Taiwan Fahui | Overcoming My Fear of Taking the Stage to Promote Shen Yun

(Minghui.org) Greetings to Master! Greetings to fellow practitioners! 

My Fear of Being in the Spotlight

One of the projects I have been involved in is translating art articles for the Epoch Times. I feel comfortable doing this project because it suits my personality. Since childhood, although I often chatted with my classmates at school, whenever I was called on to stand up and read a passage aloud, my legs would suddenly go weak and a chill would run down my spine. I would do anything to avoid being in the spotlight, let alone participate in speech contests or perform on stage.

After I began practicing Falun Dafa, my friends noticed that I was much more relaxed and at ease. That was because I learned from Dafa that everything is predestined and that all I need to do is my best. As a result, I have become more cheerful and confident. Whether I was speaking with clients, giving presentations in English, or negotiating with vendors on business trips abroad, I handled these situations with ease. If I made a mistake, I would just try again, it was no big deal.

However, when it came to cultivation, I became extremely cautious. I was afraid of saying something wrong because I worried that my words might negatively affect Dafa. I also felt embarrassed to expose my shortcomings. Because of these concerns, I often stumbled over my words and trembled unconsciously when sharing my experiences with fellow practitioners. Afterward, I would repeatedly review what I had said. I later realized that my nervousness stemmed from vanity, a desire to show off, and a competitive mentality. These were attachments I needed to eliminate.

Recognizing the Importance of Saving Sentient Beings

To let go of these attachments and also to help promote Shen Yun, I steeled myself and took the Level 1 certification exam. After I passed, fellow practitioners encouraged me to work on the Level 2 Lead Speaker certification, but my fear held me back once again.

My knowing side told me, “If I can give presentations to strangers for work, I should certainly be able to introduce Shen Yun to the public. After all, this is such a sacred mission.”

With the help of fellow practitioners, I mustered up the courage to take the exam and was fortunate enough to pass. I felt relived because I thought I had fulfilled my responsibility.

Unexpectedly, a coordinator from Zhongli City immediately reached out to me, asking if I could serve as the main speaker at small informational sessions held during work hours Monday through Friday.

Caught off guard, I declined, using my job as an excuse. At that moment, I clearly sensed the frustration and helplessness of the fellow practitioner on the other end of the line. I felt terrible. I knew that she couldn’t find anyone else to take on that task. It was as if the stage had been set and the audience had taken their seats, yet I had backed out at the last minute.

Examining myself more deeply, I realized it was my desire for fame and fortune holding me back. I worried that taking time off frequently would lead to criticism from my boss or complaints from my colleagues. More importantly, I was afraid that I might be too nervous and forget my lines, or the audience might not want to listen to me, or they might ask questions I couldn’t answer. All these human notions and attachments allowed my fears to stand in the way of an opportunity to save people.

I resolved to do better this year. I encouraged myself in my mind. Soon, one day after the Fa-study in Neili, all the practitioners who had passed the Level 2 Lead Speaker exam were asked to stay. It turned out that the coordinator had arranged a monthly sharing session where the speakers could take turns practicing on stage. The purpose was to help us improve our presentation skills and build confidence.

The coordinator’s thoughtful arrangement caught me completely off guard! My face contorted like a steamed bun. Then we drew lots to determine the order in which we would speak. I drew the last number and felt greatly relived. Looking back, I feel ashamed of my reaction to that practitioner’s sincere encouragement and kind assistance.

One the one hand, I wanted to fulfill my vow, while on the other, I felt an overwhelming sense of pressure. I wanted to do well but worried I would fail. As a result, I became increasingly anxious and discouraged. This was my state of mind for the past few years.

On my way home, I felt frustrated with myself. Master had given me another opportunity, and a fellow practitioner had offered her help, yet I was still reluctant to move forward.

At that moment, Master’s teaching came to my mind:

“It is a xinxing issue if you do not help stop a murder or arson when you see it. How will you otherwise demonstrate that you are a good person? If you do not help stop a murder or arson, what will you get involved with?” (Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)

I was confused and couldn’t figure out why Master had brought this passage to my attention.

The next day in our group Fa study, we recited On Dafa. When I reached the last sentence that says, “And any cultivator who is able to become one with Dafa is an enlightened one—divine,” my mind suddenly connected it to a passage in Zhuan Falun:

“As a human being, you are a good person only if you can follow this universe’s characteristic of Zhen-Shan-Ren. A person who deviates from this characteristic is truly a bad person.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)

I suddenly understood that Master was using these three passages to enlighten me about the seriousness of cultivation and the importance of saving sentient being.

With all sentient beings lost in delusion, Master has brought us Shen Yun and painstakingly laid the groundwork to save as many people as possible. Meanwhile the evil Chinese Communist Party is carrying out all kinds of visible and invisible acts of “murder and arson” all over the world, dragging sentient beings down and simultaneously destroying layer upon layer of lives behind them. I was fortunate enough to obtain the Fa and even had the opportunity to share the beauty of Shen Yun, yet I had failed to live up to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

At that moment, I realized that to be “able to become one with Dafa” implies putting the Fa teachings into practice through our actions. If I didn’t take the initiative, how many lives might be lost while I hesitated? Isn’t that the same as placing myself above the sentient beings? It’s like a flood looming while I remained silent instead of warning the people around me, simply because I was afraid they might misunderstand me. It would be extremely selfish. I was deeply saddened to realize how far I still was from meeting the standards of a Dafa disciple.

The main reason I had vacillated over the past three years was that I had failed to recognize the gravity of saving people. As a result, I kept retreating to my comfort zone and hesitated to move forward. Looking deeper, I realized that I had not truly put my faith in Master or Dafa.

This wake-up profoundly affected me. Enlightening to this made me realize how serious the consequences of my hesitation could be. I finally managed to dispel the illusory fear created by my attachment to self and recognize the gravity of the Fa. I developed righteous thoughts and felt that Master had given me a great deal of courage. However, I understood that the next step was up to me.

Taking Action Instead of Hesitating

A fellow practitioner once said, “No matter which project you choose to do, the key is to actually do it.” During the preparation for the Level 2 certification, with the help of fellow practitioners, I was able to move beyond a superficial understanding of the dance movements and gain a deeper appreciation of how Mulan’s gestures express filial piety. Passing the certification exam was not the goal, the key was to take action, and I could also break free from the notions shaped by modern perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of traditional culture.

So I decided to just get started rather than hesitating about how to start. The first question I asked myself was: “When I tell people how wonderful Shen Yun is, have I truly immersed myself in the beauty of our traditions?” If every Dafa disciple is a beacon, do our thoughts and actions embody the goodness of our traditions in a way that others can sense? If I want to connect with traditional culture, I should let Shen Yun fill every moment of my life and permeate my body, mind, and spirit every day, not engage with Shen Yun only during the times tickets are being sold.

I found that Shen Yun Creations was a powerful tool. Whether it was the Shun Yun Symphony Orchestra, past dance productions, vocal performances, or even audience feedback, they all reflected the essence of Shen Yun cultivated over the years. When I took the time to appreciate Shen Yun’s music, colors, dance movements, and costumes, I repeatedly discovered elements that might pique people’s interest. This helped me identify different ways to introduce Shen Yun to the public.

I also shared articles about art that I have translated, as well as interesting content I came across while reading The Epoch Times. This not only helped spread the beauty of traditional culture but also gave me the opportunity to promote Shen Yun.

I realized that, since we all come from heaven, we must all be closely connected, at the most microscopic level of our lives, to the cultural essence transmitted by the divine. If I clung to preconceived notions and assumed that I or others could not understand Shen Yun, I would create a wall between traditional culture, myself, and sentient beings.

Following these moments of enlightenment, Master bestowed wisdom upon me. I began to develop ideas for my presentation, found my own ways of expressing them, and visualized the scenes I wanted to present.

I used to doubt my ability to create presentations. At work, I only need to deliver the presentations prepared by our marketing department.

This time, however, I opened the presentation software and looked at the blank slide, I told my fear, “I do not have time for you right now.”

I began to sketch out my visions step by step. Amazingly, a challenge that had once seemed as formidable as the 8,800-meter (29,000-foot)-high Himalayas shrank to the 183-meter (600-foot)-high Elephant Mountain in Taipei!

Discovering the Beauty of Traditional Culture and Joyfully Sharing Shen Yun

Filled with the joy of sharing Shen Yun, I added one slide after another. Miraculously, I suddenly found I knew how to use many of the software’s functions. With the abundant resources provided by fellow practitioners, I completed both the slides and the speech in just two days. It was something I hadn’t even dare to imagine before.

The next step was rehearsal. As I practiced in front of my computer, I kept asking myself: “What would people want to see and hear? How can I make them feel as though they were basking in a gentle spring breeze? Will these pictures help them see Shen Yun as something positive and beautiful?” I constantly adjusted the graphics, text, slide transitions, and color schemes, as well as the script. Each day of practice brought major revisions.

I also began to appreciate the many details of traditional culture described in classical Chinese novels, including the architecture, food, jewelry, and clothing. As a Chinese literature major, I used to find these descriptions tedious and lacked the patience to appreciate them. While I was working on my presentation, however, I suddenly came to understand the author’s intentions. I believe their mission was to document these precious aspects of traditional cultural and remind us of the value of craftsmanship, as well as the meticulous care and beauty embodied in traditional culture.

My perspective on traditional culture broadened as a result. When watching a Shen Yun performance, I began to notice more and more details. I would think: Ah! Every gesture, every movement, every note, every costume, and every line of song seemed to come from the distant heavens and offer something precious to all living beings.

I am sure that the next time a fellow practitioner tells me it is my turn to take the stage, I will gladly grab my laptop and introduce Shen Yun.

In addition to reporting to Master on my cultivation experiences over the past year, I also want to encourage fellow practitioners who, like me, want to do their best but are afraid to move forward: Let’s take that step forward together. We may have many shortcomings, but when we come together as one, let go of our attachments, and assimilate to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, we will surely touch the hearts of those we share a predestined connection with in various ways.

I am grateful to our compassionate and great Master and to my fellow practitioners who have encouraged me to keep moving forward.

These are my personal cultivation experiences. Please kindly point out anything not in line with the Fa.

(Selected submission for the 2026 Taiwan Fahui)