After 8 days of diligent meditation, some students have found new hope after long illnesses, some have established a regular routine, some have experienced less pain, while some have seen improvements in their sleep. Let’s read their stories
- Vaishnavi: Rediscovering Strength, Hope, and Inner Peace
Over the past decade, my immune system has given me a lot of challenges. Living with chronic illness pushed me into a spiral of thoughts, to the point where I couldn’t even understand what I was feeling anymore. When I first came to the center for a consultation, I broke down in tears, something I didn’t expect to happen. I want to sincerely thank the consultant who encouraged me to join this retreat. Her gentle, compassionate words, “Just come for one day, and then take it one day at a time”, helped me and gave myself a chance.
From the very first day, I felt a positive shift. It wasn’t just the teacher; every volunteer I met offered kindness, patience, and absolutely no judgment. I may not remember all their names, but I clearly remember how they made me feel. That supportive, non-judgmental atmosphere made a huge difference for me throughout the week.
I know my health journey is a long one. I’m not expecting overnight changes, but the biggest gift this retreat gave me is the return of hope. My dad always told me that faith, hope, and patience are things we should never lose. Somewhere over the last five or six years, I had lost hope without even realizing it. But during these eight days, I began to feel that maybe I can look at things differently – maybe I can face this illness with strength and perseverance. That, to me, is the most meaningful part of this experience.
I’m also hoping to continue the meditation practices to find relief and a sense of inner freedom. I truly appreciate that the center offers ongoing follow-up sessions – something many places don’t provide. It feels very generous, and it reassures me that I’m not alone in this process.
Lastly, the compassion of the volunteers touched me every single day. They are a true reflection of what Master JinBodhi teaches. You can feel that warmth and sincerity throughout the center, and I’m deeply grateful for it.
Thank you to everyone who made this retreat possible. It has given me something I was missing for a long time: the strength to believe again.
- Steven: From Vertigo to Balance: The Retreat That Helped Me Heal
I have felt great benefit during this eight-day Health and Happiness retreat. My vertigo has improved a lot. I feel much more relaxed, and my sleep is much, much better. I have taken this health and happiness retreat three times this year because of my vertigo. Each time, I continued to see progress. After the previous retreat, it felt almost ninety percent better. Now I don’t feel vertigo anymore; I don’t feel dizzy. I can walk very comfortably without worrying about swaying. I felt a sense of quiet contentment. It has been wonderful, both physically and mentally.
With a grateful heart, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Buddhas, Bodhitsatvas, and Grandmaster JinBodhi for their compassionate blessings and teachings. I also want to thank all the Teachers, Volunteers, and Friends for their understanding, kindness and support.
I am learning new things even though this is the 3rd or 4th time I attended the retreat this year. I would recommend the 8-day Health & Happiness Retreat to anyone, whether new or returning students, who are seeking to improve their health and happiness.
- Babu: When My Body and Awareness Became One
Firstly, I’d like to thank my teachers. I also want to express my gratitude to my parents although I still haven’t said it to them directly, it is very heartfelt. This entire eight-day program opened up a lot for me. It wasn’t just the sensations I felt during the practice of GI; the whole Health and Happiness Retreat opened many dimensions for me, not only in my body but also in my awareness.
I came here without any expectations. I didn’t even know what was going on the first, second, or even third day. But on the third or fourth day, it became clear that my body had come into one piece. Before that, it had always felt split.
People started coming to me and telling me my face was glowing. I didn’t realize it at first, until I saw myself in the mirror and smiled. I could see my smile getting better, and I could see that glow. That meant a lot to me.
The program also gave me a routine from when I woke up to when I slept. For the last three or four days, I would go home and immediately fall asleep from how tired I was after practicing GI, and again the next morning. That constant cycle of practice and rest really helped me gain a lot of mental clarity.
Many things have started to make sense—my emotions, my food habits, my routines. There is simply so much I learned in the last eight days, more about myself, about nature, and about energy. I realized where my negative energy was coming from, and how to let it go and gain more positive energy.
Physically and mentally, I now have much more energy. Somewhere over the last 30 years, I put too much pressure on myself. One homework that truly helped me was forgiving myself for that. It helped me calm down in many ways.
Strength came when I started looking within, rather than questioning everything or trying to find answers elsewhere. Many people encouraged me to accept things and see them from another point of view, and that helped me a lot. Now my task is to use this strength, keep practicing, and see how I can use it to make a positive impact on this world.
- Sangita: New Energy, New Clarity, and an Allergy-Free Spring
I have been coming to the Bodhi Meditation Center for more than a year now, primarily for the chanting and energy healing sessions on Saturdays. For over a year, I had really wanted to attend this eight-day health and happiness retreat, and I’m so glad that I finally came.
These eight days were a perfect opportunity to pause from a very fast-paced life—eight days of self-awareness, reflection, gratitude, and even repentance, which we rarely get the chance to do in our everyday routines. There was so much learning and love, and so much space to explore different kinds of inner transformation. I’m going home with a more passionate and compassionate heart, a calmer mind, and a broader perspective on life.
My three key takeaways were the power of compassion, the power of letting go, and the understanding that, just like AI, our mind needs good “prompts” too, meaning we need to feed ourselves good, positive input.
I am very thankful to Master JinBodhi, to Bodhi Meditation, to all the volunteers, and to all the participants for making this such a meaningful experience. This retreat was especially precious to me because I was able to do it not only for myself, but alongside my mom, who completed the program on her seventy-sixth birthday. That made it even more special.
My mom also wanted to share a few words. She said this has been a wonderful experience for her—she enjoyed it very much and feels renewed energy both physically and mentally. So thank you, from both of us.
Another surprise is about my allergies. For the last couple of years, I have been suffering from very serious allergies. My symptoms were so severe that I had to take allergy medications every day, along with eye drops and other treatments. Even with all of that, by the end of each day I would be completely out of function. This would go on continuously from March to April, year after year.
This year, for the first time ever, spring came and went, and I never had to use any of the medicines. I was so surprised. The only change in my life has been my association with the Bodhi Meditation Center. So I truly want to thank Bodhi Meditation for the improvement I’ve experienced.
- Yan: Healing Progress in a Place That Feels Like Home
During a physical exam last year, my doctor found two ground-glass nodules in my lung. Ground-glass nodules are usually just inflammation, but they still carry a small percentage risk of developing cancer. After discussing it with my husband, I’ve decided to quit my highly stressful job.
Thinking that I needed to improve my health, I came to the Bodhi Meditation Center and participated in two Health and Happiness Retreats. Then, last month, I had another CT scan. The good news was one of the nodules had disappeared, while the other remained the same size. The doctor said it is most likely just inflammation, though we will continue to monitor. This is now my third retreat this year.
For me, coming back to the Meditation Center always feels like returning home. The brothers and sisters welcome me with the brightest smiles and prepare the most delicious food. I am deeply grateful to Grandmaster JinBodhi for establishing this wonderful place for us.
- Wendy
I had foot surgery at the end of September. After the operation, my foot was swollen and painful, and the doctor said these symptoms would take at least three months to heal. But after completing the eight-day Health and Fitness Retreat that started on November 8, the pain is gone, and the swelling has almost completely disappeared.