(Minghui.org) Practitioners participated in the 75th Toronto Sportsmen’s show held at the International Centre from March 16 to 19, 2023. They demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises and introduced the mind and body practice.
The event is Canada’s largest expo which showcases outdoor activities and the venue is over 30,000 square meters (7.41 acres). The show was first held in 1948 and has become one of the most popular events among outdoor enthusiasts in Canada.
The Falun Dafa booth attracted many people who stopped to find out more about the spiritual practice. Most people are used to sports that increase one’s heart beat. Yet they experienced a different form of exercise at the Falun Dafa booth: Through slow, gentle exercises, one’s heart feels at peace. Many people who talked with practitioners praised Falun Dafa for its profound wisdom.
Amir (left) learned the Falun Dafa exercises during the 75th Toronto Sportsmen’s show.
My Whole Body Feels Light and Relaxed
Amir’s stall was next to the Falun Dafa booth. He told a practitioner, “I noticed the picture of a person meditating when I saw your booth. I learned martial arts before I moved to Canada and I practiced qigong in the past. My goal is to find inner peace and balance. I have been searching for a way to help me improve and cultivate myself.”
The practitioner told Amir about the changes he experienced after practicing Falun Dafa. Amir thought the practice was righteous and said, “This is what I have been looking for.” He borrowed the English version of Falun Dafa’s main book Zhuan Falun and began reading it.
After he read for a while, Amir told the practitioner excitedly, “I am moved by the principles taught in the book. As one becomes a better person, his heart becomes more pure and his mental state is elevated. This is very important.”
He also learned the exercise movements. He said, “I feel great, my whole body feels light and relaxed.”
The next morning, Amir helped practitioners hang their banners. He said he plans to bring his wife so she can learn the exercises, and he said, “I think I should follow the principles Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance in my daily life.”
I Will Practice Falun Dafa
Several show attendees spoke to practitioners. Some said they agreed with the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance while others said they will learn Falun Dafa when they return home.
Robert said, “I agree with the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.”
Efi from Israel said, “I will learn Falun Dafa when I go home.”
Efi works for a cosmetics company. He came to Canada from Israel to attend the event. His booth was near the Falun Dafa booth.
He asked practitioners many questions about the practice and chatted for nearly two hours. They discussed topics such as what is the meaning of life, why do people encounter tribulations, what is karma and so on. He opened his eyes wide and said, “What you say rings true, and what you’ve shared about your experiences is really extraordinary.”
He added, “Falun Dafa practitioners are kind. I learned so much today. I will practice Falun Dafa when I return home.”
The Injustice Done to Falun Dafa Will be Redressed
Mark is from Mumbai, India. He told practitioners he heard about Falun Dafa and saw practitioners doing the exercises in Toronto. He said he supported them in their efforts to end the persecution.
He said, “I know the suppression they face and I’ve read many articles. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I went to China on a holiday with friends. When I visited Tiananmen Square, I felt that things have changed. A terrible suppression and massacre once took place there. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) creates a glamorous appearance for tourists, but behind it there is a bloody side. I am pained by the regime’s persecution of Falun Dafa. It is too severe and hard for families and individuals.”
Mark (center) from Mumbai, India said he was pained by the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa.
“The Falun Dafa group protests a country’s suppression, hence it needs continued public attention and support. I must take my hat off to salute you in respect. I admire people who have conviction in their faith. All ethnic groups and cultures in the world believe that good will be rewarded and evil will meet with retribution. With advancement in technology and the widespread use of social media, I believe the injustice done to Falun Dafa will be redressed someday. Therefore, you must persevere. I support Falun Dafa practitioners.”
Before leaving, he asked for a copy of the publication Minghui International and thanked practitioners.
Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five exercises, have experienced improved health and well-being.
Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology and on July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.
Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.
Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 24 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.
There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.
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