Jason (YanSheng Shi) from Malaysia, under the advisement of his parents, signed up for the 2019 Bodhi Meditation Youth Camp with his sister. At first he rejected the idea; then later fell in love with the youth camp. What changed for him? Let’s listen to testimonials from Jason’s family.
Before this (camp), I just finished my second (university) year. And I just came back to Malaysia. And then my parents told me that they have signed me up for this Meditation Camp. I was really stressed, because I didn’t pass one of my license exams. I had a problem in getting an internship. I really didn’t want to come here, because I wanted to deal with my problems. I was a little pissed off at my parents.
The day before the camp started, Jason had just come back to Malaysia. Jason and his sister said, “The Bodhi Meditation Youth Camp is for old people. It is not for teenagers.” I said, “Give mom a chance. Try for 3 days. If you really don’t like it, you can come home. I won’t stop you.”
I have a little bit of anxiety, I have a little bit of depression. My head was in a mess. I was totally out. I couldn’t think straight. I was in a mess. I cried a lot.
He placed a lot of pressure on himself. I told him, “Don’t be stressed and take things slow. Utilize the time in camp to rest. See what results you will get.”
They told me that I should come here and talk to the (camp) counselors. And I did. And they really helped me.
Living a New Life Sustaining Family Relationships
Bodhi Meditation Youth Camp Testimonial
Jason is from Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
At parents’ suggestion, he and his sister attended the Bodhi Meditation Youth Camp 2019. He was reluctant to join at the beginning, but he fell in love with the camp gradually.
Before this, I thought it was like playing games or sleeping. But after coming here and trying the Bagua every morning, I realized that when I was doing the Bagua I had time to think. Because we had to do it. When, when I was staring at the tree, I realized that the tree is like the root; the leaves go out, right? I keep imagining that the leaves are like different ways to solve problems. When I was walking around I looked at it and I realized there was not only one way to solve the problem. I realized there were so many branches out there. I had the time to think and decide for myself which one was the best.
To be honest I feel like I closed myself off from the world, when I was about 15-16. I forgot how to imagine, I forgot to think that the universe is actually a really big place. I did the Meditation, I got to realize and reimagine again. And I was really really happy that I get to reimagine about the Universe, about Nature. And it really opened up my mind to so many things. So the one where we had to separate the beads, that was really nice because it taught me how to calm down and, and focus on one problem at a time.
Honestly, the first day we did it, was annoying. For the first day I did not finish. I am gonna try harder the next day. And then during the next day, they had the drill sound, I realized through that I could figure out problems one by one. Honestly even though the drill was supposed to annoy people, made me figure out my problems one by one. It made me close off every sound, every distraction there is. I realized that that was the way we should solve our problems. The second time, I finally got to spread everything out. I felt that “Oh! I can do this!”
The program which we had to go to the mountains and we have to go through the jungle track, That definitely was one of my favorite ones. Like they said we shouldn’t, couldn’t talk to anybody. When I was focusing on myself, I got to see like Nature again. It has been like a long time since I have been in that natural area. I brought 15 bottles. It was heavy, but I liked that it was heavy. Because it was a challenge. If it wasn’t a challenge, it wouldn’t be fun. I had hoped for the rain when they said this. Because without the rain, what is the challenge? Without the rain, we would just be walking through nothing.
Really the strain and everything was good for us. It gets to tell us that we can work harder, we can push more, we can do it. I told myself, “Yes, I can do this.” Honestly, it was fun and challenging. And I would definitely say that I needed this experience and I needed this to move on, to move forward with my life. And I feel like is this one helped me discipline myself. And to tell myself that I actually can do more than this. Actually I can do more than what I am right now.
Someone from the meditation center called me and asked, “What is your desired outcome after these 10 days?” “I want to see a good brother-sister relationship among them.”
Besides Jason’s personal stress, another obstacle troubles him and his parents; Jason and his sister had a distant relationship.
Before joining the youth camp, Jason called his sister “hey, you”. Hearing this saddened me. The both of them rarely meet. His sister studies and lives abroad since young. This made them drift apart. Although they did not quarrel, they were not close to each other.
Before this honestly, we weren’t really close, because since young my sister got to study in Singapore, and me and my sister separated. We didn’t have any connections to talk to but except for maybe once or twice a year during the holidays. I didn’t really like that situation. I wanted to find a way to get closer to my sister.
Yeah, we weren’t that close. At first it was fine, the first few years after I left it was fine. So, i was like “I just stay away”. Just grew up a bit, I got my own personal space which I would like to maintain. I was like “hm”.
His relationship with his sister troubled Jason greatly. His parents also didn’t know how to solve the issue.
I was thinking how to make them closer.
When my parents told me I had to come here, I told myself that I want to do what I can so that I can be closer to my sister.
The siblings were in the same group. Through a 10 day youth camp, their relationship had a major change.
Once we took the BMYC camp, the Bodhi Meditation Youth Camp, It was really good because it gave us time to bond, to know each other a bit more. Slowly get closer, get closer, like brother and sister. She is in the same group as me, It has really gotten us closer together. Now, I can talk to my sister like a friend. And I really miss that, it is really good. I haven’t actually talked to my sister as a friend for about 6-7 years now. Really be able to talk to her, you know, I thought that we grew apart really bad.
After camp, they changed greatly. Megan would let Jason take a bite of her food. I was so shocked. This wouldn’t have happened before. I am very grateful that Grandmaster JinBodhi organized the Bodhi Meditation Youth Camp.
I am gonna do what I can so that we can get closer together. And I think we really did. I feel happy. I am like, maybe I will talk to her more, I will do things with her more, I will do meditation together.
We have become harmonious. Unlike before, they did their things separately. Now they can walk together. This youth camp has pulled my children together. I am grateful to Grandmaster JinBodhi.
I really want to thank Shifu for coming down, and for having to teach us. That was really great. Thanks for giving us the chance here to have this youth camp. Thanks for planning the activities that will help us grow. It not only help me figure out my problems, teach me how to have a calm method of thinking and it also helped me bond with my sister.
And honestly I learned a lot. I listened and whatever I picked up on. I felt that it would help a lot of people, not only me, but a lot of people in their lives.
The intent of the testimonial is to offer wellness information of a general nature. Individual results of practice may vary.
