The Most Powerful Way to Overcome Your Fundamental Darkness

This says it all. How much do you really want to be happy? You can totally change your life by recognizing and overcoming your fundamental darkness by establishing a rock-hard consistent practice of doing gongyo and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo twice a day - every day.  

Last night was a Gosho study here. We studied "The Workings of Brahma and Shakra", by Nichiren Daishonin. 
The line that stands out the most from President Ikeda's Gosho lecture is this:

"When devilish functions are recognized for what they are, they lose their power."

Daisaku Ikeda, June 2013, Living Buddhism page 23. 

And as I always say, be FUELED by your devilish functions (obstacles) not FOOLED! When you see them for what they are ROAR them out of your life! 

Ok. How CAN we see our fundamental darkness for what is it, and how do we overcome it?

Last night one of our visiting members said he was having trouble doing evening gongyo. As we were discussing this he came to see that whatever was stopping him was a manifestation of his own fundamental darkness...the forces in life that try to hold us back. 
Whatever stops you chanting HAS to be fundamental darkness. And once you see it for what it is you can just make a fierce determination to do gongyo twice a day ~ and do it. Your friends in the SGI will support you. They will come to your house, call or text you. Whatever you want. Just ask for the support and you will get it. You can even get support on Facebook if you want. Reach out and your friends will be there. 

The beautiful thing is this: When you overcome the fundamental darkness that keeps you from practicing consistently you will SIMULTANEOUSLY break through in all areas of your life. Put the effort into your practice and the rest of your life flows more easily. Please don't believe me when I say this. Please experience this phenomenon by DOING it. There is no other way. 

A few other thoughts:

What IS fundamental darkness? It exists within every person. It was in the original Buddha, it was in Nichiren Daishonin and all three Presidents. We ALL have it. We don't have to be scared of it and we can defeat it, over and over and over again! It manifests in different ways in all of us.  

For myself, my fundamental darkness used to appear often as depression. Many times I called my mentor in faith to request guidance and she'd say "It's back! That's just your fundamental darkness!" That freed me. 

I am just like you. When I see fundamental darkness for what it is I get rid of it through Daimoku. Knowing what it is gives me power. And it's easier for me to do this because of my strong practice. I chant at least an hour every single morning...and sometimes much more. I chant evening gongyo consistently, even if I don't particularly feel like doing it! 

And I have overcome the deep depression I used to experience on a regular basis. I've also overcome the extreme longing I lived with every day. These are benefits of practice. This is the promise of this wonderful Buddhism.

So, just like the meme above says - think about what you want MOST. And use your powerful practice to get it!