HAMBURG, Germany—“My intellect took the backseat once I entered the venue and only my heart was present, the heart that opened up the moment the curtain opened. Even that first scene and the message it conveyed was overpowering,” said Heiko Schrang.

Mr. Schrang is a freelance author of articles and bestselling books, which cover political and economic issues. A friend invited him to take the 179-mile trip from Berlin to Hamburg to see Shen Yun perform at Hamburg’s largest theater, the Theater am Grossmarkt. She promised that he would greatly enjoy the performance and, as a practicing Buddhist, would gain more insight into his cultivation practice.

“It is impressive that in today’s society, where people are often discontented and where many Westerners suffer from burnout and depression, one receives a message that is encouraging and of the highest quality,” he said.

This message “is given to the heart and not the mind and thus provides great energy to the audience. It was as if one could seize this message moving through the environment and hold it fast. I believe that even more people should receive this message.”

Shen Yun’s website refers to the energy audiences feel seeing Shen Yun: “Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired.”

Difficult to Describe in Mere Words

“Although my knowledge about artistic qualities is slim, I was impressed by the jumps performed by the dancers. I felt as if these dancers floated above the stage. Not just that, it was as if my soul left my body and floated among divine beings.”

Classical Chinese dance is renowned for its soothing grace as well as its exciting and difficult tumbling and aerial techniques.

Mr. Schrang felt that the stage was filled with divine beings and he lacked the vocabulary, despite being a writer, to express his innermost feelings and his impression.

“This performance awakened in me the knowledge that if I get to know myself, I get to know God.”

The performance also gave him inspiration for his new book. But, foremost, given today’s society, where “we should let go of the external and awaken the internal, this performance is the key to help us self-reflect.”

Reporting by Yu Ping and Heide B. Malhotra

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.

Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.