(Originally in German)
Mrs. Heidemarie Wentzel is an extremely popular television actress in Germany. Using her vivid and adept acting skill, she always interprets her roles in TV dramas with great success. Even after many years, people who have watched her performances are still deeply impressed, and miss her greatly.
Mrs. Wentzel began her acting career in Germany when she was twenty. Due to her exquisite acting ability, beauty and graceful demeanor, many TV serials with her in the leading role became paragons of local television broadcasting art. For over thirty years, she has been the leading actress in countless TV series, and has remained such a popular figure that the German magazine "Lexicon of the DDR-Stars" is always eager to report on her. Below, Mrs. Wentzel discusses her career, and how she came to know Supreme Master Ching Hai.Q: Why did you originally want to be an actress?
Wentzil: That is not an easy question to answer. Perhaps I was destined to be an actress. As a European, I am accustomed to seeking a reasonable answer for everything. However, I became an actress not because of external factors, but due to a feeling deep within. My aspiration has always been to relate my passion for poetry and drama to the audience. Since childhood, I have loved Friedrich Von Schiller (a great German poet and dramatist). When I was thirteen, I had the opportunity to recite one of his poems in the school auditorium on the 200th anniversary of Schiller's birth. There was one verse that was very spiritual, and although I didn't really understand the meaning of the poem at the time, through my intuition, I successfully brought the audience into the poetic scenario. An atmosphere of serenity and solemnity pervaded the venue, as my schoolmates were extremely touched by my recitation. It was then that I discovered that my love and passion for the arts could move people's hearts, and earn their encouragement and recognition. Therefore, I decided to embark on a life in show business. It was a career that I had very little idea about at the time, yet I was determined to walk this path.
Q: How do you feel when you are on stage hearing applause from an audience?
Wentzil: Applause from an audience is the most heart-warming response possible for the performing artist. Whether on stage or in the studio, actors always have to rack their brains to find the most effective way to interpret the genuine feelings of a character in a show, and convey their inner cries and agony to the audience with impact. As such, actors must be able to completely open themselves up, and overcome any shyness or psychological obstacles they face. Undoubtedly, cheers from the audience is a form of recognition for the artist's efforts. Of course, actors can always feel whether an audience is being attentive or not while performing, but applause after a performance is still very comforting. We really appreciate this kind of response from the heart.
Q: Can you tell us about how you became acquainted with Supreme Master Ching Hai?
Wentzil: Knowing Master is really a blessing for me! In 1996, I had a chance to join a gathering at the Munich Center, where I met many wise fellow practitioners and watched videotapes of Master. My husband and I had been seeking spiritual guidance for years, but all the doctrines that we had encountered contained no substantial spiritual elements; they were merely empty shells and outer formalities. They did not coincide with the scriptures and were very difficult to understand. Then, just when we were seeking the Truth in the vast ocean, we met Master. That feeling was like an electric shock, as if the God power was pouring into us! In the video we watched that day, Master was talking about Jesus Christ, and Her incisive but easily understood discourse allowed me to grab its essence effortlessly. At that moment, I truly felt that She was the only one who could answer the questions in my heart. Later, I was fortunate enough to meet Master in person. Then I started to study Her teachings, and through initiation, found my Inner Master, and that has grown tremendously, and now it's different than at that time. But even when I watched Master's video for the first time, my intuition told me that this was what I had been looking for, and I absolutely must not miss it.
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