[European Fa Conference] My Experience as a New Czech MC for Shen Yun

(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master and fellow practitioners:

I am from the Czech Republic and began practicing Falun Dafa in 2010. I experienced many miracles on my cultivation path. I wish to share my experience of becoming an MC for Shen Yun shows in the Czech Republic. 

My ordinary job is for an investment company in Brno. My job involves resolving analytical issues and meeting with clients. My wife is also a practitioner, and we have two sons. We live in a small house near a forest. 

How It All Began

Approximately two years ago I was asked by a fellow practitioner to do videos for the Czech Epoch Times. I agreed. It was quite convenient for me, as I'd gained experience doing the videos at work and for that I have to wear a suit and tie.

After some time I found inspiration from American Youtubers and set up my own Youtube channel. Apart from politics and stock markets I made quite a few videos about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong. 

I got a phone call from the sitting MC for Shen Yun shows in the Czech Republic in the autumn of 2021. She told me that her time as MC had come to an end, and she asked if I could take over this job once she left. Knowing my limits, and suffering from stage fright when talking to a lot of people, I kindly refused. 

A few weeks later that MC called again and told me that I was the right person for this job. I felt much compassion in her voice, but I declined again. However, my wife was saddened by my decision and said that I should have taken this precious opportunity the first time around. 

But, I was firm in my decision, as I was afraid that I would do damage to Shen Yun, since I would definitely suffer from stage fright. I didn’t believe in myself. It took me a while to enlighten to this matter. But after some time, Master’s Fa in Zhuan Falun appeared in front of me: 

“The Daoist sage Lao-tzu once wrote that, “The Way may be spoken of, but it is not a common way.” The Way wouldn’t be precious if it were something so readily available it could be found in the streets, and anyone could take it up and succeed at it.” (The Eighth Talk, Zhuan Falun)

At my regular job, I carry out my duties and tasks assigned by my boss. I realized it was not up to me to decide my role in Shen Yun. It is Master who decides it and I could not come up with excuses not to do it. Master also said,

“And secondly, if you really were to have no worries on the home front and be free of all troubles, what would your spiritual practice consist of? It’s hard to grow spiritually if your life is full of comfort and ease. So it’s not how you may have imagined it, with conventional thinking.” (The Fourth Talk, Zhuan Falun)

After I resolved this matter in my mind, I accepted the job of MC. At this point I still had little idea what I was getting myself into. And I had no idea how to get rid of stage fright. But, I already held righteous thoughts that told me that everything would be fine, and I would do great. 

Getting Prepared for My New Job

Right after I accepted the MC job, I received a message from the Shen Yun New York office, advising me to come to New York for training as soon as possible. It was December, a week or two before Christmas. My attachment to comfort surfaced as I didn’t want to leave my wife and kids during the Christmas holiday. 

To my surprise, my wife did not object to my leaving for the holidays. She said nothing was more important then my work for Shen Yun. She was very supportive throughout the whole time. Eventually this problem solved itself as it turned out that the best time for me to arrive in New York would be the end of January.

During the Christmas holidays, I memorized the script I would be using on stage. This was the foundation, and I repeated the script every possible moment and even recorded myself so I could listen to it when riding my bike to work. This paid off later on.

At the end of January I spent a week in New York, and thanks to the advice from veteran MCs, I reached a certain level of confidence. During the spring of 2022 I took a few courses, which were rather helpful. However, nothing I learned was as helpful as what I was taught in New York.

Time was flying and suddenly it was May – the month when Shen Yun would be arriving in my country. Alas, something was about to happen. 

Shen Yun Finally Arrives 

Shen Yun arrived in Brno on May 13. The night before I didn’t sleep well. I woke up that morning with a terrible headache, and my body felt very weak.

My big fear had materialized. I was afraid of experiencing sickness karma, including tooth pain or flu, which would negatively impact my performance on stage.

Master said,

“You might just bring yourself health problems by often thinking that you have them. That’s because your thoughts have sunk to the same starting point as the average person, who, naturally, does experience illness.” (The Sixth Talk, Zhuan Falun)

I looked at the picture of Master on the wall. I thought of the former MC who believed in me, I thought of the Shen Yun coordinator, and all practitioners involved. I started to cry. I didn’t want to let them down but was very close to breaking down. 

Shen Yun was arriving that evening, and I was left with no choice but to get myself together. I did the Dafa exercises and listened to Dafa lectures. I felt little a better but asked myself, “How can I go on stage like this tomorrow?”

It was May 13, and Czech practitioners prepared a celebration with a big cake for Shen Yun members. The next day was my first Shen Yun show as MC. That evening I went to bed with this thought: “The old forces might test me, but they will not win. They will not win. I will go on stage tomorrow, and I will do great.”

The next morning, I did the four standing exercises twice. After that I went to the theater for rehearsal and then did the exercises again. My mind was calm as never before and I felt no stage fright. I was fine. I thanked Master from the bottom of my heart. 

The audience was very receptive, and the show was a big success. The second show on Sunday did go well too, only I felt even calmer than the day before. 

Shows in Prague were two weeks later. I kept reciting the script and further worked on my body language. After my experience with the first two shows, my goal was to have nobody in the audience think that I was not a true professional.

Both cities were sold out, and we even had to add extra seats. Thanks to Dafa and Master, not only did I pass the sickness karma within one day, but also became a professional moderator. I witnessed the power of Dafa firsthand.

I wish to encourage practitioners who might face similar tests. With firm belief in Dafa, there is nothing we can’t do. 

I wish to conclude my sharing with words from Master’s Jingwen to the Czecho-Slovak Fa Conference:

“Each Dafa disciple must persist in studying the Fa well no matter the circumstance. Only by doing so will you be able to fulfill your historic mission as a Dafa disciple, and assist Master in saving lives. You are the hope of the lives of the race or ethnic group that you were born into. Do well the things that you should do.” (“To The Czecho-Slovak Fa Conference”)

Thank you, Master. Thank you, fellow practitioners. 

(Presented at the 2022 European Fa Conference)