Confident Chanting = Confident Life !

Chanting with confidence? What does this even mean?

It means chanting and KNOWING that at the exact moment you are chanting - your result is assured. 
As you go about your day you trust your prayer. 

I'll give you an example from my own life this week. 

This week has been one of he most challenging weeks of my entire life. 

From the Buddhist perspective I know I "summoned this storm" to strengthen my life. I am so grateful to be able to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and access my own strength!  I base every moment of my day on my daimoku and strong prayer. My practice is solidly at the center of my life, and I am USING this challenge to strengthen my prayer, strengthen my confidence and strengthen my life. 

My son is in the hospital, and there are decisions to be made about his care. On Friday there was a big decision to be made. I woke up and the first thing I did...the FIRST thing I did... was chant a solid hour, a SOLID hour of daimoku that he get the best possible care and that the shoten zenjin (protective forces within all life) rise up and protect him in every possible way. 

I chanted like Nichiren Daishonin when he addressed the statue of Hachiman before being taken off to be beheaded at Tatsunokuchi beach. I chanted that I am the Votary of the Lotus Sutra (just like you are too!) and that the protective forces HAVE to arise from within my life!!!! (As you know, Nichiren was NOT beheaded because an orb came out of the sky and frightened the people who were going to kill him) 

That hour of chanting flew by. It felt like five minutes. As I was chanting I was totally connected to the power of my own life...totally connected to the feeling, the KNOWING, that this cause was creating the effect. And as we went through the day the decision went back and forth and back and forth .... and finally...right when it came down to the wire, a professional called me back and told me exactly what I needed to hear to absolutely make the decision and know that it was the right one. Her call to me was precisely times to impact the situation at the crucial moment. And since I had chanted that solid hour of daimoku and I TRUSTED MY LIFE and made the decision. 

That is what I mean by Confident Chanting = Confident Life!