…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.
It was curiosity that brought my friend and me to Bodhi Meditation’s Chinese New Year blessing ceremony in February 2008. There, I saw Grandmaster JinBodhi. I felt a sense of familiarity and warmth. Chanting The Medicine Buddha Mantra, I felt calm and comfortable.
Not a Coincidence
A month earlier, a fit of anger had resulted in an awful abdominal pain which persisted despite taking medication. I could only consume porridge. Surprisingly, the pain subsided after the blessing event. However, I deemed my recovery coincidental and thought no further of it.
Soon after, my friend whom I had attended the ceremony with was pregnant at 46. This amazing blessing occurred after she attended three 8.5-Day Health & Happiness Retreats with her husband. To have a baby is a dream come true for them. I became interested in meditation and decided to visit Los Angeles Bodhi Meditation Center to find out more.
Retreats and Chanting
I enrolled in the 8.5-Day Health & Happiness Retreat in August 2008. There were unexpected benefits. For more than seven years, I would routinely wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and could only return to sleep two or three hours later. It would be almost 5 a.m. by then. As a result, I often had headaches and lacked energy at work.
During the retreat, I experienced spontaneous fasting for five days. Though I did not eat or drink much, I was energetic and alert. I lost eight pounds, and from then on I could sleep soundly through the night.
I attended a 7-Day Chanting Retreat presided over by Grandmaster JinBodhi at the end of 2008. In the past, I had always thought my father to be fierce and unloving toward me. Yet as I chanted, I recalled moments of his care and concern. Tears rolled down uncontrollably. I realized my father had always loved me; I was just ignorant of his true feelings. With each chant, the knot of misgiving and misunderstanding I harbored toward my father unraveled.
Warming Up
Before I started practicing meditation, I had an irregular menstrual cycle. My period meant suffering headaches and severe cramps. I would be forced to take painkillers and rest in bed.
I also had intolerance to cold; my hands and feet were often icy, and my immune system was weak. Whenever someone around me was down with the flu, I would be sure to catch it. On top of that, I had been suffering from hay fever for over five years, regularly battling a runny nose and sneezing. The condition was so bad that it affected my work in a customer service department, and taking medication brought no relief.
In March 2010, I began practicing Energy Bagua on a weekly basis. Though it was only once a week, I felt a burst of energy and I could perspire, something I had seldom experienced. I became more energetic and could handle household chores even after a day’s work, unlike in the past when I would feel lethargic, downhearted and listless.
I embarked on a daily half-hour Energy Bagua regimen in 2014, and my health improved rapidly. My menstrual cycle became regular and pain-free. My limbs warmed up and I could wear short sleeves in autumn. The symptoms of hay fever also subsided.
Closer to Children
Both my sons found me strict and unforgiving of their mistakes. They thought my manner loud and overbearing. After listening to The Water Crystals Revelation during the retreats and paying close attention to Grandmaster JinBodhi’s dharma teachings, 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. At times they’ve even helped with household chores.
Through practicing meditation daily, I’ve become more at peace and have learned to appreciate people and empathize with those around me. Bodhi Meditation has brought me health and happiness. With a grateful heart, I wish to bring this transformative gift of wellbeing and joy to others.
The intent of the testimonial is to offer wellness information of a general nature. Individual results of practice may vary.
