I received a question from someone who is new to chanting. She wondered why after chanting a few days some obstacles occurred. When the obstacles happened she stopped chanting for a few days. Then she started chanting again, and more less-than-positive things occurred. So she stopped chanting again. And on and on...
I'll bet there are other readers who are familiar with this pattern and who know the answer to this question!
When you chant Daimoku you are reaching into the depth of your life to purify it and create the most beautiful possible life. You are also stirring up the karma that has always been within your life. If you stay with the practice, and chant consistently, you will attain a state of life beyond your wildest dreams. You will have a level of contentment and come to know your purpose in being alive. You will look at your problems as opportunities for greater growth and happiness. But first you have to deepen your understanding of the practice.
When you chant, you naturally draw from your life the karma that needs to be changed. Otherwise you wouldn't have the chance to change it! If you've studied the Gosho you see that chanting correctly does bring problems into a closer focus so you can change that karma once and for all.
During my first few years of chanting I took a job with the worst boss ever. Really. He swore at the people who worked for him (the beautiful woman he LIVED with) and was abusive to the whole staff. It was horrible. Instead of lamenting my fate and crying "Chanting is not working!" I saw it as the opportunity to change this karma FOREVER. Every day I chanted a solid hour in the morning that NEVER EVER again would I experience an abusive boss! I chanted for his happiness, and the happiness of everyone involved. At a certain point I was able to stop his abusive ways by speaking up when he was yelling. It took courage. It took daimoku. And I've never had an abusive boss since then. I changed that karma then and there by facing it down and roaring Nam Myoho Renge Kyo like the powerful woman I am!
I understood that this challenge was an opportunity to change my bad karma. And always remember, karma is in your life, but you don't have to think of it as your fault. That karma is there from many lifetimes of living, but feeling guilty about it is just not useful. Feeling responsible for it, and vowing to change it will give you POWER.
Just chant to change the root of the karma of anything that is bothering you. You don't have to figure it out! Just make a vow and determination to end this karma forever. See all that happens to you, both good and bad, as the answer to your prayer and don't stop chanting even for a day. During the difficult times chant even harder and what you've been encountering eventually be gone forever. It does not happen overnight. But it does happen!!!!
THAT is the fortune I talk about. That happiness can be yours. But don't run scared when bad things happen. No Roar like the powerful lion you are!
"Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle?"
In this case sickness can be taken as any kind of suffering. ROAR it out of your life forever!!!
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteI stumbled upon your blog by "accident" and now I read it every day. It gives me hope, courage and strengthens my faith every time I read it- which, funnily enough, are just some of my daily determinations!
I was introduced to Nam Myoho Renge Kyo at age 8 by my auntie as we were going to her house. She didn't explain it to me, all she told me was "Samya, listen carefully, I am going to tell you a word that is going to make you happy and achieve all the beautiful things you want in life. The word is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo." That's all she said and that's all I needed to know. Since that day, my mother, my cousin and countless other people I know have converted to this beautiful practice.
I have started practicing properly on February 16th this year. I had been going through a VERY hard time since January 2012 that led to low self esteem, debilitating panic attacks and constant anxiety that stopped me from enjoying everything I loved about life. I felt crippled, alone, negative... A far cry from the positive, bubbly, happy girl every one new and loved. I've never had the easiest of lives- my dad has been addicted to drugs for 15 years, he was violent, I had eating disorders, my sister suffered from depression, we lived living in poverty and were homeless at one point... I never really had another option other than to be strong and I guess that after years of forcing myself to be strong for me, for my mother and my little sister, I cracked. I have never been the type of person who would express her feelings, I kept them locked in, away from the sight of others and from my own mind. This resulted in constant anxiety attacks and irrational phobias that I had never had before. There was a point where I wouldn't get into lifts, escalators, I wouldn't leave the house without someone I knew etc.
ReplyDeleteI saw my anxiety as insurmountable, as something outside myself that I had no control over. I let it rule my life... Until now.
ReplyDeleteUntil I started chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and doing gongyo twice a day. At first, I wasn't really sure what to chant about, as I had so much stuff going on, that I was literally spoiled for choice! haha So I chanted to "see my life through the eyes of a Buddha" and for the Gohonzon to bring clarity to my mind so I knew what needed to be transformed. After a week of assiduous practice I got my first break-through. I was on the bus going to work and got a very scary panic attack which I hadn't had in a while. I was on edge the whole day and kept wondering "why? am I doing something wrong? Why have they not gone away?". I felt debilitated and darkness took over. The urge to turn around and go back home instead of going back to work was strong, but I didn't. I realized that there is no "going back", the only way is forward and I also realized that in order for me to get better from the anxiety attacks, I HAVE to find what I am scared of and GO LIVE THERE. So I went to work. At 5pm, once my shift was over, I made my way home. For some reason I didn't feel as upbeat and positive as I had felt the previous days (which was thanks to daimoku and gongyo). Nonetheless, I did an hour and fifteen minutes of daimoku followed by gongyo. After I was done I was overcome by a very intense feeling of desperation and hopelessness that came over me like a wave, not allowing me to see things clearly but only in the darkest, most negative ways imaginable. My mother was in the room with me at the time as we had just chanted together. Instead of ignoring the depression and attacks I started talking about them, I allowed myself to feel all those intense feelings, even if they were negative. And I actually had the courage to talk about them.
I told my mother I was tired of feeling anxious all the time, of my life being put on hold because of the attacks, I told her that I didn't even remember how it feels to live life without constant debilitating anxiety... I tried crying but nothing came out (which has been a major problem for me, I find it hard to cry because I keep everything bottled up) After half an hour or so, I suddenly didn't feel that desperation and darkness anymore. It was as if they had dissipated. They were gone. All I felt was strength and determination. I opened my laptop and felt the urge to find something that would inspire me and give me hope. And that is how I found your blog. It wasn't an accident, it was determination. I read your post about obstacles and suddenly it all made sense. It touched something deep inside because after reading about how chanting daimoku means reaching into the depth of our lives to purify our karma and change it forever I cried... and I cried and... I cried!
ReplyDelete! But it wasn't a whinging or a desperate cry, no. It was a happy, LIBERATING cry because I finally understood what was happening. I understood that I was chanting PROPERLY and that I was changing my life into what I wanted it to be. I didn't see the attacks as "enemies" anymore but as "opportunities". I didn't feel hatred towards them but love. If it wasn't for them, I doubt I would have started practicing properly. I cried because I had been chanting to start "believing" again and that is exactly what this episode brought about: belief and faith. After the cry I felt reborn. I felt enlightened and positive, energetic and like a true Buddha that had just illuminated the entire world from within. This all happened yesterday. Today has been a FANTASTIC day. I haven't felt anxious ONE BIT. I feel full of love and compassion, wisdom and faith. I feel like my possibilities are limitless and that there are great things ahead for me. I feel like I could take over the world with my positive energy.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to share this with you because I believe that my victory is your victory too. And I feel so much gratitude towards the Gohonzon for making me find your blog by "accident" ;)
THANK YOU!
I will be sending daimoku your way every time I chant.
Have a beautiful day,
Samya
Sorry I've had to post a million comments, it wouldn't let me post it all in one! haha :)
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you! Please send me an update. I'd love to hear how you are doing. You can post on a blog or send it to chantforhappiness.com.
ReplyDeleteAll my best,
Jamie
Thanx. I was wondering why! Now I know why.
ReplyDeleteI am very much confused. The more I am trying to keep faith and chant the more heartbreaking incidents are happening. This is scaring me a lot. What wrong can happen if I give up chanting? I am already going through huge pain.
ReplyDeleteWhen you really practice hard, you stir up your karma. As long as you don't backslide in faith and always keep advancing you will create the life you want. Are you staying close with your members? This is the perfect time for you to reach out to fellow members and strengthen your practice more than ever. AND STUDY ! Eventually you will see you have changed your practice. Don't give up!
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