(Minghui.org) Before I became a Falun Dafa practitioner, my mind was so active, I never had a quiet moment. I believed that the more I thought about things, the more intelligent I would become.
After taking up the practice, I found that my habitual thinking had taken on the form of thought karma. I neglected to address the habit for a long time which made it hard for me to find my true self.
Master (Li Hongzhi) pointed things out to me one day when I was readingZhuan Falun, I was struck by a passage in “Practicing Evil Cultivation.”
Master Li said,
“Actually, they have already practiced evil cultivation unknowingly. If you say that this person is practicing an evil way, he or she will be unhappy: "I was taught by a well-known qigong master." But that well-known qigong master asks you to value de. Have you done it? During qigong practice, you always pitch in some bad thoughts. How can you say that you will emerge from the practice with good things? This is the problem, and it is unknowingly practicing evil cultivation—something very common.” (Lecture Five, Zhuan Falun)
Although I wanted to keep my mind from wandering when I did the exercises, as soon as the music started, my head suddenly became full of random thoughts. I told myself that those thoughts were not from me, and that they were nothing more than acquired concepts and the result of habitual thinking. I knew I should not think when doing the exercises, but it was nearly impossible for me to quiet my mind. I studied the Fa more and searched within to find the solution to my problem.
Master Li said,
“They believed that once one thinks, it is karma.” (Lecture Eight, Zhuan Falun)
“Qigong practice requires one to value de. In doing the exercises, if you do not think about good things, at least you should not think about bad things. It is best if you do not think about anything. This is because during low-level qigong practice, a foundation must be laid. This foundation will play a critical role, for human mind activities have quite a part to play. Think about it, everyone: What are you adding to your gong? How can what you are practicing be good? How can it not be black?” (Lecture Five, Zhuan Falun)
Master’s words helped me wake up and honestly see what was going on. Now when I do the exercises, I tell myself that I have two choices: Follow Master's arrangement to listen to the music and do the exercises with a tranquil mind. Or, I can follow the old forces' arrangements and let my mind wander and unknowingly practice evil cultivation.
No matter how important or good my thoughts are, they are being manipulated by the old forces, and I must reject and deny them. I choose only Master's arrangement, keep my main consciousness strong, and reject any distracting thoughts.
One day while I did the exercises, I thought of Master's words,
“...so I caught him in my hand. I used a very powerful gong called "the dissolving gong" to dissolve his lower body and turn it into water.” (Lecture Five, Zhuan Falun)
My mind was purified with this thought. My main consciousness became stronger and when bad thoughts emerged, I could catch them and eliminate them.
For many years, I could not calm down when I sent righteous thoughts. I did not know what I was sending out, and my hand was often bent over. I felt like there was no power in them and sometimes, I even fell asleep.
Now that my habitual thinking is under control, when I sit down to send forth righteous thoughts, I calm down and my main consciousness becomes strong and alert. The thoughts I send out are focused and powerful!
It has been almost 20 years since I became a practitioner. But not until recently did I experience the wonders of a tranquil mind while doing the exercises and sending forth righteous thoughts. I feel that now I am cultivating with the heart I once had.