Insight

        The morning sun was shining gently on the green meadow at Spanish Banks in Vancouver, British Columbia. My heart was filled with warmth and gratitude while practicing Ba gua, my daily walking meditation. I am the sun, I am the singing birds, I am the ocean, I am the woods, I am the mountains – yes, I am the universe, and the universe is me. This awareness first awakened in me at a Bodhi Meditation and Fitness Retreat in 2006, and from that moment on I’ve never looked back, moving ever forward on the transformational Buddhist path.

         In present day, Buddhism is often taught in two forms: religious Buddhism and philosophical Buddhism. The Buddha’s teachings are followed by many people who do not consider themselves religious, and who are not necessarily trained as priests. The Buddhist principles for living a healthy and happy life are practical and applicable to every detail of daily existence.

         In this inaugural issue, we include basic knowledge on meditation to provide guidance and support on your path.

          Grandmaster JinBodhi pinpoints the essential nature of life: compassion, which he cultivates and disseminates to every single living being he encounters in his life. You will read several interviews of our students who will tell you how they have been awakened, moved and transformed. As Joseph Ferguson said in his interview, “I am not the kind of person that believes things easily or because others do. I have to see things and experience them myself. Now, I’ve done just that, and I’m absolutely convinced.”

          Seeing and reading, while valuable, can be tantamount to counting the treasure of another. Come to experience your own essential being, and become the treasure.

                                                                                                                  Lotus Seed, Editor