PowerPrayer to Find a New Home!

Go ahead and be specific with what you want in your life!
I have used a PowerPrayer in my heart just like this one several times to find awesome new places to live. If you are considering moving, have confidence in the power of your prayer! 

PowerPrayer to Move to 

a New and Better Home
by JamieLeeSilver from Chantforhappiness.com. You can read this before you chant or anytime. Read President Ikeda's guidance and the Gosho. Then put down the PowerPrayer and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to your heart's content and fill your life with joy!

I am determined to have the best possible home 

for my own pleasure and to show the power of this practice!

I feel the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo flowing through me. I know I can make this happen! I am confident! 

I Now find the perfect home that meets all my needs and is the BEST place for me to do kosen-rufu!

My home is in the perfect neighborhood for me and my family. 

My home is safe, sunny (or shady - whichever you prefer) 

and has _____bedrooms and ____bathrooms. 

It’s located near__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

include whatever amenities you prefer, e.g. parks, expressways, towns, shopping centers, hiking, etc. 

It’s on _____levels and has ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fill in the blanks with whatever you prefer: garage, backyard, fireplace, new kitchen, cul-de-sac, parks the children can walk to, excellent schools close by, good public transportation, in a very friendly and safe town, has a wooded lot, etc.  

I’m determined to have a home that is a beacon of world peace. 

I create a peaceful sanctuary for myself and my family. 

I have a great space for my Gohonzon and can have meetings if I want. 

My home is beautiful and perfect and I can afford it! 

My new home/apartment DO-Date:_________________.

Absolutely Everything is a Benefit

From The Heart of the Lotus Sutra, by Daisaku Ikeda. 

In suffering and joy, we can find meaning.

What does the wisdom of the true aspect of all phenomenon add to our lives? It gives us the power to skillfully use everything that happens to create value. 

Many things occur in the course of life. There are sufferings and joys, tailwinds and headwinds. All such phenomena provide opportunities for us to make the true aspect of the world of Buddhahood in our lives shine; we can use everything  that happens to expand our happiness. This is what it means to lead a life illuminated by the wisdom of the true aspect of all phenomena. 

Worth is not found in joy alone, nor is success the only valuable outcome. Suffering is the mother of realization, worries and failures, as long as we are not defeated by them, enable us to deepen our faith. Our sufferings become the raw material with which to build our happiness. This is the principle that earthly desires are enlightenment. Earthly desires, like other phenomenon, are themselves the true aspect. 

Fundamentally, for people with faith in the Gohonzon, everything that happens is a benefit. This is the difference between those who believe in the Mystic Law and those who don't. 

As a young man, I once asked President Toda what makes a person great. Smiling brightly, he replied: "It's having confidence. In life and in everything, it's confidence that counts. "There are many important things in life. Among all possible answers, Mr. Toda, without a moment's hesitation cited confidence. By this, he meant of course, great confidence in the Mystic law. 

"I will show victory in my life without fail." 
"I will help everyone definitely become happy."
"I will cause my workplace and my community to develop greatly."
"I will change the current of the times toward the emergence of a joyous society of humanism."
Those who possess confidence and who take unwavering action based on such confidence are great. 

Confidence is single-minded resolve. 
Confidence is courage. 
Confidence is hope. 
Confidence is inner latitude and mercy. 
As Nichikan indicated when he said, 
"Buddhahood means a strong mind of faith 
in the Lotus Sutra," 
confidence is itself the world of Buddhahood.

Although confidence and the world of Buddhahood are invisible to the eye, they are certain to become manifest in concrete form. This accords with the principle of the true aspect manifesting in all phenomena. Buddhism is not empty idealism. 

From The Heart of the Lotus Sutra by Daisaku Ikeda, page, 116 as quoted on the chantforhappiness.com blog by Jamie Lee Silver

I 

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! 

Attack Doubt with the fierceness of the Lion you are!

Doubt is part of life. It is normal. It is one of the functions of the innate darkness of life. 

What do we do with it? How can we harness our power so doubt does not stop us? 

What if the first thing you think the minute you sit down to chant is "This will never work, I don't even know why I am spending my time chanting?" 

That's doubt. 

Please remember to see doubt for what it really is: an obstacle and a tool for you to strengthen your practice - for us to all strengthen our lives and our resolve! 

When you see it in your prayer don't feel bad, don't feel angry and don't think "I must be doing something wrong!" Attack the doubt with Daimoku. Say "I KNOW you for what you are and I'm NOT afraid of you! I vanquish you from my thoughts!" 

Yesterday I talked with Kate...I told her there are so many options ahead of me...how do I choose which way to go? I know many of you have felt this way, as well. 

Kate is a living example of the power of this practice. A few years back she was in the same place I am now...many options...and chanting each day with solid resolve. 

Yesterday she gave me some words which may help you too:

Kate said every morning she chanted and told the Shoten Zenjin (protective forces of the universe) to arise and have her back at every moment. She chanted to bring forth the full power of the Gohonzon and see kosen Rufu in this world in her lifetime, and to have her every action bring forth Kosen Rufu in the land. Then she went about her day taking the action that occurred to her at the time, and didn't spend too much time strategizing. She just took action and trusted that somehow the pieces of her life would come together in a meaningful way for her to earn money doing what she loves. Yesterday she told me she had over $3,000 in checks in the mailbox for the great work she is doing, and enjoying right now. She is not worried at all about the future and she's in the total flow of life. Business is coming to her...which was her determination. She said chant to be confident. Yes. 

She really inspired me. Today I woke up and rewrote my vision for my life. Now I go to chant, and later I'll spend more time on my vision and taking action. 

It's a snowy and treacherous day in Chicago. My friend called me at 7:30 and said her car had spun out three times just going a few miles. She turned around and went home. I am grateful that I am here, in my cozy apartment with time to write and time to chant! 

We had an amazing SGI meeting here Wednesday with 20 people - more than half of them were youths. I hope you are all part of this incredible group of people dedicated to changing the world through individual happiness and transformation! Fortune is overflowing in my life. I wish the same for all of you!