Mrs. Zhao, Retired (Canada)

“I’m over 60 years old, but after my time at the College, it’s like I’ve returned to a youthfulness of sorts—an openness. I feel mentally and spiritually renewed. Since coming to Canada five years ago, I’ve sought a certain kind of freedom… freedom from worry. And at this Retreat, I found that feeling…”

Mr. Zhao, Entrepreneur (Canada)

“Like most other people my age, I have all kinds of health problems. Once, my sciatic nerve hurt so much that I hardly slept for two whole weeks. In addition, I suffered from recurring tracheitis for decades—I nearly died from it last year. I even took Chinese traditional medicine for three whole months, and tired both acupuncture and moxibustion therapy.

“They didn’t work very well for me.

“Sometimes when the pain became severe, I was unable to take care of even my basic personal needs. When I’d walk down the street, I’d have to stop every so often and take a break.

“That said, three days after a treatment at the College, I felt much better. It helped me turn my life around.

“I’ve known the president, Master JinBodhi, for some time; over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two from him, but during this retreat, I studied deeply and systematically. One thing I learned had particular significance to me. It had to do with the theory that people my age have many accumulated worries and burdens that act like layers, cutting them off from the broader world.

“The College has helped me peel away these layers. My mind and my heart have been opened.
“For that, I am deeply thankful.”

Mr. Li, Businessman (Canada)

“I have diabetes. When I left home for the Puti Meditation Retreat, my blood sugar level was 12-13 mmol/L… The normal range is 4-8.

“Now, after the Retreat, it’s between 8 and 9.

“I also have hypertension. Before I came, my systolic blood pressure was about 162. Yesterday—the last day of the Retreat—it was about 140. Now, it’s 95… and I couldn’t be happier.

“When I first arrived for this class, chronic fatigue was an ongoing issue, but after the meditation and self-cultivation sessions… How do I feel? I feel excellent! Very fresh… very energetic. Like young people say, I feel ‘awesome.’”

Ms. Wee, University Professor (United States)

“Last summer, I made a special trip to Vancouver to meet Master JinBodhi. My sole purpose was to find out what he was all about. During my 20 days there, he left a powerful impression on me. I found that there was a kind and a genuine quality to his wisdom. Even though he’s a meditation ‘master,’ he’s humble and humorous. He taught meditation theory… and I respected his teachings deeply. There weren’t any dogmatic rules either. Best of all, he always seems to ‘practice what he teaches.’ From my perspective, Master JinBodhi is more of a trustworthy teacher and friend than any sort of distant or ‘exalted master.’

“He’s approachable and welcoming.”

Mrs. Liu (Los Angeles, CA)

“About three or four years ago, I had a very troubling leg problem. More than 30 minutes on my feet was impossible. If I pushed it, I’d fall down. At night, I often woke up because of the pain from rolling over in bed. I consulted lots of doctors, and took many different kinds of medication; none of them were effective.

“Three years after the onset of my leg pain, my arms also began to ache. Sometimes, I couldn’t even stretch or lift them.

“It was my daughter who encouraged me to sign up for the Meditation & Fitness Retreat. She’d participated in the Retreat before, and benefited greatly. It helped her successfully recover from long term neck pain and insomnia. As soon as she learned of the Retreat in Vancouver, she signed me up, ordered the tickets and drove me to the airport.

“During the Retreat, two treatments were administered to my hands and feet. I didn’t feel anything intense in my limbs at that time; however, I felt a remarkable improvement during the course of the twelve days. At the beginning, I could only practice the Meditation of Greater Illumination once before resting. By the end, I could do it four times in a row—for more than two hours straight! And I didn’t even feel tired.

“One month after the Retreat, the pains in my legs and arms had almost completely disappeared. At last, I could move around freely.

“Now, I feel free to enjoy my life.”

Avy (Vancouver)

“I ended up at the Puti Meditation & Fitness Retreat Program for a slightly unusual reason—a bunch of my friends had signed up and were urging me to join in… so we could all be there together.

“To be honest, I was still hesitant about attending even after I’d paid the tuition. My time was really my own—unscheduled—and I really wasn’t keen on having to be anywhere at a specific time.

“I did decide to participate, and by the third day, I realized that I’d made the right choice.

“I’d been suffering from migraines for over a decade. When it was at its worst, they would hit twice a week. I wouldn’t be able to eat or drink anything—just a little water. Each episode confined me to bed for two days.

“The first few days, I just practiced the meditation like everyone else—nothing special.

“Then on the fourth day, when we were practicing the sitting meditation, I suddenly felt a surge of warmth at the back of my head. The sensation localized and I visualizing it like a white sphere. The sensation moved in a circular motion, before slowing to a stop at the back of my head. I was at a loss for words… It was just such an unusual experience, but it felt wonderful. And my thoughts were so clear! It seemed ten years since I had last felt that kind of positive clarity.

“Then one day, Master JinBodhi was playing zheng—the traditional Chinese zither—as part of a healing exercise for students. I happened to be dealing with the onset of a migraine—at first, it was so painful I felt numb all over, but the music gradually soothed the pain. I became so relaxed… my limbs were very heavy. Soon, I felt another surge. It left my body at the top of my head. Surge followed surge and within half an hour, all traces of my migraine were gone!