(Clearwisdom.net) I have practiced Dafa over ten years. I thought I had been cultivating all along, since I studied the Fa and practiced the exercises. However, my improvement was very slow. I realized that I didn't know how to cultivate and didn't know what solid cultivation was. Just a little over a year ago, I began to realize how precious the Fa is and came to know how urgent it is to truly cultivate. I tried to get rid of my attachments, rid myself of human notions and require myself to abide by the standards of a Dafa practitioner. However, it was still not very effective.
Recently, I studied Master's new article, "Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa - Fa Teaching Given at the 2011 Washington DC Metro Area Fa." I have read many fellow practitioners' articles on the Minghui/Clearwisdom website about how to cultivate well and do well the three things through studying the Fa. Yet I often forget the Fa that I have just studied. I blamed it on my old age and poor memory. Actually, I didn't regard myself as a Dafa practitioner and didn't know what truly studying the Fa was. When reading the Fa, I could feel clearly that my brain was not concentrated on the Fa. I was always thinking about ordinary things. I didn't put down human things, and all kinds of thoughts often popped up in my brain during Fa study, or when doing the exercises or sending forth righteous thoughts.
After digging out the root cause that prevented me from truly attaining the Fa, I started to send forth righteous thoughts, first cleaning out all bad thoughts, karma, bad notions and external interferences. I kept thinking of them as dead. Then I eliminated the evil factors from the old forces that interfered with my Fa study, eliminated all the dark minions, rotten demons, ghosts and all other elements of persecution arranged by the old forces from different dimensions within my own space.
Since then, through strengthening my righteous thoughts, my mind has become clear and clean. The Fa easily enters my brain and stays there. Understanding the Fa principles, I try harder to look inward to get rid of my attachments and postnatal notions with righteous thoughts. Now I know how to cultivate myself. I will try to catch up with Master's Fa-rectification, do well the three things, and follow Master home.
The above is just a little of my understanding of the Fa. Please point out anything improper.