Heart-to-Heart Dialogue Transcends Time and Space

This Guidance came to me through my good friend in faith Amos Snell. 

It is based on SGI Vice President Mr. Matsushita's guidance given at FNCC.

Heart-to-Heart Dialogue 

can be carried out 

anywhere, 

anytime 

to anyone.

In 1992 Sensei took a walk in the cemetery to converse with the souls who were greeting him joyfully. They were having a heart to heart dialogue. He said Dialogue requires heart-to-heart connection. True Dialogue. 

Sensei said you can have dialogue in your heart with anyone anywhere at any time, living or dead. 

What is the first step to touching another person's heart? Appreciation. 

Chant to develop appreciation. The path of the Bodhisattva lies in developing and expressing appreciation. 

How to Increase Our Efforts by 100X

In 1993 Sensei said he was going to increase his efforts 100 times more than ever before. His trusted advisers were perplexed. He was already doing so much, how could he make this happen? They thought he might just be saying this to encourage them, but they couldn't imagine it happening. But, he DID increase his efforts by 100 times. 

And he explained how to accomplish this:

Sensei said: 

I always focus on the here and on the now. 

I strive to see this very moment. 

It's the only one I have. 

I put 100% of my life, my effort, 

into changing that moment. 

Anyone who lives their life this way 

will have tremendous fortune. 

Everything begins with Gongyo. 

Who will I present to the Gohonzon today? 

WIll I present someone without confidence...

someone who questions if he deserves his benefits 

and is begging the Gohonzon to save him? 

Or will I present my true eternal self. 

If I chant with 

Optimism, 

Concrete Goals, 

Courage, 

Wisdom 

and Compassion 

I will generate the conviction that 

"I will make this happen 

based on the power of the Buddha Inside." 

When we chant our life fuses with the Mystic Law. 

Our life is as expansive as the whole universe  - 

it expands beyond our skin 

into the far reaches of the universe. 

Our life, 

powered with Daimoku 

can move anything in the universe. 

PowerPrayer to Do A Great Job At Work

It's Monday Morning here in Chicago. Thank you for all your emails. The Chicago SGI Buddhist Center is a really wonderful place (I posted some pictures yesterday), and in answer to your questions it is about 25 miles from where I live and takes 30 minutes on a Sunday morning and up to 90 minutes on a week night with traffic. 
Yesterday I had a wonderful day with family...my son Aaron was over to watch the San Francisco 49ers play the South Carolina Panthers in American Football, with only one more game to go before the Superbowl.  Next week they'll play Seattle and that will be a really tough game. I'm not really a "football fan" but I'll watch games from time to time and love to be with my family when they're watching. 

Last night I had Ben over for dinner and watched the Golden Globes with my friend Kindred. 

My son Ben is doing great. He starts a job today, and he'll be taking some college classes soon. Thank you with all my heart for your prayers. 

When I was at the Chicago Buddhist Center I bought the new book The Heart of the Lotus Sutra by Daisaku Ikeda. I read the first chapter called "Impressions on my Mentor's State of Life" yesterday and have been thinking about what a revolutionary practice we have. I was struck again by how accessible this practice is to all people. Do you realize that this is the FIRST form of Buddhism where people who are not priests chant the prayers? The actual PRACTICE of Nichiren Buddhism is something we each undertake as Votaries of the Lotus Sutra. 

What does being a "Votary" mean? According to Daisaku Ikeda it means "those who dedicate themselves to the mission of saving all people throughout the entire world" and "individuals, basing themselves on the Mystic Law, contribute to others and to society as "votaries," that is PEOPLE OF ACTION." All of US!

"President Toda initiated the great struggle to spread the Lotus Sutra of the Latter Day for the sake of those laboring under the dire consequences after World War II. "I want to banish the word 'misery' from the world and rid the world of poverty and sickness." This passionate cry of my mentor, who stood up alone after the war, still resounds in my ears. This cry of the spirit is none other than the heart of the Lotus Sutra."
From The Heart of the Lotus Sutra by Daisaku Ikeda, page 7

I know that I also carry that "cry" in my heart, as a disciple of Daisaku Ikeda and Josei Toda. 

Today I share with you a PowerPrayer I have been chanting every morning before work. I'm in the training phase of doing my job. As I am chanting I am making the following declaration to my life:

PowerPrayer to Maximize the first Days at a New Job:
(I have a very creative job. After I have met all my key colleagues I will devise my own plan of action) 
by Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com

Life!

I am determined to fully grasp 
what each colleague is telling me, 
and pave the way for a great future 
by doing a great job today!  
I will take understandable notes.
I am determined to sharpen my memory 
and make a clear plan of action. 
Each moment 
I shine with the light of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 
Each moment I do shakubuku with my life by being cheerfully, respectful, appreciative and caring. 
I am determined to pave the way for my growth, success and happiness, and to be an INDISPENSABLE employee!
Shoten zenjin! Support me in my every effort!  

Have a great day, or evening! 
As always, write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

"The Secret to Achieving Your Human Revolution!"

Yesterday I went to the Chicago SGI Buddhist Center 

for our 2014 Kickoff Meeting. 

We watched a film that included the following quote, and as we were leaving, the Byakuren handed the quote to us...how wonderful!  Here it is for you...

The Secret 
to Achieving Your Human Revolution

"Pray that instead of devils 
or negative, destructive forces 
infiltrating your being, 
Brahma ("Bonten"in Japanese),
Shakra ("Taishaku" in Japanese),
and the gods of the Sun and the Moon
~ the positive, protective forces of the universe ~
will enter your life!
Pray that they will enter the lives 
of all members in your region
and the entire membership of the SGI, as well.
If you do this, 
your strength will multiply 
a hundredfold, a thousandfold.
With such prayer,
with such faith, 
you will realize a fundamental transformation
in the depths of your life. 
This is the secret to achieving your human revolution."

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda, World Tribune, 9/8/2000

Thank you Sensei!
Write your victories to me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com!

Victory! 10 Point Plan for Finding a Job!

I enter this new year with Victory upon Victory. I have a new job, a new love and both my sons are doing great! 

I just started my new job and it is awesome. I am working for a senior living community as their Senior Community Outreach Specialist. This community is dedicated to helping each senior live "Their BEST Life" in all ways. They've been around since 1924, have many staff members who've worked there more than 20 years and they are constantly expanding their services to seniors and the community. 

My 10 Point Plan for 
Finding a Job:
by Jamie Lee Silver from the blog chantforhappiness.com

1. Dedicated myself to the happiness of my members, and to be the kind of person Daisaku Ikeda would respect. I was available whenever people wanted to chant or talk, to the best of my ability. I studied every day. 

2. Chanted for the total protection of the shoten-zenjin...to help me find the perfect job for kosen-rufu. 

3. Chanted for the youth of the world and made a determination to introduce one youth by November 18th. The weekend before November 18th I chanted more than 10 hours and made my goal. 

4. I made my list of exactly what I wanted in my next job for kosen-rufu.

5. I beefed up my Linkedin profile. (Professional networking site) 

6. I met with people in my field to network and had specific questions to ask them. 

7. I applied for jobs I found interesting

8. When I saw this job I called someone I knew who worked there and let her know I was interested in applying. 

9. I researched the company through the web and through my professional network. 

10. I didn't worry about anything - I just let it go. 

And Boom. Two days ago I started the new job and I love it! 

I am starting this year with a bang. Please send me your victories too at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. 

The World Youth Media Summit Campaign Launches Today You can be a part of it!

A special note from our dear friend:

You Can Help the International Youth Media Summit being held at Soka University this summer. 

Much of the wisdom you read at chantforhappiness.com can be owed to my dearest friend Kate Randolph. She introduced me to this practice almost 30 years ago, and I have shared her thoughts and essays with you over the years. She has been involved in a great movement for youth. Here is a letter to you from her. This year's Youth Media Summit will take place at Soka University in California. Please contribute what you can! This is not a official SGI function, but it does fit into what we are all about! 

A note to you from Kate Randolph:

I have traveled to Serbia the past 3 summers to support the INTERNATIONAL YOUTH MEDIA SUMMIT and its mission to bring young people together to dialogue about, and find solutions for, some of the world's most urgent social issues.  Then they choose an issue they would like to focus on and in small teams they make short films about each of the Summit issues: violence, discrimination, poverty, health the environment, women's rights and youth empowerment. They also make declarations of actions that they will take on these issues upon their return to their country. 

This summer, for the first time since the Summit was born, it is coming back to the USA, to be held on the gorgeous campus of Soka University!  But the difficulty with that is that it is nearly impossible for many young people to travel here because of the huge expense.  (We already have applicants from Liberia, Algeria, Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, Palestine, Israel, Iran and Afghanistan and about 12 more countries! )  Sooo, today we are launching an online crowd-funding campaign to raise scholarship money for students who live in countries where the annual income is less than the cost of airfare to the US. 

We hope to make history by being the first of this type of online fundraiser to raise half of our goal on the FIRST day of our campaign, which is Today, THURSDAY, JAN 9TH. That's $50,000 in one day.  If you can jump onto this link and contribute just 10 bucks, you will help us tremendously.  10 bucks contributed by hundreds of folks can help us make history for a fabulous cause. 

Do what you can, or feel comfortable with.  But take a minute to click on the link and see what the Summit is all about! Even just posting a comment of support helps us move further up to the front of the website!

Warmest wishes for a fantastic 2014.

Kate Randolph

http://igg.me/at/IYMS2014

We Are Brightly Illuminating the Future of the World!

LIVING BUDDHISM - JANUARY 2014 - Pp.12 & 13
SGI President Daisaku Ikeda's Message- 1st Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting of the New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu

Brightly Illuminating the Future of the World

Declaring "there is no true happiness for human beings other than chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo," the Daishonin urges us: "Suffer what there is to suffer, enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life, and continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, no matter what happens." (Happiness in this World. 'The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin', vol1, p 681)

No matter what bitter adversity we may face, we will never be defeated. Through the power of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can transform even the most painful sorrow--transmuting it into the compassion to encourage and help others who are suffering--and keep moving forward joyfully and positively.

You and I are linked in the depths of our lives by the daimoku we chant to realize the vow for kosen-rufu. As such, we are always together.

Friendship

Thank you all for your friendship! I'm home!