(Minghui.org)
Greetings, Revered Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
Today, I would like to share my experience supporting Shen Yun’s performances.
I felt a deep connection to this project when I first began practicing Falun Dafa in 2006, the year Shen Yun was founded.
Over the years, I have taken on various tasks, including publicity, marketing, stage setup and logistics. Of these, I feel most comfortable when I’m directly involved on stage or backstage, whether it’s during setup and tear-down or as a stagehand during performances.
Before I began practicing Dafa, I had experience working in stage technology, and found it to be very fulfilling, even though it is often considered a “male domain.”
When I first started practicing, I had a genuine desire to join Shen Yun as a stage crew member. I met all the requirements: I had years of experience in stage construction, was familiar with lighting techniques, and even held a truck driver’s license. In 2007, I applied to join Shen Yun. However, my request to join Shen Yun as a stage crew member in Europe was rejected.
It was difficult for me to let go of this wish, but I had accepted the decision, looked inward for the reasons, and continued to support Shen Yun in other areas.
As time passed, I became more involved in media projects run by Dafa disciples. Consequently, I had less opportunities to directly assist Shen Yun, which made me feel very sad.
In 2022, my life took a major turn: I left the media industry, moved from Poland, where my husband and I were living, to Switzerland, and chose to work in the restaurant industry. I specifically applied for a summer job at a well-known five-star hotel in the Alps because I knew I would need to allocate time in the winter to support Shen Yun.
During my interview at the hotel, my future boss surprised me by offering a ten-month contract. I honestly explained that I couldn’t guarantee full attendance during the winter because I would be spending several weeks in Poland and Austria to support Shen Yun. In the Swiss hotel industry, winter is the peak season, and it’s typically not possible to take time off. However, my boss replied, “No problem, you can take time off.”
As a result, I was able to tour with Shen Yun in Poland, Austria, and even several cities in Israel and Germany in 2023 and 2024.
This experience profoundly taught me that when I am sincere and prioritize Shen Yun, even seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be overcome. As long as we maintain righteous thoughts and unwavering trust in Master, the impossible can become possible.
My desire to contribute more for Shen Yun has been growing steadily. I decided to join the 2025 tour, which will cover Poland, Riga (Shen Yun’s first performance in Latvia in 2025), Austria, and all of Germany. As a result, I made the decision to work only during the summer and devote the entire winter to Shen Yun.
In the spring of 2024, I left the five-star hotel where I had worked for two years. Before I had a chance to start looking for a new summer job, my phone suddenly rang. It was a practitioner from Switzerland who owned a hotel near Bern. He called me about a summer job, as his hotel closed during the winter. I didn’t hesitate—it was clearly Master’s arrangement for me. I immediately agreed and spent the summer at his hotel with two other practitioners who were already working there. After that, I was able to dedicate myself fully to Shen Yun.
During the 2025 performance season, I was responsible for the logistics team in Poland, Austria, and Latvia. Initially, I did not have any specific tasks in Germany. Although I was eager to help as a stage crew member, I understood that Shen Yun traditionally preferred men for this role, so I put this idea aside.
I know that the security team is always in need of personnel support. When I considered taking on this role, I initially felt uneasy—I couldn’t imagine myself in this position and didn’t want to undertake this task. A question came to mind: “Are you truly wholeheartedly and unconditionally supportive of Shen Yun, or do you only support it when the tasks suit you?”
This realization was a turning point for me. I immediately wrote to two security coordinators in Germany whom I knew well. They were delighted to hear from me and immediately included me in their team. So, I became a permanent member of security teams across Germany. Once again, righteous thoughts opened up new possibilities.
From January to May 2025, I drove alone, accompanying Shen Yun on its tour of Eastern and Central Europe, traveling over 20,000 kilometers in a few months. The tour began in Poland and ended in the Czech Republic.
The tour schedule was extremely tight: one city after another, with only two days of travel time each. The cities are far apart, and I often had to drive seven to eight hours from one performance venue to the next. Additionally, I needed to prepare for the upcoming performances during this time.
While the basic organizational framework was established in November, the real pressure usually begins before and during the performances. For instance, some fellow practitioners may not be able to attend due to various circumstances, or something may suddenly require additional personnel, or the conditions at the venue may change. The situation may evolve at any time.
Under such pressure, it is easy for resentment or frustration to set in. Through continued Fa study and exercises, which have become a regular part of my daily life, I have been able to maintain great flexibility and accept and respond to challenges with an open mind.
Without this foundation, I typically would not be able to withstand such pressure. However, at the beginning of the tour, I made some mistakes that I should not have made. These shortcomings had to be corrected by other practitioners, which left me feeling regretful and motivated me to work harder in my cultivation.
This is a tremendous challenge—and a great honor. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve Shen Yun with all my heart and all my strength.
The performance in Salzburg marked the end of my coordination work for the 2025 Shen Yun tour. Although I cherished the role of coordinator, it came with enormous responsibility and constant pressure. On the last day of the performance in Salzburg, I felt a noticeable sense of relief. I knew that in Germany, I would only be a regular member of the security team and wouldn’t have to shoulder the overall responsibility of the entire team. I believed the most difficult task of the tour was behind me.
Just as I began to relax, the coordinator of the Austrian Dafa Association approached me and invited me to speak on behalf of the Austrian Falun Dafa practitioners when bidding farewell to the Shen Yun artists. He believed I was well-suited for this role because I had played a significant part in organizing activities in Austria. At first, I felt uncertain and wanted to decline the invitation. Speaking in front of the Shen Yun artists and other fellow practitioners felt like a huge challenge, and I was overwhelmed by a strong sense of fear.
But the cultivator side of me realized what a great honor this was. Master clearly arranged this mission. How could I refuse it out of fear?
I started to prepare my speech, with the help of three fellow practitioners who assisted me in finding the right words. During practice, I became emotional, my hands shook, and my heart raced. However, when I spoke in front of about 100 artists and fellow practitioners, a deep sense of calm and composure enveloped me. The storm within me subsided, and I felt incredibly honored.
After Austria, I traveled to Germany, where Shen Yun was performing in Ludwigsburg. I had initially been assigned to the security team, but the coordinator there asked me if I would also like to help on stage. The stage team, having become familiar with me during the previous tour, asked me to lend a hand. I immediately agreed.
While on tour, I was often assigned to work as a stagehand both before, during, and after shows, especially during the setup and tear-down of lighting equipment. My experience eventually led me to become a member of the stage crew.
At times I did stage work, while other times I did security, depending on the need. These changing roles required me to be very flexible and let go of expectations. Because I preferred helping out on stage to doing security, it was an emotional roller coaster at first, but over time, I learned to go with the flow and approach all tasks with a cultivator’s mindset.
My desire to participate in the final stop of the tour in the Czech Republic arose during the trip. I reached out to the Czech coordinator, who suggested that I either visit the media support or assist at the Shen Yun small merchandise booth. However, after two weeks without any response, I assumed they might not need my help.
A member of the stage team there suggested that I help out in Prague as a stagehand. I was confused—could he make that decision on his own? Shen Yun typically only asks me to help out in emergencies, as tradition favors men for this role. However, he reassured me, saying, “Don’t worry, we need you.”
In Prague, I had the opportunity to work on stage, where I was responsible for the curtain, making sure it didn’t blow too far onto the stage. Standing onstage with the artists was an exhilarating feeling. In that moment, tears of joy and gratitude welled up in my eyes.
After the final performance in Prague, a Chinese practitioner from the stage team said to me, “Now you are a permanent member of the team.”
I sincerely thank our respected Master and all fellow practitioners.
(Selected Speech from the 2025 Austrian Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)