Everything is a Benefit! Everything!

Hello from Venice Beach! 

When we are practicing correctly ~

• Chanting at least an hour a day - or as much as we can - and connecting our own goals to the greater good - Kosen rufu - world peace (while we are chanting we are thinking LIFE! I MUST WIN! I must use my life as a shining example that this practice works. I must achieve _______so that I can encourage others to chant)

• Studying Nichiren Daishonin and Daisaku Ikeda's Writings to understand and feel the human expression of our own selves as Buddhas of the mystic law
• Going to SGI Meetings Soka Gakkai - see the link at the right
• Encouraging others
• Seeking out Encouragement
• Doing shakubuku - telling others about chanting and helping them learn. We can do this right now - 

We cannot lose!
When we are in this state of life we realize that everything is advancement and nothing is retreat. Every single thing we are doing at every moment is creating value for our lives. And we see it. We realize there is no room or reason for complaint. Even minor irritations (losing your keys etc.) turn into benefits. 

We see the greater picture! 
We don't complain. 
Everything is a benefit!!! 

A Great Shakubuku Experience~

Yesterday at Venice Beach, Hal (Kate's husband) and I were having lunch and we had this wonderful young girl as our waitress. We were having fun with her through the whole meal and we were laughing together. Towards the end of the meal I brought out my Nam-myoho-renge-kyo card and asked her if she'd ever heard of it. Her mouth opened when I gave her the card...and she knelt down by where I was sitting and took my hands. Tears welled in her eyes.  She said her mother had chanted. And her mother had died when she was 14 years old. She said there was a person she worked with who was inviting her to SGI meetings, and she was thinking of returning to her practice, and because of us - she was going to go! I asked her to email me how things go for her so we can keep in touch. Throughout the rest of the meal she continued to thank us profusely. 

Woohoo!!! 
Shakubuku is fun!