Cultivating and Elevating While Distributing Shen Yun Posters

(Minghui.org) Greetings, esteemed, great Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners.

I was fortunate to attain Dafa in March 1996. Ever since I came to America in October 2012, I've been participating in truth-clarification activities to save sentient beings. There were two events that impressed me most. One was an online White House petition to investigate the organ harvesting. The other is promoting Shen Yun Performing Arts. In both projects, I've come across many magical and touching stories. Today I will talk about my experience in promoting Shen Yun.

Having a pure mind in doing things is critical

The first time I went to put up Shen Yun posters, I had no notion. I never thought of whether the stores would allow me to put up a poster or not. We put up 45 posters in less than a day. And the positions were quite good. As I continued with the work, I acquired a little "experience." For a period of time, before going into one store, I would have a thought such as, "This one should allow us to put it up." Or, "That store is so extravagantly decorated that they are not likely to let us post anything." Sometimes I just passed by very expensive looking stores. I asked myself, "What good would it do to put up a poster there?" It was freezing cold. Should we continue? Master used other practitioners to remind me. A practitioner told me that the moment he put up a poster, a man came out and said, "I've been thinking of taking my mother to the show, but I almost forget it. Seeing the poster, I remembered. I should buy the tickets right away."

I found many practitioners' sharings during group study touching and encouraging. I realized my attachments to doing things and competing with others. I pursued the number of posters that I could put up. I took it as an everyday person's job, forgetting that our real goal was to save people and give sentient beings an opportunity to choose their positions. I told myself not to miss anyone with a predestined relationship. From then on, I would not skip any store when we went out to put up posters. As long as the staff or owners had time, we would introduce Shen Yun in great detail. When they showed interest, we played the promo video. Many said they were interested and wanted to see the show. I know that as long as we did it without pursuit, Master would arrange for the right people to see the show.

Many things happened in the process. I will share two that caused me to change my mindset. When we went into Western people's shops, they were quite polite, even in refusing us. But in a Chinese store, the way they turned us down was quite distresssing and discouraging. One day I was barely unfolding the poster in a Chinese store when the woman shook her head with, "No, no, no." I tried to say something, but she was very insistant. I bid her farewell politely, but was hurt at heart.

A few shops away was another Chinese store. My teammate murmured, "Another Chinese store." I hesitated, but only for a second. I immediately dismissed the thought. I knew I must go in. Every person should be able to choose his future. I have to give them the opportunity. Master said,

"Saving people is just that, saving people, and to pick and choose would not be merciful." ("Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference")

Upon entering the store, I simply introduced Shen Yun, and the owner pointed to a good spot by the door for us to place the poster. I believe it was because I had a pure thought and it awakened the kind heart of that sentient being and enabled him to choose a good future.

I was in the biggest and most expensive looking Chinese restaurant I had visited during the poster project. While my teammate took out the poster, I was thinking, "Such an elegant restaurant, and it's Chinese. Will they allow us to do it?" The practitioner with me just said, "Let's go in." I drove away my bad thoughts and started sending forth righteous thoughts. We told the manager about Shen Yun and asked if we could put up a poster. He said he needed to ask the owner. Just then the owner came up. He was a vital man in his 70s. Seeing the poster, he said, "Ah, so beautiful. I wish you great success."

I had some flyers in my hand, but I had no intention of giving them to him, as the Shen Yun office had told us to leave no more than ten at each place. But the owner just took them from me enthusiastically and put them in a good spot. He then took over the poster and looked for a proper place to put it. Opposite the restaurant entrance was a marble wall with some cut flowers underneath. It looked nice and artistic. Anything extra on the wall would break the nice balance. I never thought he would put the poster on the marble wall, but he went right there to place the poster and asked, "Can I put it here?" We gladly replied, "That's perfect. Thank you so much."

We then talked to him about Falun Gong, the persecution, and the Communist Party's evil conduct. He listened quietly and jumped in to express his support. Fortunately, he was never a member of the Party's organizations. It seemed that when we had pure thoughts, sentient beings made the right choices. And Master will bring predestined people to us.

How to establish good communications with the stores

In New York City, we went on several rounds to put up posters. We need communicate well with the stores. Some practitioners were thinking of giving them coupons or discounted tickets. I didn't think that was a good idea. I think we shouldn't stop at asking for permission to put up posters and leave flyers. The best way to communicate is to tell them about Shen Yun. At first, I just told them that Shen Yun was a show, and the time and location. I then asked them if I could put the poster on the wall or the door and leave some flyers. If they agreed, I would do it. Otherwise, I would leave. Another practitioner thought that this was not good enough. People still don't know what Shen Yun was. I didn't memorize the English instructions for promoting Shen Yun and used my poor language skills as an excuse. In fact, I was lazy and totally relied on other practitioners in my team.

I wanted to eliminate the attachment of comfort and reliance, so I started memorizing the Shen Yun introduction in English. The next morning, the first shop we visited was a high-end garment store. As you know, garment stores usually don't allow any posters. But by then I wasn't harboring any notions. I was only thinking about the English instructions that I had memorized the night before. I wanted to put them to use, so I started explaining Shen Yun in English to the manager. After I finished, I asked her if I could put up a poster. She said, "On the wall by the door." I was taken by surprise for two seconds, as I really didn't expect it. I was only practicing my English. The store was on Broadway, and many people pass by. After I put up one poster, I asked her if I could put up another one on the outside. She gladly agreed. I see that when sentient beings know what Shen Yun truly is, they will make the right choice.

One day we went to a bank. I didn't know what kind, I only saw from the outside that it was a bank. There was no teller or ATM inside. A well decorated passageway led to a receptionist in a suit, who stood behind an exquisite round desk. It was a small desk, with no room for anything except his book. Certainly no room for my flyers. Still I asked, "Can I put up a poster or flyer?" He said no to both. I was about to leave when my teammate gave him a flyer. No one else was around, so he was bored. The practitioner started to tell him what Shen Yun was. When he understood, he asked, "Can you give me some more flyers so that I can give them to the employees upstairs?"

I realize that it's quite important to let people know what Shen Yun is. When they know about it, they will help us introduce Shen Yun to more people. It's a way for the sentient beings to choose a better future for themselves. I remember what Master said,

"During the Fa-rectification all beings are choosing for themselves what path they will go down. What every being is truly faced with is choosing his own future." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.")

Breaking through layers and layers of barriers with righteous thoughts

When we first begin to put up posters, it was quite difficult. A lot of stores wouldn't let us do it. We had to walk many blocks and visit many stores before actually putting up a few. As practitioners kept on sending forth righteous thoughts to clean up the field, I felt distinctly that it was getting easier and easier. Especially in the last 20 days or so, about 90% of the stores let us put up posters.

On the day of the first Shen Yun show, I went with a dozen practitioners to upstate New York to put up the last 500 posters. We divided into four groups, each heading to one assigned area. On the way, we sent forth righteous thoughts and recited Lunyu. Almost every store we visited let us put up posters, and in very good spots. Some owners offered to help put them up. Some wanted to buy tickets right away. After we covered those areas, there were still some posters left. We didn't want to leave any posters unused. The driver, who is also a practitioner, searched for new areas for us to put them. There were 11 shows in New York City over eight days this year. Many practitioners kept on distributing flyers in Times Square after the show started. They didn't want to miss anyone destined to see the show. I was really touched by their heart to save sentient beings.

I feel that putting up posters is like what Master said about "yunyou" (wandering around). Master said:

"Wandering around in society is rather torturous. It must beg for food and meet different kinds of people who will scold, insult, or take advantage of it. It might encounter all kinds of things. It will treat itself as a practitioner and balance well relations with others, always maintaining and upgrading xinxing. It will not be moved by the temptations of different benefits among everyday people." (Zhuan Falun)

We met all sorts of people while putting up posters. Their different attitudes towards us sometime provoked our attachments. Those who were good to me made me happy. Those with harsh words sometimes provoked my competitiveness. There was also jealousy, showing off, pursuit of comfort, competitiveness, attachment to self, complaints about others, looking down on others, attachment to face and benefits, as well as lust and fear, not cultivating speech, etc.

Master said,

"You will be made to abandon all those attachments that cannot be given up among everyday people. As long as you have them, all of those attachments must be removed in different environments. You will be made to stumble, whereby you will become enlightened to the Tao. This is how one goes through cultivation practice." (Zhuan Falun)

Promoting Shen Yun is actually an opportunity Master gave us to cultivate xinxing and eliminate attachments. Putting up posters was a precious opportunity for me to save sentient beings and to cultivate at the same time.

All the projects to save sentient beings are important and demanding

I participated with other groups in promoting Shen Yun. Because I don't speak English well, I learned to make tea during the promotion activities. The first few events were small functions introducing Shen Yun. I thought, "Were I able to speak good English, I could stay indoors, in a climate controlled environment, and introduce Shen Yun to Westerners in beautiful dresses. It isn't physically demanding, either."

Then came the big events--the auto show and finance expo. For three days in a row, I had to stand seven to eight hours a day, with only a short break. I was exhausted. Standing for seven hours is much more stressful than walking for seven hours. I stopped envying those working indoors. I know each project is important. We are not to compare which is more comfortable, but to see what we can do. Wherever we are needed in validating the Fa and saving sentient beings, we should go and do our best. We should walk well on the path of Fa-rectification and be worthy of Master's benevolent salvation. It was indeed great encouragement to see a full house at each New York show this year.

In the end, I'd like to read one of Master's poems with you.

"Seeking
The human world is like a maze,
Ordeals are spread all along the way.
You were all Kings above, before descending.
Seeking,
You came to the world for the Fa.
Strive to advance in cultivation,
Don't delay your steps to return."
(Hong Yin III)