(Minghui.org) I obtained the Fa in March 1998. I remember the day vividly because I shook with excitement when I received a copy of Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa. A voice prompted me to finish the book quickly. I found a self-study room and finished the book in an afternoon.

At first, I joined a Fa-study group and read along with the group. But I felt that was not enough, so I began hand-copying Zhuan Falun. Facing numerous attachments and interference, it took me two months to copy it the first time. I felt a heavy weight being lifted when I finally finished it.

After the persecution of Falun Dafa began, many negative elements interfered with me. I was diligent on some days but not on others. I spent all my free time hand-copying the Fa. I realized that when I met the standards of the Fa at a certain level, my cultivation state was good. Once the side that met the standards had been separated, the state of my cultivation fell, and the negative elements would interfere with me. Thus, I had to start cultivating anew.

If I studied the Fa regularly, I passed through each level quickly, but if I did not study the Fa regularly, I lingered at one level, and the negative elements piled up. Once they think they have an advantage over me, they will attack. If one does not pass the tribulation, then it will materialize in this dimension as sickness karma or as persecution by the Chinese Communist Party. It's all the negative elements that are doing this. This is why regular people are pitiful; they are controlled by negative elements and are creating karma unconsciously.

Afterwards, I decided it wasn’t enough for me to just copy the Fa. I decided to memorize the Fa. I memorized one paragraph and then wrote it out from memory. It was slow going at first, and there was a lot of interference. I wanted to give up at one point. However, I had a dream one night that changed my mind.

In the dream, a lot of practitioners were fighting against an evil ball of fire. Some of the cultivators emitted strong energy and slowly ground down and eliminated the ball of fire. Some emitted a lesser energy, and it took them longer to eliminate the ball of fire. However, I had a sword, and I stabbed the ball of fire with my weapon and completely eliminated it. One jab of my sword eliminated one of those fire balls. It was very easy.

Later, I realized that Dafa has the power to regulate the pattern and movement of matter and energy. If one studies the Fa well, negative elements will disintegrate after emerging. However, if one does not study the Fa well, it would take a lot of effort to eliminate the negative things. Not only do you have to study the Fa every day, but you also have to pay attention when studying. Have you understood the Fa based on the principles of the Fa? A practitioner must take the Fa to heart when studying the Fa and not just simply read the teachings.

After the dream, I was determined to continue memorizing the Fa. After a while, it became easier. As soon as I finished reciting one sentence, the next sentence would surface in my mind, and it became faster to write them down from memory. The negative elements came in numerous forms, and they interfered with me when I was memorizing the Fa. However, with strong determination to memorize the Fa, they were eliminated.

Dafa can help eliminate deviated factors from the origin of matter; that is why many Great Enlightened Beings came down to the earth with Master to learn the Fa. They can return to their heavenly paradises and no longer have to face the destruction of their worlds because they can rectify their worlds using Dafa. Therefore, studying the Fa is most important, and it is fundamental to everything; if one does not meet the standards of the Fa, one will not reach that level. Similarly, if one does not truly understand the Fa at that level, one cannot resolve the issues surrounding them.

Cultivators have to deny the old forces and their plans because they are acting upon the rules of the old universe, but the new universe requires us to work with the principles of the Fa.

This is what I have enlightened to at my current level. I will continue memorizing Dafa every day, as long as it doesn’t affect my going to work the next day. Please point out any mistakes mercifully.

Editor’s note: This article only represents the author’s current understanding meant for sharing among practitioners so that we can “Compare with one another in study, in cultivation.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin)