Sensei on Chanting for our TRUE Desires

Sensei Says - Do You Have A Dream….

“Many of us have some problems that we avoid chanting

about, because we are afraid to look at them directly and

 prefer not to think about them. Others may have dreams 

locked up in their hearts that they are afraid to admit even 

to themselves let alone chant for, because they feel they do 

not deserve to be happy, or because they are afraid of 

being disappointed should they not succeed in attaining 

their goal.

Nichiren Daishonin teaches us that the power of the 

Gohonzon has no limit. It is we who impose limits on it 

with  our doubts and fears. 

How tragic it would be if, having 

encountered the Mystic Law, we could not fully enjoy it's 

benefit because we lacked the courage to pray with all our 

hearts for what we truly wanted.

Surely nothing would be more bitter than to have to look 

back over one's life and feel, 'I never accomplished what I 

really wanted to.'

Nichiren Daishonin, out of his compassion, teaches us how 

to live so that we will have no regrets. Since we have been 

fortunate enough to meet the Gohonzon, why don't we 

place our full trust in it, pray courageously for what we 

desire and fulfill all our dreams in this lifetime.”

Daisaku Ikeda

The Darker the Night the Nearer the Dawn

"When facing adversity, 
we may think we've reached our limit, 
but actually 
the more trying the circumstances, 
the closer we are to making a breakthrough. The darker the night 
the nearer the dawn. 
Victory in life is decided 
by that last concentrated burst of energy filled with the resolve to win."
Daisaku Ikeda

Happy New Year. I am ready to break through. How about you? Let's all bring out that concentrated burst of energy and resolve. I'm going to chant about this quote and write a power prayer based on it later today. Happy 2015!

PowerPrayer for a PowerFULL New Year 2015

PowerPrayer for a PowerFULL 2015

By Jamie Lee Silver of Chantforhappiness.com
(I developed PowerPrayers to read before chanting as a tool to maintain strong determination, focus and inspiration while chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Feel free to adapt and change any PowerPrayer to make it yours! I start my PowerPrayers with the word LIFE! because when we chant we are addressing our own lives. If you wish to share this, please share the blog chantforhappiness.com. Thanks!)

Life! 

Last year is last year. 
I now let it go...

I release all of 2014 and my entire past.  
I choose to recognize that I am always doing my best, no matter what!

I release 2014 and welcome in the Dynamic New Year of Happiness, Security and Flow! 
I now forgive myself for any imperfections and chant for the wisdom to be WISER and take inspired action in 2015!

This year, 2015 - I am determined to continue growing my own love for my own self. 
I am determined to keep learning...keep exploring...
and create victory 
every single moment of every single day...
Not just to create victory -- also to FEEL and see VICTORY in each moment. (Even when it feels like defeat) 

I chant to recognize my own brilliance, 
my own passion, 
my own love. 
I chant to love and appreciate myself more than ever, and express appreciation to others even more than ever. 

No Matter what ~ I now focus on the POSITIVE and do NOT COMPLAIN! 

I vow to deepen my relationships. I will be more attentive to others. I will LISTEN even better than ever before. I am determined to deepen my compassion and ability to care for friends and family. 

I am determined to foster youth and adults in the SGI and give out Nam-myoho-renge-kyo cards every day. 
I am determined, and I WILL, help my shakubukus learn gongyo,  study and build lives of rock-solid absolute happiness! 

I am determined and I demand of my own life a deeper understanding of the law of cause and effect...a deeper understanding of this practice...a deeper understanding of the mentor/disciple relationship. I will study everyday!

I determine to feel with Sensei's heart, see through Sensei's eyes, learn with Sensei's mind. 

I determine to build rock-solid understanding of my financial affairs and be independent and informed. I'm determined to create a financial plan for my life that is concrete and attainable, and to develop the financial habits to make it happen. 

I'm determined to listen to my body every day, and to continue creating the healthiest body I have ever had. 

I'm determined to excel at my work, be trusted and develop even more capabilities. I am determined to be a contribution every day. 

Life! 
I feel, see, know and ACCESS the power in my own life. 
I have Daimoku. 
I have the Gohonzon. 
I now pull the lid off 
what I thought I was capable of achieving. 
I now blow my own mind 
with the power of the life force I tap into every day through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 
I am determined to respect my own life and see that respect echoed all around me in my environment. 

I chant for the DYNAMIC growth of the SGI. 
I chant for the happiness and peace of the planet!
I chant to transform my own life so that the world can be transformed! 

Welcome 2015!

New Year's Day at the Chicago SGI Center

Kathy and my guest Bella

With Kendall and LaShelle

What a great new year...
so many great causes to start the year.
First thing this morning I chanted my hour of Daimoku for the new year. I went out and visited Ben, and visited my friend Mary to chant with her for New Year's Day. Then I picked up Kathy and Bella, and had my new friend Padma also meet us at the Center. I bought Bella a bell...she is starting her practice!

This year is going to be solid.

Ben will find his way. We will find the best place for him and he will begin to live his life of value.
I am going to do a ton of shakubuku
because I LOVE to do shakubuku.
I love seeing people's lives change when they chant.
I love seeing people's dreams come true!

And I will, after all publish my book. It will be a compilation of all the best PowerPrayers and blog postings. It will be born easily and it will flow.

Speaking of flow -I will live in a state of feeling the flow of the universe and the rightness of my place in it. I'm going to stop trying so hard and just enjoy life more.

I'm determined to be a source of inspiration through my own life experiences. I just survived one of the most challenging years...no THE most challenging year. My son almost lost his life twice in the last two months. He is okay now and a new year has started. I feel the power of my own life through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Feel the power of your own life and demand your results!

New Year's Day 2015 

at the 

Chicago Culture Center with my 

         Gakkai Family!

Happy New Year!

I'm off to visit Ben in the hospital, 
then pick up my guests and head for New Year's Day at the Chicago SGI Center! I hope all of you are celebrating this day with your Gakkai friends! Sending love!

7 Questions to Start the New Year Powerfully!

I always begin a new year by evaluating the last year...
I ask myself the following questions: 

1. What am I proud of - 
what are my main accomplishments from 2014? 
2. What COULD I be proud of? 
3. What did I read?
4. What did I learn? 
5. What new idea/modality/practice did I experience? 
6. What will I write down in my journal for the end of 2014? 
7. Who's lives did I impact? 

And I write out a list of positive accomplishments in all areas of my life, mind-body-spirit. 

And I also take a look at the not-so-positive aspects of last year. 

1. What can I do better? 
2. What behavior will I commit to changing? 
3. What behavior will I commit to doing consistently? 


I also like to write out a vision of what I want my life to be. I do that every year. I write it in present tense and put in all the elements I want. Then I read it often. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking back on last year is a humbling experience for me. Last year was rough. It was easy to get caught up in the drama of what was happening in my life. And as a Buddhist, I know enough not to be swayed by the eight winds, but sometimes they blow me over anyway. 

So the new year is a great time say: 

"Hon Nim Myo! From this moment forth!" 

Here is what I resolve:

No matter what - no matter WHAT, I will chant a solid hour of Daimoku every morning with my phone in the other room. I will put my full concentration, love, passion and focus into my wonderful hour in dialogue with my one and only precious life! 

I will BE Kosen Rufu in action. Through my thoughts, words and deeds I will inspire others! 

I will spend deepen my faith every day through study. Every day. No matter what. Even if I only read a few lines from the Gosho!

I will be vigilant with myself and not complain - not blame, and never, ever feel sorry for myself! No matter what is happening in my life, complaint does not help anything! The more we complain - the more we have to complain about! The more we express gratitude - the more we have to be grateful for! 

I will encourage at least one person every single day - whether by phone or email, or in person. 

I will listen to my body - do my body meditations, do my tapping exercises and really focus on eating the very best things for my health. 

I will set concrete goals for all areas of my life - financial, health, social. 

I wish you all a wonderful, productive and happy New Year! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time to Write New Year's Determinations!

Hi, I'm so sorry I haven't written lately. I've been ill. I think all of the tension of the past few months just caught up with me. Now I am on the mend!

My son Ben is good right now. 

He is still in the hospital. And we are looking for a place for him ~ where he can be happy and continue getting better. At the moment, he is much more himself, but he still has a lot of fear. The illness he is suffering from is schizophrenia...an illness that seems like an epidemic among young men in America right now. He is better after treatment, but we want him to somehow get over the fear he feels. I chant about it every day. 

He has returned to himself in so many ways. He is smiling. Yesterday he asked me if it was too late to apply to Soka University! I know your Daimoku, our Daimoku, is working! It is great to hear him thinking about a future. I want him to have hope for his life. 

In the future, I picture him in front of young people, telling his story, inspiring THEM. But we still have a way to go. He turned 22 while in the hospital. He's been there since November 9th. 

And NOW is the time for me to prepare the groundwork for the New year. 

I plan on writing out my goals in several ways. 

I will write concrete goals. 
I will write feeling goals. - How do I want to feel about things? 

Then I will chant about them on New Year's Eve, and join my fellow members at the Chicago SGI Center on New Year's Day. 

I hope you are all well and are joining your friends to chant in the New year. Throughout my Buddhist practice, no matter where I was in the World, New York, Chicago, LA, San Francisco...I ALWAYS chanted a solid hour of heartfelt Daimoku on New Year's Day. This year I will chant more than an hour, but that is always my bottom line. 

I am praying for you all - my treasured friends!