TORONTO—A “pure golden energy” and “bright blue energy like the sky” radiated from the stage, translating into different feelings for the audience and enveloping the whole theater.
Those were the remarkable experiences, Derek Noonan, a human rights advocate, said of his time at Shen Yun.
Feeling Renewed Through Spirituality
As the performance came to an end, Mr. Noonan said the feeling that stayed with him most was a spiritual depth.“When you leave, that’s what makes you feel good,” he said. “It’s a shared experience. That’s the spirituality because that’s what humanity is.”
Although people follow different religions, he believes the essence of spirituality is universal.
“I love how they mention the vibrations, because that’s what heals,” he said. “Spirituality raises your vibrations and lifts you up. That’s the spirituality.”
Mr. Noonan said he sensed a divine energy from the very beginning of the performance.
“You could feel it as soon as the show begins,” he said. “It’s a shared event. It’s actually quite healing.”
He explained that the performance helped him let go of the stress of the workweek.
Shen Yun’s Mission Carries Profound Meaning
Mr. Noonan said Shen Yun conveys an extraordinary message while presenting traditional values, and recommended everyone to experience it for themselves.“If we forget the past and the marvels of ancient China, it would be such a waste to humanity if we let that be forgotten,” he said.
This was Mr. Noonan’s fifth time attending Shen Yun. He said that while the company’s artistic excellence continues to draw him back year after year, its mission is what matters most.
Encouraging Canadians to Stand Against Transnational Repression
Earlier this year, six scheduled Shen Yun performances in Toronto were canceled after the theatre received fake bomb threats. The threats were widely believed to be part of the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing campaign to disrupt Shen Yun performances around the world.Mr. Noonan, who spent most of his career in the metal industry and has more recently become active in human rights advocacy, said he was especially encouraged to see Shen Yun return to Toronto.
“I do feel happy,” he said. “I feel the collective strength, and we said no. We stood up to it,” he said of the CCP’s intimidation.
“We didn’t respond with violence,” he added. “We simply came, we stood together, and we showed no fear. That’s so important.”
Looking around the packed theater, he said he was inspired by the audience’s diversity.
“Look at such a diverse group of people who came to see this,” he said. “When we stand together against outside interference and infiltration, it’s very powerful.”
Mr. Noonan also urged the Canadian government to take foreign interference and transnational repression seriously.
Spiritual Awakening Spreads Throughout the Audience
Mr. Noonan said he could sense a divine energy radiating from the stage throughout the performance.“I saw the purity of gold and the vastness of blue, like the sky,” he said. “Then, it translated into feelings throughout the audience.”
“The energy covers the whole audience,” he continued. “I would say there is a sense of awakening and purification.”
“I know about Falun Gong and what’s happening in China,” he said. “People who are familiar with it experience that awakening, and you can also see others going through different stages of awakening. In the end, those awakenings come together. It’s marvelous.”
Mr. Noonan believes everyone leaves the theater changed in some way.
Speaking about the dance depicting forced organ harvesting in China, he added, “Most Canadians don’t know about it, but I know they’re going to leave thinking about it.”
Mr. Noonan also said the performance filled him with compassion and hope.
“You can see how happy everyone is when they leave,” he added. “It’s fascinating.”
