More than 100 people from the Lower Mainland, as well as from Penticton, Burns Lake, Merritt, Bellingham and as far away as Michigan, attended the 8.5-Day Health and Happiness Retreat this June. Throughout the retreat, there was much sharing of experiences from meditation.
One participant, who was there with her husband, told the group how her husband stopped snoring on Day 3 of the retreat. Usually, his snoring woke her, but she woke up because he wasn’t snoring! She continued to wake that night, and the nights that followed, to make sure he was still breathing.
Many participants underwent transformations physically, emotionally or spiritually. Their stories gave hope, support, inspiration and encouragement to others. Another participant announced on the last day that he was negative for the first couple of days, until he heard the sharing from others and thought, “I think there’s something to this.” He realized that he’d been narcissistic and cared only about financial success. He had been, he said, spiritually lacking. “Here I learned how to be human again.”
Everyone was encouraged to make The Meditation of Greater Illumination part of their life, just like eating three meals a day. The meditation is a tool, designed with Master JinBodhi’s compassion for us to connect to, and receive inspiration from, the Universe. It’s more than just energy. The visualization and movements train us to be calm so we can receive wisdom and blessings from that connection. Just open your heart, accept it, and plug in to be happy, joyful and compassionate.
Here are some of the inspiring stories shared on the last day of the retreat:
Carol suffered from whiplash and a mid-back injury when her car was rear-ended in 1990. Add to that two subsequent accidents and a 12-foot fall. She just carried on with life, ignoring the handicaps.
As well, for years, she’s worn thermal long underwear (the kind you would wear skiing) to bed because her legs are always so cold she can’t sleep. Her goal in coming to the retreat was to become calmer, but what happened was that the old injuries surfaced, and then disappeared. She wore her thermal underwear on the first night of the retreat, but on the second night, she didn’t feel she needed them. She was happy to announce that she slept through the night and her legs felt normal.
Mabel, 78 years old, had been to many meditation practices but none like Bodhi Meditation.
She suffered pain in her legs and feet, but that is now gone. She plays Prajna Mantra when she goes to bed and has slept through the night for the last three nights.
The music has affected her cat she said. He is calmer and more “talkative”.
Sofia had always believed that a strong mind and body were enough. She had been athletic, always pushing herself. She’d completed two full marathons and competed in world championships. She had worked in the stock market and would do anything to get ahead. As a mom, she had been an active volunteer.
Then chronic back pain stopped her from participating in life. She could only just lie in the car and wait for her children to finish their extracurricular activities. She had tried everything, but nothing eased the pain.
Coming to Bodhi was difficult for her as she had never been a spiritual person. But she came and listened and believed that she would get better. She admits she was closed-minded, but that something happened during her fourth retreat and believed then that there was something more than just a strong mind and body. (This was her fifth retreat.)
She has been able to do things she couldn’t do for years. During a trip to Peru, she was concerned that she wouldn’t be able to climb Machu Picchu, but she did the four-day tour without a problem. She no longer needs the Lidocaine injections she was getting every three to five days for short-term pain relief.
“This world opened my heart,” she said of Bodhi Meditation.
Dwen said that at the last retreat she lit a candle for her parents and estranged son, then meditated and asked for forgiveness. “I did it to cleanse myself and get rid of resentment,” she said.
She arrived home to a message from her son.
Kulvinder attended previous retreats in the past six months. She shared how her eyesight had been so weak because the blood vessels were leaking. There was the possibility of blindness. She was so scared. After the retreat, the specialist tested her eyes. They were perfect.
She also suffered from long-term back pain, but after chanting, the back pain was gone. So is her neck pain.
She credits the meditation practice and the volunteer work she does at the Meditation Centre.
Sharon said that her mother, Kulvinder, forced her to come to this retreat. “Normally,” she said, “I’d shrug her off, but I saw she had changed in every way. She couldn’t walk, had dragged herself around, but now she’s a different person. She can walk and do stairs, all in just six months.”
Sharon admitted that she was skeptical because of her science background and thought it was ridiculous on the first day. However, her disbelief was short-lived. Three years ago, Sharon’s jaw was shattered in an accident and required eight surgeries. The resulting scar tissue would be a lifelong problem the doctor had told her. During the week of the retreat, she had an appointment with the doctor who said, “We were wrong, it’s just a bone issue, not scar tissue, and can be corrected with surgery.” Sharon signed the consent form.
That got her to focus more on what was going on at the retreat. She looked at her relationships and realized that when someone said something about her, she felt compassion for them instead of resentment.
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.
Photos by Bruce CG Gallagher