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Report from Ontario, Canada
Let Peace Begin From
Our Dining Tables!
-- A Vegetarian Cooking Class
[London] On February 16, 2002, the London Center in Canada held a public vegetarian cooking class in response to many inquiries about the difficulty of obtaining vegetarian food and maintaining a vegetarian diet, as vegetarianism is quite uncommon in the city. We organized vegetarian cooking demonstrations and spread Master's teachings in one public seminar. Upon hearing our plan to hold a cooking class, fellow practitioners showed great interest and very positive support. They also expressed the feeling that they could not wait to attend the event!
Posters and pamphlets announcing the date and time of the cooking class were printed in a completely new format, with the theme "Vegetarian Cooking Class - Healthy Food and Spiritual Information: Let Peace Begin from Our Dining Tables!" In the pamphlets, we also included some facts on vegetarianism and reasons for following a vegetarian diet, so as to promote vegetarianism among the public.
As the day for the cooking class approached, more and more people registered to attend. One gentleman said that in the past he had tried to follow a vegetarian diet for a time, but found it difficult to completely give up poultry. Thus, he hoped that this class would help him become a complete vegetarian. The cooking class attracted teenagers as well. One woman asked if she could bring her twelve-year-old daughter, for they were both vegetarians, and her daughter often helped her prepare vegetarian dishes. Another lady who had just moved to the city was very excited to learn that not only were we going to teach vegetarian cooking, but also provide spiritual information, as she had been looking for a meditation group to join.
On the day of the cooking class, the venue was fully packed, and people continued to arrive, so we had to keep adding chairs and still lacked adequate space . Each attendee received a free information package that included information on vegetarianism, recipes, and spiritual materials such as a sample booklet and flyers.
During the two-hour class, people learned how to make fifteen dishes from around the world, ranging from Asian and Mexican to Western cuisines. We informed them about the various sources of protein and vitamin-B for vegetarians (such as textured vegetable protein-TVP, various tofu products, wheat gluten, miso, seaweed, tempeh, etc.), as well as where these foods are available and how to cook them in easy ways. The class also covered many Western favorites, such as homemade vegetarian hamburgers, barbecued TVP slices, and several eggless desserts. The venue was filled with laughter throughout the class, as the participants enjoyed it very much.
After the cooking demonstration, we invited the attendees to taste the various vegetarian dishes that fellow initiates had lovingly prepared . During this time, one couple said that they previously had never liked tofu, but now they did after tasting it. Many people asked if we would continue to hold cooking classes in the future, because they wanted to ask their friends and family members to come. Having learned a lot from the cooking class, the participants felt very happy and satisfied.
While participants enjoyed their vegetarian meals, we played videotapes that introduced Master and Her teachings. Some people asked to learn the Convenient Method, and others said that they would like to visit our center during the times each week when it is open to the public.
After the cooking class, many of our fellow practitioners asked for extra copies of the vegetarian recipes for their friends and family members. They found the class to be very informative, and helpful in maintaining a vegetarian diet while traveling the spiritual path. There is no doubt that the cooking class extended people's loving nature and brought them a major step closer toward recognizing the True Love of God.
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