(Minghui.org) Master Li taught us, “As I said earlier, the wicked, low entities—and that includes low-level old forces—are truly evil. They don’t want you to succeed at cultivation, and want to persecute the life out of you.” (“2018 Fa Teaching Given in Washington, D.C.”)

I enlightened to the fact that the old forces use various forms of interference to prevent Dafa practitioners from reaching consummation, including illness karma and difficult xinxing tests. Their intention is to shake practitioners’ righteous thoughts.

However, if we can remain vigilant, we will not fall into the old forces' traps. Instead, we will use our righteous thoughts to disintegrate the low-level entities that are interfering with us.

When practitioners experience mood swings, bouts of anxiety, irritability, and depression, they should use their strong righteous thoughts to look within, find the attachment that is causing these emotions, then eliminate the attachment.

Master said,

“As soon as your thinking aligns with a particular type of being, it will be able to instantly exert an effect on you. Yet you won’t be aware of where your thoughts are originating from, and will still think that it is your own will. But in fact, it was precisely your attachments that resulted in those things having an effect on you, and that led to their strengthening your attachments.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa - Fa Teaching Given at the 2011 Washington DC Metro Area Fa Conference” in Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI)

When we fail to identify the origin of our thoughts and feelings, bad factors in other dimensions are able to use our lack of awareness to strengthen our human attachments.

Master told us,

“If these acquired notions become too strong, their role will reverse by dictating a person’s true thinking and behavior. At this point, that person might still think that they are his own ideas. This is the case for almost all contemporary people.” (“For Whom do You Exist?” in Essentials for Further Advancement)

When we're experiencing illness karma, we can usually tell that it's some form of interference. Thus, we can send righteous thoughts, look within, and find the attachment that we need to get rid of.

However, it's much harder to recognize incorrect thoughts and emotions that suddenly appear in our minds as external interference.

If we don't consciously identify these thoughts and emotions as interference, we may think they're emanating from ourselves, and just go along with them—instead of resisting them.

When this happens the old forces will cause our attachments or notions to grow, leading to even more suffering.

Some practitioners wish to escape this suffering via human means, such as watching videos, shopping online, or playing games on their smartphones. But the thought of watching videos or playing on their smartphones did not arise from their true selves!

If we go along with these external thoughts, aren't we allowing the old forces to trick us? Aren't we seeking temporary relief from our pain, just like ordinary people do? Don't the various forms of online content arouse our human emotions and desires, further strengthening our attachments and thought karma—making it even harder for us to cultivate ourselves?

Some practitioners do enlighten to the fact that their cultivation state is not quite right, but find it hard to change, Why? Because the bad substances formed in their minds is equivalent to supplementing their attachments with energy, making it even harder for them to change themselves.

We understand how karma is eliminated in the body, especially the karma that arises while doing the fifth Falun Gong exercise, the sitting meditation. We're fully aware that karma is eliminated while enduring pain.

I believe the same principle applies to karma or matter formed in the mind, which may make us feel anxious, depressed, etc. When we endure this kind of suffering in our hearts, it will eliminate the karma or matter in our minds.

When the feeling of discomfort in our hearts dissipates, our minds become clearer and we cease to worry about this or that thing. This is also a sign of karma being dissolved.

I enlightened to the fact that our unrighteous thoughts, attachments, and notions—which are intertwined with our karma—have formed various forms of matter in both our minds and bodies. Since we can’t see them, we're unable to recognize them, making it harder to eliminate them.

However, if we can consciously realize that our bad thoughts and notions do not conform to the Fa, including our bad moods and negative emotions, it will be easier to eliminate them.

One day, I recall feeling a certain negative emotion and realized that it did not originate from my true self. I then looked within and found the attachment that was causing this emotion.

I felt as if my true self was observing my human heart, which was both unkind and intolerant. As soon as I thought: “I don't want to be like this anymore!” I felt liberated from my human heart.

Master Li taught us,

“Why is it hard to save someone who is mentally ill? It’s precisely because he can’t discern things at all. It’s very hard for a new student to identify thought karma and distinguish which thoughts are not himself. If he can manage to do that, he is truly outstanding. You can use Dafa to judge. Actually, none of the bad thoughts are you. If you can do it, you will distinguish them and see: “Oh, this thought isn’t good and should be eliminated. I should get rid of it. I shouldn’t think like that.” That in itself is your eliminating it.” (Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. Fa Conference)

Learning to discern which thoughts and emotions are ours and which ones are not, is the first step in discovering our true selves.

Once we recognize that a thought or emotion is not our own, Master will help us eliminate it. Master told us that those bad thoughts do not originate from our true selves.

If we're ever in doubt as to what thoughts are ours, we should ask ourselves: “Would a divine being entertain this thought?” In this way, we can eliminate all bad thoughts that do not conform to the Fa.

As our cultivation path nears its end, we should set high and even higher standards for ourselves, and should not be moved by incorrect thoughts.

Although many practitioners can pinpoint their attachments, they're unable to do so when they're in the throes of a bad mood, negative thinking, irritation, anxiety, and boredom. They then become less diligent, making it more difficult to save sentient beings.

I hope these practitioners will clearly recognize how the old forces use their attachments against them; make a sincere effort to correct themselves, and assist Master during Fa-rectification, with the mindset of a true practitioner!