Meditation brought me new energy and confidence, giving me new eyes with which to see light in my life.
When I entered menopause at age 49, I began my battle with insomnia. For 11 years, I was frequently tired. I was also plagued by headaches, to the extent that I had to carry Tylenol with me everyday to relieve the pain.
Decade of Reliance on Sleeping Pills
Sleepless nights meant I struggled to get up at six every morning. At work I was like a zombie, debilitated and forced to rest on the sofa. I often heard buzzing sounds in my ears and felt like I was underwater. I tried various modalities to overcome my insomnia: clinical treatments, natural therapies, hormone therapy, Chinese medicines and yoga, to no avail.
During a hospital visit, a nurse asked why I didn’t take sleeping pills. I told her I was afraid of becoming addicted to them. She replied that insomnia sufferers need sleeping pills to help them get at least four hours of sleep as without adequate sleep, one may develop other problems. From then on, I relied on sleeping pills. Whenever I forgot to take them, I would lapse into insomnia and look haggard the next day.
Although with the help of the medication I was able to sleep for five to six hours, the side effects were debilitating. For the first two hours after waking up, my head felt tight, akin to being clamped in a vise. My lips were chapped and my breath foul. My digestive system was negatively affected; I was bloated, constipated, and hiccupped often. I tried numerous times to break away from sleeping pills.
Spontaneous Fasting
In March 2015, a friend introduced me to Bodhi Meditation. With her encouragement, my husband and I traveled from Victoria to Vancouver the following month to attend the 8.5-Day Health & Happiness Retreat.
I was skeptical at first. However, the friendliness, brightness and happiness of the environment, teachers, volunteers, and students overwhelmed me. I was treated like a family member in Bodhi Meditation center.
During the class, I could feel the beauty of the energy that comes with continual practice of The Meditation of Greater Illumination. Listening to Grandmaster JinBodhi’s teachings, I was deeply moved by his compassion. Meditation brought me new energy and confidence, giving me new eyes with which to see light in my life.
The teacher explained that a phenomenon of meditation is spontaneous fasting, during which one feels neither thirsty nor hungry despite not eating or eating less. This phenomenon also brings about greater energy and relaxation while at the same time diminishing the need for sleep. After class that day I started spontaneous fasting, eating only a small portion of vegetables. That night, I took only half a sleeping pill. (Editor’s note: Bodhi Meditation does not advocate reduction or discontinuation of medication and treatment without seeking a doctor’s advice). Miraculously, I had a few hours of good sleep and woke up without the usual headache.
Sweet Sleep
Looking brighter and more alert, I continued to meditate over the next several days. On the sixth day of the retreat, while the teacher was chanting for blessing for the students, I cried my heart out, after which I felt relaxed like never before. On the last two days, I noticed that my stools were green in color. I believed this to be a sign of detoxification. I made the decision to stop taking sleeping pills.
To encourage my body to rest, I meditated right before bedtime. I slept until 8:30 the next morning. On the nights that followed, I slept sweetly. After the retreat, I continued to practice meditation at home. I no longer need sleeping pills.
The miracles I’ve experienced through Bodhi Meditation have changed my life, mentality and destiny. With unwavering devotion, I want to be the voice of health, to spread Bodhi Meditation so that more people can enjoy the magic of regained health and happiness.
The intent of the testimonial is to offer wellness information of a general nature. Individual results of practice may vary.
