(Clearwisdom.net) Greetings, revered Master and fellow practitioners! Happy New Year!
I had a wish before Shen Yun ticket sales began to use my winter break to work with local practitioners in opening up the mainstream and introducing Shen Yun into high society. My only thought was, “There is nothing that cannot be done.” When we began selling tickets, I was like other practitioners, preparing Shen Yun introductions and my sales technique. I collected information about Shen Yun’s costumes, backdrops, Chinese dance, stories, reputation, and cultural background from the Internet. I then organized the information into my own words and memorized it. After a few practice simulations with a workmate practitioner, we felt ready for the real challenge: selling tickets to companies.
While selling tickets to companies, many people did not want to buy tickets on the spot. I got anxious after only a few days of this same situation. I felt that I had tried hard, but that I had achieved little. The pressure drove me to tune my sales skills even more precisely, rather than truly cultivating myself within the situation. Bad thoughts emerged, and I thought, “We will open up the mainstream market quickly this year, then I can relax and do nothing when Shen Yun comes next year.” I felt like a school student must feel when he says: “I will study hard because I do not want to write this same paper again next year.”
Obviously, my anxiety and worries did not bring an increase in the number of tickets we sold. In fact, the results were the opposite: my attachment short-circuited my brain, I messed things up every day, I became impulsive, and I was unable to concentrate when practicing and studying the Fa. In addition, I was influenced by other things, which reduced my already limited ticket-selling time to even less. I was nervous throughout the day, and I could not recall anything I had done by the end of the day. It affected my self-confidence, and my spirits were low. I sometimes even forgot to attend important Shen Yun sharing meetings.
During the media break, I felt that I was being forced to sell tickets. I was always thinking that things would be much better without me. I was not able to deal appropriately with people’s cold eyes and rejection, but I had to continue. I found it even more difficult to endure when people would laugh at the practitioners who did not speak English, because I did not want people to have a bad image of our media and of Shen Yun shows. It became very difficult to step out of my door every day. I really wanted to eliminate the attachments that were preventing me from saving sentient beings, but my intense frustration and fatigue kept me from looking inward. I was like a loser with such low spirits.
A few days ago, I went out to sell tickets in a shopping mall. At first, negative thoughts emerged, and I was hesitant. I was able to introduce the show with warmth, but deep down I felt it was hopeless. My mentality was absolutely not what a practitioner should have in saving people. Sometimes I would even become suddenly frozen when people would ask me about the ticket prices. I felt depressed after they had gone.
Later on, I sent forth righteous thoughts in my car and finally gained the courage to look within myself. I carefully reviewed my ticket-selling experiences over the past two months. I saw my complaints, worries, anxiety, frustrations, and hesitation, and I realized that they are all matter. I had added a lot of negative thoughts to myself. If I could not even overcome myself, how would it ever be possible to bring positive energy to others? I could not be that way anymore. I have come here to save sentient beings, so my mind should remain on the subject of helping Master to rectify the Fa. I should do things with all my heart, and I should remain calm and upright. Master said,
“For a Dafa disciple, cultivation is first priority. That’s because if you fail to cultivate well, you will not be able to accomplish what you are to do; and if you fail to cultivate well, your power to save sentient beings will not be that great. And if you cultivate a little worse, then you will view and consider problems in the manner that ordinary people do, which would be still more awful.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa”)
I enlightened that I should change my standpoint of thinking about problems: I should always think about others first, in order to save sentient beings.
My mind became clear, and I calmed down. All of a sudden, I felt my righteous thoughts become much more powerful. After returning to the ticket booth, I saw an older gentleman drinking coffee, so I sat down and told him about Shen Yun. I then showed him the seating map and tickets. I said, “They are good tickets at a good price. They are next to the high-priced seats.” He was interested and said that he would talk to his wife. He turned around and saw his wife organizing receipts. He smiled at me, and, shaking his head he said, “She is meticulously planning and budgeting again.” I smiled back and replied, “Apparently she is saving money to buy the tickets for you.” His wife saw us laughing, and she came over to us. I then introduced Shen Yun to her. After I had said just two sentences, they decided to buy tickets. I was very focused while I was speaking, the energy field around me was pure, my mind was clear, I felt a bit like I was sitting in an egg, and the couple followed my thinking. I enlightened that this was “achieving without seeking.” More importantly, I had Master’s encouragement.
Master said,
“As they see it, 'If you are to save me, you have to reach my level first, and you must have this measure of mighty virtue before you can save me. Without such mighty virtue, without having reached my stature, how could you save me?' So they would have you trip and fall, suffer, and eliminate your attachments, after which, with your mighty virtue having been established, you will have cultivated to that level and be able to save them. That’s how they want to have it.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa”)
We utilize the form of sales in ordinary society in order to save sentient beings. We can touch people’s hearts only when we have the righteous thoughts of a cultivator. We can save nobody by having many attachments.
The same tone of voice, facial expression, body language, and words—if they are manifested with confidence or with depression—will induce different feelings in others. I believe that Dafa disciples can touch people’s hearts when we are full of righteous thoughts and confidence! We should not feel depressed. Saving sentient beings is such an important thing. Our strong sense of responsibility will keep us from hesitating, and we should do whatever we are to do with righteous thoughts. Finally, I would like to encourage everyone with Master's words,
“You have already passed through the hardest part. What is left won’t be so trying. You just need to do even better with it. The more hopeless things may seem, it’s possible hope will appear right before your eyes. Especially during those times when you are feeling so bored, perhaps you are in fact establishing your mighty virtue.” (“What is a Dafa Disciple”)
Thank you, merciful Master. Thank you, everyone.
