Your words DO have great power.
Make sure when you speak to yourself
that you use kind and loving words.
Often we are hardest on our own selves, right?
It is up to each one of us to reinforce what is RIGHT with us, and to switch our focus away from the feeling that we are guilty or bad. Changing our focus to the positive is at the core of revealing our own Buddha Nature. I love Buddhism, because its very focus is on what is RIGHT with us.
Of course, as we all know, the law of cause and effect operates in our lives all the time. If we focus our daimoku on what we are doing right, chant to make positive causes, and to reveal our Buddha Nature, we will see positive effects in our lives.
So, my ideas for changing a negatively focused life to a positively focused one follow:
1. Before you get out of bed in the morning think of at least 10 things you are grateful for. They can be anything from health to friendships to ANYTHING. What are you grateful for? I advised my sweet Mommy to do this when she was feeling depressed, and she said it entirely lifted her depression. This is one of those things that sounds like a good idea, but really, if you try it, it does make a difference.
2. When you chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo every morning and evening, start with a feeling of gratitude. SUMMON gratitude. Work your spiritual muscle. Think of what you are grateful for, and make your own life, and your own self be part of that prayer. We are all so fortunate to have heard of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. We are all fortunate to be practicing, to have a Gohonzon, and to be a part of the Soka Gakkai organization with our mentor Daisaku Ikeda and countless sincere members worldwide. Bring forth that feeling of appreciation when you chant.
3. Chant to reveal your Buddha nature. Chant to believe in the goodness within yourself. Chant to shine your life from within.
4. When you focus on your life being the actual proof that this practice works you will see benefit. When you focus on being an example, and having your life and actions inspire others to begin chanting, you will see benefit flowing in all directions into your life. Chant to do shakubuku and help others become happy, and you will experience greater joy than ever before.
5. Realize that you ARE the Buddha. You are the walking, talking embodiment of someone who is awakened to the law of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. This realization alone is a great cause for your happiness. Chant to see yourself as a Buddha and to feel yourself as the true Buddha you are.
6. I chant to see the world through Daisaku Ikeda's eyes and to share his heart for Kosen Rufu. Sometimes when I chant I imagine him sitting here with me, and that our prayers for the happiness of all people are joined.
Power Prayer for revealing your Buddha Nature and Appreciating YourSELF
"I chant to reveal the pure, sparkling Diamond
of resilience, strength, wisdom and heart
that lies within me.
With every Daimoku, I chant to be more aware
of how wonderful I am every single day.
I chant that every cause I make,
at every single moment of every single day
leads me to see my Buddha nature.
I chant that my Buddha Nature emerge
and flow from my life touching everyone I see.
I chant that I see my life
as the brilliant sparkling Diamond that it is.
I chant that throughout the day
I say only nice words to myself.
I chant to praise myself with my every thought.
I chant to believe in my own goodness
and to see it revealed in my actions.
I pray to realize my life as the Buddha I am.
I chant that those around me are inspired to begin chanting, just by seeing my happiness flow.
I chant to meet the people who are looking for this law,
and to be able to help them practice"
