Lim Lihua | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Suffering from Insomnia for more than 10 Years
My name is Lim Lihua, and I am 50 years old. I had been suffering from insomnia for more than 10 years. It was more than serious as, throughout a week, there were five days where I could not fall asleep; on the remaining two days, I would sleep for only two to three hours. And I would wake up at the slightest noise.
Someone suggested counting sheep, but I was still unable to fall asleep after having counted to 100. Every night, I tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep; it was difficult and agonizing. I was tired during the day, but due to work and taking care of my children, I could not do anything other than force myself to be strong.
Migraines Brought on by Insomnia
My long-term insomnia then brought on severe migraines, which were even more painful than the insomnia. Once they attacked, the right side of my head, including my brows and eyes, hurt as if being pricked by sharp needles, causing nausea. As well, the migraines could attack at any time, at least four times a month.
Although I knew painkillers had side effects, I had to bear with the side effects to relieve the pain. At first, I only took one pill, but it did not relieve my pain, so I got stronger painkillers. In the end, even the strongest ones could not relieve my pain, and the pharmacist told me I was already taking the strongest one he could offer.
As no medication helped me, I could only knock my head, and later bang my head, on the wall when a migraine struck. Also, I began to feel the side effects of the strong painkillers I took. At the time, I was only in my thirties, and my memory began to slowly deteriorate. I was scared, and I could not help but think “Am I getting early-onset dementia in my thirties?”
Health and Happiness Retreat Dealt with Decade-Long Insomnia
In 2015, I signed up for Bodhi Meditation’s 8.5-Day Health and Happiness Retreat. On the first day, while practicing the Meditation of Greater Illumination (GI), I felt a surge of strong energy moving throughout my body; at the same time, I felt very relaxed and comfortable. From that day on, my sleep improved greatly, and I could easily sleep for six hours straight. Once, I even woke up on the floor because I slept too deeply and did not notice that I had fallen off my bed. Being able to sleep well is wonderful, and I no longer need to count sheep.
Meditation of Greater Illumination Relieves Migraines
Thanks to practicing GI, my migraines also disappeared, and that made me really happy. I told myself that I would continue to practice diligently at home after the retreat. After 90 days of GI practice, the migraines that had tormented me for so many years stopped. After experiencing such pain, I realized the importance of having good health, so I wake up at 3 am every day to meditate for five hours. Thanks to my perseverance, I have not visited a doctor for the past eight years.
I am grateful to be able to learn Grandmaster JinBodhi’s teachings. The first day of the retreat at Bodhi Meditation was the day I was reborn. For now, I am going to cherish every day and continue to practice Grandmaster’s teachings and spread his teachings to help more people. Thank you, Grandmaster JinBodhi!
（Results of Practicing Meditation may Vary Individually.）