At the July 8.5-Day Health and Happiness Retreat, several students felt a profound connection to their ancestors. They honoured them by remembering them and keeping them in their heart during the meditations. These ancestors are the root of our existence. If not for them… Bodhi Meditation allows us to heal ourselves and also our ancestors. If the root is healthy, then the leaves will be too. This is the work we can do with Bodhi Meditation.
Margo: Every retreat is so different for me and this retreat was all about ancestors. It was a pretty powerful week and full of surprises. It was all about remembering and honouring the ancestors. My mother’s mom was a Bulgarian nurse and my mom’s father was a missionary traveling around the world. He got her pregnant and brought her to Vancouver. She spoke no English. She was put into Riverview Hospital because of post-partum depression after delivering my mom, which was then called hysteria. That was only two generations ago. She was put there as a young mother and she died there in her 80s. I remember as a child thinking that was horrifying. My mom was told not to talk about her. I asked my mom how she could forget about this woman. I did get the notes from Riverview Hospital and showed my mom the nurse’s notes that said she cried and cried for her baby. There was even a little picture of her. I was able to help my mom remember. So during this whole retreat, and I wasn’t expecting it, but my grandmother would show up and thank me for remembering her. I had a sense that the ancestors are watching and they are so grateful they can be remembered. My grandmother was important. I had developed a deep-seeded fear that I was going to be forgotten. After a busy day, my husband might not pay attention to me. “Don’t forget about me.” Now I know where that comes from. Bless our ancestors.
Catherine: I feel so fortunate and lucky to be able to come here and do this retreat and meet and connect with others. I didn’t connect with everybody, but just so you know, I never used to connect with anyone. I had worked in mental health since I was nineteen until I retired in the winter of 2016. I had lots of compassion and openness and care for my clients but for regular folk, well, I didn’t trust, like, or connect with them. One of the reasons I was so good at the work I did was because of what I’d been through. I had a lot of capacity for the downtrodden, the terrorized, and the abused – all those things that I am familiar with. What Bodhi Meditation has given me is a place where I can embrace everybody and realize that we all matter. All our pain matters. All our histories matter. And we all count. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it.
Eily: I’m grateful to be here. When I first started at Bodhi Meditation, I felt I was on a journey up a hill and could see the potential.
Now, all these retreats and years later I can see the successes, I can see how my energy has responded so much faster at this retreat, and how my emotional state is more balanced and how I’m in the world in a way I wasn’t before.
Keep meditating
Every little bit makes a difference along the journey. It is a journey, but this one is a LIFE-CHANGING journey.
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.