By sister initiate Karin Ebner, Austria (Originally in English)

One day, on the way to work, I put on the purple plastic shoes I had bought at the retreat in Korea in order to protect my rather worn out leather shoes from getting wet on the muddy path through the woods leading to my workplace. Wearing those light but waterproof shoes, I began to walk gently, taking small but fast steps. I did not feel like I was going to work, but like I was going a bit hurriedly to the meditation hall.

This feeling made me realize something and I burst into laughter. A funny picture came into my mind. I understood that actually my workplace could also be a kind of "meditation hall". If I really concentrated on God and carefully repeated the Holy Names with real devotion in my heart, even my workplace or any other place could become holy land. Just like the day before, I suddenly woke up from my slumber and began to repeat the Holy Names with my whole being. Almost simultaneously, like magic, everything changed. I felt very calm, and people coming into my workplace became very friendly. This made me smile and sometimes laugh. Everything became very easy, smooth, and joyful.

This insight made me really happy and as I listened to the birds' spring concert, it seemed to turn into blissful praise of the Lord's creation. I hope I will remember this lesson, so that at any time the so-called misery of life will turn into a happier scene in my heart! I hope the same will happen to all the serious and miserable Boddhisattvas among us!