My dear friend and shakubuku Julia posted this on facebook this morning. When I saw it, I literally cried tears of joy. If you had seen her in August of 2010 before she started chanting you would cry tears of joy too. In this picture she is so full of life. She is overflowing with life. She has embraced Nichiren Buddhism in every possible way. She studies so deeply that I learn from her as often as she learns from me. She is my dear zenshishiki (friend in faith).
I want to relate to you some of her story and how she came to this faith through my life and her strong determination in her own life.
I first met Julia when I was living in San Francisco and my boys were little. She came to stay at our house with her husband Cliff, one of our oldest and dearest friends. She says she will never forget the moment she heard me chanting Daimoku. She could feel the almost primal energy of the chant. We bonded as friends and I attended her miraculous and spiritual Kripalu Yoga classes. She wasn't interested in chanting, but we became friends. Chanting is not a requirement of friendship for me, and I always chant about my friends. But I do, of course, share my experiences and talk about the benefits of my own practice.
I always chant for my life to be an example of the actual proof of this practice...that my life can speak for itself. And I chant for people who are looking for this practice (as I did for so many years) to cross my path.
In 2003 Julia went through an experience that left her depleted, lowered her immune system and left her with chronic illnesses that continued on for many years.
In August of 2010 I was in a transitional period of creating this new life for myself. After many years of chanting about my marriage I decided that it was actually time to move on...but not in the usual way. In this society you only hear "divorce" along with the word "painful". I made the determination that this would be an "Inspiring Divorce" and that each member of my family would be happier because of the divorce. I chanted like this and roared like a lion for the happiness of my husband and my two boys. When I saw Julia in August of 2010 we were successfully making the transition. I was still living in the family house, but we were separated, and we traveled together (me and Paul and our son Ben) to see Julia and Cliff when they were visiting Ohio (their home is in California).
Paul and I became better friends once the separation took effect, and Julia was really impressed with the tender and respectful way Paul and I we all interacted while going through this process. We were joking together and so happy to be seeing Cliff and Julia and have Ben with us (Cliff and Julia are honorary Aunt and Uncle and have known Ben since birth).
When I first saw Julia on this trip she was really suffering. She had physical problems that were really bothering her and her life was drained from her. She looked like a totally different person from the picture above. I suggested we take her to a doctor and that helped a bit. And I chanted for her. I didn't talk much about chanting at all. I let my life speak for itself. My LIFE shakubuku'd her.
One afternoon we were sitting in the park and she was still in pain. She began asking me questions about how Paul and I could possibly be so happy while going through this process...and eventually she started asking questions about chanting. She decided there and then in the park that she wanted to chant, and Ben and I chanted right there, in the park with her. She was really moved that Ben, a teenager, would just chant out in the open with no reservations.
From then on she couldn't get enough of this practice. She has an incredibly seeking mind. She was always an excellent, excellent human being. I loved her from the moment we met. She has a spark and intelligence and warmth that everyone is drawn to. She became a part of the "family" from the moment we met.
When she got back to Ukiah, California we spoke all the time. We got her connected to the wonderful members there (there are members almost everywhere), and she learned Gongyo. Her faith was so sincere and strong that she was actually given an incredible hand-carved Butsudan from her friends who are gifted wood workers. She brought all of her intelligence, thoughtfulness and spirituality to this practice. She dove right in! When I said "Do Gongyo twice a day" she did it. She studied Nichiren Daishonin's Gosho and Daisaku Ikeda's works all the time.
Over the past two and a half years she has become so much more happy in so many ways...mind, body and spirit. Her powers of musicianship have greatly increased. She conducts SGI meetings and introduces others to the practice.
And just look at this picture. It says it all. She is full of life and vitality. She is full of the benefits that practicing Nichiren Buddhism can bring when you fully devote yourself to this practice. Her benefits are too many to list, but include a new, wonderful relationship with family members, and increasing joy and health.
What joy this brings me. There is nothing, NOTHING better. Do shakubuku with all your heart/ Chant to be able to do shakubuku. That's where it starts.
