My Understanding of Practising the Exercises

Recently I often heard practitioners around me say that they had not done the exercises for a certain number of days, and I think they are being irresponsible for their own cultivation. Master taught us clearly in Zhuan Falun, "Falun Dafa is a practice that cultivates both your nature and longevity, so it has to have some movements to do."

I still remember the day when I went to the practice site for the first time. As we were doing the standing exercise, both my arms and legs were trembling. But when I saw that the others were standing still, I managed to stick it out. Over time, as I kept doing the exercises every day and with the improvement of my character, I felt more relaxed and at ease.

After the persecution began on July 20th, 1999, the environment for group practice was gone and I began to slack off, too. Slowly my attachment to seeking comfort grew, and the less I did the exercises, the less I was willing to do them. Consequently, my mind was increasingly off track as I dozed off when I studied the Falun Gong teachings or sent forth righteous thoughts. After I became aware of my problems, I made up my mind to see that I do the exercises every day.

After a period of time I felt better and became more alert when studying the Falun Gong books and articles. My hand positions when sending forth righteous thoughts seldom changed since. Over this period I struggled many times between doing and not doing the exercises, but in the end my righteous thoughts prevailed over my attachment to seeking comfort.

Once in a meditation, I truly felt that my body no longer existed, with only a trace of thought left, knowing that I was doing the exercise. I felt comfortable and wonderful beyond words, exactly as Master described in Zhuan Falun. A thought flashed into my head: So what Master has taught us is all true! In this sense, doing the exercises is also part of the process through which a cultivator's enlightenment will be enhanced, and it involves the issue whether or not one believes in Master.

In doing the exercises, the cultivator will gradually get rid of his human laziness and attachment to seeking comfort, and his character will ascend and improve. In this perspective, "practice" includes "cultivation."

There is a story about a man in ancient China, who rose at the crowing of a cock early in the morning to sharpen his martial arts skills in order to defend his country. Should today's cultivators also draw some inspiration from such stories? Those practitioners who do not pay enough attention to doing the exercises should really think about this issue seriously.