things, showing off, competition, and seeking comfort.
I became determined to send forth righteous thoughts to break through these obstacles and promised Master that I would be able to overcome this challenge. I told the old forces that I would only follow the path Master had arranged.
Determination Brings Results
When doing the sitting meditation and sending righteous thoughts I would start to struggle with leg pain after 30 minutes and could not become tranquil. I thought I had endured some hardship in the meditation. I realised that I had been filled with human notions, without enlightening to the power and wonderfulness of the Fa. I was determined to improve from now on.
I was also determined to improve my Fa study. I could previously not sit through reading an entire lecture without getting drowsy. That day I read more than five lectures and did not feel sleepy.
Before falling asleep, I set my alarm for 3:00 a.m., and asked Master to strengthen my righteous thoughts, so I could do the exercises. The old forces put a thought into my mind—you cannot get up that early, you will doze off! I eliminated that thought. I felt clearheaded, and did the sitting meditation for an hour and forty-five minutes, followed by 30 minutes of sending righteous thoughts.
This was my first time breaking through two hours of sitting. I did not feel tired or sleepy, and I reached a tranquility I had never before experienced. I thanked Master for strengthening me.
This really reflected what Master said:
“…cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” (Zhuan Falun)
I realised that as long as we are determined to cultivate, Master can do anything for us.
(Clearwisdom)