(Minghui.org) For several years prior to 2013, I struggled with the attachment to comfort and sleepiness. The sleepiness demon attacked me during Fa-study, when practicing the exercises and sending forth righteous thoughts.
Then, I made great strides in 2014, strengthened my belief in the Fa and Master, and overcame many tests. After I joined a Fa-study group I noticed that I lagged behind my fellow practitioners, seeing that they maintained good posture and mental focus during study. I started paying attention to this and improved in my cultivation.
However, I still had episodes of sleepiness. Sometimes, during the morning exercises, especially during the sitting meditation, I became sleepy. I tried different approaches to change this state, such as reading sharing articles on the Minghui website, but still was not able to achieve a breakthrough.
One day, I got up at 3:40 a.m. for the morning exercises and then fell asleep for three hours. The moment I woke up, Master’s teaching appeared in my mind, “This characteristic, Zhen-Shan-Ren, is in the microscopic particles of air, rock, wood, soil, iron and steel, the human body, as well as in all matter.” (Zhuan Falun)
I suddenly understood another meaning of this particular Fa standard. They are all manifestations of the Fa of the Universe. It is just in different forms. Rock, wood and steel never are sleepy. Although, you do not want to be sleepy, it wants you to be sleepy. Why? Because it does not want you to raise your level in cultivation because your xinxing had not improved. You are pursuing comfort. If you maintain a strong will, the sleepiness demon would have no power over you.
If I could be diligent in cultivation, I would not have been sleepy. If I eliminate the attachment to comfort, laziness, the substance of sleepiness would not exist in my dimension. Then, it would be easier for me to overcome sleepiness.
Besides the test of sleepiness, I found that these Fa principles applied to other attachments of mine as well, such as the attachment to lust, and resentment. If one can cultivate a strong will, one's heart would not be moved. Gods would not have these attachments. We are practitioners walking on the path to godhood. Our bodies are being transformed into high energy substances and eventually will reach godhood.
After I understood different Fa principles, I became more diligent in cultivation and sleepiness no longer bothered me. I have been able to finish all five exercises in the morning without feeling sleepy. I am also able to send forth righteous thoughts with no interference.
Master says,
“As a practitioner, without a strong will and self-restraint, you will not be able to do this.” (Zhuan Falun)
All attachments and any interference ties a practitioner to the Three Realms. We have to raise our standard through diligent Fa study, look within for our attachments and eliminate them through cultivation in order to achieve improvement of our xinxing.