The following is an excerpt from an address made by Meditation Master JinBodhi, founder and president of the Canada Bodhi Dharma Society. He broaches some of the College’s central goals by suggesting certain approaches to daily life. They are meant to benefit readers, by providing awareness-building exercises that break down the barriers isolating people from each other and from the broader world.

“Though most people in the world would choose to live in peace and joy if they could, reality rarely seems to allow it. Quite conversely, many of us experience life as a lost opportunity—a suffering. Nonetheless, my own life has taught me that paradise is not as far away as we think… it can be uncovered within the heart and the mind, for it exists about each and every person at all times, with or without their knowledge.

“A perspective of loving appreciation can be applied to perceive any set of surroundings—from a blade of grass to the people and things that fill our days. Here are a few simple ways to apply a more appreciative perspective and improve your life:

“Every morning upon rising from sleep, start the day by eliminating any negativity within the body—take fresh, clean water in your hands and wash your face; as you do, let any selfishness, greed, or impure feelings and thoughts be carried away. In their wake, seek clarity, mental acuity and a broader sense of self—wonderful qualities to carry into the rest of your day.

“As you step out your door, soften your gaze a little and find a place of contentment within yourself. From that place, greet all of existence—greet the sky & everything that you see, near and far. Soften your step as well, and be aware of the life that may be beneath your feet; whole worlds of connection may be destroyed by a thoughtlessly placed foot.

“When I meet people on the street and they greet me with a smile or a hello, before I even open my mouth, I access a feeling of friendship within my heart and look upon them as members of my own family.

“Whenever our hearts brim with camaraderie and kindness, those same things are offered to us in return. This sort of positive exchange works so that we always receive more than we send out. Joy and good luck will surround us and there is no way that sunlight will not touch our days. Inversely, ifwe harbor selfish, greedy, vengeful thoughts, the world will respond by filling itself with equivalents—darkness, inflexibility, worry and suffering. The thoughts and feelings that we cast into the world create the situations that the world sends us in return.

“If we cultivate thoughts and feelings that are rooted in kindness and compassion, then we are also cultivating wisdom and right living. In so doing, we accrue positive habits that lead to positive results (“causality” if you will) without thought or effort… It happens naturally.

“Everything in an individual’s life has been produced by that individual. Negative thoughts and feelings bring negativity—so let your heart be full of love for the world, and the world will offer you love in return.”

About Meditation Master JinBodhi:

Master JinBodhi, the president of the Canada Bodhi Dharma Society, is the founder of Puti Meditation. Raised on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China, the Master spent 18 years studying Buddhist Dharma before being declared “enlightened.” He established a style of teaching meditation that is grounded in modern reality, and advocates the precepts of compassionate benevolence and harmonious living. He places greatest emphasis on respect for all life, environmental protection, and mutualistic human coexistence. He has mastered natural meditation methods that initiate changes in health and general living circumstances. Since he first began to teach meditation to the public in 1991 in China, Master JinBodhi has helped and taught millions. He has also authored a number of books and articles on both Buddhism and meditation theory.