18 Types of Fortune and 3 Ways we BUILD Fortune in Our Lives

I get many emails asking how to get money  ~ and asking "Is it ok to chant for money? 
As you know, I am an enthusiastic SGI member, and this blog is not an official SGI blog. Here I share my heart of faith with you. 
First I would would like to say to chant for exactly what you want. If you need money chant for money~! You deserve to have what you need. There are many, many examples of people chanting for money and getting it. I chanted for 5K and got it immediately. 

But underlying the need for money there is a deeper and more exciting benefit that we can access within our lives. We can access and build TRUE FORTUNE into our lives. 

What is FORTUNE? How do we build it for ourselves?

First of all, fortune is self made. No matter what our levels of fortune may be before we begin practicing Buddhism, once we begin intoning the name of the Law of Cause and Effect, the Mystic Law itself, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, our lives begin to move in the direction of fortune. 

With our Daimoku (chanting) we begin "changing from the inside out", the ONLY way to affect true and lasting change. 

And with each passing day of chanting, studying, encouraging others and introducing people to this practice our fortune grows and grows.

Fortune :

Daisaku Ikeda states: "Governments come and go, economies rise and fall, and society changes constantly. Only the good fortune we accumulate during our lives lasts forever. True victors are those who cultivate the tree of Buddhahood in the vast earth of their lives while achieving success both in society and in their personal lives through true faith and a true way of living. (Faith in Action page 110)

Fortune is being in rhythm so that we KNOW what to do, and have the spirit, conviction and courage to make the best possible causes at all times! 

Fortune is being in the right place at the right time. 

Fortune is Happiness and the ability to overcome any suffering and turn poison into medicine.

Fortune is strength and resiliency. 

Fortune is getting a call from an associate about a job opportunity that happens to be perfect for you. 

Fortune is having the courage and wisdom to say what must be said and do what must be done at the crucial moment. 
I had one of these crucial moments yesterday and I trusted myself to take the correct action and I'm really satisfied that I did the right thing... the absolute right action. buddhist wisdom in action. That's fortune. 

Fortune is always having what you need when you need it. 

Fortune is having the time to chant to our heart's content and encourage others, too. 

Fortune is being able to join harmoniously with our fellow SGI members creating a new kind of family for us all. 

Fortune is being born at the same time as Daisaku Ikeda and learning how to engrave the mentor disciple relationship into our lives so that it is a living, powerful source of energy and wisdom in our lives.  

Fortune is the finding solace and peace even when we have lost a loved one. 

Fortune is experiencing the true depth of friendship... knowing how to be a friend, attracting, keeping and appreciating quality people in our lives.  

Fortune is experiencing how to love and be loved in return. 

Fortune is the freedom to live our lives as we want...traveling freely and happily. 

Fortune is health. 

Fortune is the ability to laugh.  

Fortune is the ability to sit in front or our Gohonzons and cary out a meaningful dialogue within our own lives that makes the impossible possible,and brings happiness to ourselves and our families, friends and world.

Fortune is seeing that advertisement for exactly what we need when we need it. A few years ago I kick started my 70 pound weight loss by turning on the TV and seeing a weight loss program being advertised that I ordered and really worked for me. Another time I googled "Agents looking for authors" and found out about a Writer's Digest Conference in New York. A week later I was on a plane to a conference that really forwarded my writing career. 

How do we build fortune for ourselves?

1. First we must build a strong practice.  
The more "work" we put into building our practice...the less "work" we have to put into our lives...the less struggling we have to do. We can use all the resources at our disposal to CREATE the discipline to be able to chant twice a day every day and participate in activities. Being a part of the SGI is crucial. Click on the link to the right or send me an email if you need help finding your local organization. Having the wisdom to ask for assistance is crucial. Having a seeking mind to understand how and why the Mystic law can have such a profound effect on our lives is important. Studying our SGI publications is important. We call this having a seeking spirit. Chanting at least an hour a day is the fuel most people need to get the motor of their lives started. Some people prefer two hours or more. (If you don't have this time right now you can chant to have more time to chant!)

Fortune Comes from Having the spirit and the prayer: 

"I will WIN because my life is important. I will use my life as a shining example that this practice works!! My winning will be a real "win/win" because I will inspire others to the greatness of their own lives! I will win for kosen-rufu. I will win over my own negativity. I will absolutely do this!" 

2. Determine and believe we DESERVE what we want fuels our fortune. Every action we take all day long is a cause for our happiness. What do we want? Why do we want it? What can we do to fuel that desire? When I was 70 pounds heavier I wrote all the reasons I wanted to be thin. And I read that list all the time. I still have it. I found pictures of how I wanted to look, and I looked at them frequently. I visualized walking into a store and being able to buy any clothes I wanted! I fueled my determination. I fueled the conviction that losing weight was possible for me because I chant, and all my past failures just didn't count. 
Hon Nim Myo - "from this moment forth". Every time we chant we begin life anew. From this moment forth I will win. From this moment forth is EVERY MOMENT. We have the power to change. NOW. We chant the MYSTIC LAW underlying all of life. Wow. We are filled with fortune!

3. Chant for what we want, and Chant for STRENGTH of practice and strength of mind and heart! If we want money, we chant for money. If we want to NEVER WORRY ABOUT MONEY AGAIN - we chant with this in mind. If we want a job we chant for it. The world is OURS. We chant for exactly what we want!

What does fortune mean for you? Write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com with your experiences and comments! 

PowerPrayer for a Harmonious Family

PowerPrayer for a harmonious Family
By JamieLee Silver
From ChantforHappiness.com and the upcoming book:
PowerPrayers for Chanting Your Way to Absolute Happiness and Success

As Nichiren buddhist, we know that wars begin and end within our own hearts. and I know from personal experience that we sometimes turn against the ones we love when we are really stressed and challenged. But we know, we really know, that the answer lies in our determination to create a harmonious family, and to change our own, and our family's karma with our determined Daimoku. (Chanting of nam-myoho-renge-kyo). 

Daisaku Ikeda states: 

A person who respects others is respected by others in return. Those who treat others with compassion and concern are protected and supported by others. Our environment is essentially a reflection of ourselves.
From Ikedaquotes.org

Daimoku can change ANYTHING. It can change inharmonious relationships, and give us the courage and wisdom we need to make changes in our lives. 

With that in mind, I offer you the PowerPrayer for a Harmonious Family. Usually we read PowerPrayers before chanting so that we can keep our determinations and prayers fresh in our minds while sonorously chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the title of the Lotus Sutra and the name of the rhythm of life itself. Chanting allows us to tap into the vast resources our lives already possess, raise our life conditions and become absolutely happy...possessing the type of happiness that is not swayed by daily changes in our lives.  Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the most powerful cause we can make for our lives. 

That's it! 

The following PowerPrayer is an excerpt from the upcoming book PowerPrayers for Chanting Your Way to Absolute Happiness and Success by Jamie Lee Silver and Julia Landis 
Please do not copy and past the PowerPrayer. You can share it by emailing the url chantforhappiness.com or using the sharing buttons at the bottom of the post. Thanks! 

PowerPrayer for a Harmonious Family

Life!

I am Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

I have the power to chant happiness and harmony for my whole family

With every daimoku I am picturing us happy

I am erasing years of karma with every Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

With every Daimoku I am summoning appreciation for my loved ones. I appreciate them more and more. 

For every fault, sickness, sadness, problem I see in my family ~

I chant to change this in MYSELF so that the karma of the whole family is changed! 

I am chanting happiness and harmony into my family

My prayer is enough!

I will not give up

I am tearing every bit of karma that makes any of my family members suffer - I am tearing that karma out by the roots. 

My family will never be the same. 

I will not give up!

I will have a happy family that will shine as a beacon of hope to all who are suffering. 

My chanting gives me the wisdom to communicate with composure and compassion. 

I am the Buddha!

I chant specifically for these outcomes:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wisdom from Daisaku Ikeda

FAITH is the fundamental source of vitality. Do not be defeated by a slump in faith. It is important to strive in chanting daimoku, and in association with one’s fellow believers. Although we speak of activities for kosen-rufu, the benefit of all such efforts ultimately returns to oneself.


BUDDHISM expounds the principle that “earthly desires are enlightenment”. In like manner it may well be said that hardships are benefits. As long as you maintain faith in the Gohonzon, you can definitely make your problems and sufferings the springboard towards great happiness.

THE question is whether or not prayer is at the basis of your action. Both a sense of responsibility and compassion are manifested in prayer. Action without prayer is nothing but an artifice.


NICHIREN DAISHONIN said, “Do not expect good times but take the bad times for granted” (WND, p998). If you engrave this teaching in your life, you will have nothing to fear. Nor will you ever become deadlocked. The important thing is to take that first step. If you barely overcome one small fear, it will give you the courage to take on the next one.

WHETHER or not one has attended this or that school is a trivial matter when viewed from the cosmic scope of Buddhism. Please take pride in the fact that you are studying in the eternal university if life, which teaches the supreme law of cause and effect – the Mystic Law – and the way to lead lives of absolute freedom.

THE ultimate aim of attending university is also to become happy. Likewise, gaining a good position in society is also merely a means to attain happiness. In contrast, faith constitutes the direct path to happiness. It connects directly to that goal. Guiding people to happiness is the SGI’s mission.

OUR Buddhist practice entails much hard work and effort, but there is also the tremendous joy of human revolution that could never be derived from merely leading a life of idle pleasure. That is why Nichiren Daishonin sternly warns that we must not forget the promises we have made when the crucial moment comes.

BUDDHISM teaches that it is possible to live to be 120 years old. In this sense, we are all still very young and our lives are just beginning. Our spirit to live “from this moment on” makes our lives youthful and refreshed.

CAN one live a truly happy existence if he spends it uneventfully never experiencing the waves and storms of hardships or painful experiences? I doubt it. In the process of struggling through and overcoming wave upon wave of tribulation, you can discipline yourself and elevate your state of life. In so doing, you can lead a life which is far more valuable than that of the one who never experiences storms of hardship.

FIRST, be healthy. 

Second, establish your economic base. 

Third, be trusted on your job. 

Fourth, raise your children with affection, 

and establish a secure family life. 

These are all aspects of daily life, 

and apart from daily life, there is no Buddhism.

 

Source: Daily guidance by Daisaku ikeda, Vol. 1 to 5, Singapore soka association.

PowerPrayer for Rising Above Our Problems

I read some guidance that said 

"When you chant you should 

take a vacation from your troubles." 

Great idea

And today while I was chanting that's exactly what I did. I chanted to lift my life condition so I could see over and above my troubles...and to experience this day in a state of elevation through Daimoku. 

I chanted to release all feelings of having to be in control at every single moment, because, as we all know, control at every moment is impossible anyway! 

I think sometimes we think "I'm a Buddha so I should be able to command every single moment of every single day. I'm a Buddha, right?" But I don't think that's exactly how it works, 

The only things we can really be in control of are our reactions to what's going on. That's not to say that we can't change our lives through chanting. WE CAN. But the process of doing so doesn't always go as quickly as we'd want it to. We are not like Samantha on the TV show Bewitched. We can't just wiggle our noses and make everything change. 

Today I formulated this 

PowerPrayer 

for Rising Above Our Troubles:

by Jamie Lee Silver of Chantforhappiness.com

Life! 

Gohonzon! 

Today while chanting 

I am seeing my life and my spirits 

rising above my worries. 

As I am chanting I am seeing my life rise above. 

I am focusing on joining the ceremony in the air. 

I am joining with all the Buddhas on the Gohonzon, 

and knowing that 

YES! 

This is the life I chose for Kosen-rufu, 

and I will keep my life condition HIGH no matter what. 

I see through the eyes of the Buddha. 

I shine for all those around me as a beacon of hope. 

I am the Buddha at every moment today...

fully aware and focusing on all that is right in my world! 

I am going to float above my worries and chant in the world of gratitude and appreciation. 

I am so grateful for:__________________________

And I release this day to my prayers! 

3 Ways to Generate Appreciation Right Now!

Everyone knows that Appreciation is a sure path to happiness, right? And we should generate appreciation every day. It is one of the keys to happiness and longevity and fulfillment. I'm researching Blue Zones, the areas where people live the longest and most fulfilling lives, and appreciation is a certain thread running through them all. 
Sometimes we need some ideas for generating appreciation. Enjoy!   

3 keys to Generating Appreciation 

Right Now, on this Very Fine Day. 

By Jamie Lee Silver from ChantforHappiness.com 

1 

Write your own 

Rampage of Appreciation.

  
Take out your journal or a notepad. 

At the top of each page write these headlines (and any more that occur to you):

What I appreciate about:

My body
My heart
My mind
My practice of Buddhism
My friends
My work
My "things"
My Family
My country, city, home
My relationship(s)
......etc.

And under each category write everything you appreciate (or everything you CAN appreciate) about these aspects of you life. 

2

CHANT 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo 

...the name of the rhythm of life itself, with your heart full of appreciation. Take note of what arises from your chanting about actions you might want to take to express your appreciation. 

3

 EXPRESS 

YOUR APPRECIATION

Write at least ONE heartfelt thank you note to someone you appreciate, and bring it to them. Write as many as you can, and send or deliver. I recommend hand-delivering them. In "Flourish", by Martin Seligman, he writes that people who hand deliver notes of appreciation experience a glow of happiness that can last for months. 

Look at us ~ spreading the joy! 

Write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com if you have comments about how this worked for you. 

LETTING IT GO!

We all have huge problems from time to time...problems that are so all-encompassing that we seem to recede a little from the world, and it feels as if we have lost our friends and family because this problem has laid us SO low. 

We all know that Daimoku (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo)is bigger and more powerful than any problem, but sometimes, even when we are striving our hardest, getting guidance, studying, chanting, going to meetings, our problem still weighs so heavily on our hearts. 

Many of us have experienced deep loss, grief, sadness, that seems bigger than we are. 

Well, I have been going through one of these. I've been fighting hard, and my only victory has been to NOT GIVE UP THE FIGHT. Even though I am taking every action I can think of for kosen rufu...every morning I've awakened into the problem and it has weighed on me all day. 

Well, yesterday, after reading the guidance I posted on this blog. I talked myself into setting new goals for myself. I decided I would take better care of myself. I decided to be better to myself. I got a massage. I took action to change some habits, and wrote a bunch of new goals before I chanted...among them was the goal to somehow regain my happiness. As my friend Kathy says: 

"Gohonzon some-kind-of-way this has to happen." 

And last night in the support group I go to for people who are also dealing with similar problems, they miraculously picked MY PROBLEM to workshop. We spent an hour as a group breaking it into parts, and hearing other's experiences and brainstorming solutions... and somehow I just came to terms with it. I came to a new understanding that, for now, I can't FIX it. I can only choose to stop suffering. I can LET IT GO. Just LET IT GO for now. And choose not to suffer. 

I will still chant to fix it with all my heart. But I am not going to suffer over it anymore! 

Thank you life! Thank you Gohonzon-my life itself! Today I am a new woman. And the sun is shining here in Chicago. Spring HAS TO be on its way. 

I am wishing YOU breakthroughs in happiness, breakthroughs in happiness. 

And I offer you, from this Month's Gosho The Pure and Far Reaching Voice:

"...voices infused with the prayer of the Mystic Law have the power to awaken the Buddha nature of those with whom we speak. Even though the effect might not be immediately apparent, please be assured that your voice will deeply permeate others' lives" 
Daisaku Ikeda, Living Buddhism, March 2014 p. 27

Perseverance ~ Some Quotes from Daisaku Ikeda

The sun WILL rise!

Perseverance 

by Daisaku Ikeda:

"No matter what the circumstances, 
you should never concede defeat. 
Never conclude that you've reached a dead-end, 
that everything is finished. 

You possess a glorious future.

Precisely because of that, 
you must persevere and study. 

Life is eternal. 
We need to focus 
on the two existences of the present and the future 
and not get caught up in worry about the past. 
We must always have the spirit to begin anew 
"from this moment," 
to initiate a new struggle each day."  

From Faith in Action page 146. 

"We must put down strong roots, 
we must be strong. 
Inner strength is a prerequisite for happiness, 
a prerequisite for upholding justice and one's beliefs. 
One of the Buddha's titles is "He Who Can Forebear."
To courageously endure, 
persevere and overcome all difficulties 
~ the Buddha, 
is the ultimate embodiment of the virtue of forbearance. The power of faith gives us the strength 
to weather and survive any storm. 
Perseverance is the essence of a Buddha."

Faith in Action, by Daisaku Ikeda, page 147. 

Here in Chicago we are expecting another winter storm. And many of us are weathering storms of our own all over the world. I know this from your emails. As Daisaku Ikeda says, it is important to persevere and never give up. No matter what.  We are not here to master suffering. We have the opportunity to challenge our fate every morning during Gongyo and head out cheerfully to face whatever the day may bring. I hope that no matter what we are facing, that we can bring a smile to all we meet. Such is the way of the Buddha. 

Today I leave you with my favorite quote 
from Daisaku Ikeda:

"When one sun rises, 
everything is illuminated."

Demand Your Results! You Are a Worthy Bodhisattva of the Earth

By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo we can strengthen our belief in life, and we can strengthen our faith in our own power. We ARE the universe. We ARE the Gohonzon. We ARE Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! The more we chant with that conviction, the more results we get, and the stronger we get. 

Sensei says:

"When we chant to the Gohonzon right then and there the doors of the microcosm within us open completely to the macrocosm, and we can experience a great and serene sense of happiness, as though gazing out over the entire universe. We savor tremendous fulfillment and joy, and gain access to a great and all-encompassing wisdom. The microcosm of our lives that is encompassed by the universe in turn encompasses the entire universe."

Excerpted from Lectures on the "Hoben" (Expedient means) and "Juryo" (Life Span of the Thus Come One) Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, (SGI-USA 1996)

If the above is true, we ARE the Universe, aren't we? And our prayer has summoning power. That is why it is so important not to BEG while chanting! We are not beggers. 

We are capable of summoning the power we need in all areas of our life. 

If there is any part of ourselves thinking "Oh Please..." when we chant, then we are praying to a power outside of ourselves! 

If instead, while we are chanting we are thinking: 

'BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS A VOTARY OF THE LOTUS SUTRA - I will make _____________happen!" and 

"I demand results in this area______________now!" and 

"I am determined to win! I WILL win" and 

"I am determined to change in any way possible to make ___________happen in my life!" and 

"I NOW manifest all the wisdom I need to take the correct action now!" 
we have so much more power! 

The Gohonzon is OUR life...not something outside of ourselves! 

We ourselves ARE the wish-granting jewel!

If we can chant without begging our entire attitude changes. We are honorable and worthy Boddhisatvas of the Earth. We are chanting for kosen-rufu and the happiness of all people. We are worthy of having our prayers answered! 

Thank you so much for sharing links to this blog. We all want to get this message out and help people become absolutely happy..

4 Important Questions Answered!

1. Does it make a difference what time I chant?

As long as you do Gongyo soon upon arising and then again at some point you will be doing fine. The important thing is to realize that there are no rules for this sort of thing and no one judging you. Your practice is for YOUR Happiness, and your happiness will extend out into the universe and make others happy. And it starts with you. I always say that the effort I put into my practice make the rest of my life so much easier. I put effort into my practice and my life rolls along nicely. I grow in practice and I grow in life. A long as you chant twice a day - morning and evening you will get your life into rhythm. And right now, morning and evening Gongyo are so similar that it doesn't matter which one you do. Just do Gongyo!

2. Do I Have to Change Religions to Chant?

No. You can keep practicing whatever religion brings you joy. Just remember that when you chant to the Gohonzon that it is NOT a GOD. The Gohonzon is your own life, so don't beg when you chant. When you chant to the Gohonzon you are declaring what you want.

It is best not to have symbols of other religions on or around your Buddhist altar.  That way you stay focused on your life...

3. Can I really chant for what I desire? How does that work?

You deserve to be happy. We all deserve to be happy. Our desires will get us there. Many people write me saying "This is what I want but people tell me I shouldn't want it" I believe in chanting for exactly what you want. Your desires have flame and passion. Chanting for exactly what you want will lead your life forward. Eventually your desires will elevate and change...or you may get exactly what you want. The important thing is this: By chanting for your desires you will FUEL your life. You will want to chant. Chanting will change your life. Be true to yourself. Chant for what you want...even if it doesn't seem "right." And, of course, chant for the greater happiness of all. I have never chanted for someone's unhappiness, but I am sure it would not be a good cause to do so. We are all interconnected. If you chant for another's unhappiness you will be making a cause for your own happiness. This is just common sense.

4.  What am I chanting "TO"?

The Gohonzon is your life. When you chant you are in dialogue with your life. I say "LIFE this is the way it is going to be!" Then I chant my desires. I deserve my desires. My desires benefit others. Every prayer I pray is for the sake of kosen-rufu...world peace through the changes that come about with each person's happiness...and a world of respect for all living beings. I chant "I will have the best job for kosen-rufu! I will have the job that will make me happy and will enable me to spread my light far and wide so that I can help others be happy!" And this is my prayer for everything I want. Ou lives are interconnected with absolutely everything. Chanting taps into the everything. We draw forth our own power through this magnificent practice!

5. Where can I chant?

You can chant anywhere at any time. but the basic practice, and where you can focus the most is in front of your own Gohonzon at home. But sure, you can chant in the car or anywhere else, or cleaning etc. But your basic practice is in your "home within your home" your sacred space to chant...whether you have a Gohonzon or not.

PowerPrayer to Appreciate YourSELF

Daisaku Ikeda states: 
"When we practice gongyo and chant daimoku 
in front of the Gohonzon 
the good and evil capacities of our lives 
begin to function as exalted forms 
of fundamental existence. 
Lives that are full of the pain of Hell, 
lives that are in the state of Hunger, 
lives warped by the state of Anger ~ 
such lives too, begin to move in the direction 
of creating personal happiness and value. 
Lives being pulled toward misfortune and unhappiness 
are redirected and pulled in the opposite direction, 
toward good, when they make the mystic law their base." Faith in Action page 120. 

Every day we are tuning our lives to the good, the right and the true when we chant. 
We are revealing our Buddhahood. 

The great writer and humanitarian Louise Hay says that 

the most important thing we all have to learn 

is how to really love ourselves. 

And when we bow to the image in the mirror, 

the image in the mirror bows back to us. 

If we are looking for love, 

we need to love ourselves...

really love ourselves...

realize that WE ARE the Buddha. 

Intellectually that might be easy, 

but actually feeling and living as the Buddha 

requires us to stop listening to the evil twin 

that lives in our brains who never shuts up. 

We need to turn our focus away from that evil twin who always says "you can't do it"...or "You know this will never work out"...or "this is one of those things that works out for other people but never works out for you." I'm sure you know the voice. The more we focus on bringing out our own Buddhahood, and recognizing our own Buddhahood, the more we put that negative voice aside. It may never go completely away, but we can turn our focus, and listen to our positive voices instead. 

Here's a PowerPrayer that has helped me. Here's to your own Buddhahood! When you are chanting you might want to keep your favorite phrases from this PowerPrayer in mind...and let your mind create new PowerPrayers as you are chanting. 

Please do not cut and paste this PowerPrayer. If you want to share it please use the share buttons at the bottom of the post or send the url chantforhappiness.com. 

PowerPrayer for Revealing 

Your Buddha Nature 

and Appreciating YourSELF

"I chant to reveal the pure, sparkling Diamond

of resilience, strength, wisdom-heart

that lies within me. 

I feel that Daimond glowing in my heart/

I chant to appreciate my own shining core

Every single day. 

I chant that every cause I make, 

every single moment of every day 

is a positive cause for my life, 

and all of life, 

and leads me to see more and more of 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 kind words to myself. 

That I 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, 

or to strengthen their practice 

just by seeing my happiness flow. 

I chant to meet the people 

who are looking for the Mystic Law 

and to be able to help them practice.

I glow! 

How to Start a Successful "Chapter Daimoku Tree"

Washington North Chapter in Washington DC 
Youth Division! 

This post was sent to me from Pat Henry in the Washington DC area. Pat responded to my request for info about how each district is supporting members in strengthening their practice. Thanks Pat!

"One of the ways we have fighting daimoku for members who are challenged with chanting consistently for an hour to achieve certain goals is  We start what we call a daimoku tree.  Each person is responsible for calling someone.  

We start with a member who has to be at work early in the morning.   They will chant starting at 5 am and chant for an hour then call their person at 6 am. The next person will chant until 7 am and  so on and so on.  It really works.  Some people can only chant 30 minutes but that is ok because  that is more they would normally chant in the morning.   

Pres. Ikeda always talks how important it is to win in the morning.  And he is so right. During this year's August Shakabuku campaign we were very successful.  Our chapter led the Washington region in Youth Division Shakabuku.  We are starting the chain again it to make sure we have 5 new Youth Division members by November 18. The another good thing is you really develop heart to heart relationships with members you might not talk to all the time.  


Thanks so much Pat Henry. What a great idea! If your chapter or district decides to start a Daimoku Tree after reading this post ~ write and let us know! 
If you have ideas - or experiences to share on this blog please email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. Send a picture, too. 

You can Overcome ALL Your Problems! Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo WORKS!

I know I say it over and over, and Daisaku Ikeda, and all of us KNOW that we are the Buddha...but how often do we chant in the sublime recongnition of being the Buddha and seeing through the Buddha's eyes? 

In our daily lives sometimes it seems there is just so much to chant for that we don't know where to start. Whenever I feel this way it is a signal to me to chant to see through the eyes of the Buddha and realize I am the Buddha at every moment. I also focus on chanting for others, kosen-rufu and elevating my life condition. 
If we have this perspectice on our lives it puts all of our problems into perspective. 

When I first began chanting almost 30 years ago in San Francisco I would ask my leaders "I am chanting every day, I am doing shakubuku with every breath I take, and I just bought a car so I can drive my beloved YWD to meetings...WHY am I having these personal problems?" 

And some of you have written me with similar questions. 

I was given this answer: "You are a leader for kosen-rufu...(world peace) one day, your members will come to you with problems just like you have now, and you will REALLY know how they feel, and you will know exactly how to encourage people." And they also told me that whatever I was going through, I was expiating karma for my life, and for my children's lives as well...seven generations back, and seven generations in the future. I learned to focus on the big picture...not just on all my problems, but on chanting for kosen-rufu and the happiness of my district members and all members...and not just members, but the whole world. Every day I would ask in my prayers while chanting "What is my mission in life? What is my mission in life?" and I knew the answer even as I was chanting...I knew I wanted to help people who were suffering like I was before I began chanting, and to help them find out about this practice and try it. 
Whoever you are - reading these words right now ~ I want you to know you HAVE found the solution, and you can use this practice to overcome suffering of ANY kind. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, practicing with the SGI, studying and introducing others to this practice is the formula for incredible happiness and strength. One day, you will look back on the hard times and realize they were golden moments that strengthened your life and your practice! 

My life proves it. 
Your life will prove it too. 
We Soka Gakkai members are proving the power of the law with our lives. 
As many of you know I've faced a tremendous challenge with the illness of one of my children. And every day I have used this practice to remain strong and to persevere and to WIN. I have chanted to be a better person, and to bring out my inner wisdom, and to work together with the health professionals to bring him back to wellness. Sometimes I have had to say difficult things. But every morning, with my focused prayer, I have set the course for a day filled with wisdom and power. I am steering the ship...even if I can't control everything, I can control myself and set goals. 

Now I have some peace! 
All week I've been side-by-side with my son who was recently released from the hospital and I've been cherishing every minute, every laugh, every experience.  The joy I feel in my heart just to be with him is immense. Every daimoku right now is filled with gratitude. I feel I have already won! 

PowerPrayers to Strengthen Your Practice and for Unlimited Self Esteem

Good morning. It's early on Sunday morning and I'm heading off downtown to the Tozo going on now.

At the Chicago Buddhist Center I will be chanting for all of you to achieve every single one of your goals and to grow in faith as you complete your million daimoku towards your goals. Please remember you are WORTHY and you are not asking anyone or anything to fulfill your prayers...you are TELLING your life the way it's going to be. "LIFE this is what I want!" and email me if you want to join the campaign or share your goals and pictures with me: chantforhappiness@gmail.com

ALSO ~ do you have any requests for powerprayers on a particular subject...ones that might help great numbers of people? I am about to submit my book soon! Email me! 

Here are two PowerPrayers from my upcoming book of PowerPrayers. The first is for strengthening your practice. The second is for unlimited self-esteem:

PowerPrayer to Establish a Strong Practice 

for Chanting My Way to Absolute Happiness! 

I will chant every morning and every evening 

no matter what. 

I will no longer allow anything to stop me! 

I am establishing the strongest practice imaginable 

and I am becoming so fully resourced in self esteem 

that I fully commit to myself:

I keep my promise 

to myself 

first and foremost 

with the understanding that 

I can only really love/help others 

when I myself have become strong and self-loving.

And it’s very natural for me now to share Nam-myoho-renge-kyo because my life is overflowing with benefits. 

The more I chant, the more I want to chant. 

I look forward to my time with myself 

dialoguing with my own life

and discovering who I really am. 

I feel the connection more deeply every time I chant. 

I see actual proof that my self esteem is rising:

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Nothing can stop me from getting to discussion meetings 

and studying SGI periodicals and books. 

I am deepening my understanding of what I study with every Daimoku I chant. 

My eyes are opening.

My depth of understanding is growing! 

Study helps me to see the connection 

between my chanting 

and what I see happening in my life. 

What a privilege! 

PowerPrayer for Unlimited Self Esteem

As I am chanting, 

I am becoming a woman/man/person 

of unlimited self esteem. 

I open my heart to myself and my life. 

I am determined to really love my-self 

in a way I have never done before. 

I am determined to take 

the best and most tender care of myself 

and to learn to really want 

and manifest 

all the very best things my life has to offer me 

and this world has to offer. 

From this moment forward 

I am a person of unlimited self-esteem. 

I learn from my mistakes, 

I don’t dwell on them or in them. 

I understand that I am Nam-myoho-renge-kyo 

and I have unlimited power 

to focus on the things I do right. 

I spend more and more time 

in self-appreciation and gratitude.

And it feels wonderful.

These are the qualities I appreciate in myself:

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These are the qualities I am strengthening in myself and my life as I chant:. 

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