(Minghui.org) A fellow practitioner recently told me that Baiyu often dozed off when they read the Fa teaching together, and her hand drooped while she sent forth righteous thoughts. When the other practitioners mentioned it, Baiyu didn’t think she fell asleep.

This led me to reflect on my own experience 10 years ago. I did the three things that Master asks us to do (study the Fa, send forth righteous thoughts, and clarify the truth about Falun Dafa), but I didn’t enlighten to the deeper meanings of the Fa, and my cultivation did not improve. When I read in our Fa study group, although I held Zhuan Falun with both hands, I rested my elbows on my legs and I sat hunched over. I relaxed even more when I read the teachings by myself. I leaned against the headboard, stretched my legs out, covered myself with a blanket, picked up the book with both hands, and then fell asleep before I finished reading a single page.

I realized that reading the Fa this way is disrespectful to Master and the Fa. If the old forces see a practitioner who does not respect Master and the Fa, one could be regarded as unworthy of obtaining the Fa and thus vulnerable to interference and feeling sleepy. So I began to sit in the full-lotus position (both legs crossed) to read. I switched to the single lotus position when my legs hurt. I also stopped resting my elbows on my legs.

I had another problem—I read the Fa too quickly, which kept me from understanding what I read at higher levels. So I made myself slow down, and I read each character.

Also, I began reading Zhuan Falun in traditional Chinese. I really liked looking at the traditional characters, but I still couldn’t recognize many of them. So I had to read slowly. Zhuan Falun in traditional Chinese is printed in clerical script, and every character looks elegant. It’s vertically laid out and has to be read from top to bottom, and right to left. This style is very different compared to the Dafa books in simplified Chinese. I wasn’t used to it at first, and I couldn’t read quickly.

I sat in the full lotus position when I studied the teachingsand kept my back straight. I held the book with both hands and read slowly. The result was very good—as soon as I started reading the Fa, I was in the Fa. When I studied it with full attention I enlightened to many principles.

The other practitioners noticed I'd changed and asked me what I did differently. I didn’t realize it was because I'd corrected my posture and maintained a reverent heart that respects Master and the Fa when I read. I just said that I'd begun reading Zhuan Falun in traditional Chinese. The other practitioners disagreed with my explanation.

Everything practitioners have is given by Master. Great and compassionate Master pulled us out of hell and reduced our sins. As long as we cultivate and improve, Master gives us the most wonderful things. We should understand the importance of gratitude and respect for Master and the Fa.

Respect for Master and the Fa is due in all aspects. In studying the teachings, first and foremost, one must be sincere and have a reverent heart. Living in China, many of us cannot see Master in person, but Master said “...look for guidance in the teachings as if they were your master.” (Lecture Given at the Conference in Sydney)

We must be respectful and humble before Dafa and let go of attachments like arrogance and conceit we might have formed under the Chinese Communist Party’s environment of atheism. When we hold Zhuan Falun we should correct our posture and not be casual. Sit in the full-lotus position if possible, or half-lotus position if one cannot maintain full lotus, or sit loosely cross-legged if one really cannot keep one’s legs up. Try your best to sit in full lotus, keep your back straight, and hold the book with both hands. Focus your attention when we read the Fa out loud. This will prevent you from falling asleep.

Another very important point is that one must truly cultivate and apply oneself sincerely to cultivation. Look within when encountering problems, and remove each attachment. Only then can one see the higher principles of the Fa.

These are just my humble opinions. If there is anything not in accordance with the Fa, please kindly point it out.