Cultivating During the Shen Yun Promotion

Esteemed Master and honorable fellow practitioners:

I took over the coordination of club presentations last year. On a personal note, this particular activity is of great concern to me, because upper level people can be reached through this activity more easily and can be talked to in greater depth. We were able to organize a presentation by the main coordinator of the European Falun Dafa Association in Vienna during January of this year. Although many clubs showed interest in hosting a presentation, much did not materialize because of a short time frame. This was, as it ultimately turned out, a problem that appeared on the surface, but was an opportunity to find the shortcomings in my heart. However I did not recognize this at the beginning. Instead, I experienced a growing pressure and I developed the thought, “I must achieve to get such great support. I have to set dates for the presentations.”

Alas, we had arranged only two presentations. Therefore, I contacted Germany and asked if we should cancel the events. My contact told me not to worry about it, even if the presentations would be held several days apart. We are dealing here with sentient beings and even if there were only two presentations he would still come. They encouraged me and said that we would still find predestined people. After this discussion something clicked in my mind. I recognized that I did not think of saving sentient beings, but to arrange as many presentations as possible, so the coordinator would not travel to Austria for nothing. Then, I found that I felt great pride and the desire to recognition, attachments that I needed to let go. I wanted to get recognition and not lose face, attachments that put pressure on me.

Once I discovered these attachments, I concentrated on letting go of attachments, such as fear to lose face and the desire for recognition. All I needed to do was to concentrate on the club presentations, then the sentient beings could position themselves and eventually be saved. Once I decided, the pressure disappeared and several clubs contacted me that day. We could arrange a presentation for every day the coordinator was in town.

Great Power of Correct Thoughts
For years fellow practitioners and I were involved in finding accommodations for the Shen Yun artists, including this year. The coordinator for the hotel accommodations asked who I wanted to work with to make appointments at the hotels and if I wanted to work with practitioner A, a fellow I worked with last year. I shared that it was not easy for me to cooperate with this particular practitioner and somehow that I couldn't work well with him because he was rather domineering. I suggested that I would prefer to work with practitioner B.

Unfortunately, practitioner B had to cancel for our appointment at short notice. It was just an hour before the appointment and I desperately called the coordinator. She suggested calling another practitioner. Well, it turned out that A, whom I did not want to work with was the only one available. This was definitely a clear sign that my thinking was off and my actions were way off. I did not act as a practitioner should have. Actually, preferences for and against fellow practitioners are also attachments.

Master said: “Since human beings have sentimentality, being upset is sentimentality, so are happiness, love, hatred, enjoying doing one thing, resenting doing another thing, preferring one person to another, hobbies, and dislikes. Everything belongs to sentimentality, and everyday people just live for it. Then, as a practitioner and one who rises above and beyond, one should not use this approach to judge things, and one should break away from them. Therefore, as to the many attachments that come from sentimentality, we should take them lightly and eventually abandon them. (Zhuan Falun)

I took this as an indication from Master, that I should let go of my opinion of practitioner A and follow what was natural. The appointment went very well, and moreover, I realized that my fellow practitioner was not as I had thought. We were able to complement each other very well and I had the feeling that he fully supported me in everything I said. Given this experience, I realized the danger of holding an opinion or view of a fellow practitioner, especially since we constantly cultivate and thus change. Given my opinion, I limited practitioner A in his actions, and produced an illusion, which had nothing to do with reality. Given that, one only sees the bad side of things, which in reality does not exist.

It turned out that I cooperated on another appointment with practitioner A, and we could arrange a cashless barter deal for the stay of the artists. However, there was one formality that was not clear and it gave me a headache. I needn't have worried because I was told that there was never any problem concerning this particular formality.

At the time, I could not quite trust the main coordinator, so I still worried. Well, eventually my fears materialized and the hotel's reception desk contacted me several times concerning this issue. I was flabbergasted because my constant worries resulted in the appearance of this particular formality. The tour manager ultimately took care of my mistake without complaining about it. On departure, the hotel apologized for the inconvenience and said that this was a mistake by the receptionist. Generally, this formality would not apply to a group of artists.

In fact, let me tell everyone that matter and mind are one thing. In scientific research of the human body, today’s scientists hold that a thought generated by the human brain is a substance. If it is something of material existence, isn’t it something of the human mind as well? Aren’t they the same thing? (Zhuan Falun)

This situation was a clear indication that my thoughts affected reality in a negative sense. Thoughts are powerful and will result in something positive or negative.

I am very grateful for the many opportunities that allow me to recognize and let go of my attachments, while I work for the Shen Yun promotion, as well as be a witness to Dafa miracles.

Fellow practitioners, please kindly point out shortcomings or any misunderstanding.