Inspiring Victory of Dr. Aaron Michael Silver

Dr. Aaron Michael Silver, 

Chief Resident Banner University Medical Center Phoenix. 

One day, when he's not saving the world, Aaron will write his own story, but for now, as Aaron's proud Mom, I want to fill you in with my version! 

I've been practicing for 36 years. When I was pregnant with Aaron 30 years ago I did a million Daimoku for him. I chanted to impact his karma BEFORE he was physically born. I chanted for financial security, a beautiful home, the maturity to be a good mother, and for Aaron's karma to be changed BEFORE birth. I chanted for him to easily make friends, and to be happy, and to have a dream and pursue it. We read "On Attaining Buddhahood" to him in the womb. 

Aaron was amazing from the git-go...happy, engaged, and super active. He bounced off the walls and his father and I bounced right with him  ~ enjoying every moment of our high-energy child! He excelled at everything he did, from acting to baseball, to academics to running. He was elected to lead almost everything he did. He's a natural leader. 

He began chanting as soon as he could talk, and chanted along with me often as a child. His Eight-year-old experience was printed in the World Tribune. He brought his baseball team from the last place to the Championship through Daimoku. Through his wisdom, he took action to host his own extra practices for the team, and that was just what they needed!  

Together, we chanted for the BEST Schools for his life. He got his Omamori Gohonzon when he headed off to the University of Illinois as a PreMed major. In Loyola Medical School (his first choice school) he got his large Gohonzon.

During his first year of Medical School tragedy struck when his best friend, his brother Ben, began losing his mind to Schizophrenia. The next two and a half years were truly terrifying as we did everything, and chanted countless hours of Daimoku to help Ben stay alive. 

Five years ago this Thursday, July 2nd, Ben became eternal. Throughout this challenge, Aaron studied, worked hard, took on leadership in Medical School, and graduated Summa Cum Laud. He won the "Hardship" Award for extraordinary hardship during medical school, then headed out to Phoenix for Residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. 

Today, while serving as SGI YMD District Leader, he challenges himself to chant an hour a day. 

He is Chief Resident at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix where the rise of COVID is slamming his hospital. He is chanting that the staff does not get sick. Please join me in chanting for his staff! And in chanting for this virus to go away! I am so proud of this Buddha! 

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PowerPrayer to Raise Our Life Conditions NOW!

Hello beloved readers! Greetings from St. Pete Beach, Florida! 

In these uncertain times, what's a Buddhist to do? 

I have great news for you,  THIS IS OUR TIME! Buddhism shines when times are tough. Now, more than ever we can show actual proof through our lives. Now, more than ever, even if we don't have meetings to go to, we can do shakubuku with our bright shining lives. 

I was just at the grocery store, and yes, I was stocking up on food. Canned goods...pasta...maybe you are doing the same. And the thing is, everyone was moving around like zombies, and while I was shopping I felt like I was in a trance too. Except, I smiled at people. And, when I got to the check out counter I greeted the workers and asked them how they were doing and we had a nice laugh about these crazy times. 

No matter what we are going through we have the option to let our Buddhahood shine through. I'm smiling at everyone. I'm letting cars in, I'm making sure I let pedestrians go past and wave to them. I do these things all the time, but now I do them even more. 

As Buddhists, we are the last ones to give in to hopelessness! We have no hopelessness! We are Buddhas and we dance! As Daisaku Ikeda says: "If we don't have hope we have to Create it." and we have the perfect place to do it! Right in front of our Gohonzons is where it happens.

Now is the time to up our levels of Daimoku. Now is the time to make sure that we are not just mindlessly letting our minds wander while chanting. Now is the time to leave our phones in the other room as we chant! Now is the time to invite our friends to chant with us (if it's advisable where you live) Now is the time to focus and PRAY. Now is the time to raise our life conditions! 

You asked me, so here is something I created for you based on how I am praying right now: 

PowerPrayer to Raise our Life Conditions to make every day a joy no matter WHAT!
By Jamie Lee Silver, chantforhappiness.com 

While chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo: 

Gohonzon! My life! 
Now, more than ever 
I am tapping into the life force of the universe 
that is MY life force. 
As I chant, 
I am bringing forth the full power of the universe inside me to raise MY life condition 
and raise the life condition of everyone 
and everything on the planet. 
Right now I am chanting to end the suffering of anyone who is suffering. 
I am determined to keep my life condition SKY HIGH 
so anyone who comes in contact with me 
is brightened by my presence! 
Goohonzon! I am born to win! I am a Buddha!
I am determined not to give in to fear. 
I am determined to keep my head up 
and show actual proof of the power of this practice. 

I am determined to be present. Be smart. Be all I can be. 

This is my moment! This is all our moment. 

All the shoten zenjins in the universe come to our planet right now and end this coronovirus. 

Shoten zenjin! Wherever you are in the universe come to earth right now through the power of my daimoku. 

I am now tapping into my own power as a Buddha 
more than ever before. 
I will win! no matter how our lives may change, 
may we all be strong 
and have such an incredible life force that 
we can overcome and persevere through anything. 
May this planet be more united and positive than ever before. 
May LOVE rule this world...starting with me! 
And, may the youth of the world rise up and realize their power to make this world their own. 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!!!

PowerPrayer to Change Our Lives!

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How do we approach our lives powerfully? 
How do we make each moment count? 
How do we generate "earnest resolve"?

We KNOW that each moment contains the seed and power of the entire universe within our lives (ichinen sanzen) We KNOW THIS MOMENT is important. What do we need to harness and activate and use this knowledge with every fiber of our being? Here are some insights from the September Gosho study on the Gift of Rice:

The Gosho, the Gift of Rice states: 
"When we carefully consider what exactly "earnest resolve" refers to, it is the doctrine of observing the mind." 
(From the Gift of Rice by Nichiren Daishonin, Living Buddhism September 2015, page 29)

President Ikeda states "Everything is determined by the direction in which our "earnest resolve" orients our minds. When we focus our "earnest resolve" on our Buddhist practice, believing and practicing the Mystic Law that enables all people to attain enlightenment, our inner Buddhahood reveals itself, pervading our lives and the environment." 
LB, 9/15, page 38

How powerfully can earnest resolve work in our lives? 

Akeymi Bailey Haynie, our National SGI Leader said one day she heard her mother cry out from a nightmare, and realized that her mother had been having nightmares every night. (Her mother is a survivor of the WWII bombings in Japan). Akeymi developed a deep resolve in her heart and sat down and chanted 15 minutes of focused Daimoku that her mother would NEVER AGAIN have another nightmare. She reached that level of "now or never" or "NO WAY!" that is so powerful, and her Mom never had another nightmare. 

We all have this power in our lives. Sensei tells us this every day. When we are in front of the Gohonzon it is up to us to summon this resolve, and to focus our minds.

We all have this power! Today I offer you: 

PowerPrayer to Ignite and Focus
Our Inner Resolve
by Jamie Lee Silver from ChantforHappiness.com

LIFE! 
Now it the crucial moment! 
THIS MOMENT 
While I am chanting I am drawing a line in the sand! 
I am changing this KARMA Forever - 
I am rooting the cause from my life now! 
This shall happen:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
and/or THIS shall STOP happening:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I NOW summon all the power vested in me as a worthy votary of the Lotus Sutra. 
My life is Powerful!
I am turning my attention and focus to this powerful intention:
__________________________________________________
My daimoku is Powerful
Shoten Zenjin activate your forces NOW! 
Each Daimoku summons my power!
Each Daimoku has an effect NOW
For the sake of World Peace, I ignite my vow!
I will show actual proof -  inspire myself, inspire others, 
and change the world! 
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! 

Powerful Guidance from Kate Randolph

The one and only Kate Randolph

Hello friends, 

Recently I spoke at Kate Randolph's Life Celebration in LA. My charge from her daughter Sarah was to encapsulate Kate's guidance. What an honor. Truly. Kate and I spoke almost every other week for 34 years. I took notes. 

Here's how Kate introduced me to this glorious 

practice: 

It was August of 1985 when we met. 

Kate told me a story that changed my life. In Kate's work for the Great Peace March Across America, she needed to work with the megastar Paul Newman. The first day she was so flustered in his presence she couldn’t even form sentences. That night she chanted for one hour, and came back the next day and could talk to him like he was anyone else on the planet. 

I knew right I’d finally found what I’d been searching for my whole life. A tool that I could use to channel my energy in the direction I wanted it to go. A practical tool for happiness! And she told me I did not have to release my attachment to my desires. I could keep them, and chant for my desires! And my prayers would make the world a better place, and me happy, too.

DONE. I was hooked.

Kate and I became fast friends. We had our babies around the same time, First my son Aaron, then Kate and Hal's daughter Sarah, then my Ben. We vacationed together and raised our children together.

I would call her to get guidance about my challenges and she'd congratulate me for having these problems. She'd assure me that THESE problems were exactly what I needed to get me to the next level of my happiness. They were a benefit. 

Kate put my life in perspective by reminding me that I am a powerful Buddha, by winning in my life others could be inspired by my example and win in theirs. She taught me to turn poison into medicine. 

Basing her life on the Gosho by Nichiren Daishonin and the

words of Daisaku Ikeda she taught me victory:

She taught me to live a life of Victory. The key to Victory 

is making a strong determination to win over our 

problems 

Once we make a determination we may have doubts arise, 

but doubts are not real:

SHe said: 

You have to expect doubts to arrive in your mind. Now is the time to realize they are not real...they are only thoughts in your mind. They are not reality. They are just thoughts and you just pop them out with your prayer  ~ with your eye on the outcome…do battle in your mind and say No No No that is not my reality, that is not reality, that will not be my reality. 

These obstacles and doubts are NOT my reality, these negative thoughts are NOT my reality. Envision your outcome and say YES YES YES YES with each Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. And tell the Shoten Zenjin: YOU will get my back...you have my back...what I envision...my perfect outcome...THAT is my reality and then you add to it: For the sake of all people, I will show actual proof! 

Kate says: Once we decide we will win no matter what ~ 

we need only to continue. 

We've already won. 

The battle is with the negative function within. 

All you need to do is make a fresh determination! Live with hope

One of my favorite quotes of Kate's is:

We Breathe Rarified AIR!

By chanting we can ROOT OUT the causes of our suffering!

Faith is Envisioning the outcome exactly as you want it to be as if there were no obstacles and then challenging the doubt in your mind with your Daimoku and send it like arrows through each obstacle, shooting them down as they arrive in your mind. 

That's why I say be FUELED BY YOUR OBSTACLES, not FOOLED BY THEM!

Battling Depression:

In Kate's own battle over depression, she won by focusing on this thought while chanting: I don’t CARE how many times you rear your ugly head. Depression! I will defeat you. I will root the causes and effects of this depression straight out of my life….and she did just that. 

Based on her guidance I wrote this 

PowerPrayer to Defeat Despair:

Written by Jamie Lee Silver, from the blog ChantforHappiness.com

While chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo I would focus on these thoughts and TELL my life who is BOSS:

No way Unhappiness! You will NOT WIN TODAY!

No way anxiety~I am the Buddha!

I don't CARE how many times I have to chant to defeat you. I WILL WIN! For Myself and for all! 

I am a noble, brilliant Buddha! 

I DEMAND a life free from sadness and fear! 

I root the karmic cause of my sadness and fear

right out of my life now!   

I DEMAND that my environment reflects who I really am, 

not my fears or doubts about who I am. 

I DEMAND that I have the courage 

to do Human Revolution 

and to FOREVER break 

those ties to my own unhappiness. 

I am determined to stop making causes that bring me pain! 

I am determined to make causes that bring me happiness! 

Not just for me, but for everyone!

I MUST succeed 

LIFE 

No matter what! 

I choose to be happy!

I choose happiness now! 

With every new obstacle think:  

"This is just another opportunity for your life to stand up and tell your fundamental darkness who is BOSS. This is just another WAVE, just another WAVE. You MUST stand up to it. You must chant with the conviction that there is no other way than your victory. You must summon that conviction from within your heart." 

Kate said: 

Chant for absolute and total conviction

 in your Buddha Nature

and know that you are changing karma 

for your self, 

for your family 

 for your descendants 

and for the world by this prayer

Pray that THIS Daimoku makes the difference!  

Pray that THIS PRAYER changes your karma forever.

Facing death, Kate said to me:

"NOW is the time to wake up to joy. 

Now, more than ever, 

SGI members need to summon joy, 

forget complaining about anything, 

and wear a radiant smile on our faces. 

She says our smiles must radiate so brightly 

that light comes out of our fingertips 

and we glow as beacons 

so people can learn of the mystic law, 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo from us, 

and be moved to happiness 

just by being in our presence.

Kate said we must have Joy 

to show the possibilities of life...

JOY is a REQUIREMENT, 

not an afterthought, 

and it comes from our determination 

to summon it from within our lives 

and express it in our smiles, 

the pep in our step, 

and our lives themselves. 

We can do this! 

We can do this for ourselves, 

and by doing this we change the world." 

"Our smile is a cause, not an effect." we can't sit around waiting for joy to come into our lives. We must be joyful, and invite more. That's how it works! 

She said: "Joy's the leading edge. Wake up and be joyful, smile at the person next to you in bed, smile at the person next to you at the store, in the elevator, and at other drivers. BE Kosen rufu in action!" 

"It's gotta be real, but you can also fake it till you make it. Put that smile on your face and you will spark your happiness. Try to be sad with a huge grin. It doesn't work so well!

"We have to go deeper into our own lives, and into the Buddha we are every day. We've gotta do this NOW. This is it. This is our time. We're ALIVE! whether we are 17 or 95. Grab the moment for all it's got and say "I am creating the deepest value that's ever been created. NOW. Right this moment. There's no other moment. There's no other person. How are we influencing the person next to us...it is our SMILE...beaming with joy...Joy!"

STOP complaining. NOW. It must be replaced, even if it's phony at first. It may feel phony but it will cause a shift inside your life.  And we have to keep going deeper and deeper into joy. There can't be a place at which we stop. we need constant movement...constantly going deeper." 

Thank you for a lifetime of WISDOM and DETERMINATION Kate. Thank you for showing us Buddhahood by example. Thank you for walking this world as a Buddha with strength and determination alongside your magnificent family, Hal and Sarah. Thank you for always leading the way. Thank you for your grace. And thank you for your poetry and for bringing us closer to Emily Dickinson. (She performed the one-woman-show The Belle of Amherst like none other)

Thank you for always leading with Daimoku and Shakubuku - the spirit and action to lead others. 

And, if we want to continue Kate's marvelous legacy, let's all be joyful right now! Beaming JOY from our fingertips!

Thank you, Kate!  

Lighting the Lamp of Hope from Florida with Career Success

So I'm almost a month into my job and it's incredibly exciting. I've already produced a lot of success, and I take my smile everywhere I go. In all things "Our success is our energy. Our energy is our success." that is my belief, and those are my words. 

When we freely express our Buddha nature everything flowers around us. We can create a place for the flowers of our life to bloom. 

Just a little background: 

As many of you know, In 2009, I created this blog to show actual proof through my own life, to inspire people to learn about chanting, and to inspire my beloved fellow practitioners all over the world. This is not an easy practice, but when we practice correctly, our lives overflow with benefit - so it's worth the work. 

We get up early...so we can chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to awaken the Buddha in our hearts, and set our sights on what is true. We chant the truth in our hearts and make determinations towards this day, and into the future. We tell our lives what we want, for Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is our life, and the life and rhythm of the entire universe. 

Through this chant we connect...and we summon all the power of the universe into our lives and dreams. Then at night, we chant again and prepare for the next day. We chant for ourselves, we chant for others, we chant for this world.

About five years ago, life was going great, but I was worried about my son Ben. We soon began a roller coaster ride of trying to keep him alive through a terrible illness. Schizophrenia. And in July of 2015, my beloved Ben succumbed to the illness and took his life. My blog of July 4th, 2015 was my declaration that I would turn poison into medicine. The worst problem can turn into the best benefit. Even this. 
Fast forward, I created Bensmemorialmile.com, where we've raised almost 50K for Schizophrenia research and Suicide prevention, and I moved from Chicago to St. Pete Beach Florida where I live overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. I did not work for a year and lived off the saving that resulted from my many years of fortune accumulated through almost 33 years of practice. (This Friday, October 20th, is my 33rd anniversary of receiving the Gohonzon).

In time, I began to chant for my next job. 

I chanted for a job that would use all my talents,  where I'd be surrounded by people who inspire me, where I could do public speaking and have a great and growing income, where I could let the light of my life shine and do shakubuku with my life while making new friends, and where I could be HAPPY. 

And I was offered many jobs...and found one I accepted. 

Now I'm a few weeks into it, and I am having joyful success that is being recognized and applauded. I am surrounded by helpful and inspiring people, and I am having fun while doing good work that helps people. 

And the key is to continue chanting to SEE my life, and to expand in my capacity to help others, to do shakubuku (I've not yet shared my Buddhist practice at work, but they are seeing my life shine), and to humbly keep chanting to see what I'm doing wrong so I can correct it and continue moving forward. 

I am not perfect, but I chant to learn from my errors and move on. And I chant to love myself completely through it all! I'm chanting each day for the happiness of all of my coworkers as we create this beautiful community that helps seniors. 

I am spreading the joyful light of hope, appreciation and love that I feel inside all the time. I have also once again been able to raise my contribution level to the SGI. I know this creates even more fortune and just makes me happy!

Whatever you are facing, you can joyfully create the life of your dreams as you bask in appreciation and continue to devote your life to this practice, shakubuku, study, and creating happiness for yourself and others. 

Go Buddha go and never give up!