Jacqueline Robert, Alicante, Spain:

What does a middle-aged female doctor do when she is unhappy with her life? Jacqueline Robert from Alicante, Spain decided to learn Acem Meditation. In the six years since then, the method has changed her life in unexpected ways.

“It has been a long process,” says Jacqueline. “When I started meditating in 2003, I was quite unhappy with myself, but didn’t know how to change. I googled ‘meditación Alicante’, found Acem, and liked what I saw. Down to earth and with no religious strings attached. To begin with, I didn’t practise every day – I was too preoccupied with the problems in my life. But as I began to discover the long-term benefits of the method, I started meditating regularly.”

Retreat experience

In 2007 Jacqueline went to her first Acem retreat in Norway, largely out of curiosity. How would it feel to devote an entire week to meditation? She also wanted to see the Norwegian countryside, which is quite different from the arid landscapes near her home in Spain. The retreat was a new experience, unlike anything she had ever known.

“It went deeper than I had expected. Since then I have been back every year, for regular retreats, deepening retreats and a communication course. Some of the best things in my current life are, directly or indirectly, effects of meditation.”

Good for work

In the last 2-3 years, meditation has had a positive influence on Jacqueline’s work.

“I don’t get so stressed when decisions about diagnoses and treatments are difficult. By trusting my intuition, I often find it easier to determine what is the problem. I have become more interested in the patient as a person, not only his or her disease. I even get along better with my boss!”

She also finds she communicates better with patients and families, especially in situations where she has to tell them bad news – apparently something even doctors never quite get used to.

Simple, but powerful

“Acem Meditation is a simple method, but a very powerful one. It is not always easy, but always interesting. New personal issues emerge from time to time, and although I eventually have to face them on my own, this is much easier in a setting where others are having the same experience.”

Jacqueline really values and appreciates the people she has met through Acem.

“I am very grateful for the guidance I have received, and I also enjoy talking to fellow meditators. I feel I am being treated with respect and interest. Some of these people know more about me than my family.”