Does spiritual cultivation easily go astray? What causes of deviation have I observed?

Cultivation itself does not inevitably go astray, but I have seen many deviate, so I do not dismiss others’ concerns. Early in my work, a destiny-analysis and feng shui teacher, knowing I came through spiritual-mountain practice, politely warned that this path often led to deviation and mental problems. Another seriously claimed all such practitioners eventually became mentally ill. I had practised about ten years without deviation and retained confidence. Now, after nearly thirty, I increasingly understand widespread negative views: although I have not gone astray myself, I truly have seen many do so.

Where is the problem? I see it in people rather than the method itself. A watermelon knife is made for fruit, but someone may use it to attack. The issue is the user’s thinking, not the knife. Spiritual-mountain practice depends on sound faith, knowledge and attitude. Other practitioners also become fraudulent or deviate, and every religion contains bad people whose existence does not necessarily reflect its faith. I therefore do not think this path must cause problems.

In cultivation, I understand going astray as two combined aspects: disturbed qi and energy causing poor bodily condition, and mistaken ideas veering away. Perceived beings may not be karmic creditors but harmful spirits. Believing one communicates with a deity and helping others from that state may conceal that the person has already deviated. This is what people generally describe with the term.

I have seen enthusiastic friends genuinely wishing to help who thought awakened spirituality meant divine descent, while I understood outside spirits were attached. During client work they carried many presences claiming Zhong Kui, Tiger Lord and others. Wisdom and logic revealed inconsistencies. They might not even understand the supposed deity’s virtues. This describes those friends I observed.

I have encountered severe cases with hallucinations. Some seemed near mental illness to me; others already lived with it and were frequently taken to hospitals or care facilities. I believe inability to distinguish divine powers, ghostly powers and hallucinations can deepen deviation and even lead to mental disturbance. But there are conditions: sound principles, knowledge, faith and understanding maintained through experience do not necessarily lead astray. Unstable character creates risk.

The most common deviation I have seen is treating oneself as a deity. Newly awakened friends sometimes show spiritual pride and feel unrivalled, claiming Guan Sheng Di Jun, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, Xuantian Shangdi or the Third Prince. I consistently say they are people encountering practice, perhaps connected with a deity who serves as guide, patron or principal god. Like classmates following that method, they remain distinct: we are humans still learning. Even with clear awakened spirituality, I know Shengyuan remains Shengyuan, not a deity. This is fundamental to my staying on course.

Some fixate on the spiritually heightened state and demand respectful titles as a deity’s student, divine treatment and anger if anyone is discourteous. That is strange. Deities can be angry, but have reasons and explain them rather than rage arbitrarily. I have seen too many supposedly divine reactions lacking logic. Others think only of former spiritual greatness after awakening and forget their present identity, seeking approval and clinging to power.

I also observe pride among many practitioners. My understanding is that their spirituality may have inhabited heavenly or divine worlds and regard humans as lower. Unless changed, this habit becomes arrogance. Pride is negative energy and makes deviation easier.

Another major cause is craving powers. When describing the greatest problem I have seen, I have said there is one: wanting supernatural abilities, not to save beings but to win praise for seeing gods and ghosts. Among cases I encountered, my impression was over ninety percent, even ninety-nine, involved this desire. That is personal experience, not statistics. I also described a friend learning three hundred techniques and seeking the heavenly eye without cultivating the mind, aspiration, love or shared compassion. I found that regrettable and regarded it as deviation. Elsewhere I called the central cause lack of understanding: not knowing what cultivation means or why, seeking powers to improve life and make money. That thinking itself is wrong. Friends I met often wanted communication intensely without compassion, love for humanity or great aspirations, making deviation likely.

We have repeatedly said Buddhas’ powers arise from great vows. These are not words alone, but the soul’s profound experience of another’s suffering as one’s own and a wish to devote life and soul to helping. I used a forceful comparison: willingness to give blood and life for someone unrelated expresses a vow; without willingness to sacrifice to that extent, it lacks that strength. Powers arise through aspiration, so supposed powers without great vows lead astray in my view. Assess practitioners for aspiration and compassion. Be especially careful of someone claiming powerful energy and techniques without them. I have seen many such people later develop problems.

Innate spirit communication follows the same principle. It may reflect abilities or blessings cultivated over lives, but birth with it does not guarantee benefiting beings now. Without a wish to save and help, great vows and compassion, I regard it as harmful rather than a gift and believe deviation eventually follows. This is not intended as alarmism: I have repeatedly seen friends with strong sensitivity go astray when aspiration and compassion were absent.

Discerning wisdom is another key. People I saw deviate often assumed limitless power as soon as movement or awakening began, or greatness from slight inspiration. Neither guarantees power, and feeling exceptional is itself risky. Do you have wisdom to understand the energy? Stronger perception can be more dangerous without sound knowledge. A newly awakened soul resembles a baby unable to judge, feeling strongly even at a harmful spirit’s centre and mistaking it for goodness. In pain, they tell everyone, perhaps including harmful beings disguised as deities. If neither person nor soul understands, they may mistake an enemy for a parent. Continued practice gradually clarifies the original spirit.

Deities have powers, but harmful beings do too. If deities can arrange events, why not other powerful beings? Without enough wisdom, encountering something stronger may deepen deviation. Ultimately external methods—blocks, divination, lots or communication—cannot alone judge matters. Personal wisdom is the foundation. I have seen friends continue astray after meeting stronger harmful beings they lacked wisdom to discern.

Another situation involves doubt toward one’s teacher and deity. Good practitioners deeply respect teachers, regarding them like gods or Buddhas. Our Fu Mo teaching says uncertainty may be raised but corrosive doubt should not take over: ask Master to explain unclear points, then trust the judgment. When trust in teacher and deity fails, energy begins veering. In that situation I see personal doubt rather than the deity as the issue. Trust allows help correcting mistaken ideas; without it correction becomes difficult. I have seen many friends deviate for this reason and similar examples among students. Distorted thinking combined with distrust is harder still. Whether a teacher deserves trust, as stated earlier, depends on great aspiration and compassion.

I have also summarised two causes: attachment to communication and perceptions, and eagerness to be a teacher. I teach too, and consider teaching from great aspiration and compassion good. Without them, frightening outcomes can occur. Continually examine whether love and aspiration remain in helping. Is the motive fascination with powers or genuine love for humanity? If pride says ‘I am a master, a teacher, impressive,’ ask whether this is real or an illusion. Otherwise deviation may develop unnoticed until help becomes extremely difficult.

Experienced people rather than beginners are often at greater risk in movement methods. I compared military service: new recruits unfamiliar with people and surroundings are careful. After six months or a year, veterans feel knowledgeable and may falsely assume they understand enough to instruct others while neglecting actual perceptions and feedback.

To reduce risk, guidance is crucial, followed by sound ideas and attitude. Correct guidance means cultivation need not go astray. Believing in deities also means recognising harmful beings may be equally powerful. I do not say this to frighten. Sheng Zhen Men’s twenty comparatively peaceful years reflected continual caution. At that recording, many students had practised over ten years without deviation. YOYO said after ten years she still spoke normally and family saw nothing wrong. A suitable, liked group with teachers and fellow learners offers mutual reminders. People trapped in emotions may not notice leaving the track and need someone to pull them back.

The programme also described cultivation as a good method requiring appropriate teachers, knowledge and guidance. Genuine ignorance and absent teaching can leave people experimenting, awakening and sensing with mistaken ideas. Instead of benefit, adverse conditions or injury may result.

Develop your own settled views and judgment. Accepting everything anyone says creates confusion, described as disordered spirituality. Remain steady and discerning. Conversely, continually suspecting every movement as ghostly or mistaken can distort something originally sound. Wrong ideas may condition someone who others see progressing to believe they are declining. I have indeed met many such friends.

Home meditation carries a related reminder. In calm sitting, energy concentrates. Without trained attention, wandering thoughts can bring risk, religiously understood as attracting harmful energy and bodily resonance or interference. Learn gradually and understand before proceeding. Uninformed attempts may bring injury rather than blessing. Unstable visualisation and constantly wandering thoughts during sitting are not beneficial.

I said Sheng Zhen Men’s people know from day one that powers do not remove eating or toilet needs. Powers are means to help, not the ultimate goal or a halo. At that time, I said our people had some abilities without deviation because their convictions were sound. Tests on the path refine conviction, and I offer reminders for right choices. In another episode, Dao Xuan said students here had not shown that condition; cases usually came from earlier outside practice where people felt strange or had interference. During assistance, underworld troops or questionable worship often appeared, and families noticed changes. Dao Xuan understood these as outside spirits.

This does not promise permanent immunity. In the same episode I said we had seen others deviate through skewed desires, without genuine vows to help, using powers to create superiority. Temporary pleasure, attention and excitement become addictive, leading to wanting more praise and dependence from others.

Finally, I reject the claim that practice without spirit activation easily causes deviation. Sound ideas, not activation status, are decisive. Practice is possible without it, while awakening may add enjoyment. Friends I encountered often intensely sought powers without compassion or aspirations. Do not force communication or abilities. A relaxed approach to exercises, daily-life cultivation and spirituality generally makes deviation less likely. In my account, it arises from mistaken understanding.