A question I’ve had for a long time is to do with analyzing and reflecting. These two things feel like the same thing, and often it is extremely draining. Yet, without analyzing, we do not learn the root of the problem. And because my perspectives and my mind are from the level of a normal human being, and my mindsets are distorted, it is impossible to come up with the true, right answer. It is also impossible to properly judge a situation when we live in ‘the realm of unknowing’.
So we must build energy through the practice—yet because our perspective is flawed / distorted, we also lose the energy we gain quickly and are unable to conserve. So, for a long while, I wondered how should I deal with my problems? But after reading Mr Li’s materials, I finally understood the nature of the ‘hardships’ / ‘problems’ in life. They are actually opportunities to burn off karma / creditors coming to collect debt from us. The way to deal with it is not to lend anymore energy to these ‘problems’. The way to deal with it is to endure it, give up what must be given up, follow what comes naturally, and overwrite it with beautiful relationships, creations & expressions.
To not analyze a problem is not the same as ignoring a problem. It is approaching life with an empty, still mind. By constantly emptying the mind, I am reducing thought karma and I am also freeing the mind. I used to be frustrated because during CLT 5E practice, my mind is like a television flipping through channels every five seconds, but nowadays I do get moments of silence. And I love it, and I try to incorporate those moments into the day, though it is difficult particularly when faced with distractions & material temptations.
The CLT 5E practice seems to become noisier when there are things that I desire strongly—wanting to impress others, wanting to appear a certain way, wanting connection. And during times when these things don’t appear so important, my mind and the CLT 5E practice reflects that as well. “What is there for you to cultivate if you no longer have any bad thoughts?! If you are so pure, aren’t you already a Buddha? That understanding is wrong.” In another article, Mr Li also mentioned something about how ‘growth’ is for the regular human being of this level. It is quite difficult to suddenly remove all your attachments, or free yourself from all bad thoughts, or remove all anger and sadness from your heart. So he said that if last week, you exploded with anger when something went wrong at work, and this week you at least contained the anger, then you have improved. Then in the future, the anger becomes smaller, milder, and one day you do not react at all, then you have improved well. I thought this was very meaningful in teaching me the overall journey of refinement of mind and character. After all, if the blueprint of the mind and energy field is already distorted by twisted perspectives and thick layers of karma from countless lifetimes, it is difficult to break out of it all at once. It is more of a steady learning curve with the constantly strong, determined intention of cultivation.
I read about Mr Li’s practitioner who was dragged several feet by a car, then calmly got up and told the driver that she was unhurt and fine, and left without scolding him, or feeling any anger. Reading this alone made me realize all the three principles which we try to study in CLT is connected as ONE principle. I think she was expressing selflessness, truth and love all at once. Often times the instantaneous reaction is fear and anger—she could’ve blamed and scolded the driver, or she could’ve played the victim and aimed for material compensation, but she maintained her priorities on her principles instead, and selflessly saved the driver from guilt or anger. This really doesn’t sound easy at all, because the ‘instant reaction’ of anger is difficult to rationalize out of. But her belief & perspective broke her out of that: of just flowing along with whatever events come and go in her life according to nature’s will. I think this kind of mindset makes many things feel small & meaningless to hold onto, and therefore easy to let go of.
A question I’ve had for a long time is to do with analyzing and reflecting. These two things feel like the same thing, and often it is extremely draining. Yet, without analyzing, we do not learn the root of the problem. And because my perspectives and my mind are from the level of a normal human being, and my mindsets are distorted, it is impossible to come up with the true, right answer. It is also impossible to properly judge a situation when we live in ‘the realm of unknowing’.
So we must build energy through the practice—yet because our perspective is flawed / distorted, we also lose the energy we gain quickly and are unable to conserve. So, for a long while, I wondered how should I deal with my problems? But after reading Mr Li’s materials, I finally understood the nature of the ‘hardships’ / ‘problems’ in life. They are actually opportunities to burn off karma / creditors coming to collect debt from us. The way to deal with it is not to lend anymore energy to these ‘problems’. The way to deal with it is to endure it, give up what must be given up, follow what comes naturally, and overwrite it with beautiful relationships, creations & expressions.
To not analyze a problem is not the same as ignoring a problem. It is approaching life with an empty, still mind. By constantly emptying the mind, I am reducing thought karma and I am also freeing the mind. I used to be frustrated because during CLT 5E practice, my mind is like a television flipping through channels every five seconds, but nowadays I do get moments of silence. And I love it, and I try to incorporate those moments into the day, though it is difficult particularly when faced with distractions & material temptations.
The CLT 5E practice seems to become noisier when there are things that I desire strongly—wanting to impress others, wanting to appear a certain way, wanting connection. And during times when these things don’t appear so important, my mind and the CLT 5E practice reflects that as well. “What is there for you to cultivate if you no longer have any bad thoughts?! If you are so pure, aren’t you already a Buddha? That understanding is wrong.” In another article, Mr Li also mentioned something about how ‘growth’ is for the regular human being of this level. It is quite difficult to suddenly remove all your attachments, or free yourself from all bad thoughts, or remove all anger and sadness from your heart. So he said that if last week, you exploded with anger when something went wrong at work, and this week you at least contained the anger, then you have improved. Then in the future, the anger becomes smaller, milder, and one day you do not react at all, then you have improved well. I thought this was very meaningful in teaching me the overall journey of refinement of mind and character. After all, if the blueprint of the mind and energy field is already distorted by twisted perspectives and thick layers of karma from countless lifetimes, it is difficult to break out of it all at once. It is more of a steady learning curve with the constantly strong, determined intention of cultivation.
I read about Mr Li’s practitioner who was dragged several feet by a car, then calmly got up and told the driver that she was unhurt and fine, and left without scolding him, or feeling any anger. Reading this alone made me realize all the three principles which we try to study in CLT is connected as ONE principle. I think she was expressing selflessness, truth and love all at once. Often times the instantaneous reaction is fear and anger—she could’ve blamed and scolded the driver, or she could’ve played the victim and aimed for material compensation, but she maintained her priorities on her principles instead, and selflessly saved the driver from guilt or anger. This really doesn’t sound easy at all, because the ‘instant reaction’ of anger is difficult to rationalize out of. But her belief & perspective broke her out of that: of just flowing along with whatever events come and go in her life according to nature’s will. I think this kind of mindset makes many things feel small & meaningless to hold onto, and therefore easy to let go of.