(Minghui.org) I hurried out of the house with my suitcase and headed to the train station on January 1, 2025, at 7 a.m. It was a special day for me. A new year was beginning, and the Shen Yun tour was resuming. Although this was not the first time I participated I was filled with a feeling of profound honor and great joy at the thought of being able to contribute.
I was assigned to help the Tianti Bookstore introduce and promote Falun Dafa books to the public at theaters. These books included Zhuan Falun, Falun Gong in several languages, and Master’s new lectures in French.
When I first started to help with this I was a little anxious, afraid that I wouldn’t be up to the task. Even though I read Zhuan Falun every day, presenting it to the public is a completely different challenge—I feel it’s a sacred trust. To this end, I asked several practitioners for advice on how best to present this book. They provided various suggestions, which inspired and helped me a lot.
Being outgoing and lively by nature, I often use different approaches to quickly connect with people. For example, I begin by welcoming them warmly, asking simple questions: “Is this your first time seeing Shen Yun? How did you hear about the show?” Then I introduce Dafa books.
Since my French is limited, I always review the phrases suggested by the other practitioners, and I sometimes memorized them. This allows me to be more fluent during my introduction. Later, I also adapted certain phrases to my own style of speaking, which was well received by people.
For example: “Have you heard about this book? It has been translated into more than 50 languages. It is one of the most widely read books in the world. It profoundly changed my life.
“The questions we don’t understand in life are often answered in this book. If you enjoy reading, don’t miss this opportunity!”
“Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, has Zhuan Falun as its main work. This book covers topics such as:— Why did we come into this world?— What is our mission?— Why do we get sick?— Why are some people hostile to us, while others are kind?— Do other dimensions really exist? We think they don’t exist simply because we can't see them.
“This book also helps us transform our negative thoughts, because don’t we often have negative thoughts?” People usually agree with this statement, some say: The French have a lot of negative thoughts.
Sometimes when I meet people of a certain level of understanding, I explain to them that Zhuan Falun expounds on the origin of life, the universe, suffering and happiness, as well as the fundamental principles of the universe, the relationship between man and the universe, and the path of cultivation to attain enlightenment. This can help us awaken a deeper wisdom.
I often start by offering an introductory leaflet, explaining that Falun Gong is a form of qigong. If the person doesn’t know what it is, I say, “It's a bit like yoga or tai chi, but at a higher level. And there are books to guide you through the exercises.”
Some people know about qigong, and some practice it. If they hesitate to buy the book, I tell them, “There are many forms of qigong in the world. You can find out what Falun Dafa really is. It’s one of the oldest!” After this explanation, many buy the book, some as gifts for friends.
I also say that if you have children at home, you can encourage them to read this book. With the media today, it’s difficult to distinguish between good and bad, which can be detrimental to their physical and mental health. This book can help them! As parents, don’t we want our children to follow the right path? People find this very reasonable and readily buy it for their families.
I once asked a gentleman, “Do you like reading?” He immediately replied, “No.” A practitioner then warned me that this question wasn’t appropriate. But I ignored her and continued, “Everyone has their own tastes. Some like to travel, buy jewelry, luxury goods, or attend performances, like you who came to see Shen Yun today. I, too, didn’t particularly like reading before. But this book is truly different. It has transformed my life. I used to have a lot of anger, and now I’ve improved a lot.”
I showed him the three words “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” on the flyer, saying, “These three words changed my thoughts; it’s truly miraculous. This book isn’t about price, but about value.” He bought the book and happily went to see Shen Yun.
Afterward, I was angry and irritably told the practitioner, “It’s not like you imagine. Everyone we meet has a bond of affinity with us. Even if he says he doesn’t like reading, that doesn’t mean he won’t buy. We have to respect each other in our ways of presenting ourselves. Everyone has a different affinity with people. The same sentence, said by different people, can have a very different effect.”
I remember an experience-sharing article written by a practitioner in China that deeply touched me. She wrote, “One day, while clarifying the truth, I ran into a plainclothes police officer. He said to me, ‘Do you know who I am? I’m here to arrest you.’ I replied, ‘You seem kind, you’re a good person. Don’t do this; it won’t do you any good.’ He then waved his hand and let me go. Later, my sister, who is also a Dafa practitioner, encountered the same police officer. She repeated word for word what I said. But the officer arrested her and took her to the police station. Fortunately, she quickly corrected her mindset and, with the help of other practitioners, was able to get released.”
This story reminds us that cultivation is not simply about imitating, but about truly cultivating oneself.
Another time, this same practitioner “warned” me again: I shouldn’t talk about “karma” to the audience. I stood there, wondering if I said something inappropriate again. I was upset. Why did she keep questioning my words? Wasn’t this interference to prevent me from selling the books? The more I thought about it, the more irritated I became. In fact, she hadn’t heard the whole context of the conversation. After the performance, on the way home, she suddenly made a mischievous face at me. At that moment, I understood: all this was interference from the old forces, aimed at stirring up trouble between us. I regretted not having maintained my xinxing.
My background is in business, and in ordinary society, I worked in public relations and selling high-end products. I’m good at interacting with people. Whether it was the wife of a country’s president or a humble street vendor, anyone who approached me left feeling warmly welcomed, cared for, and respected. So why is it that today, when introducing something as sacred as Dafa books, a practitioner’s words hurt me to the point of anger? I’m a Falun Dafa practitioner, a cultivator! Haven’t I done my cultivation in vain today? Where has my compassion gone?
I asked myself, “Why am I taking this situation so seriously? What attachment do I have within me that makes me so vulnerable?” I finally found it: isn’t it this mindset that can’t stand criticism? This attachment to wanting to be right, to believing oneself to be superior, this contempt for other practitioners? I realized that I still had so many attachments within me!
My daughter, who doesn’t practice, listened to me talk about my “discomfort” and said, “Isn’t this just an opportunity for you to improve yourself?” I immediately understood that it was Master using his mouth to remind me of this. Yes, from now on I must always remain vigilant, take care of my cultivation, and absolutely eliminate this dangerous attachment that cannot bear to be criticized.
Whenever I see a packed theater, I am often moved to tears. I am deeply grateful to Master for arranging for so many sentient beings to come and see Shen Yun. I also hope that all these sentient beings can watch the performance with a pure mind, without human notions, and that every life can be saved.
This year, during Shen Yun’s 88-performance tour in France, thanks to the joint efforts of practitioners in each region, we distributed 10,000 Dafa leaflets and sold over 2,500 Dafa books in various languages, mainly in French. I hope that next year, Shen Yun will fill the halls as it did this year, and that more and more predestined beings will be able to take Dafa books home with them.
I still have a lot of things I need to improve on, and I must truly cultivate even more diligently. Especially at this crucial moment in history, it is even more important to do the three things well, fulfill our prehistoric vows, and follow Master to the end of our paths.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
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Category: Improving Oneself
