(Clearwisdom.net) Part 1: http://clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2011/11/13/129450.html
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Jim (second from right) who has had an interest in Chinese culture since childhood, learns the Falun Gong exercises |
Neat, Tidy and Dignified Bookstore
Located on one of the most bustling streets in Toronto, Tianti Bookstore, though small, has a large window as wide as the store. In the window are two prominent LCD monitors continuously displaying messages in both English and Chinese, giving information about the store and Falun Gong.
Ms. Wang Yi, who is in charge of the bookstore, said, “All the staff at our bookstore cherish our work at Tianti Bookstore. Every day, we open the doors in Chinatown, presenting these wonderful books to the world's people. People with predestined relationships come over to buy these treasured books that can guide them to return to their original, true selves.
“Everyone puts in much effort to maintain the cleanliness and dignified appearance of the bookstore,” said Ms. Wang. On the windowsill is an antique vase with two large lotus flowers, which is the only decoration at the store. Other than that, there are only three colors: the gold, yellow and blue of Dafa books, displayed in white bookcases, graceful and gleaming. The counter and floor are clean and tidy.
Ms. Wang continued, “Shortly after we moved in, a lady stood outside our bookstore for a while. I greeted her and she smiled and walked in. Then she said, 'I really admire your Falun Gong. Your bookstore is different from others. It is fresh and elegant. I always want to stand here for a while whenever I am passing by.'”
The woman's remarks reminded practitioners working at the bookstore that they must pay attention to the image of the Tianti Bookstore, because it is essentially a window through which people observe Falun Gong practitioners. Especially Chinese people in Toronto who are out shopping often stop in front of the Tianti Bookstore window to view the introductory pictures about the wide spread of Falun Dafa around the world.
Each month, from the first to the ninth of the month, there is a 9-day Falun Gong Lecture and Exercise Seminar held at the bookstore. Two classes (in Chinese and English) are given simultaneously, and on one occasion, three classes were given at the same time: Chinese, English and Spanish.
Some people who attended the 9-day seminars began practicing Falun Gong and also become volunteer staff for the bookstore. Jimmy is such a person. One early morning, a staff member was doing the exercises at the door, when Jimmy, who was jogging by, stopped to follow along with the practitioner's movements. Later on, the staff member taught Jimmy to practice the exercises. When the staff member expressed concern at not speaking English very well and wondered how to best explain the practice to Jimmy, Jimmy suddenly said, “I can speak Chinese.” It turned out that he has been drawn to Chinese culture since childhood, and has been studying Chinese for a long time. He even lived for some time in Northeast China. After attending the 9-day seminar, Jimmy now works as a volunteer staff member at the bookstore on Fridays.
Background:
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline for mind and body. The practice involves slow, gentle movements and meditation. It is easy to learn, enjoyable to practice, and free of charge. Its principles are based on Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The practice was first introduced by Master Li Hongzhi in China in 1992 and quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China and then beyond. Its beneficial effects in uplifting an individual's physical health, spiritual well-being, and moral character, as well as its positive influence in the community and society as a whole, have been affirmed worldwide. In fact, Falun Gong is practiced by over 100 million people in 110 countries. The main works of Falun Gong are available in over 30 languages.
