Here are more of the stories shared by the students at September’s 8.5-Day Health & Happiness Retreat.
Mirza escaped Bosnia just before the war began. He had heard a bomb and that created so much anxiety for him as his life unfolded. Life stressors were too much for him.
From his early 20s until now he suffered anxiety. He tried to meditate on his own to help himself. In an attempt to try to find a way to calm himself internally, he attended Bodhi’s “Doors Open” event in June 2017 and saw so many happy faces. He felt the empathy and nonjudgment. He then attended a Thursday evening meditation practice and found he could turn off his mind and focus on Grandmaster JinBodhi’s words. He found the meditation was simple and practical.
On Day 4 of the retreat, during the relaxation before The Meditation of Greater Illumination, he heard the words “imagine you are a cloud” and he felt tingling on top of his head. As the music for the meditation began he broke into a sweat and felt the pressure of so many years release. Now he feels lifted up and is in a calmer state.
After many years he’s off medication and is feeling his own emotions. He came to Bodhi to balance his emotions and found a safe place.
Sherri was on her way home one night after the retreat and at the train station she saw a man. He was shaking and she could feel his sorrow. She thought of the Medicine Buddha card she had and chanted the words once. At the last sound, he stopped shaking.
As a child, Sherri wasn’t happy at how people treated others. She vowed to be a good person. She shares Master JinBodhi’s values: to help others, be compassionate, and be happy.
During her first Meditation of Greater Illumination she felt the energy and felt lighter. Physically she broke her back in a car accident in 2010 and spent lots of time lying on the couch. Standing for any length of time is torture, yet she was able to stand for every Meditation of Greater Illumination during the retreat. She only sat down for 30 seconds. Now she has hardly any pain and feels much better.
Ines came from Montreal for the retreat at the invitation of her sister, who had invited her for years. Days before the retreat began she booked her flight. Her family didn’t understand as she was a skeptical person. But she had seen the transformation in her sister and had to come to see how that happened.
During the retreat Ines’s heart opened.
Before the retreat she was in pain and took pills throughout the day. She’d crawl out of bed every morning.
After the first day she easily got out of bed. She thought it was the bed! Now the pain is reduced from 100 to 25 and she’s just taking one pill a day.
She’s going home with a heart full of energy and so much homework. She wants to clean her surrounding area of clutter to make room for energy. She will practice The Meditation of Greater Illumination in the morning and play the chanting throughout the day. “I’m going to let go and trust the process. One step at a time.”
Four years ago Ricky was diagnosed with colon cancer. After thirty chemo treatments and forty radiation treatments his body was weakened. His hand was almost paralyzed and caused unbearable pain, which medication didn’t help. The condition was from the treatments as first thought, but from Parkinson’s disease. During this entire time, his wife had been telling him about the miracles and hope at Bodhi (she’d come across a magazine three years earlier), but he didn’t listen. He was skeptical and kept coming up with excuses. He finally decided to give it a try. He tried Energy Bagua at first could only stand for five minutes but his stamina and flexibility then improved. He tried The Meditation of Greater Illumination and could only do one. Then two. Then three. Then three and a half. He went from standing for ten minutes to standing for three and a half hours. He could also walk with more stability. He and his wife came to the retreat as a team effort and he acknowledged her as his shining star (she drove him daily). He was grateful to Master JinBodhi.
Brenda came to the retreat from Alberta. Her cousin had invited her. She had lost her hearing in one ear thirty-three years ago. She couldn’t even hear the fire alarm when it went off.
On Day 3 of the retreat, during a teaching video, she felt a burning in her ear. She put on the headset and for some reason put the bud in her right ear. She was startled. She could hear.
Over the next few days her ear felt like it was stuffed with cotton balls. She had shared her news with those at home but they weren’t receptive or supportive and she believed that she just didn’t want to hear the negativity. She listened to Master JinBodhi’s words one day and felt the energy. She also felt the burning again in her ear. “I like what I hear here.”
Disclaimer:
- The effects associated with practicing Bodhi Meditation can vary from person to person.
- Any and all content, views, opinions, and/or responses in this student sharing are solely the views, opinions and responsibility of the respondent and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Bodhi Meditation.
- Bodhi Meditation does not provide or replace any medical advice or treatment. We recommend everyone adhere to their medical treatment and prescription.