Chanting A Lot!

I just got back from chanting several hours of daimoku with a group of people. (called a TOZO)


I was roaring like a lion - just like I talk about in this blog. 


There is one part of my life that is still causing me pain and I am determined to root that karma out. 
I am DONE with this particular feeling and pattern of behavior! As I was chanting to change this karma forever I could picture the roots, and see myself yanking them out. I don't have to know where this karma came from...all I have to do is see it for what it is and determine to change it. I don't have to figure it out. No. All I have to do is chant to grab it by its roots and rid it from my life forever. 


I chanted with all of you in mind. I chanted "I MUST solve this problem so that I can have complete and total actual proof and inspire the readers of chantforhappiness.com that anything is possible." No suffering is too much for Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. The vibration of chanting is stronger than any possible problem. 


I am fighting right alongside you. 


We can all be victorious in all of your challenges and problems. We can all shine like the sun!!!


Every time each of us breaks through...we are opening a door for so many others to come through. 


You are inspiring me with all of your emails and comments. Keep writing! And ask me anything. My email is chantforhappiness@gmail.com


Keep Going! Don't give up!


I heard an author say recently "Your Mess is your Message!" And I say "Yes! Embrace your "mess", recognize that it is your karma, and and change it!!! Forever!" Remember...this is not the kind of practice where you are supposed to suffer for your karma. NO you have the tool to change it! And stop its pattern in your family FOREVER! Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!

Powerful Prayers and stories!

POWERFUL PRAYERS! 


Buddhism says one of the causes of suffering is ignorance...ignorance of your own Buddha Nature! Chanting to do your Human Revolution and Praise your life is a great way to pray to reveal and recognize your own Buddha Nature. 


You may remember that my job duties changed in several ways over the past few months. I now work for three locations and faced a lot of challenges at the beginning. I had to introduce myself, and my way of working, to two new campuses. 


Every morning in front of the Gohonzon and in the car ride I would chant to PRAISE MY LIFE! In other words, to recognize my own brilliant Buddha Nature. This is what I call a SuperPrayer! When you chant this way you touch your life in many ways! You bring about changes from deep within. 


Another SuperPrayer I love is the one to EXPAND MY CAPACITY. I sit in front of my Gohonzon and I chant to expand my capacity, and I list all the ways I want to experience expanded capacity:


I chant to expand my capacity for writing blogs that inspire you!
...expand my capacity for compassion...
...for happiness...
for skill in writing my book...
for being a great Mom...
for being a great friend...
for feeling immense joy every day...
I chant to expand my capacity for JOY!
and for pleasure
and for feeling the love in my life
for brain power and memory
for learning and resourcing new ideas
for making new friends
for producing amazing results in my job...
for giving powerful guidance...
for inspiring others to chant...
for overcoming negative emotions quickly!


There are so many ways I chant to Expand my Capacity! 
And so many ways I already HAVE expanded my Capacity!


If you've been reading this blog for awhile you know how frequently I used to sink into depression...and have a feeling of being unloved. That almost never happens anymore. And when I feel that feeling coming on, I chant it away very quickly. I almost never feel depressed or hopeless, and I used to feel depressed very frequently. This practice has SOLVED THAT PROBLEM for me, and IF I CAN DO IT YOU CAN DO IT! 


At the core of my prayer is always the the deep conviction that I must overcome my problems so that I can show actual proof of this practice and help others to become happy. 


You can have the same prayer. 


WHEN YOU BECOME HAPPY YOU AFFECT EVERYONE AROUND YOU! THEY BECOME HAPPY TOO, AND THEY MIGHT JUST BE INSPIRED BY YOU TO CHANT! 


For me, there is no greater happiness than watching my friends and new members and blog readers become happy through this practice. You can SEE IT AND FEEL IT! 


There's a woman in our district who inspires everyone every time she comes to a meeting because of the bright smile she wears. All of us remember her early days of chanting when she was so sad you could feel her sadness walk right in the door with her! She has totally transformed! You can transform ANYTHING though this practice!


It all starts with you and your determination to be happy and to solve your problems. 


Chant every day...every morning and evening! Read the Gosho!
And regard your troubles as wonderful reasons for you to chant and show actual proof. 


In Nichiren Daishonin's "Letter to Sado" he writes:
"Only by defeating a powerful enemy can one prove his own strength." 
What is your "powerful enemy"? Is it sadness, depression, abuse, hopelessness...whatever it is: 


You can definitely defeat it! 


Do you have others suffering around you? You can help them too! 
As always, thank you for writing me! Thank you for letting me share your challenges (only with your permission). Thank you for helping me inspire all 6,000 blog readers every month. And THANK YOU for sending the link chantforhappiness.com to everyone you know! You never know when YOU are going to profoundly help someone! 

Comments from readers! Experiences and Questions

Thanks for writing! 
From my readers! The first is an experience, the second is a question and the answer I provided.


Hello Jamie 

I wrote you back in September I just wanted to let you know I continued chanting I haven't had time to keep up with the meetings at the SGI near my house because of work but I still chant at home. My health problem was complete resolved I had surgery and everything went great I went on a trip to Thailand and new Zealand for work and had a great time my divorce is final and me and my ex husband have remained friends. And I'm learning to remember the good times I had with my friend that passed away. I suggest chanting to anyone that will listen because I know it helped me through some really hard times. I just want to tell you thank you for creating your blog , reading your words help me to become a stronger and happier woman.  

Question and answer:


Hi Jamie,

I can't tell you many times your blog has given me hope when I've even considered quitting the practice.

I just graduate and have applied to at least 50 jobs and have been rejected from all of them. I wrote down some goals and even included the salary I would want in my dream job but I feel guilty for being greedy. I chant only 10mins a day and despite practicing for almost a year I haven't really had any victories which makes me wonder what am I doing wrong ? I would appreciate guidance from you in terms of what I should chant for in a job or what more can I do to Improve my practice .
My response:  


Hello!

First of all you are not being greedy to want money in your life, and to have a job that brings you joy. You can envision a life that makes you happy down to every detail. It is your birthright. And now, since you are chanting Nam Myoho REnge Kyo it is time for you to Raise your life condition and focus on what you want. The goal of this practice is to be happy. Having the right job is very key to being happy. 

There are many elements to having a successful practice. They are not all easy but they will result in actual results in your life and a happiness you have never known before. The question you must ask yourself is "How much do I want to be happy?" And if you're wondering if you deserve happiness I will tell you YES YOU DO!!!! 

And if you don't believe me, please chant in praise of your life. You have a noble mission. You can help all those who are suffering...once you achieve happiness yourself. This is a crucial time for you. You must determine to win! 

Here are the aspects of a successful practice:

Chanting as much joyful "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" as possible.

make your list of what you want!

Get your Gohonzon as soon as you can! (The Gohonzon is the scroll inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin of the highest life condition possible. We focus on it while chanting...it is the center of our Buddhist altar. You get it through chanting with the SGI and attending meetings and learning Gongyo which is the recitation of the Lotus Sutra we recite every morning and evening)

Going to SGI meetings at the Buddhist center or in people's homes - (I know it can be difficult to get to meetings. If you cannot attend, keep chanting anyway! Chant to be able to attend!)

Making good Buddhist friends

Studying the Gosho of Nichiren Daishonin and writings of Daisaku Ikeda

Chanting as much Daimoku as you can and doing Gongyo twice a day every day. 

Taking action towards your goal....every action you take is a cause!

Chant for the perfect job for kosen rufu. (World peace) 

Chant to show actual proof of this practice through your own life so that you can inspire others to chant.  

Demand that your life deliver this to you!

You can do it. 

Persevere. 

Challenge Yourself. 

I promise you. It is worth it!!!

What can you accomplish through chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo?

I'm celebrating today! All time readership of this blog just went over 50,000! Thank you so much! Thank you for passing the link chantforhappiness.com 
on to your fellow members, friends, family and anyone you want to introduce to this practice! And thank you for passing it on to people who speak languages other than English since there's a translation button on the upper left corner! And thank you so much for writing me! I love knowing what is on your mind and I adore hearing your successes! I am so grateful to you!


What can you accomplish through chanting? Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is bigger than your biggest problem. I keep thinking about the experience that was in a recent world tribune. A girl with a very heavy heart and lots of troubles went to her first SGI meeting. A member who had been chanting for many years had her hold up her baby finger, and she told her "All your troubles will be as tiny as your baby finger compared to the power of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo." And that's the truth! 


What are some examples of the things I have personally seen change for people? 


I'll start with my own benefits for you.

There are three categories of "treasures" in Buddhism - the most important is the treasure of the heart:
Here are some Benefits of developing the treasure of the heart:


I have cured in my own life:


Hopelessness
Depression
Anxiety
Sadness
Fear! 
Loneliness - I went from having very few friends to having many friends, and to being happier on my own too. 
I have resolved every conflict in the workplace and in my personal life very quickly
I have no more need to be eating all the time
I have alleviated the endless hunger for everything, that constant longing for what I cannot have for whatever reason. 
I've lost 50 pounds and feel younger and stronger than ever.
I am working on publishing a book that will help many people learn to chant. This, along with the blog you are reading now is my greatest passion....helping people alleviate their suffering. 
I have peace of mind! Aaaahhh!


Other treasures of the heart:


One of my members stopped his pattern of constant worrying and never worries anymore.
One member overcame her deep dark depression, and all of the members in my district have greatly alleviated their anxiety.
They face their problems head-on and together we break through them! 


I've seen many members get the jobs of their dreams...overcome fear of public speaking...overcome many fears. 


The list goes on and on.....


There are also treasures of the storehouse...and things that people want to have and accomplish.


I remember chanting for my first car. I chanted for a reliable car for Kosen Rufu (world peace) so that I could drive people to meetings in San Francisco. 
I chanted for a beautiful house to hold Buddhist meetings in...one that would inspire people that anything was possible!
 I'll never forget the looks on the movers faces when they arrived at my beautiful kosen rufu home on the hill with the gorgeous view! It was such a contrast from my tiny little apartment on lower Nob Hill (Upper Tenderloin for those in the know) in San Francisco! 
And I've chanted for financial benefits. We need money to live and to give us opportunities. Without money I could not have brought my Buddha boys to California this spring! It is not some kind of "sin" to chant for money. Money is necessary. 


Oh there are soooo many things... feeling...experiences that you can chant for. And the biggest benefit of all is that as you are chanting for these things you are developing a stronger sense of self...a stronger inner core...a strength so powerful that NO PROBLEM CAN DEFEAT YOU. EVER. That is truly the best benefit. 
And remember that when you chant you are not asking anyone for anything...you are drawing power from your own precious life! Go YOU!


I wish I had more time but I have to run out the door to my job! 
Please keep writing me. Let me know what you'd like to hear about! Let me know your successes! Nam Myoho Renge Kyo !!!!

Exciting Meeting in Chicago tonight! And Job Search TIPS!

Meeting Tonight

at the Chicago Buddhist Center ~ especially for newcomers

Open to anyone ~ sponsored by the LGBT!

Chicago Buddhist Center

1455 S. Wabash - FREE PARKING! 

6:30-8:30 call 312-913-1211

Please come!  All Welcome!

(If you can't come tonight you can call the center and they will put you in touch with the meetings that are held in your area - there are meetings all over!)

I hope yesterday's blog about what makes this practice so radically different from any other form of Buddhism or any other practice was helpful to you. Do you have any questions for me? Are there members who have any feedback for me? Would you like me to include anything else? Please email questions/comments and EXPERIENCES of any length to me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. I'm looking for experiences to share on this blog and in my upcoming book. 

What can I share with you today? 

I want to talk about two things: 

The basic framework of an SGI Meeting and 

tips on chanting to find a job

About SGI Meetings: I was not in on the planning of tonight's meeting because I have a meeting at my home in the Western Suburbs every single Wednesday. What I can tell you is tonight's meeting at the Buddhist Center will be filled with people who have experienced benefit after benefit from chanting, and are happy to share how they have broken through their problems. The meeting will start with chanting, and have basic explanations of the practice and time for questions. There's also a bookstore at the Chicago Buddhist Center with tons of fascinating books on this practice.  Our meetings are very warm, and you won't feel left out or singled out. You can come alone and not feel awkward. Every meeting has tons and tons of Daimoku (the chanting of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo) behind it. What do I mean when I say that? Each meeting has been carefully prepared by a group of people who are chanting for the participants...chanting for YOU! Tonight's meeting at the buddhist Center has had a team of people preparing it and chanting for everyone involved. If you go to the meeting you will make many new friends!

For the meetings held at my house every week, I always chant that every single person who comes to a meeting will NEVER BE THE SAME after that meeting. I chant that each person hears something that inspires them to the core, and that they go and chant with renewed energy and enthusiasm and take a new step forward in their lives. The group that meets at my house is very close, and always excited about new people joining us. Nothing makes us happier than seeing someone's life light up with happiness with the power of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! And I am always chanting that MY LIFE has to be victorious in every way so that I can show actual proof to other members, and to my friends who read this blog! I demand my life to produce the results I'm seeking, and this is a very powerful prayer. 

JOB FINDING TIPS:

Many of you are writing me and asking "How do I get a job...I've been looking and I haven't been able to find anything." And I say chant with this kind of prayer. Chant "I MUST find a job so I can show actual proof of this practice and inspire others with my life. I demand the result and the victory now! I must find a job for kosen rufu...a job where I will be able to create value in my life and spread it to others!" 

And write down what you would like...go ahead and be specific. I found exactly what I wanted and switched careers in the middle of a recession. The power of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is stronger than any recession. Tuen off the TV and stop listening to the bad news for awhile! DOn;t let anything discourage you!

You may ask: Who are you chanting "to" ? The answer is Your own power, your own life that you generate and tap into by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! It is your birthright to be happy and victorious! Chant for the wisdom to take the right actions to find a job and take massive action every day. When I was finding the job I have currently I wrote a list of everything I wanted, and I went on many job interviews that didn't match my criteria because I didn't even know where to look to find the job I'd written about. Even though I didn't want those jobs, I knew that taking the action to interview for them was making a positive cause for me to find the right job. And boom! I got an email from a networking friend (who I had introduced to chanting of course!) about the job I have now, and I knew the minute I got the email that this was my job. I had to handle the next steps very carefully. I prepared well for the interview, and I even had to prepare a powerpoint presentation for the management team. I wrote my hand-written thank you notes. I took the correct actions. I kept chanting and I got the job! 

Tell your life what you want in your chanting. Roar like the lion you are! Write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com to share your experience, give me feedback or ask questions! 

What Makes this practice so special? How to Chant

Hello! This blog can be translated using the button at the top left) 

This is a posting for newcomers and a refresher for anyone.

(Current members are welcome to send the link to this blog chantforhappiness.com to someone you're introducing or encouraging) 

There's a meeting tomorrow, Wednesday the 27th at the Chicago Buddhist Center sponsored by the LGBT group and all are welcome - free parking! 1455 S. Wabash 6:30-8:30

What are some of the key things to know about chanting?

• HAPPINESS is the goal of this practice. You get to KEEP and USE your desires! Most forms of Buddhism teach that the cause of suffering is attachment to desires, and if you eradicate attachment to desires you can become happy. Not so with Practical Buddhism. Instead, your desires ARE enlightenment. The more desires you have, the better. Your desires lead you to chant. Chanting changes your karma and brings about true and lasting happiness - based both on achieving those desires, and based on the inner changes (human revolution) that result from chanting. Over time your desires will evolve and if you don’t know what your desires are, you can chant to uncover them.

• The words you chant are Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. Translated as:  “I devote myself (or fuse my life)to the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration.”  It is the same as chanting the name of the law of cause and effect itself...or the name of the rhythm of life. I like to picture an electrical plug attaching to the universe.  With this powerful vibration you are able to reach deep into the core of your own life, where you are one with everything, and bring forth all you desire. 

• There are no rules to follow

• No dietary restrictions
• No lifestyle rules ~ all are welcome
• No dues
• No dress code

• You don’t have to give up anything you’re already doing. You don’t have to convert to Buddhism to chant. If you like meditating, great! Keep meditating. If you like going to church keep going to church. Think of it as meditation...only with tangible results and goals! Your goals! Your results!

• You don’t have to believe that chanting works. Chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo generates the vibration of the law of cause and effect...the rhythm of life itself.  It is a law of life. It doesn’t have a personality. It is not a god. It does not care if you believe in it! One of my mentors in faith, Amos Snell began chanting to prove to his wife that she was wasting her time chanting. He chanted to PROVE IT DIDN’T work. More than forty years later he is still chanting and introducing people. Eventually you will believe that chanting works, because you will see so many results in your life, but you have to experience it for yourself!

• There is no clergy. The SGI (Soka Gakkai International) is an organization of lay people. We work together for the sake of each person’s happiness. 

• There is no guilt. There is only the law of cause and effect.  

• You don’t quiet the mind while chanting. No! You engage it. You command the results you want for your life. You focus your prayers like a laser on what you desire.

• You can turn EVERY problem into a benefit. When you chant consistently you realize that your challenges and problems actually fuel your benefits. You welcome new challenges, chant to turn poison into medicine and watch as new benefits flow into your life. 

• The most important benefits are what happens inside your life. No, you will not cease to have problems, but you will greet them with appreciation and dispense with them with quickly. Your inner core will strengthen. You can chant for a great job and fulfilling relationships, love and health and a sense of purpose. You tap into the wisdom to know that you are on the right path...no matter what comes into your life, you can use it as a springboard to become even happier...no matter how dire the circumstances. 

• This practice is FUN! It’s filled with happy people becoming even happier. It’s not somber! It’s a practice for the age we live in now! many people are seeking real, concrete solutions to their problems. Chanting works

 How to Chant

 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 and say the words over and over and over again. 

 Focus on saying 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 the blog chantforhappiness.com and chant with me. I begin slowly and speed up with more energy. 

When you’re finished chanting I suggest writing 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 life. Congratulations!

Go to the Soka Gakkai website of whatever country you live in. SGI-USA.org is America's site. 

The SGI site will help you to connect with people who will be happy to help you learn to chant, overcome your problems, and reveal your brilliant, wonderful self!  Fellow Soka Gakka members love to help each other. 

and go to IKEDAQUOTES.org to read Daisaku Ikeda's words. He is lighting the way for us all...and for YOU!

Welcome! Pictures from The Pride Parade!

Hello! For those of you viewing for the first time please read this post and keep scrolling down! Many of the recent posts are perfect fundamentals for you! 

"Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is like the Roar of a Lion ~ 

What "sickness" (or sadness or problem) can therefore be an obstacle"   

Aaron and I marched with the SGI members 

in the Chicago Pride Parade today! 

Thousands and thousands celebrated today...
gay, straight, LGBT, everyone celebrated together!

We are so proud to belong to an peaceful organization 

that doesn't discriminate against anyone!  

Today countless SGI members marched in Pride Parades across America. These parades celebrate the right to love! They celebrate peoples' right to be who they are. They are a pure celebration of happy energy! I handed out over a 1000 cards today! If you are reading this blog for the first time welcome!  I will do everything I can to help you learn to chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo so that you can be happier than you ever dreamed possible! 

Aaron and his new friend DJ.

Me and my new friend Katherine! 

Parade participants! I told you I'd post this! Thanks for letting me take your picture!

Marching in the parade!

If you are coming to this site for the first time Welcome! Chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo can open up a whole new world for you. You can raise your life condition into a whole new vibration of peace and happiness. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo means "I fuse my life to the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration" It is the name of the rhythm of life itself. When you chant these words and focus on your desires, a powerful force within your own life becomes activated towards your own happiness! 
There is a meeting on Wednesday the 27th of June at the Chicago Buddhist Center, 1455 S. Wabash Ave. from 6:30-8:30 Free Parking! All are welcome! 
Feel free to scroll down and page through this blog to learn more about the practice. Many, many people read this blog for encouragement.  
Why chant? It activates the energy to bring your life condition up, make the changes you need to make, and start attracting all you desire! It's fun and it works!
If you can't make the meeting on Wednesday you can call the Buddhist Center at 312-913-1211 to find out where the meeting is closest to you in the Chicago area. If you're not from Chicago go to SGI-USA.org to find out the center nearest you!!! If you live near Oak Brook Illinois you can come to my meetings every Wednesday. Send me an email!


Here's to your happiness! I post something encouraging and interesting about this practice almost every day! You can also  read previous posts to find out more~!  

Pride Day in Chicago today!

The Soka Gakkai is marching in the Pride Parade Today!


As a straight woman and a lover of love, and a lover of people's freedom to love I am proud to be marching. 


I'll take pictures and share them after the parade!


If you are a first time reader please take a look at previous postings! 


To my readers!


Please continue bringing forth your true and noble desires! You deserve the best and the brightest and the happiest of lives! Thank you for writing me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me know when I have touched you! Thank you for sharing your successes! I am always chanting for you!

You Can Desire ANYTHING!

Yesterday I had a very interesting discussion with a member of my district who has been Chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo for about a year and a half. 


I said, as we were beginning to chant, "REMEMBER, YOU CAN DESIRE ANYTHING...YOU CAN CHANT FOR ANYTHING!" And after we chanted we talked about this. I know we had talked about it before, but now it is beginning to sink in for her 


She told me she was raised to believe that desires were bad...and that having a real desire for anything actually leads to suffering and unhappiness. She was taught to appreciate everything, but not to have desires or to be specific. She was taught not to ask for anything. 
I told her about the fulfillment of some of my very specific desires. I listed a specific desire I have now, with all its components (I get VERY specific!)


And she was amazed...and open to the idea of specifying her own desires...and chanting for them ~ rather than denying them. I am so glad we had this discussion! 


Please consider what I am saying. 


Earthly desires are your birthright. 


They make you who you are. 


They are fuel for your chanting, they make the light in your eyes shine...they make waking up each day a joyous experience. Why not be specific and go for what is in your heart? 


I know people who started chanting and had less than lofty desires...and chanting for those desires eventually lead their lives to chant for better desires. But they had to start where they were. There are people who begin their practice chanting for drugs, and if they keep chanting they will develop better desires! 


I know a man who started chanting to prove to his wife that she was wasting her time. More than 40 years later she's still chanting. 


There was an experience in the world tribune of a woman chanting to die, and she kept trying to commit suicide (and failing) and kept chanting and worked her way out of her sadness to lead a happy productive life. Chant for what is in your heart!


And, if you don't know what your desires are, well...easy answer! 


Chant to know what you really want. Ask your life. You have the perfect tool to do that!


I chanted to know what my mission was for quite a few years. I knew I was born to accomplish something important  (just like YOU) and I wanted to find out what it was. 


And now, here I am, thrilled to be writing to you today, thrilled that you pass on this blog address to others, and thrilled to reach more and more people every day and help them to become happy. 


My life has purpose, spark and excitement. Nothing makes me happier than hearing your successes, hearing that you've gone to SGI meetings and answering your questions. 
From the bottom of my heart I thank you and I urge you : Have desires! Make them specific! Chant about them! Own them and claim them!! And be HAPPY!!!

Automatically Translate this blog!

Look! 
ChantforHappiness.com 
can now be sent to everyone in any country! 
Please pass it on to your friends. 
All you have to do is send a link, (Just write chantforhappiness.com in the body of your email message) 
and tell them there's a button on the top left they can click to change the language! How wonderful!!!

Banish Negative Thoughts by ROARING LIKE A LION!

Last night the evil twin in my head reappeared with thoughts that were tailor made to bring me down! I swear! No one can bring me down faster than those negative thoughts in my head. 
I know you know what I mean! 


We all have these negative thoughts! We are all familiar with those negative thoughts in our own brains!


We all have thoughts that can lead us into negative places. Mine tempt me to feel afraid for no good reason. They nudge me to be sad when I have nothing to be sad about. But they are so familiar...it's almost like a well worn groove in my brain. I think these thoughts and I feel my spirits sinking. 


I am at a great place in my life in all ways. I'm healthy, happy, have great relationships, enjoy my job, and I'm moving forward with my book and the other really cool things I'm looking forward to offering you! I'm helping people to learn Gongyo and tonight there is going to be a rocking Buddhist meeting here at my house. OF COURSE these thoughts would reappear. These are the obstacles we call sansho shima, forces that work to hold us back! They can only defeat us if we fail to see them as the obstacles they are...and give them more power by believing them! 


For me, when they occur, it is one more time to roar like a lion!


So this morning I did my walk in the Chicago area's unbelievably gorgeous weather (I love the heat!) and came back and chanted. 


I chanted Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and told the depths of my life NO WAY !!!! No thoughts are going to bring this Buddha Down! Get out of my head!!!! I am determined to be happy in every way so that I can lead my friends who read this blog, and the members of my district, and everyone else I meet or have yet to meet, to happiness! I am the happiness master! No tiny little nasty thoughts are going to get in my way!!! Roooooaaaaaaarrrrrr!!!!! 


And now I feel GREAT!!!


The universe is yours to command! 
What will you stand up for today!
Please share with me so I can use your wonderful words and experiences for my book!

YOU ARE the Mystic Law! Some quotes and notes

From the introduction to the 1979 edition of the Gosho by Nichiren Daishonin:




"Enlightenment is not a mystical of transcendental state, as many might assume. Rather it is a condition of the highest wisdom, vitality and good fortune wherein the individual can shape his or her own destiny, find fulfillment in daily activities, and come to understand his or her purpose in being alive." 


YES!!!


From "On Attaining Buddhahood."


"If you wish to free yourself from the sufferings of birth and death you have endured through eternity and attain supreme enlightenment in this lifetime, you must first awaken to the mystic truth that has always been within your life....This truth is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. Chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo will therefore enable you to grasp the mystic truth within you...It is called the mystic law because it explains the mutually inclusive relationship between life and all phenomenon.
Life at each moment encompasses both body and spirit and both self and environment of all sentient beings in every condition of life, as well as insentient beings - plants, sky and earth, on down to the most minute particles of dust. Life at each moment permeates the universe and is revealed in all phenomena. One awakened to this truth himself embodies this relationship. However, even though you chant and believe in Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, if you think the law is outside yourself you are embracing not the mystic law but some inferior teaching."
~Nichiren Daishonin


YOU are this life. You ARE LIFE ITSELF! You are the sun and the moon and the stars. You are the rivers, and the valleys and the oceans and the wind. All of these things exist in you and you in them. This is what the poets have been born to write, and it is true! And when you recite the name of this all encompassing life NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO you are being the life of the universe summoning its own power. The universe within you is yours to command. 


When you sit down to chant ~ remember that the prayer is within you! The universe is within YOU!
CLAIM your benefits! Demand that your life, and all of life respond to your prayer. You are that powerful. You have encountered the mystic law this lifetime. That is no accident!!! You can use this law to make yourself and all around you happy. What a wonderful life we are living together! 
What will you summon next? What karma will you conquer next? What will the amazing Buddha YOU do next?  

What if you are in a truly dangerous situation?

I received an email from someone anonymously. 


The person said that their father repeatedly beat them and their mother. The person asked how best to chant about this. I would respond privately, but I don't have their email address. This message came in as a comment so I must respond on the blog. I don't know how old the writer was, or whether they are male or female. I will do my best to speak from my heart. 


The first thing I am going to say is this:


This is a Buddhism of ACTION. As hard as it sounds, please do not stay in a dangerous situation. Yes, staying and chanting to change the situation is always an option. So is leaving the situation and protecting yourself. This is not a practice where we feel we have to suffer to make up for our past karma. NO. We are not practicing Buddhism to learn how to bear our sufferings. NO. We practice Buddhism to be happy. If you choose to leave the situation you can always chant for your father's happiness and transformation from another location where you are safe. You can do your human revolution and transformation away from the man who is tormenting you and your mother. 


Please chant for the wisdom for the safest and best action to take. You have a tremendous mission in life. You CAN change this by chanting. You CAN be safe while you do it. Please get help from any government agency that you can. I don't know what country you are living in. In many places you can get help.


When you do chant...ROAR LIKE A LION!!! 


Tell YOUR OWN LIFE 


"NO WAY!!!! This type of abuse cannot happen to a noble Boddhisatva of the  earth!" 


Demand protection when you chant. Tell your life (as you are chanting) that you must protect yourself and your mother. Demand that the Shoten Zenjin (protective forces of the universe that exist in your own life and in all of life) rise up to protect you now!


Keep chanting! I am chanting for you! Please write me again!

Why are you chanting? Would you like to be in my book?

I have been working hard on my book for you. It will be a book to give to people who are beginning to practice, and to those who wish to refresh their practice and learn to roar like lions!


I am wondering if some readers would like to participate...


Would you answer these questions for me, and for the book? 


Right now it is called "Chant Your Way to Happiness" And I am working on a sentence to follow that. Suggestions? 


Here are my questions for you:


Why did you start chanting? 


Can you describe a benefit you got from chanting? 


Why do you keep chanting? 


Can you tell me a word of advice you'd give to someone who is just beginning to chant? 


Thank You!!!


You can email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com or post a comment on this blog. 

Question and Answer

This is a question I received today based on the "How to Chant for the First Time" post:


Question:
I have been chanting for 4 months now but this post helps. I went thru a real challenging time and my chanting has went from 15 min twice a day (sometimes much longer) to 5 min once a day, some days I skipped but never skip more than a day in between. I feel like I am slipping...I do my meetings but it doesnt feel the same...I also feel bad about the less time spent chanting but if i force it then ill really stop. Is it normal to start and stop until it becomes a habit? When does it become a habit? 


Answer:


Congratulations! You are experiencing sansho shima, the energy that arises in our lives to stop us when we want to move forward! You have encountered an obstacle of the truest kind, an obstacle that exists in your own mind and says "well, if I really push myself I know I'll stop". If you can recognize this as a force working to HOLD YOU BACK and say NOT THIS TIME!! I AM MOVING FORWARD AND YOU CANT STOP ME! Then you will definitely WIN!!


As I've mentioned before, I chanted 5 minutes a day in the morning and the evening when I first started. It was a different rhythm in the SGI then, and I went to a meeting every single day and spent most of the day on Sunday at youth division activities. I also had my sponsor and many of my mentors chanting for me every day. The more I saw results in my life the MORE I wanted to chant. Once I grasped that this practice was actually working (and it did take some time for me to see that my results were because of my chanting) I wanted to take on more of my challenges and chant more. 
The support of the other Soka Gakkai members was crucial to me. I don't know what I would have been able to do without them. 
The problem with only chanting 5 minutes once a day is that you never really get the engine of your car revved up and running. So each time you sit down to chant you have to turn the key, pump the gas, hope it will start....but if you chant twice a day you get into an easy rhythm with the motor running and actually want to chant more! AND YOU HAE THE POWER TO PUSH THE SANSHO SHIMA AWAY! 
Much depends on your own ichinen (your will and desire put into action) regarding your problems. How much are you suffering? And how much do you want to stop that suffering? What is your desire, and how deeply do you want to make it happen? 
You know I started this blog by chanting two hours a day, and there's a reason I was chanting two hours a day...I HAD to! I was heartbroken and could not get the thoughts and sadness out of my brain. I became determined to call an end to the sadness and tears...so I began chanting two hours a day and started this blog to share my my results and encourage others. I have found that the more determined I am to change something in my life, the more I WANT to chant! Many days two hours FELT like two 5 minute sessions because I was so connected to my desire. THe deeper you connect, the more the time flies! 
It sounds like you really want to chant more. See if you can focus on what you really want, what you REALLY desire, and go from there. 
I find that the more effort I put into chanting the more smoothly the rest of my life went. Chanting is not always easy, but it makes everything else easier!
Also, almost everyone realizes at a certain point that they need to chant more Daimoku. Usually that feeling comes after you start feeling a little flat, and nothing seems to be happening. Call an SGI friend. Attend a Tozo (chanting session), rewrite your goals and remember what you want to accomplish in your life and above all HAVE HOPE! YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING WITH THIS PRACTICE! THERE IS NO PROBLEM BIGGER THAN CHANTING NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO!!!!
That's why having problems is a benefit. They make you chant, and when you chant you change your karma. It's a beautiful world! 


Roar like the lion you are! Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!!

How to Chant for the first time!

How to be Happy! How to Chant for the first time. A great post to share with first time chanters.

(I had a request from a reader to teach her how to chant - this is my response, and part of the book I'm writing. Please forward this to anyone you'd like to introduce to this amazing practice!)

Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life!

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 new 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. It's helpful to 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 find it helpful to 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 (or use the card enclosed in this book). 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 and say the words over and over and over again. 

You do not have to concentrate about what is in your mind 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 you want. You’ll see. 

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. This site will help you to connect with people who will be happy to help you learn to chant, overcome your problems, and reveal your brilliant, wonderful self!  Fellow Soka Gakka members love to help each other. 
and go to IKEDAQUOTES.org to read Daisaku Ikeda's words. He is lighting the way for us all...and for YOU!