A Canadian practitioner

(Clearwisdom.net) Sometimes it seems that when we share or discuss we get trapped in the humanness of being in a situation, and we try hard to find psychological breakthroughs or other answers with our human minds. Sometimes we get so excited with our progress we can't contain our happiness, and then the next day we can't even look in the mirror because we feel so unworthy and depressed. It's almost like we have let go of the anchor that kept us in balance in the first place, and now we are once again going around and around in the massive whirlpool of our human thought patterns and notions, trying to find some sort of solid ground.

In Zhuan Falun, Teacher said, "You must be strict with yourself. In cultivation of the Buddha Fa, you should strive forward vigorously." (Zhuan Falun - Lecture 9: People with Great Inborn Quality ). Teacher also told us, "In order to ascend further, the standard must be raised as well." (Zhuan Falun - Lecture 4: Upgrading Xinxing ). My understanding is that without adhering to strict standards, the demons and the evil will poison us for sure, make us think way too much, make us lazy, angry, jealous, lustful, doubtful, complacent, excited, depressed, confused etc.

At a recent Fa Conference, Teacher addressed the situation of practitioners who were stuck in long term problems they could not resolve, saying, "I really have to ask you: Are you truly cultivating? Have you truly followed Dafa's requirements? " ("Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference")

I realized it seems so easy to look for answers everywhere else instead of truly looking inside and asking myself, "Am I truly cultivating? Am I truly holding myself to strict standards?" The answer I came up with was "No."

For the past month I have been getting up after righteous thoughts and doing the exercises. I have also been reading a few chapters a day. I can't believe how powerful just being determined to do the standing exercises every morning has been.  I felt it right away. I truly saw my mind and the old demons trying to make me sway off the path. Laziness, excuses, doubt...I can't believe how powerful I felt after even one day! Only one month has gone by and I feel so much different. I have so much more control over my wandering thoughts. I can keep my mouth shut without saying bad things, and I feel so much stronger when desires and pursuits try to take me down. I don't feel afraid when I clarify the truth to groups or individuals and I have even stopped criticizing others, which seems to be a widespread phenomenon. The first words in my mind when these evil thoughts or desires or emotions come in are, "I am a Dafa disciple, I follow Teacher Li Hongzhi, You cannot persecute me any longer, you are eliminated!" Finally, I have been given some true righteous thoughts and the power to eliminate the demons.

I also realized that righteous thoughts should be a continuous state. Sending forth righteous thoughts is not just a ritual we do four times a day, it should be a constant awareness with every thought we have. That is only achievable by holding ourselves to strict standards.

The only way practitioners can possibly break out of human thinking and notions is to not let our standards slip. We must read the book every day without pursuit. We must read with the heart of nothing else but wanting to follow Teacher. We must do the exercises every day as well as read the book every day. We must not slip. Sharing with others then becomes a healthy phenomenon within Dafa. To say we don't have time to do these things is a human excuse made by people at the human level. We should never, ever say this, as there really are no excuses. This is cultivation. It is serious, it is hard and it is our choice. "Grand talk counts for naught..." (from Teacher's poem, "The Knowing Heart") We must be determined.  We will never have this chance again. We must be strong. This is the standard I have set for myself. It has truly started to once again give me the answers I need at this time and I will not miss a day from now on.

Posting date: 11/23/2003
Original article date: 11/22/2003
Category: Practitioners' Insights

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