(Minghui.org) North America’s largest Ukrainian festival was held at the Bloor West Village in Toronto on September 15-17, 2023. At this year’s 27th annual event, people experienced Ukraine’s ethnic customs through folk dance and music, handicrafts, unique food, and a cultural exhibition.
Practitioners participated in the festival. Dressed in traditional Vyshyvanka embroidered costumes, they told people about the mind and body practice and taught them the exercises. People were drawn to the peaceful sight of practitioners doing the exercises accompanied by soothing music. Many said, “It feels really peaceful here!”
A parade was held on the first day of the event, and the waist drum team formed of Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to participate. The upbeat drum music and their bright yellow banner with the words, “Falun Dafa is Wonderful” gave people a glimpse into traditional Chinese culture.
Practitioners’ waist drum team participated in the parade, giving people a taste of traditional Chinese culture.
Many interested people stopped by the practitioners’ booth to learn about Falun Dafa.
Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is What Life Should be Like
Sherwin learned all five sets of Falun Dafa exercises.
Sherwin heard the Falun Dafa exercise music when he passed by the booth, and he asked practitioners to teach him the exercises. He said, “I believe there is a force in the universe that guided me here. I felt especially relaxed while I did the exercises. I felt my tense muscles unwind. I also felt electric currents moving in my body.”
When he learned that the guiding principles of Falun Dafa are Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, Sherwin said, “As one practices cultivation more in-depth, following these principles becomes natural. I feel that Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is what life should be like. Living beings should follow these principles.” He scanned the QR code for the website of a bookstore that sells Falun Dafa books, and even noted the website address for learning the exercises. He said he would continue to learn and practice the exercises.
I Felt at Peace
Phoirs (right) said she felt her mind calm down after she began doing the Falun Dafa exercises.
Phoirs, from Cambodia, said she’s seen Falun Dafa information booths at various events. When she noticed practitioners teaching Sherwin the exercises she decided to try them. She said, “I always thought meditation would be hard because when I want my mind to be quiet, I keep thinking of all kinds of things. I want to learn the Falun Dafa exercises—I feel they will help me focus and relax.”
After learning the movements, Phoirs said, “When I did the exercises, my mind was quiet, I did not think of anything. I felt relaxed and at peace. Falun Dafa also teaches people to conduct themselves according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, this is what I love and hope to achieve. Practitioners told me there is a practice site at Nathan Phillips Square. I live nearby. I will join this practice site.”
I Will Continue to Practice Falun Dafa
Alvaro (left) felt that Falun Dafa is good for one’s physical health.
Alvaro said he’s seen practitioners in downtown Toronto handing out fliers and telling people about the persecution in China. He came to the booth, and after listening to a brief introduction, he decided to learn the exercises.
After learning the movements Alvaro said, “I will continue to practice this. I will go online to watch the video instructions as well as purchase the books on the teachings. I think Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, every word is important. I once heard practitioners talk about their personal experiences. They told me how the practice improved their physical and mental health. I know a woman from Albania. She has not been ill in the past two decades after she began practicing Falun Dafa.”
The Values Taught by Falun Dafa Should Be Shared Widely
Leslie (left) wants to learn the main principles of Falun Dafa and incorporate them into her daily life.
Leslie came to the Falun Dafa information booth when she attended last year’s Ukrainian festival. She said, “I’m here again. I want to learn the main principles of this practice and put them into practice in my everyday life. To me, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, these three words are very important. Such qualities are indispensable in people’s lives.”
A young practitioner described the persecution her mother went through in China for practicing Falun Dafa. Leslie expressed sympathy for practitioners in China, and said, “I feel pain for all Falun Dafa practitioners persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The values taught by Falun Dafa should be spread and shared widely. Following Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in one’s daily life is not a threat to the CCP’s political power. To Falun Dafa practitioners in China, keeping their faith means facing danger, but what they do is right. They must be brave and not back down. They will see light at the end of the tunnel.”
The CCP’s Persecution of Falun Dafa is Abhorrent
Neal said the CCP should not persecute Falun Dafa.
Neal said he’d previously heard of Falun Dafa, and had a good opinion of the practice, “This practice helps people feel at peace. I think Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are perfect moral principles.”
He criticized the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa, “When I see news reports on the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa I feel so sad I cannot bear to finish reading them. The true nature of the CCP is detestable. The crimes it commits includes organ harvesting—only those with a twisted mentality can do things like that. The regime is the worst government on earth, its treatment of ordinary citizens is the most inhumane.”
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