(Minghui.org) Promoting Shen Yun is an opportunity to cultivate ourselves, rather than just promoting the performance. For example, during the process of promoting Shen Yun, many of my human thoughts and shortcomings were exposed.
This year was the first time I sold tickets face to face. When I was asked to help sell tickets, I came up with many excuses: I was too young, I had no experience, my English is poor, etc. Hiding behind such excuses were my attachments, like avoiding embarrassment, and selfishness.
These human attachments became roadblocks that prevented people from buying Shen Yun tickets from me.
Breaking the Mindset
The first evening I went to sell tickets at a mall, a lady came to our booth. I greeted her and started to introduce Shen Yun, but she stopped me to watch the Shen Yun preview and audience feedback video that was playing on the television. I felt awkward and thought she would not buy any tickets.
A while later, she asked a few questions related to Shen Yun, and then she started asking about seat locations and ticket prices. A half-hour later she bought a $150 ticket. After she left, I was quite excited since this was the first ticket I ever sold by myself. I reminded myself not to judge people by their appearance or think with a human mindset. I knew that Master was encouraging me.
One morning when a fellow practitioner and I were at the mall, very few people came to our booth. I was very depressed, and even thought that I might not be the right person to sell the tickets. So I decided to send forth righteous thoughts and recite Hong Yin. I silently asked Master to bring people who have predestined relationships to the ticket booth. I realized that I had not let go of my deeper human mindset and still had the attachment of being afraid of losing face, which resulted in my not greeting people in the first place.
Even though I was unable to be completely tranquil when I sent forth righteous thoughts, I felt that the surrounding environment was cleaner. That afternoon several people came to ask about Shen Yun. A mother and her daughter bought two $180 tickets. Thus, I learned the importance of sending forth righteous thoughts and setting aside my human mindsets.
If our hearts are devoted to saving people, our human notions will not restrict us, and these are reflections of believing in Master and Dafa. As long as we believe in Dafa, Master will strengthen us.
Consequence of Zealotry
A fellow practitioner and I set up a booth to promote Shen Yun at a furniture exhibition. The entire morning passed, and we did not sell a single ticket. I became anxious. On the surface I was worried that sentient beings would not be saved, but the real reason was that I was afraid of losing face in front of a fellow practitioner since I could not sell a single ticket.
At noon, a gentleman came to the booth. After talking to the fellow practitioner for a moment, he bought two $180 tickets! I was really excited. Later, I finally sold two tickets. When I started to process the purchase online, the Internet stopped working. It seemed the interference came from my zealotry. The gentleman waited for about five minutes, and then he said he had to leave.
I felt bad. A while later, the Internet connection was restored, so I walked around the exhibition, looking for that gentleman. Through this incident, I found I had strong zealotry, attachments of showing off, and thoughts to avoid embarrassment. The evil took advantage of my attachments, which led to the gentleman not being able to buy the tickets. He and the countless lives behind him may have lost their opportunity to be saved.
I realized that maintaining righteous thoughts is very important when we sell Shen Yun tickets.
An Unforgettable Experience
One Saturday at the mall, a Hispanic gentleman was standing at another booth across from ours. When he turned around and began watching the Shen Yun preview, I greeted him. He asked, “Is Shen Yun about Falun Gong?”
I felt a little uncertain since no one had asked me that question before. I used this as a starting point to briefly introduce Shen Yun to him. His Chinese wife quietly looked at the Shen Yun picture album.
After listening to my introduction, he took off his sunglasses. I saw that he was interested in Shen Yun. I told him that many famous performances were directed and performed by Christians, but this fact does not affect peoples' thoughts about going to watch them. Moreover, every year, more than a million audience members are amazed by Shen Yun. I added that Shen Yun's tickets at Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center were sold out, and their outstanding performances have been praised by audiences worldwide. He agreed with what I said.
I shared my personal experience of watching Shen Yun and played the feedback from an art director of a famous movie. Even though the mall was noisy and the volume was low, he still watched the video attentively. He thanked me, told me he would think about it, and left. After he left, I felt my depression vanish, and it felt as if a lot of evil in other dimensions were eliminated.
A while later, he came back and bought three tickets. He told me he would like to see me next year. I thought that he must have a strong predestined relationship with me. Master brought him to me to learn the truth. I was really happy for him and his family.
We all became more mature during the process of cultivating. This year's Shen Yun promotion was a precious experience for me. I enlightened to some important understandings. For example, whether one can sell tickets or not does not completely depend on one's ability to speak English, memorize the Shen Yun introduction, age, or previous experiences. It mainly depends on one's mindset.
When our intentions are righteous, people with predestined relationships will come to us, and our wisdom will surface. Perhaps something we have said unintentionally touched others, which will lead them to buy tickets.
Overall, it is just like cultivation: Everything has been arranged by Master—we simply have to do it.
