(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to participate in the Nowruz (Persian New Year) Bazaar and Exhibition March 14-18, 2024, at the Hilton Hotel in Markham, Canada. The Persian New Year, also known as the Iranian New Year, celebrates the first day of spring. This festival is also a reminder that good drives out evil and happiness drives out sorrow. Organizers said approximately 25,000 visitors attended the five-day event.
The practitioners’ booth drew many visitors from Iran and other ethnic groups, and the volunteers at the booth were busy. Many visitors said they felt a calm and peaceful atmosphere at the booth. Some were interested in learning more about Falun Dafa and bought copies of Zhuan Falun, Falun Dafa’s main text, while several Chinese quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. Practitioners were invited to demonstrate the exercises on stage, accompanied by an explanation in Persian (Farsi).
Practitioners demonstrate the exercises as someone explains them in Persian.
Visitors learn about Falun Dafa and talk with practitioners.
Business Owner: Learn about the Meaning of Life
Natalie bought a copy of Zhuan Falun to learn about the meaning of life.
Natalie from Iran is the owner of a swimming pool company. Her business includes swimming pool design and upgrades. Her booth was located near the Falun Dafa booth. Seeing that she kept looking at the Falun Dafa booth, a practitioner introduced the exercises to her, and she decided to buy Zhuan Falun.
Natalie said, “A practitioner told me that I can find the answers to many questions in the book—whether it’s questions I’ve had since childhood or the confusion I experienced later in life. After listening to her, I believe I can find the answers, so I’m looking forward to reading this book.” She signed up for free online Falun Dafa classes and said she was especially interested in learning to meditate.
After hearing that the principles of Falun Dafa are Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, Natalie said, “These are universal values. In Persian, ‘Truth’ means transparent and clear as water. ‘Compassion’ is great love. Doing everything with love is the true universal love. ‘Tolerance’ means to be patient. Sometimes in life you will be in pain and sad, and things do not go as you wish. These are unavoidable and are the key to life. It is an inevitable part of life. We must learn to endure and then find ways to overcome difficulties.”
When a practitioner told her about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa, she was moved to tears. She hopes people will do their part to stop the persecution: “Chinese, Persians, Canadians, and everyone in the world should work together to stop this persecution. As the number of people condemning and opposing the CCP grows, the CCP will definitely fall. I have no doubt about it.”
She pointed to the bright yellow clothing practitioners were wearing and said, “I like that color very much. It means that light will eventually penetrate the darkness.”
A Visitor Raised Her Injured Arm after Doing the Exercises
Nooshin bought Zhuan Falun.
Nooshin helped out at her sister’s booth. The first day of the event, she visited the Falun Dafa booth and briefly learned the exercises. She purchased the Persian language version of Zhuan Falun. She later returned and told practitioners, “I’ve started reading Zhuan Falun. I really like this book because it can benefit everyone. After I started reading, I felt relaxed. But last night, I suddenly started coughing and hurt all over. I’d never had these symptoms before. I felt as if some bad things left my body, and then I felt relaxed.”
When she returned to the Falun Dafa booth, Nooshin carefully imitated practitioners to learn the exercises. She said that she’d injured her arm some time ago and was in chronic pain. When she started to learn the second exercise, she could only raise one arm. But when she did the last movement, she could raise both arms to normal height. She was surprised and moved to tears.
Nooshin described her feelings while doing the exercises: “I felt relaxed and had a calm feeling of comfort.” A practitioner gave her a Falun Dafa exercise teaching DVD. She said it was a treasure: “I will read the entire book Zhuan Falun and practice the exercises along with the teaching videos.”
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Is the Foundation of Life
Sophia learns the Falun Dafa exercises.
Sophia, a nurse, briefly paused at the booth and listened as a practitioner told her about Falun Dafa. She later returned and said she was interested in learning more. A practitioner taught her the exercises.
Afterward, Sophia said, “It’s wonderful to do these exercises. I usually do yoga at home. I would like to know the difference between Falun Dafa and yoga.”
The practitioner explained that, in addition to practicing the exercises, practitioners are asked to behave in accordance with Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. She smiled and said, “I believe these principles are the foundation of human life. As a new immigrant, my life is difficult. I think learning Falun Dafa can help me learn to let go of suffering. Following these principles, I will regain hope and move forward calmly.”
Engineer: I Feel Refreshed
Mahdi and his granddaughter
Mahdi is an engineer. When he passed the booth with his little granddaughter, he was drawn by the exercises and told a practitioner, “I want to get rid stress. I want to learn Falun Dafa.” He and his granddaughter learned the exercises together.
Mahdi said, “After doing the exercises, I feel comfortable, so I want to practice more.” The practitioner showed him a website where he can learn the exercises for free. He said, “I’ll sign up online and take the free courses. I think you should also have in-person classes in Markham. I live here, and I want to continue learning and practice the exercises with you.”
An Elderly Chinese Man Quits the CCP
Mr. Xu, in his 60s from northeast China was selling mink coats at his booth. A practitioner chatted with him, saying, “People of your generation know that our traditional Chinese culture inspires people to be good and emphasizes kindness, justice, etiquette, wisdom, trust, gentleness, courtesy and frugality. However, the CCP regime is atheistic and instigates people to do evil and violence.”
When the man said he was a Christian, the practitioner reminded him of stories from the Bible and said, “There is a saying that one can’t swear an oath thoughtlessly. When you joined the CCP, you raised your right hand and swore to dedicate your life to the Party. The CCP has committed countless bad deeds. When it collapses, those who have sworn to uphold it will be implicated for its crimes. Millions of Chinese have already quit the Party and invalidated their oaths.” When he heard this, the man replied, “I am a veteran CCP member. Okay, I’ll quit.”
This man later came to the Falun Dafa booth, and the practitioner gave him an origami lotus flower with the words “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” on it, which he seemed pleased to have.
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