YOU are a Buddha ~ Putting your practice first equals putting yourself first

It is so important for us to realize the power that lies within our lives. 

Nichiren Buddhism proclaims that we were born with the stars shining from our eyes and the rivers running through our veins. Our bones correspond to the rocks, our hair to the trees...and on and on. 

The realization the original Buddha had was that he WAS the entire universe. He spent the rest of his life endeavoring to give others the realization of this experience. He wrote the Lotus Sutra when he was 80 years old. 80 years old. He said all his other sutras were not the full embodiment of his teaching, and that the Lotus Sutra was IT, his highest and best effort to help others realize this experience. He also said that in the Latter Day of the Law another Buddha would be born to take this teaching to the next level and teach people how to practice to realize this truth within themselves. 

In 1222 Nichiren Daishonin was born in Kamakura Japan to a fisherman's family. He made the determination to become the wisest man in Japan, and to truly understand which form of Buddhism held the most value for people. There were many different forms. There was the Pure land sect aimed at happiness in the afterlife, not this lifetime. There were others sects who said women had to be reborn as men to attain enlightenment. Most other forms of Buddhism made it clear that lifestyle changes were necessary to attain Buddhahood, or enlightenment. 

Nichiren Daishonin came to the realization that the title of the Lotus Sutra " Myoho Renge Kyo" contained the essence of the entire Lotus Sutra. When he began chanting this phrase he put the word "Nam" before it to show it was "devotion to the law of cause and effect sutra." Then all heck broke lose as he suffered persecution after persecution but none of this scared him. He knew persecution was part of what the true Buddha born in the latter day of the law must undergo to truly create a revolution of faith. 

When he was exiled to the Sado Peninsula in a little gardner's hut in the middle of winter and the middle of a graveyard he wrote some of his most important treatises. These all took the form as letters to his followers. We study his actual letters to deepen our faith and create results. 
This form of Buddhism is  defined by actual proof. Does it work? Do we feel better when we chant? Are we filled with confidence and conviction? And if we are NOT filled with confidence and conviction we can chant to deepen our faith and deepen our ability to realize that we are, indeed Buddhas. 
Power prayers to accomplish this include:

I praise my life! I praise my mind, my body, and my spirit. I see my noble efforts in their best light. I chant to draw all of the power of the universe through my life to make this world a better place. My goal is to alleviate suffering for all, starting with my own happiness and extending to others. I know my prayer is expansive and powerful. I chant to deepen my faith in my prayer. I chant to increase the power of my prayer by 10,000 times. I chant to honor my life.

We are all Buddhas.
Start by honoring your life. 
Putting your practice first is putting yourself first. 
When you put yourself first you are unstoppable!