Experiences with Putting Up Shen Yun Posters

(Minghui.org) The 2018 Shen Yun promotion has already begun in our area. I recently went out with several elderly practitioners to put up Shen Yun posters and distribute flyers. I would like to share some of my personal experiences in hopes that we can do better in promoting the show.

Eliminate Negative Thoughts

I used to get excited when I saw big, clean windows on storefronts when I first began helping with Shen Yun promotion. But after I got turned down several times, I developed a negative thought that similar stores would not let me put up the posters.

With this negative thought in mind, many of the next stores where I stopped started turning me down. I then skipped similar-looking ones without bothering to ask them about putting up a poster.

Later on, whenever this negative thought popped up, I would immediately remind myself, “We can't do things well with negative thoughts, especially when doing something as sacred as saving sentient beings. Even if I'm not allowed to put up a poster, it is still a good opportunity to tell people about Shen Yun.”

Master said,

“Dafa's things should be the most sacred, and that's why the less you have of your own notions and involve your own factors, the better you can handle them and the more likely you are to succeed.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Students”)

After I eliminated that negative thought, I felt more confident. So even when I knew that a business would not let us put up a poster, I still went inside to introduce myself and the show.

I found that many people were happy to see the Shen Yun posters. Some also said that they knew how beautiful the show was or had already seen it and really liked it. I would tell them that Shen Yun produces an all-new performance every year.

For those who said that company policy did not allow them to put up posters on the window, I then asked if they could put up a smaller poster in the staff lounge or take some flyers to share with their customers. They were usually happy to do so.

Promoting Shen Yun is not the same as promoting other ordinary events. We are strengthening people's positive recognition of Shen Yun when we promote the show. So we should not be attached to meeting a quota as the standard for completing this task.

After several years of helping with Shen Yun posters, I have learned which businesses will and will not allow us to put them up.

Respecting Shen Yun

Before entering a store, I first look around to find a place that is clean and clutter-free to put up our poster. If there are already many flyers or posters on the windows, or the environment does not meet our standard, I skip that store.

If an employee tells me, “You can put the poster up, but when my boss gets back and wants it taken down, we'll have to throw it away.” In that case, I thank the person and don’t put up a poster. Our posters are too precious and should not be carelessly wasted!

One time, a store owner said I could only put the poster in the lower corner of the window. I explained, “This is not your average advertisement. Shen Yun is a beautiful, world-class show, so it shouldn't be displayed that low.” The owner then changed his mind and let me put the poster up in the best place.

Another time I walked into a business and was about to introduce Shen Yun, when the owner said someone had already put one up. She then pointed to a small poster at the bottom corner of a large window hidden behind other things.

I did not feel right about leaving the poster where it was, so I took out a big poster and cheerfully said, “I'll give you a bigger one.” I went over to a bright, big window and told the owner how nice it looked there. She agreed to let me put the bigger poster up in the place I suggested.

On my way home, I felt sad thinking about how Shen Yun posters could sometimes be treated so casually. Shen Yun should be respected! I talked with the local practitioners about my concern.

Another practitioner said that at certain stores, they have to leave the poster with the employee since the boss needs to give permission. If it is approved, the employee will then put up the poster.

In these situations, we should try to go back to those stores and make sure the poster is put up neatly and in a good place. If not, we should either try to correct it or reclaim the poster.

In fact, putting up posters only takes several minutes of our time, but we will leave people with a positive impression of Shen Yun.

Shen Yun showcases 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture and is Master's painstaking salvation of sentient beings in the Fa-rectification period. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to promote Shen Yun, so I must do my best!