(Minghui.org) I have noticed that my peers—young adult practitioners in China today—are going along with many incorrect ideas and notions instilled in them by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), such as the ideology of atheism and the theory that humankind evolved from apes. These distorted notions are hard to discern because we grew up with them.

Then there is the influence of modern entertainment and pop culture, which are having an enormous impact on people’s thinking.

By reading articles dissecting these notions on Minghui, I have identified many that I have accepted. By pointing them out, I hope to help more practitioners discern and eliminate them.

Many of the notions we now harbor started to form in us when we were little. When I was in elementary school, I would let my thoughts wander because I didn’t want to pay attention in math class. At the time I knew that the teacher could confiscate my toys but not my thoughts, so I would daydream about things I liked, and this tendency stuck with me. That tendency—to avoid anything unpleasant and just have fun—is the impulse that motivates people to watch short videos and play online games.

There is an old saying, “Indulging in trivial pursuits leads to a lack ambition,” and this is what we traditionally believe. In modern society, entertainment and gaming are widely promoted among the masses. Many have become addicted, believing this is the way to live a good life. The phrase “living in the moment” normalizes the idea that people should have fun while they can and not worry about the consequences. These ideas seem harmless but are, in fact, toxic.

Worldly trends can instill wrong ideas in our heads. In China, middle and high school students take their grades seriously, because test results can dictate their future. I didn’t really care about my grades when I was in elementary school, but that desire to excel became very strong when I got to middle school. Perhaps if we could recognize when and why we developed certain notions, it would be easier for us to eliminate them, because we would know that we weren’t born with them, that they were forced upon us.

Master talks about the notions popular among people nowadays.

“Nowadays, people behave this way and will first of all avoid responsibility upon coming across a problem, regardless of whether they are at fault.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)

I never thought this passage applied to me, until I realized that I instinctively gave excuses to explain away any problem that arose. The impulse to “avoid responsibility” is a deeply-rooted notion among people nowadays.

Notions are deceptive and contrary to the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Notions are bogus, but people choose to believe in them and refuse to let them go. For instance, we like to think “This decision is good for me” when we make one. But we are deceiving ourselves, because no matter what we think, it could end up being a bad decision and we will have to bear the consequences. Bad decisions often come from our notions. If a practitioner lets his notions dominate him, he becomes an everyday person.

Master says,

“No matter what everyday people think, that is only the viewpoint of everyday people. From the perspective of a higher life, the development of human society progresses according to specific laws of development. Therefore, what one does in life is not arranged based on one’s abilities.” (Lecture Seven, Zhuan Falun)

To not fall into the trap of human thinking, a practitioner must follow a higher standard, and that is the Fa.

I once felt that I was haunted by loneliness and boredom, and when such feelings hit, I struggled. In college, I picked badminton in PE class. I didn’t know anyone in that class, so I ended up practicing on my own because I didn’t want to practice with the boys. Seeing all the other girls practicing with their male partners made me feel desolate.

One day it dawned on me that “it’s bad to feel lonely” is also a human notion. In fact, being alone saved me from getting entangled in misunderstandings and disputes and picking up bad habits. If loneliness and boredom are beings, they must be honest ones who will not pretend in order to please.

Most people believe that having interests and hobbies is a good thing. But many lose interest in a few months, and all the money invested in the new hobby goes to waste. People can injure themselves pursuing their hobby. If “having an interest” is a being, it is not so honest because it is not as fun as it looks. Having come to that realization, I no longer struggle to cope with loneliness and boredom; I reconciled with these beings.

Identifying notions also helps me pass the test of qing. When I was in college, a young lecturer liked me. One day I wore a bow headband to class. It happened to be Valentine’s Day, so he mistakenly thought that I was interested in him.

I wasn’t very fond of him at first. One day he got close to me while showing the person sitting next to me how to do something, and I started to like him. When I couldn’t get rid of that romantic feeling at first, it was because I had the notion that “he will be good for me,” which made it hard for me to pass the test. After I let go of that notion, he sensed no emotion from me, gradually lost interest, and gave up.

On a separate note, as a female practitioner it’s better that we don’t overly dress up so that we can avoid similar situations. After this incident, I stopped wearing makeup and headbands and only dress casually.

Notions can prevent us from putting ourselves in others’ shoes. If we can give up our notions and stop using them to judge others, we will know that others operate with a different set of logic, and their actions are natural based on their logic. When we let go of notions, we can better understand others, be more open-minded, have a bigger heart—all of which make it easier for us to pass tests.

Uncovering and eliminating our notions makes it easier for us to pass tests and improve in cultivation, just as the teachings in Zhuan Falun help us recognize and handle our notions on different levels.

The above is my current understanding. Please point out anything not in line with the Fa.