Chanting to transform negative relationships works

Yes, we are all connected.

Suppose we have someone at work we don't get along with...or a family member that is giving us problems. What is the best way to handle this situation as a Buddhist? 

Many of us have proven, time and again, that chanting for that person's happiness changes everything. Chanting for their happiness might not sound like something you want to do, or even feel capable of, but it works every single time, I promise. 

Here are two examples: 

The first time I tried this I hadn't been chanting all that long and I was selling advertising for the Bay Guardian Newspaper. This was before so much of the technology we have now. Ads were placed on the boards by hand, and it was all meticulously done. I sold a lot of advertising. And the person who trafficked my ads in production (I'll call her Katia) was always upset with me for some reason or other. It got to the point that she was really driving me crazy. So I sought guidance from one of my seniors in faith, who said I should chant for Katia's happiness, because my prayer would affect her state of life, and the energy between us would change. 

I'll be honest, I thought it would be really difficult, if not impossible, to truly chant and desire this person's happiness. But the senior in faith told me to "fake it till you make it." In other words, start chanting for Katia's even if I couldn't really put my heart into it. She told me to picture Katia with a big smile on her face, and sooner or later my prayer for her happiness would become sincere. 

This is exactly what happened. Within a very short period of time I found myself earnestly desiring happiness for Katia, and knowing in my heart that my chanting was going to have an effect. 

About a month later, Katia announced that she was getting engaged and moving to Los Angeles. She was happy and so was I!

I realized that through this practice I was actually exercising my muscle of compassion. After that, chanting for anyone I was having problems with came much easier. 

Another example was when I went to work for a larger company here in the Midwest. I could tell, that for no apparent reason, one of the employees really didn't like me, (I'll call her Sharon). She never said anything negative, and I didn't work with her very closely, but I could feel her hair standing on end when she saw me. So I decided to chant for her happiness every day for months. 

Instead of leaving the company like Katia did, Sharon just totally changed her feelings for me and came to love and respect me. She served on several of my committees and spoke very highly of me. She and I put together a Holiday party for the senior staff based on kind words and love. We worked together happily for many years. 

Throughout the years of my practice I have proven over and over that chanting for another person's happiness has a profound effect, and that I can GENERATE compassion by exercising my muscle of faith. 

Is there anyone you have been resenting who you could chant for? 

If you have a positive experience based on this (or any) post please let me know ~ all the readers would like to hear your experiences too. 

Living a Life of Strength through Daimoku

"The moment we resolve "I will become healthy!" "I will become strong!" "I will work cheerfully for kosen-rufu!" our lives begin to move in that direction. We have to make up our minds."

 - Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda

I love that quote from President Ikeda. He is so right. 
When I chant I focus on expanding my life for Kosen Rufu (world peace), and I continually chant to strengthen my life and raise my life condition so that I experience every moment as the Buddha I am.  

On Saturday I was planning to bring some friends to a very far neighborhood in Chicago for a CD release party. As I was returning from lunch with my son, my front right tire hit a pothole in the road that was impossible to see. It was a loud and scary sound. Later when my friends and I were ready to go out my tire was completely flat. 

Since my life condition was so high this didn't ruin my night in the least. I wasn't upset. We took one of my friend's  cars and I drove since I don't mind city driving. We got home very late and had a blast dancing and listening to the band. 

The next morning I had to figure out what to do with my car. 
When you're "in rhythm" everything just works out beautifully. 

I contacted a couple of people to see if they could help. One of them was my neighbor whom I don't really know well, but he was happy to help. He is new to this area and finds he has a lot of time on the weekends. He put the spare on, and when we were on the way to the tire place I was reminded that I actually had an extra tire in case this one was ruined. I had forgotten all about that extra tire. 

The trip to the tire store was actually fun and we went food shopping at some stores my new neighbor didn't know about and appreciated finding out about. And the tire store ended up charging me NOTHING to install the extra tire I had. All around it was not just a painless experience of having a flat tire. It was an enjoyable one. 

I tell you this story to illustrate that when our lives are strong, when WE are strong, even our obstacles can be something we appreciate and sometimes, even enjoy. At the heart of it all is our life condition, our connection to our Buddha Nature and our connection to our environment. 

Chanting to strengthen or lives and raise our life conditions is so important to our own happiness and the happiness of everyone around us. When we are strong we are unshakable and we are happy. 

Our happiness is contagious. We reach everyone with our happiness.

Strength equals happiness. Chanting to strengthen our lives is always a great thing to do. 

Have a great strong and happy day! 

Bridget from Australia's Inspiring Experience

Introduction:

I've been chanting for  just over 2 years.

I rarely watch tele. So most evenings I chant for an hour at least each evening and when in Sydney went to a meeting once a week. I love reading, so I read the goshos, experiences, blogs etc in my spare time.

I heard at a meeting an experience where the guy was deadlocked. He wanted to be in a musical production and after auditions he was not successful. His guidance from a senior was: 

"How often do you tell yourself your a Buddha?"

He continued to chant, support his group in their endeavors and tell himself every time negativity arose that he is Buddha. He got a call 2 months later that they had decided they need him for the show. Despite being well into rehearsing. He started with them and toured all over Europe.

That experience was really magical so I try to remember everyday I'm Buddha.

Mostly I try to remember that every challenge is teaching me something. So I must try and improve myself and my wisdom then benefit will come. This is not a wish granting machine. I have to keep working on my human revolution.

I determined this year to really work on slander and gossip. To never say a bad thing about anyone be it a celebrity I don't know, my boss, a difficult colleague. I must see the potential Buddha in everyone. When some one speaks to me, to be really present and truly listen to them.

I need to keep looking at myself honestly as that's how I can change and the benefits will come.

War and peace but these are the things that drive me. Creating kosen Rufu in my corner of the world. A ripple 10 meters wide starts with a single stone upon the water. Small things can create big effects.

Plus I have fallen in love with Nichiren! I love his writings I find his compassion and strength inspiring.

Experience:

Although I've had numerous experiences this is one recent one.

At the start of the year I was made redundant. I chanted to be able to move from Sydney to a beautiful place in the Southern Highlands, 1 hour from Sydney. It's a stunning place of beautiful horse studs, cafes and art galleries. Close enough to still see friends from the city.

Everyone told me it would be hard to find a role similar in pay etc as Sydney and just a reasonable size business to work in would be difficult.

I applied for a role and after been given a 2nd interview and a long lengthy procedure I was unsuccessful they couldn't afford me.

I started doing temp work in Sydney.
However, 1 month into the temp role I was offered a permanent role in sydney, new car, good salary. I thought my southern highlands dream wouldn't come through.

8 months on I for some unknown reason decided to look on the Internet for roles again. The moment I logged into the job site there was a job. Sales manager for an international health food company. Amazing company that had just got distribution with Harrods & amp; Selfridges in the UK and distributors throughout Asia.

How could I interview? Without having to have sick days etc... They called immediately and asked me to come the next Tuesday. I walked into my managers office to ask for an annual leave day but before I could speak he said that the new telemarketers were working their first Saturday, would I come in Saturday and support them, if I did I could have a day off during the week instead. I suggested I do this for a few weeks and he was so pleased. This gave me time off during the week for 2 nd interviews etc.

I was offered the role and after some negotiation I took it. It wasn't the salary of Sydney but great growth potential.

I had 3 weeks to find somewhere to live. No rentals about being Christmas. I chanted one evening to find the right place and also quickly so I didn't need to spend my holidays house hunting.

After I chanted that evening I thought maybe I'll look for share accommodation ~ a good option till I get my own place. There was a great house share with the local yoga teacher. Beautiful large home, gardens, beautifully furnished with little Buddha statues. With the rent reduction I'm no less off financially. Instead of a 1 bedroom flat in Sydney I'm in a 5 bedroom home, two living areas and a kitchen the size of my last living room :)

The work place is great, young, funky, vibrant and I've fitted in quickly.

My housemate has offered her yoga studio to me for my own Buddhist meetings free of charge and is advertising the group in her studio.

Through this Buddhism I came off anxiety medication in 7 months. I didn't even realise I'd stopped taking them. I have had so many sychroncities which have made life flow easier and worked out for the best. My faith has waivered at times but the more proof the more I now know that through the tough times hang on. Something will change at the right time.

I had tried many different things in the past but nothing works quite like Nichiren Buddhism.

Bridgit / Sydney

Chanting in the Car?

I had a question from a reader about chanting in the car. 

Well, I've never seen any official memos about this but I'll give you my personal opinion based on 28 years of chanting. 

By all means chant in the car. Yes. It is perfectly fine. 

However

Don't make your main practice be chanting in the car. 

Whether you have a Gohonzon or not, your main practice should be in your home, at your altar. 

Think about it. Chanting in the car is fine, but you cannot give ALL of your attention to connecting with the universe that is you while driving. 

To really focus on your life you need a private, safe space at home to draw forth your highest potential and pray with all your heart. Chanting in the car won't hurt your practice, but it shouldn't be the foundation of your practice. You practice for yourself, and for others. Chanting in front of your Gohonzon gives you the clearest mirror.  

Every morning and evening chant at home to your hearts content. Then you will polish your life. 

Appreciation

Living a life of appreciation 

generates its own reward.

Chanting in appreciation is joy itself. 

Keeping in Rhythm

When you chant, you are accessing a life force that has always been within you. As a result, you will probably get some push-back in your life. You'll tell yourself "I will definitely go to that SGI meeting on Tuesday night" and a friend will call and ask you out for that night. We call this "push-back" Sansho Shima. That's the force that come up against us when we try to move our lives forward in a positive direction. We also call them obstacles. 

The important thing is to remember what you really want. Do you want to have and use a practice that can transform your life from the inside out, bringing you untold benefit and strength, or do you just want momentary happiness? Could your friend see you another night? 

Some people find work obstacles arise. They have to work late every night. SGI meetings in America start at 7pm on weeknights. If you find you need to work late a lot, and are missing meetings the answer is actually pretty simple, but also difficult. It's obvious that you need to chant to be able to attend your meeting. Chances are, if you're missing a lot of meetings because of working long hours the rest of your life is a bit out of control. You may be missing morning gongyo and not studying. Your life could have shifted out of rhythm. 

How do you get back in rhythm? 

The first thing you can do is call a strong Gakkai friend. If you can, you arrange to chant with them. Otherwise just accept their encouragement. This may be enough to give you some more fire in your Daimoku, and you can chant to strengthen your practice and deepen your prayer. 

Remember - chanting twice a day is a LOT easier than chanting from time to time. Chanting twice a day puts your life in a delightful rhythm. It cannot be explained, only experienced. Hava a great day. 

How to Chant for the first time - a Post for Newcomers or to Send to Friends

Here you will learn how to chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

First of all make a list of what you really want in life. Take a fresh look at your desires and write them down.  Dream big. What do you really want? What do you want for yourself? What do you want for others? What do you want for the world? Make a list. There is no such thing as a “bad” desire as long as you wish no harm on others. 

Many Buddhists began chanting with desires that later turned into other desires. 

Don’t worry about it. Chant for what is really in your heart. Be true to yourself. 

I suggest having some sort of journal to write in. Writing in a journal helps you become aware of your progress and benefits.

Choose a place to chant comfortably. You’ll want to sit in a comfortable chair. Where would you feel most at ease chanting out loud? It is helpful to have something on the wall to focus on.  Rest your eyes on something slightly above eye level. It can be anything. When I first started chanting in my little two room apartment in San Francisco, I sat on the mattress on the floor and gazed up at the moon in a poster of Mono Lake. Choose something soothing to rest your eyes on. I have a table nearby for my tea, and other things I like to have close when I chant. You may want to put a little table up as an altar, but you don’t need that to begin. 

Write the words Nam Myoho Renge Kyo on a piece of paper. The words are pronounced as follows: 

Nahm, rhymes with Mom, 

meeyohoh, with three long vowels, 

rain gay, 

key oh. 

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. 

Nahm Meeyohoh Rain Gay Key Oh

Hold your hands with the palms facing in and touching each other in front of your heart. Sit with your back as straight as possible (but be comfortable - this practice is not about formalities) and say the words over and over and over again. 

You do not have to concentrate on anything at first. Just say the words. Breathe whenever you have to for as long as you like. See if you can chant for a few minutes, then a few minutes more. Chant for as long as you can!  

The rhythm should sound like a train moving, or horses running. There should be some energy to it. You can chant as fast or as slow as you wish. Speed of chanting is up to you. 

If you want to hear how it sounds you can go to the top left corner of this blog and chant with me. I begin slowly and speed up with more energy. 

See how it makes you feel. Can you chant for a little longer? Maybe even a little longer than that. Can you get to the point where you don’t have to think about the words, but can actually think about what you want? It may take a little time. Naturally you will begin to chant for what is in your heart. 

Many religions and forms of practice do not encourage people to have their OWN desires. Most of us grew up in cultures where religions never talked of our own Happiness...but this practice is different. Please mull this over. Your desires are YOU. Your desires are inspired from the depths of your life, they are as beautiful and wonderful as you are. 

When you are finished chanting you can write in your journal.

Start by writing an assessment of your life right now. What’s going well, what you’d like to improve on. Then write how you felt before chanting and after chanting. In your journal set a goal for how much you want to chant every day.  When I started, I could only chant five minutes a day in the morning and five minutes in the evening. I had a timer next to me and I’m sure there were times I stopped before I’d even reached five minutes! You will build up momentum! Commit to chant twice a day every day. Keep your goals in mind and you’ll remember your reasons for chanting! 

These words and this vibration go deep into the heart of your life itself. They summon forth your highest wisdom, vitality and sense of purpose. They also uproot the karma that is making you suffer, and give you the opportunity to change this karma forever. You will still have challenges and problems in life when you chant...but eventually you will see them as the opportunities they are. Problems are the FUEL you need to catapult your life into a life of happiness and joy. You have begun a journey to uncover the true happiness that exists in your shining Buddha life. Congratulations!
Also - make sure to search on Soka Gakkai followed by whatever country you live in. The correct form of this practice cannot be done alone. It must be done within the orbit of faith. Practicing alone will not lead you to the happiness you seek. Joining with fellow travelers is essential. Other Soka Gakkai members will be happy to help you learn to chant, overcome your problems, and reveal your brilliant, wonderful self!  
and go to IKEDAQUOTES.org to read Daisaku Ikeda's words. He is lighting the way for us all...and for YOU!

Friends are Life's Treasures

Pooh and Piglet are such great examples of life-long companions and friends. They are so dear to each other and so kind. Friends really are life's treasures. 

But not everyone has friends. I didn't always have friends. For many years I struggled with having no friends or very few. I could barely watch shows like Sex and the City, they just made me sad. 

It was so painful for me to even chant about this subject. I'd start to chant and all these childhood memories would surface. I felt so alone, but I was making new friends in the Soka Gakkai, and that was a great benefit. 

At one point I just wrote myself a determination to change in any way necessary to have friends. I realized there MUST be something I was doing, or thinking, or putting out there that was preventing me from having friends. 

So I determined to change IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE to have friends. And I chanted sincerely to the the Gohonzon (my Life) creating this reality. It didn't happen overnight. It wasn't one of those "easy benefits" for me. It took determination to continue chanting in the face of doubt. 

It took years of chanting for my District Members' happiness...and chanting to change my own character. And slowly I began adding more friends. I found people with positive outlooks and creative and beautiful characters. 

I worked at creating friendships. I called. I sent cards expressing my love and appreciation. I gave kind words. I found people who shared my interests and we made dates to go to events. I found people who also wanted friends, and who wanted to have me as a friend. 

And I introduced my friends to each other, until finally, I have circles of friends who know each other. What bliss! I chant for my friends and invite them to parties where we share poetry or books or music. I continue to chant for their happiness. 

If you are looking for friends please realize that you can have them. Chant for them. It is possible. Don't give up! 

Power Prayer for Someone You Love

How do I chant when a friend is in darkness? How do I chant for someone in crisis?

I make sure to put away my cell phone and concentrate all my energy on the prayer I am sending to my friend.

Power Prayer for my friend in Crisis:

Shoten Zenjin and all protective forces of the universe go to my friend right now. 
(I visualize all of the characters on the Gohonzon as Shoten Zenjin and picture their bright energy  flying to my friend's aid)

Surround my friend with bright and healing energy. 
Protect him from all of his own lower tendencies and help him to see his brilliant self. 
Awaken in him his Buddha nature and have him see his deep mission for kosen rufu arising from his current problems. 
Awaken hope in my friend!
Awaken determination in my friend!  
Awaken his mind to his brilliant mission! 
Protect him and surround him with protection through this problem. 

I'm determined that this problem will be the catalyst that will turn poison into medicine for my friend! My prayer alone will make this happen!!! 

Sharing Happiness and Joy with Others

There is nothing I love better than seeing someone transform their problems through this practice. It is one of the greatest joys in life. 

My career has often given me opportunities to sit down with people on-on-on for coffee and networking.  I usually, just drop the fact that I'm having a Buddhist meeting, or I speak briefly about my blog. 

That's ALL I do, then I follow their lead. If they say "Cool, I've always wanted to know more about Buddhism", I'll open a discussion. If they ignore my comment, or don't seem interested I will move on in the conversation. 

That's it. I just take their cue. If they want to know more I usually start by talking about my own story, and sharing how I looked for this practice for so many years. I KNEW it had to exist. But I kept finding practices that said you had to alleviate your desires to be happy. And I kept searching until I found this practice that says "Earthly desires are enlightenment" and you can chant for what you want. Then I either answer their questions or share more about how I raised by kids as Buddhists with the knowledge that they could solve every one of their problems, from bad dreams to arguments with friends by chanting. And I answer their questions. That's how I do it. 

Sometimes people who don't initially want to discuss it will come to me later with questions, or they'll introduce a friend of theirs to me who wants to learn. It's all about planting seeds. I always use discretion. When I am working for a company I don't say anything to my fellow employees for quite some time, and with some of them I never bring it up. I follow my higher instincts in this regard. If I feel a spark of connection with someone, I will casually mention my practice as I described and see if they want to talk about it. If someone is really interested I will bring them literature and invite them to a meeting. I've introduced a lot of people this way, and planted a lot of seeds. 

And I've been careful. I worked for a Baptist organization for 5 years. I was VERY careful not to talk about Buddhism much within the organization. Only my closest companions knew! 

Keys to introducing others - It's easy!

Hi, I posted this picture because I think it is the essence of doing shakubuku. (Shakubuku is sharing Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with others - shakubuku is COMPASSION) 

Here are some keys to telling people about the practice:

First of all, I know it's obvious to some, but chant to meet the people who are ready to hear about this practice. And chant to have the kind of life that inspires others. Chant to show actual proof and BE an inspiration every day. Happiness will flow from you. 

This absolutely works. 

I have proven it time and time again, and so have many others. 
I think shakubuku has two categories....people we know and people we don't know. 

I have introduced both. Some of the people I know well who have started chanting were in my life many years before they began. Mary knew me for over 20 years, Julia and Danielle for at least 12 years, but the beautiful thing is, I kept chanting for their happiness, I kept planting seeds and sooner or later the depth of my happiness and great fortune in life touched THEIR lives and they decided to practice. It took a while, but they are strong members! The key is to continue to chant to show actual proof through your life. My Mom started chanting a year after I joined saying "Jamie, I want what you have." 

Here are some tips to shakubuku people you don't know. This is a great joy for me. 

1. Carry Nam-myoho-renge-kyo cards everywhere. I never leave the house without them. 
Who do I talk to? Everyone. I'm a naturally friendly person and I believe there are no strangers, there are just people I haven't met. So the person at the grocery - I give them a card. I say "Thank you so much!" and smile. Then I get the card out and say "Here, I have something for you. Have you ever heard of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?" then I give them the card. I say "these are words that, when you say them over and over and think about what you want, you get it. I've been practicing for 28 years." I say, "And I have the most incredible and happy life!" And they can already see that from my life condition and how cheerful I am. The card has the SGI website and the address sof my blog and my name and telephone number on it. 

People usually look me straight in the eye and say "Thanks! I really needed to see this today." and if there's time and no one behind me waiting they will usually start talking about a challenge they are facing and telling me that our encounter was meant to be. I live in the midwest, and people are really friendly here, but I've done this all over the world. If people want to keep talking I stay and answer their questions. If they don't I move on. 

I used to work for the San Francisco Bay guardian newspaper and my name was listed in many places. People would call me at work all the time and say "Is this the Jamie Silver who gave me that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo card on the corner of...2 years ago" (This was before cell phones) and I'd say yes. Then they would tell me all about how they found a local SGI meeting, got their Gohonzon and solved the biggest problem in their lives. They tracked me down to tell me. 

The thing is you just never know what another person is going through. They might have prayed just that morning "Oh please, I need a solution to my problems right now!" and you show up and give them a card. How wonderful is that? They may be contemplating suicide, or have someone in their life that really needs to hear about this practice. A simple few words from you can change the course of their lives and the lives of those around them. 

We are all so important. We are Soka Gakkai Buddhists. We live in a world of suffering. We can easily overcome our social fears and hand out Nam-myoho-renge-kyo cards and invite people to meetings. My meetings are filled with people I met in this casual sort of way, who are now practicing! I am a Buddha. you are a Buddha. So many people are searching for Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. We can help them find it. 

Please feel free to send in your thoughts and experiences. I am so grateful for you! 

How Loudly Should We Chant?

Does it make a difference how loudly you chant? 

Can you chant in a whisper or under your breath? 

Well....you can chant any way you like of course. If there are sleeping babies in the next room or you have some other reason that chanting with full vigor would be detrimental to someone, then there are times you need to chant softly. 

But if you are chanting softly for no real reason...maybe you still think chanting is kind of weird, or no one ever told you to chant with strength and vigor - let me be the first! Or maybe you chant softly because you have the feeling that you are praying to some power outside your own life. Or, you could be chanting softly because deep down, you really believe whatever you are wishing for is impossible. I hope not. But you can change that way of feeling. It all starts with attitude and determination. One of the members in my district recently started chanting twice a day after hearing me talk about it for two years. She said the difference is indescribable. You just have to try it for yourself. It's lie trying to describe what eating chocolate cake is like...indescribable, right? 

Keep this is mind: 

When you are chanting you are directly addressing your own life...and through your own life you are connecting with the entire universe. 

Make yourself heard! 

Chant strongly and proudly! 

You are the Lotus Flower rising from the muddy water...spread your petals wide and let your voice fill the room, 
fill the house, 
fill your universe! 

If you really, really, really, can't do this at home, do your best to concentrate on your prayer, and do not worry about anything. You will get the results and the benefits. Do not be shy about telling your life what you need. And remember that true happiness comes not only from achieving what we need, but also by growing, and helping others! You are a Buddha! You deserve exactly what you want. 
And then, if you are in your car alone, (or someplace private) just let 'er rip! 
Chant as loudly and as powerfully as you can. I do not mean scream! I mean tap into your whole body...feel your chant come from deep in your belly and rise through every chakra. 
Sit up as straight as you can and feel the energy flowing! Once you get started you will not want to stop! 

I'm not sure why, and maybe there is some kind of good reason for this, but the more I chant...the more I want to chant! I feel as if I am tapping into a deep reservoir of hope and health, life and vibrancy and possibility...not just for myself, but for my loved ones, my members and all of you. 

We are all so magnificent. We can think of ourselves as standing in front of a huge crowd of people. In front of us is a big heavy door representing the karma that we want to break through and change. All the people behind us are waiting expectantly with hope shining in their eyes for US to open the door, so everyone can flow though into the sunlight, into the warmth. We are so precious and we all have such incredible missions. We need to constantly remind ourselves that ANYTHING we are suffering from, any heartbreak, any hunger for someone or something, any job problems, any family problems...any challenges...they all exist for us to exercise our muscle of faith and become stronger. If those problems weren't there we would not have to chant and we couldn't shine ourselves and polish our lives! 

We need to have gratitude for the very things that make us suffer. I know. I know. Trust me! We can do it! We can do it together, for ourselves and for each other and for the entire planet. Kosen Rufu is everyone's dream...a world of respect for life and a higher vibration of happiness for all. That's our goal. That is what is in our hearts. Remember to chant for whatever you want and attach it to the goal of kosen rufu! I am always chanting to be happy so that I can inspire others that happiness is possible. Our lives have meaning when we can be lifting each other, holding hands, laughing, smiling, sometimes crying and always advancing with each other and with our Mentor, Daisaku Ikeda! 

Write Your Own Story

We are so fortunate to be practicing this Buddhism. 

Today I am filled with joy in knowing there is NOTHING I need to be worried about, and NOTHING I need to fear. 

Every single day I strengthen my resilience, increase the level of my inner strength and roar like a lion from the depths of my own life...the same place we are all connected. 

I connected with a reader this morning and she said that sometimes when she chants she can feel me chanting too. We are all connected together in the deepest rhythm of life, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. We are all chanting for each other and for Kosen Rufu (the happiness and fulfillment of all). 

I begin this day filled with gratitude for sharing this life with you and with our mentor Daisaku Ikeda. 

It is very, very cold here in Chicago. I hope you are all warm and safe. 

Commanding your life. A Great Gosho Passage

The February Living Buddhism Magazine( published by the SGI and available by calling 800-835-4558) has one of my favorite Gosho passages of all time. In it, Nichiren Daishonin has been persecuted by the government and is being taken away to Tatsunokuchi Beach to be beheaded. On the way, he sees a stature of Hachiman, one of the Buddhist Deities which are functions within our own lives. 

He makes the entourage stop so he can address the statue. 

What I love about this is that he basically yells at the Buddhist God and says you had better show your support to me RIGHT NOW because that is the pledge you made. If I die I will report you! Of course, when Nichiren is taken to the beach to be beheaded, a huge orb comes out of the sky lighting up the faces of his would-be assassins, they all run scared, and he is saved from death. 

The point I like to make is Nichiren's indignant attitude when he adresses the statue. I have prayed like this in front of my own Gohonzon with fury and with fire. We can all summon this fiery attitude at the crucial moment - we are ALL dignified votaries of the Lotus Sutra, we can all command the fundamental forces that are within our lives and represented on the Gohonzon. 

Here is the passage: 

'Great Boddhisatva Hachiman, are you truly a god?...Now I, Nichiren, and the foremost votary of the Lotus Sutra in all of Japan, and am entirely without guilt. I have expounded the doctrine to save all the people of Japan from falling into the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering for slandering the LotusSutra....When Shakyamuni Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra, Many Treasures Buddha and the Buddhas and Boddhisatvas of the ten-directions gathered, shining like so many suns and moons, stars and mirrors. Int he presence of the countless heavenly gods as well as the benevolent deities and sages of India, China and Japan. Shakyamuni Buddha urged each one to submit a written pledge to protect the votary of the Lotus Sutra at all times. Each and every one of you gods made this pledge. I should not have to remind you. Why do you not appear at once to fulfill your solemn oath? ....If I am executed tonight and go to the pure land of Eagle Peak, I will dare to report to Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, that the Sun Goddess and Great Boddhisatva Hachiman are the deities who have broken their oath to him. If you feel this will go hard with you, you had better do something about it right away!' (WND - 1, 766-67)

Lighting a candle for others lights our own way

Our SGI Chapter leader is fond of saying "When you light a candle for another, you light it for yourself as well." In last week's meeting she shared this passage with us:


As many of you know, we practice for ourselves and we practice for others. 

While talking to a new practitioner Daisaku Ikeda states: (from page 42 of January 2013 Living Buddhism, The New Human Revolution)

"...If you truly want to transform your karma and become happy, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo alone isn't enough. This is a practice for oneself and for others, so in addition to reciting the sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we need to share this Buddhism with others. If you only pray for your own happiness, your faith will be selfish and self-centered."
The woman he was addressing told him she hadn't solved her problems yet, and she said she'd help others once she solved her own problems. It's easy to think this way, isn't it? 
Daisaku Ikeda continued:
"No, that's not the way it works. If you were sick, would you avoid going to the hospital because you don't feel well enough to get out of bed and go there? Or would you hurry to the hospital in order to do so?...The same is true of this Buddhism. If you want to overcome your present sufferings you shouldn't put off making the effort, but take action right away. Of course if you are too physically ill, you don't need to push yourself.
"You can share this Buddhism without traveling far. Just talk about Buddhism to those who come to your house, or to your neighbors. The important thing is to earnestly share Nichiren Buddhism motivated by your determination for everyone to become happy."

When the person he was talking to said she didn't know what to say, another member said: "Start with what you know...Sharing why you decided to start this practice yourself is an excellent method."

The passage goes on to say that: "Josei Toda declared: "I will make a promise to all of you here today. I'd like you to make a commitment to do gongyo every morning and evening, without skipping, and introduce one person to the practice every two months. 
"All of you here with problems, make a vow. Buddhism is an earnest struggle. I'll bet my life that if you faithfully carry out the practice described above, your problems will be resolved."

Those are strong words, and true. Josei Toda stood behind his every word. We can all benefit from his sage advice. Chanting, propagating and studying are the keys to happiness. 

Keys to Practicing Correctly

You have all the power to make it happen...but...
No one else can change your karma and change your life. You are the only one. You have all the tools you need! You are one of the lucky ones! You have found the practice of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo that allows you to tap into the vast power you possess. It's your time to take this practice and make the changes you want...and really become happy! 

I have always said that practicing Buddhism is not easy. It requires courage. It not only requires courage but it helps to BUILD courage and a strong sense of self. When you practice as I've outlined here you will be strong. You can take on ANYTHING. You will be happy. It takes perseverance, but I am here to tell you that you can achieve whatever you want. You can be happier than you ever imagined possible. But it takes work! And your life and happiness is WORTH IT!

There are 6 KEY aspects to a correct practice of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

And when we are activating them ALL we are all HAPPIER in every possible way. Until you have activated these actions in your life you will never really know your own full power...you will be able to ROAR LIKE A LION. You will have power in your own precious life! 

1. Chant every morning and evening. Chanting twice a day PUTS YOUR LIFE IN RHYTHM TO WIN. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THIS. It sounds hard, but it is really the easy way. Chanting is MUCH HARDER when you do it every once in a while...and your results are less consistent too. You decide how long you will chant. I know that the more effort I put into my daily practice, the harder I work to stay focused, the MORE I connect with the Gohonzon (which is my life itself) the easier the rest of my life goes. I chant a minimum of an hour in my "laboratory of my life" every morning. I often find I chant more when I have a lot of challenges, (more logs on the fire) and the more I chant the more I WANT TO chant. Try it.

2. Study with the intention of deepening your faith.  In Nichiren Buddhism FAITH IS A VERB and a MUSCLE! Chant to strengthen  your faith. Chant to have the kind of benefit that makes you truly believe your own power. And do this again and again! THIS is exercising the muscle of FAITH. It is the power you muster while you are chanting to activate the power of your prayer. Studying is like working the muscle of faith. It will help you produce results. It will strengthen your faith. Studying the Gosho by Nichiren Daishonin, and the words of our mentor, Daisaku Ikeda will help you become happier and healthier and stronger in every way!

3. MAKE A STRONG DETERMINATION. Write it down. Really, writing it down is powerful! What do you want? What do you really want? How do you want to feel? What do you want to make happen? Who do you want to BE? Avoid the tendency to blame your environment. Blaming the people, things, jobs etc. is not useful. Instead, accept that your karma is your karma and vow to change it! That is where your power lies! Not in complaint! Chant to root your suffering out of your life. I visualize the roots of a tree inside my body and literally pull them out in my mind while I am chanting. Chant to expand the power within your own life. Chant to raise your life condition and be the strong Buddha you are meant to be! 

4. Remember that you are not chanting to anyone or anything. You are not asking for favors or saying "please". No, you are having a dialogue with your own life and telling it what you want. The determinations and vows you make are to your own life. You are the Buddha. Remind yourself every day. 

5. It is important to be in the ORBIT OF FAITH! Attending SGI meetings is crucial. We really can't practice adequately alone. We all act as mirrors for each other. Our meetings serve to deepen our ties to each other and our ties to the world. If there is something you don't like about your meetings, chant about them. Use the power of your own prayer. Become a leader. How you feel about your Buddhist meetings is really a reflection of your own karma...life tendencies. If you "look down" on all the people at the meetings, you also "look down" on people everywhere. Have patience with yourself. See if you can summon the Ichinen (will put into action) to make a difference. Many of us have struggled with this at some time. I love being a leader because I infuse each meeting with energy. I chant at least an hour for the success of each meeting...I chant for every member to have a deep and meaningful experience at every meeting - refreshed in faith, more determined, happier. If you haven't connected already, Search for Soka Gakkai International to find the center closest to you. Call them and ask for the meeting closest to you, 

6. Help others. 
Encouraging fellow members in faith is crucial. And telling others about chanting is crucial too...even just giving them a Nam Myoho Renge card. I give out cards every single day. I have to. I feel I have discovered the key to absolute happiness and it fills me with joy to pass it on to others. I always give cards to people who help me in stores. They are always happy to get them. I have introduced countless strangers to this practice and planted many seeds.

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! 

Brrrrrrrr

It is really cold in Chicago right now...it feels like this picture, only we have no snow...

Powerful Power Prayer

We are all so much more powerful than we know. 

I'm chanting this Power Prayer:

I now unleash the unlimited power of the Gohonzon in my life for the good of all. 

I'm experiencing clarity of vision and easily knowing exactly which steps to take for the ultimate happiness of all. 

I am determined to increase my levels of strength and fortitude...for the positive energy within my life to continue to overpower my fear and negativity. 

Each day I am moving closer and closer to my goal. 

I also chant for every member in my District and each and every reader of this blog. 

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

An Important Day for the States ~ Strength and determination in life

"Strength is happiness. Strength is itself victory. 
In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness. 
When you wage a struggle, 
you might win or you might lose. 
But regardless of the short-term outcome, 
the very fact of your continuing to struggle 
is proof of your victory as a human being. 
A strong spirit, strong faith and strong prayer—
developing these is victory and the world of Buddhahood."  
Daisaku Ikeda

Today is Martin Luther King Day. And inauguration day for President Barack Obama. It is a day of hope and new beginnings.

When we practice Buddhism every day is a day of hope and new beginnings. We embrace the "Hon Nim Myo" spirit, meaning "from this moment forth." The past is inconsequential, the future becons, and the point of power is right now, right here, sitting in front of our Gohonzons dialoguing with the source of our lives, directing our energy and vitality.

Each moment we spend chanting and creating our lives is eternal. Every Daimoku we chant goes deep into our lives for all eternity. Every chant holds meaning for our lives seven generation in the past and seven generation in the future. It is this realization of eternity and the expansiveness of each one of our lives that brings us power. Remember we each chose to have the karma we have and be born with our challenges in order to prove the validity of the law, strengthen our life and raise the life condition - vibration of us all.

We are all true Boddhisatvas. When we embrace our challenges, rather than running from them, we can change them. As President Ikeda says "It is important to take a long range view." What you are chanting about may not change today, tomorrow, or for months to come. But every time you wake up, chant and challenge it you strengthen your life. Strengthening our lives is happiness itself. Whatever your challenge - make a fresh determination every single day and you will win. What is strength? Resiliency. Determination. Resolve. Courage. Hope. Victory. 


"Strength is happiness. Strength is itself victory. 
In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness. 
When you wage a struggle, 
you might win or you might lose. 
But regardless of the short-term outcome, 
the very fact of your continuing to struggle 
is proof of your victory as a human being. 
A strong spirit, strong faith and strong prayer—
developing these is victory and the world of Buddhahood."  
Daisaku Ikeda

You have the Power!

Yes you do!