Students’ stories

Twenty-six years ago I suffered from kidney failure due to gout. The function of my kidneys deteriorated over time and I had to be on dialysis. I needed to manually operate the equipment for two hours every morning, and had to undergo dialysis for 10 hours every night.

I began living a hectic lifestyle in my early 20s, working nine to 12 hours a day and neglecting my health. Beginning in October 2014, I often felt exhausted, nauseous and had a poor appetite. Through a medical checkup, I learned that I had renal dysfunction and my creatinine index was high at about 2 mg/dL. (Editor’s note: The creatinine index reflects the kidneys’ ability to filter. The higher the value of creatinine, the greater the renal dysfunction. The normal creatinine value in women is between 0.50 mg/dL and 1.10 mg/dL.)

My marriage broke down in 2006. I harbored a lot of hatred toward my former husband. I would get angry whenever I thought about him. My deteriorating health seemed a direct reflection of the pain in my heart and the emotional knot in my gut. My abdomen felt hard to the touch.

My mom, Emily, was once tormented by pain. But through practicing at the Vancouver Bodhi Meditation Center, her life has radically changed. I'm so happy she found happiness and health in Bodhi Meditation.

During my third and fourth years of college, I did a lot of coding work. I was often tired from staying up too late. My routine was all messed up. I could actually feel that my health was worsening. I had never suffered from motion sickness, but I developed it. I also experienced sudden dizzy spells. My mother was worried about me.

Most teens are rebellious, and he was no different. As a result, his relationship with his parents was sour. In just seven days, he learned to be grateful to his parents and his behavior changed for the better. He also learned to let go of his worries and embrace a positive attitude. Let us listen to his story.

Starting in 2007, I was a migraine sufferer. The condition worsened with each passing year. My medication dosage increased over time. I took up to four pills a day but the agony persisted. I could not get to sleep and had to while away time by watching TV all night.

Once more, I could recall the tunes and played the flute in the most relaxed manner, just like in my younger days.

my attitude toward my children changed. I was gentler in speech, praising and encouraging instead of scolding. They are more cooperative now and can understand me better.

By the fourth day of the retreat, the pervading sense of unease that had plagued me was gone. Amazingly, all the symptoms of the facial paralysis were also gone.