We are ALL Interconnected - Each Nam-myoho-renge-kyo COUNTS!

"We need to awaken 
to a common consciousness 
of all being inhabitants of Earth. 
This consciousness is not to be found 
in some distant place. 
It will not be found on a computer screen. 
It lies in our hearts, 
in our ability to share the pain 
of our fellow human beings. 
It is the spirit that says: 
“As long as you are suffering, 
whoever you are and whatever your suffering may be, 
I suffer also.”

Daisaku Ikeda, Ikedaquotes.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are Boddhisattvas of the earth. We feel these words deeply in our hearts, as so many people around the world also do....when we see the pictures of the refugees, and think "how can I help?"
There are many ways we can help, and we can also help in our prayers. 

Years ago I put a picture of a boy who had been burned in the Iraq war on my altar, and chanted that somehow my prayers would reach this one child, (and all else who were suffering), and bring him some sort of relief and help. One day a member was chanting with me and she saw the picture and recognized the boy. She told me he'd been airlifted out of Iraq and brought to Canada where they were giving him the finest care possible. 

Sometimes when we see all the problems and all the suffering we feel it's out of reach, and that we can't help, but we can help. 

We are all interconnected...we know this intellectually, and being Buddhists, we also know this from experience whenever we chant for someone's happiness  - we see and feel the result. 

We are all here right now for a reason, chanting for peace, chanting for happiness. We have to know, that even if we do not see the direct result today, and even if some of our prayers are not "answered" right away that every cause we make has an effect. (I use "answered" in brackets because no one is answering our prayers in the commonly thought of way - that of some outside force giving us the answer. We ourselves ANSWER our OWN prayers when we do our Human Revolution and change from within.) 

And every Daimoku has an effect...EVERY Daimoku is a cause.We must not give up, no matter what! 

That is something we must all engrave in our lives. No matter what, keep chanting! 

8 quotes on Overcoming Difficulties by Daisaku Ikeda

There is a saying that the earth upon which we fall is the same ground which enables us to push ourselves up again. There’s another which maintains that barley grows better after it has been trampled on. It is up to us to decide to live a life free from self-doubt and despair in spite of our failures. Indeed, it is during our most humbling moments that we should show greatest poise and grace.

We are not defeated by adversity but by the loss of the will to strive. However devastated you may feel, so long as you have the will to fight on, you can surely triumph.

Just as the pure white lotus flower blooms unsoiled in muddy water, our lives, which are supremely noble, can continue to shine even amid life’s harshest realities.

Rather than becoming discouraged, know that encountering a wall is proof of the progress that you have made so far.

Reality is harsh. It can be cruel and ugly. Yet no matter how much we grieve over our environment and circumstances nothing will change. What is important is not to be defeated, to forge ahead bravely. If we do this, a path will open before us.

Suffering only gets worse when we try to run from it rather than facing it.

There will be times in life when you cannot succeed. Or times when hardship seems about to crush you. Such times are inevitable, yet we should not allow our spirits to be broken by them.

A person’s true nature is revealed at times of the greatest adversity.

All quotes are from Ikedaquotes.org

7 Quotes on Gratitude by Daisaku Ikeda

 Lower Mill Pond in Brewster Massachusetts, 

in Cape Cod USA

The view of the pond from the houses

I'm sitting outside looking down on the pond from the terrace. This is such a special place. On this pond, people can have homes, but they cannot tear down the trees in front of their homes. 

So you can see, in the first picture, that the pond looks pristine...as it probably did 200 years ago. There are also no motor boats allowed, no jet skis, nothing to disturb the quiet - except the birdsong and the wind rustling the trees. It is a true paradise. 

I'm sitting here today exercising my muscle of gratitude. Realizing once again, that gratitude is CHOSEN, not just fallen into. Sure, you could say, it's easy for me to have gratitude, sitting on this pond during my vacation...but you must remember, I have just had a loss that I still search for the words to describe...so I must exercise that muscle of gratitude more than ever. 

So today, I focus on all that is right in my world...

The fact that I am here...still standing...still writing...still living...

The fact that I am HERE in these beautiful surroundings...about to head to the beach with my wonderful son Aaron...

The fact that I am healthy...still breathing...still able to smile...
And I can chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to experience my life as a Buddha at every moment! 

And I feel immense gratitude to YOU, and to Daisaku Ikeda, and the entire SGI, to Nichiren Daishonin and Presidents Makiguchi and Toda. Without them, I have no idea how I would be living my life right now! 

Here are some quotes on gratitude from our mentor Daisaku Ikeda, from IkedaQuotes.org:

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

To feel gratitude to one’s parents sounds like a trivial thing, but this is the mark of true maturity and growth as a human being.

People whose hearts are full of gratitude and appreciation are truly beautiful. A humble heart is the wellspring of great growth and development.

None of us can exist in isolation. Our lives and existence are supported by others in seen and unseen ways, be it by parents, mentors or society at large. To be aware of these connections, to feel appreciation for them, and to strive to give something back to society in a spirit of gratitude is the proper way for human beings to live.

Gratitude makes a person modest. A sense of gratitude expands the heart.

The ungrateful feel that it is below them to show any kind of appreciation. They are under the delusion that showing gratitude to others diminishes their own worth. But it is this sense of appreciation that elevates, enriches and expands the human spirit. A lack of gratitude is actually a sign of arrogance.

Happiness is not a life without worries or struggles. Happiness is the robust sense of fulfillment one feels when bravely confronting hardship. It is that elevation of the spirit, like an airplane gaining lift from the air resistance against its wings.

Happiness is to be found within your own life, in your thoughts at this very moment. You yourself are most noble and precious. You have no need to be envious of anyone or to long for far-off things.

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

Here at Cape Cod

Aaron and I spent the day in Chatham...at the Beach House Inn...having "Lobstah" and wine...and just being on vacation. It's the first time we've been away as a family since... It's pretty weird taking family pictures with just Aaron, me and Paul. I mean, it's great that Paul and I can be divorced and be on vacation together and have a nice time...but every time we pose for a picture...just the three of us...without Ben...it just makes all of us sad. And I'm constantly telling Aaron -"I really appreciate you and love you, and just because I'm sad doesn't mean I don't appreciate you." and he says "I know this Mom, you don't have to tell me this...I miss him too."

We've been here so many times, here on the Cape. Paul's brother and sister in law have a beautiful home on Lower Mill Pod in Brewster...I'm sitting by the pond right now as the sun goes down...remembering much noisier times...times with nine children under the age of twelve...all the running...laughing...playing...oh that time goes so fast...goes so fast. I dreamed of Ben last night...he was a child. He was laughing, and smiling, and telling me he could hear the angels. 

I know this time of extreme sadness will end. I feel as if I am in the "in between time." I'm recently divorced, Ben is no longer here...and I have not yet met my kosen-rufu partner, and I, like many of you, am optimistic that I will find him...and he will find me. I can feel him chanting for me...or wishing on a star for me... maybe he is not a Buddhist...maybe he is...and I have hope...I have hope...and am chanting. 
When we find each other we will travel the world together. People keep telling me "You will find him when you stop wanting him so much." Have you ever had people tell you that? 
It makes no sense to me! 

At any rate, my determination remains strong. I live to encourage people that even the worst sorrow can rise...now...that no matter what ~ happiness can come in the darkest circumstances. 

Do I understand everything? No. 

Am I a perfect person? No. 

Do I have a huge capacity to love, and want to help people? YES. This I know to be true. Do I have a huge mission? YES and so do YOU!  

Aaron just got back from his run...Time to finish making dinner.

Nam myoho renge kyo
Love to you!  

I Summoned This Storm ~ PowerPrayer to Move from Victim to Victory

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I'm here in Cape Cod for the week. 

It is lovely and I love being with my family. 

We can all use this message from time to time...

because no matter how well we know it - there are times we forget! 

This PowerPrayer has been inspired by the Gosho Study from the August 2013 Living Buddhism "The Three Obstacles and Four Devils" written in November 1277 to the youngest Ikegami brother, Munenega, after his brother had been disowned by his father for his faith in Nichiren Buddhism. 

President Ikeda's lecture from the August Living Buddhism on this Gosho includes these words: 

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

"Though we speak of the "three obstacles and four devils" appearing, no one wishes to have to face adversity. 
That is surely a natural human reaction. 
But Nichiren says that 
the appearance of the three obstacles and four devils 
is a source of JOY. 
How could that be? 
It doesn't seem possible. 
But it is, in fact, 
by overcoming the steep hills and inclines of obstacles 
we can forge our lives 
and ascend the summit of Buddhahood, 
where we can savor the sublime vista of 
eternity, happiness, true self and purity."

"We need to "own" them (our obstacles) as something we ourselves have summoned up...we are in charge, we are the protagonists...the struggle against the three obstacles and four devils is indeed a great joy."

"As Nichiren Daishonin writes: "When a tiger roars, gales blow; when a dragon intones, clouds gather" (The Workings of Brahma and Shakra," WND-1, 799) When we adopt this attitude ~ "I summoned this storm!" ~ our hearts will be filled with the bright sense of hope and purpose." (All quotes from the 2013 August Living Buddhism, pages 21, 22)

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

So, we summon the exact set of obstacles we need to springboard our lives to the next level of practice and happiness. 
We will be better off for them!  
We summoned these storms. 
Realizing THIS takes our lives from Victim to Victory! This simple change in perspective brings incredible power to our Daimoku. When we are chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can address our lives and roar like the lions (Buddhas!) we are. What follows is a powerprayer I offer you to reclaim your life and move from Victim to Victor. As always, I offer you my writings from my heart, not as an official SGI representative, although I love the organization and encourage everyone to participate - if you are not yet a member please use this link to connect: sgi-usa.org 

PowerPrayer 
For Reclaiming My Own Life 
and Moving 
From Victim to VICTOR 
Read this before you chant 
and hold its spirit in your heart and mind - that's what a PowerPrayer - A Fresh Determination is...
by Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com. 

LIFE !! 
I get it! 
I SUMMONED THIS STORM and I can VANQUISH IT! 
I summoned this storm and I will WIN over it !
Shoten Zenjin (protective forces of the universe within all life) 
I now command you to fulfill these prayers!__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I am a precious Votary of the Lotus Sutra 
and I vow to PROVE the POWER of the MYSTIC LAW 
through my own victories - 
so I can encourage everyone that 
the IMPOSSIBLE IS POSSIBLE!
I will NOW raise my life condition to a level I have never before experienced. 
I see through the eyes of the Buddha, 
I feel with the heart of the Buddha
I AM the Buddha! 
The universe exists within ME! 
I am CLAIMING power over my own life. 
No more complaining for me! 
No More "Woe is me!" 
NO! 
Starting today ~ with this Daimoku ~ 
I bring forth all the wisdom I need
                             to know what I need to do - 
All the courage I need ~ 
                             to take the right action 
All the perfect timing I need ~ 
                             to accomplish what I want
And the People and Resources I need ~ 
                             ALL appear right now! 
I am a powerful being waging a powerful war against the fundamental darkness inherent in all of life and I will WIN. 
Starting today 
I will win in:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


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

Write me your victories at Chantforhappiness@gmail.com! 

16 Points and a PowerPrayer to Rid Your Life of Despair

You Can Do it!

16 Tips and a PowerPrayer for overcoming despair

It is possible to permanently change your basic state of life. I know. I did it. And I know countless other Buddhists  who have. Of course, I may still feel sad. But I never, ever experience the sadness I used to live with most of my life. And I am not on any medication. (Not that you should just stop taking yours. Buddhism is common sense. Please chant for the wisdom to know what to do, and work with your medical practitioner if you are on medications)

Jamie’s 16 tips to rid your life of Despair:

by Jamie Lee Silver from ChantforHappiness.com

Tip #1

Chant as much as you can. 

Ask someone to chant with you!

Get support! 

Tip #2:

Study Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. 

There are a few quotes from the Gosho I've embedded in my life: 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Suffer what there is to suffer and enjoy what there is to enjoy, and continue chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo no matter what happens...then you will experience boundless joy from the law."

From Happiness in This World, Writings of Nichiren Daishonin 

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

One of my favorite quotes from Daisaku Ikeda (from the book Learning from the writings. The Hope-Filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. Page 277:

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

"Seen from the perspective of Buddhism, 

everything has profound meaning. 

There is no need whatsoever to vacillate 

between elation and despair at each turn of events. 

There is no such thing as a storm that will 

continue blowing and wreaking havoc without end. 

In the same way, 

there is no hardship that will continue forever. 

There are clear days and there are rainy days. 

If we are swayed by our environment, 

rejoicing one moment and despairing the next 

amid ever-changing circumstances, 

then we will not be able to accomplish 

a true revolution in our state of life.

The important thing 

is to always believe in the mystic law 

and to enter the powerful orbit of faith, 

practice and study. 

Entering the orbit - the orbit of human revolution 

and of changing our karma - 

is the way to construct a life 
of good fortune and happiness 

that will endure throughout eternity. 

No matter what happens, 

we will enjoy the unerring protection of the Gohonzon. 

Instead of drawing conclusions about the world of faith 

from a superficial viewpoint, 

we need to calmly discern 

the true reality and significance of things 

and keep pressing forward. 

With the passage of time, 

it will definitely become clear

 that everything has unfolded 

in the best possible manner." 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tip #3:

I take plenty of Vitamin D. For me, sometimes I just need more Vitamin D. 

Also I drink a LOT of water! 

Tip #4:

Encourage someone else! Give a stranger a Nam-myoho-renge-kyo card. Talk to someone you know about past benefits you've had. Doing this will remind you of how you've broken through in the past, and you'll gain more hope for the present. 

Tip #5:

Take a bath with salt in it...the more salt the better! 

Tip #6: 

As I've mentioned before, clean your Butsudan and altar area. The altar in your home is a reflection of your own life. When you treat it with respect, your environment and all the people in it treat you with respect. If you do not yet have a Gohonzon you can still set up an altar where you chant with offerings to your life...fruit, water, a plant, candles, and incense if you like. 

Tip #7: 

Call a true friend. And if you don't have one, see the PowerPrayer for making friends. 

This is how I made so many friends. 

Tip #8: 

As soon as you can, get back in front of the altar to chant. And don't be afraid to cry in front of the Gohonzon or while you are chanting. heck, for the first couple of years I cried a lot when I chanted. It was as if my life had to release years and years of  emotion. 

Tip #9: 

Move your body. Go for a walk! Get your energy and your blood flowing! 

Tip #10:

Study~

Read the Gosho or President Ikeda's writings! When you read these things - read them with your life. Choose a phrase or a passage and chant to realize its deeper meaning with your life. Chant to share the heart of Daisaku Ikeda. He has a heart beating with the fervent drum of Kosen Rufu (World Peace and the happiness of all beings). 

Tip #11:

When I feel sad ~ I write. I write all the sadness out. Sometimes I write to my Mom, sometimes to Ben. When I hold my pen on the paper and keep writing - they write me back. It takes no special skill - just the belief that it is possible.
I write everything. It helps to clear my mind. I write fresh determinations. I write letters. I write poetry. 

Tip #12:

Change “Why me?” to “Yes me!”

Change what you are saying to yourself, and the questions you are asking yourself in your mind. If your constant refrain is "Why me? How can this be happening to me again?" it is important to change that thought. Replace it with a more positive thought. You chose that thought, you have the power to choose a better one! How about "Things are getting better and better for me, I just know it...sometimes it is hard to see, but I am definitely on my way!" or "Don't give up (insert your name) it's always darkest before the dawn!" 

Tip #13:

Breathe deeply. When we are feeling low we tend to breathe in a really shallow way, and it adds to our depression to breathe this way. Sit down and focus on your breathing. Fill your body with air. Picture that air as a bright light coming down from the top of your head...slowly moving down your body as your grey depressive mood seeps out your fingers and toes. Try this. It really does work! 

Tip #14:

Smile! Go look at yourself in the mirror and smile. Look in your eyes and smile. Did you know it is almost impossible to be depressed when you are smiling?

Tip #15: 

Look up! That's right, look up. Tony Robbins, the inspirational success coach and mentor says that looking down has been proven to actually bring people down, while looking up has the opposite effect. 

Tip #16:

PowerPrayer to Rid your Life of Despair
by Jamie Lee Silver, Chantforhappiness.com 

Read before chanting to fuel your mind!

"Gohonzon (my life itself!) 

Now is the time for me to rise from these emotions 

so I can show actual proof of the power of this law. 

NOW is the time for me 

to vanquish these feelings of hopelessness. 

I will NO LONGER allow these feelings to run my life. 

NOW I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY! 

I am a precious child of the Buddha, 

I will not stand for these feelings anymore. I

 vow to win in all aspects of my life. 

I vow to win!" 

Faith Like Flowing Water

With Ben on our Carribean Cruise in 2012

Thanks for all the feedback on my recent posts. 

Tomorrow I go to Cape Cod with my son Aaron, his girlfriend Meg, and my "Wusband," Paul, for a week. We'll be staying with Paul's brother and sister-in-law - who will always be my family too, even though I'm no longer married to Paul.

This vacation is another example of the power of the law - "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo." When we decided to get divorced I made a determination to have the kind of divorce no one would even believe...where each member of the family was better off than before...something truly remarkable...and we've achieved it. We've had friends begin their Buddhist practice after seeing us together! 

Lately I've been thinking a lot about having 
Faith Like Flowing Water ~ as opposed to faith like fire.  
To me, faith like flowing water means faith that does not stop, it continually flows over whatever rocks are in its way. It is undaunted. It stops at nothing. It may seem like having faith like flowing water is difficult, but I believe having faith like fire is much harder. Every time the fire goes out it needs to be rekindled from scratch. Difficult! 

Last night it was really difficult to chant, but I knew I wanted to, and I knew I HAD to...because it was Wednesday and tomorrow was going to be Thursday. Ben started his next journey on a Thursday, and each Thursday is really hard for me. This Thursday it is eight weeks. It feels like no time at all and it feels like an eternity. 

And as I was "trying" to chant last night, I just sat there and kept trying, and at a certain point it kicked in. Faith like flowing water...faith like flowing water...never giving in and always winning. This morning's daimoku was powerful - I never wanted to stop! 

Here are some quotes on having Faith Like Flowing Water: 

FAITH THAT IS LIKE CLEAR, PURE , FLOWING WATER.

"Today there are people who have faith in the Lotus Sutra. The belief of some is like fire while that of others is like water. When the former listen to the teachings, their passion flares up like fire, but as time goes on, they tend to discard their faith. To have faith like water means to believe continuously without ever regressing."

The Two Kinds of Faith - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 89

Sensei Ikeda has explained the meaning of the above gosho passage through the following excerpt, in which he explains the difference between having faith that is like water and faith that is like fire.

"Faith that is like fire,” he said, “resembles a flame that leaps up and burns brightly for a short time. We experience this when we have a burst of enthusiasm and decide to chant or share Nichiren Buddhism more seriously. Just like a flame, however, this kind of faith tends not to last.

In contrast, faith that is like flowing water resembles a stream firmly and steadfastly running its course. It is the faith of a person who, though their actions may not be showy or extraordinary, has an invincible determination and sense of mission, and continues to challenge themselves in faith, practice, and study throughout their life.

It’s important that we maintain faith that is like flowing water. But how do we do that? By practicing Nichiren Buddhism together with the Gakkai organization. When human beings, ordinary people, are all on their own, they aren’t as strong. They can easily lapse into self-centered, arbitrary views and stop making efforts to grow.”

Not being part of an organization might seem more free and enjoyable, but true growth in faith is nurtured through the process of fellow members, “good friends” in the realm of Buddhist practice, encouraging and inspiring one another, and spurring each other on. Sensei went on to say that Gakkai meetings play an important role in helping us maintain faith that is like clear, pure, flowing water.

Excerpt - "The Banner of the Law", NHR , Vol 26