Some of us achieved total breakthrough by November 18th. Today I am helping my co District Leader move into her new apartment.
She has achieved total victory!
Some of us are still working on our goals. We chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the name of the rhythm of life itself. If we persist, all of our prayers will be answered. If we give up...well...we give up. Please don't! Go to your friends in faith in the SGI, read President Ikeda's Guidance. The link to the SGI Portal is to the right. You owe it to yourself to stay inspired and not give up!
How can we stay encouraged?
Here are some sage words from my dear friend in faith, Kate Randolph:
On Setting Deadlines for Results:
We set deadlines to motivate OURSELVES into action. A deadline is not for the universe to respond to us. We chant. We take action. The deadline comes. We either win or we don't. If we don't get the result by the deadline we pick ourselves right up again and redetermine. The goal is to never be defeated. Sensei always says "To win in life is to never be defeated." That does not mean that we will never fail.
It's our spirit that matters.
The battle we fight is not with the universe. It's with our inner demons...the ones that say things like "obviously chanting doesn't work because I did not get my dream by my deadline...or...maybe I should have a different goal...maybe I wasn't MEANT to have that thing!....or what am I doing wrong? Maybe I wasn't chanting the RIGHT way!"
It is at that juncture that we must recognize the opportunity to deepen our faith and our understanding of the profundity of Buddhism. ANYTHING that DRAINS OUR LIFE FORCE is the negative function. Any inner voice that causes us doubt and hopelessness IS the negative function.
Once we decide we will win no matter what ~ we need only to continue. We've already won. The battle is with the negative function within.
Ultimately, deadlines are irrelevant.
Set them if you need them to motivate yourself.
But decide from the onset that you will win no matter what.
And hold YOURSELF accountable. Not the universe.
If it is a crucial moment and you are in a dire predicament, financially, or health-wise, it is time to DEMAND the protection of the Shoten Zenjin. No prayer of a votary of the Lotus Sutra will go unanswered. If your prayer is going unanswered find out what it means to be a votary of the Lotus Sutra. STUDY. And as you are chanting DEMAND the result that you want through your prayer. Awaken to your mission and realize that all your suffering is your opportunity to encourage other people. That is what is meant by turning Karma into Mission."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you Kate! To me, being a Votary of the Lotus Sutra means that for every goal I set, I chant to be able to achieve that goal and show actual proof so that I can inspire others into achieveing their own happiness. My goal is to show actual proof in all I do. That is what being a votary means to me!
Write me your victories and challenges at chantforhappiness.com.
I'm so glad many of you liked yesterday's post. I know it was long, but it was so meaty!
thanku it was really useful.. i really wanna know that how u stay regular for chanting.. is their any motivation?
ReplyDelete