(Clearwisdom.net) I'm a researcher in the area of macro-economics. In 2008, I wrote a report and sent it to all the main personnel in charge of various departments in our company. In the report I predicted that the global stock market and economy would reach their peak and take a down turn simultaneously and it would take at least 18 months to rectify the situation. As predicted, the storm of sub-mortgage crisis dealt a very heavy blow to the global economy and the stock market crashed. For a while, my report became a hot topic, and various departments invited me to speak to them. However, the applause I received did not bring me any joy. At a critical moment such as life and death, any attachments to fame and gain becomes extremely trivial.
I have experienced many tests of life and death since my father was hospitalized in May 2008. I felt lost, depressed, fearful and helpless. I was very sad and yet I could not talk to any one. I was deeply concerned with my father's condition and felt very miserable. One day at a group Fa-study, suddenly I asked myself: Am I really going to spend my life like this (feeling miserable about my father)? Is this the right way of life? Is this the state of mind a cultivator should have? I decided that I would pull myself out this state of mind. Although I did not know for sure how I would do so, I knew I could not carry on like this any more.
At another group Fa-study, fellow practitioners mentioned that Divine Performing Arts would soon start their annual global tour, and in 2009 in particular, we need to promote the DPA show to people in finance, politics and the arts field and clarify the facts to them. Fellow practitioners shared enthusiastically their experiences in promoting DPA to the people they had come across. It was very touching and I felt that although I had been studying the Fa for so long, yet I did not know how to clarify the facts effectively with wisdom.
The sales department in our company told me that they would like me to help them introduce their customers to our economic predictions for 2009. A series of itineraries was arranged for me to talk with many high-level people in finance about the economic prediction for 2009.
Usually, I would not be willing to do such things nor am I allowed to by my supervisor as it is not within our duty of responsibilities.
However, because the first financial institution they had arranged for me to speak on the itinerary has a deposit amount of NT$10 billion (Taiwan dollars) in our company, it was very difficult to refuse. In the end, my supervisor reluctantly agreed for me to go ahead with the arrangement. The next day, the head of the sales department told me that the director of the board and the managing director of that institution would both attend the speech and advised me to be mentally prepared. Suddenly, an idea came to my mind: Aren't they the main targets to whom we should promote the DPA show? Maybe I could use this opportunity to promote the DPA show to them.
As soon as I had this thought, I encountered interference and this was the first time that I deeply felt that the old forces were truly interfering with us. First, the time for the seminar could not be finalized. Various scheduled meetings clashed with the appointed time each time we made a decision. After changing it three times, another important meeting was scheduled for the same time slot. My supervisor wanted me to change the time for the seminar so that I would not miss the other meetings. I felt uncomfortable to request a change of time again for the seminar, so I went to discuss this with my supervisor. To my surprise, my supervisor, who is always kind, suddenly changed into a different person and looked very unhappy when I raised the issue. He replied angrily that it was someone else's business; I could find a replacement to go to those seminars. I could hardly believe that such a ridiculous thing could happen. Fellow practitioners in my company sent forth righteous thoughts together. In the end, our internal meeting changed the time and I was able to go to the seminar.
At the seminar, during my speech, every word spoken was clear and precise, and the speech went on very smoothly. I felt I was very clear-headed. Time and space seemed to have stopped there and every one was listening very attentively. I had never felt this degree of clarity in my mind before. It was really a miracle.
The speech was scheduled for one hour, but I purposely finished it in 40 minutes so that I would have time for questions and answers and then turn to introduce the DPA show. It went on for 15 minutes and people were still keen to ask more questions. I was getting a bit anxious and tried to shift the topic to DPA.
I took out the poster for DPA and asked them what people did during the great recession in 1929 in the US. They answered: going to movies, reading, looking for positive mental strength, etc. I thought I would now share with them the information about the most inspiring performing arts troupe that offers the power of purity and beauty to people of all races, that has performed on world-class stages - Divine Performing Arts. Due to the solid foundation I have laid earlier with my speech, the sudden change of topic did not seem to be a problem at all and they all listened carefully. In the end, I played a 65-second promotion clip, drawing a nice conclusion to my presentation. Not a second was wasted.
After the presentation, a group of people came to talk to me. One manager in the field of the trade of public bonds said to me, "It was really strange. The short clip made me feel like crying. It was really touching." I was surprised to hear what she said and felt that the penetrating power of Dafa was incredible.
On our way back to my company, a colleague said to me, "I was really shocked when you gave the speech without a script. I was not sure what you were going to say and was worried you might scare away my clients. You are a very rational person and yet you talked with such profound feelings. You recommended the show with sincerity. I would certainly get tickets and watch it." (Later he bought 6 tickets)
Another colleague said to me, "I was brought up in New York. If DPA could run ten shows in a row at Broadway, it must be excellent. I will definitely buy tickets for the show." (He bought 10 tickets in the end)
I did not expect to receive such positive feedback. Thanks to fellow practitioners' support with continuous righteous thoughts, I was able to clarify the facts so smoothly.
The next day, the head of the sales department called me and advised the feedback from the clients was very good. He said he would organize a few more talks for me. He thanked me again and again for my voluntary assistance. In other words, the achievement was theirs and the job was done by me.
Some human notions appeared in my heart and I felt a bit unhappy. Then I thought, he has provided such a good platform for us to clarify the facts, I should really thank him. He has offered the best payment and I should be really happy to take the opportunity for Dafa.
Two days later, the sales department arranged for me to have lunch with treasurers from five big companies, so that I could talk to them about economic prospects for 2009. As it was a lunch function, it was not convenient to give a presentation on computer. I started to think how I could bring up the topic of DPA. At lunch, everyone was rather articulate and we shared our views on the current situation. When we were waiting for dessert and fruit, I mentioned that now the middle class people were also worried about losing their jobs and there are quite a few disturbances in society. I said that although people present in our meeting were in charge of huge amount of funds and had very high salaries, they might have similar concerns. I said that favourable circumstances create heroes, but if the circumstances were not good, then there would not be enough opportunities for people to demonstrate their abilities and talent. I told them what we need most at the moment was to strengthen our hearts. Then I took out the introduction paper about DPA and distributed it to everyone present and talked about it in detail. One CEO of a big company said it was very good after he read the paper and said he also had something good to share with everyone as well. He then started to promote a museum and a concert affiliated with their company and said they would offer free tickets. I could sense that the deputy head of our sales department started to feel unhappy.
After the seminar, I asked a managing director from our company for his opinion of my presentation. To my surprise, he said that was the best ending and the situation at the present moment of our economy was so serious that DPA is the best solution, and said our prediction of the situation was indeed different from others. At this point, I noticed that the deputy head started to smile again. I continued to share my experience of watching DPA. I told them that I had worked with figures all day long and could be a bit blunt in dealing with things. After I watched DPA, from the graceful movements of the dancers, I learned the gentleness and softness in being a woman. Maybe what I said touched a spot in his heart, after he got back to his office, he immediately asked his secretary to tell me that he would buy four high-price tickets to take his family to watch the show.
As soon as I developed a thought to clarify the facts to sentient beings by introducing DPA through my professional work, unprecedented seminars of this kind were arranged one after another. I am deeply grateful for the support and sharing from fellow practitioners. Some of them even showed me in person how to do it, and provided me with materials and clips as well as talking points. All this enabled me to fulfil my responsibilities as a practitioner, who had no idea of how to or where to start. In addition, we realized that clarifying the facts is not a matter of one or two practitioners who have enlightened to its importance. Due to sufficient sharing and cooperation with others, I never felt I was alone. Even when I went to a seminar on my own, I felt countless righteous thoughts accompany me and they helped eliminate interferences in other dimensions. I hope we can continue to keep righteous thoughts and righteous actions and clarify the facts to people with pre-destined relationships with the opportunities we are given.
I used to feel deeply bothered and miserable over my father's illnesses, but have now walked out of that abyss and am full of energy. I truly believe tomorrow will be an even more beautiful day.