Sunday, May 31, 2015

PowerPrayer to Appreciate YourSELF!


Your words DO have great power. 
Make sure when you speak to yourself 
that you use kind and loving words. 
Often we are hardest on our own selves, right? 

As far as I am concerned, society is always telling us what we are doing WRONG. School reinforces what is wrong with us. People who are insecure reinforce what is wrong with us. 
It is up to each one of us to reinforce what is RIGHT with us, and to switch our focus away from the feeling that we are guilty or bad. Changing our focus to the positive is at the core of revealing our own Buddha Nature. I love Buddhism, because its very focus is on what is RIGHT with us. 

Of course, as we all know, the law of cause and effect operates in our lives all the time. If we focus our daimoku on what we are doing right, chant to make positive causes, and to reveal our Buddha Nature, we will see positive effects in our lives. 

So, my ideas for changing a negatively focused life to a positively focused one follow:

1. Before you get out of bed in the morning think of at least 10 things you are grateful for. They can be anything from health to friendships to ANYTHING. What are you grateful for? I advised my sweet Mommy to do this when she was feeling depressed, and she said it entirely lifted her depression. This is one of those things that sounds like a good idea, but really, if you try it, it does make a difference. 

2. When you chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo every morning and evening, start with a feeling of gratitude. SUMMON gratitude. Work your spiritual muscle. Think of what you are grateful for, and make your own life, and your own self be part of that prayer. We are all so fortunate to have heard of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.  We are all fortunate to be practicing, to have a Gohonzon, and to be a part of the Soka Gakkai organization with our mentor Daisaku Ikeda and countless sincere members worldwide.  Bring forth that feeling of appreciation when you chant. 

3. Chant to reveal your Buddha nature. Chant to believe in the goodness within yourself. Chant to shine your life from within. 

4. When you focus on your life being the actual proof that this practice works you will see benefit. When you focus on being an example, and having your life and actions inspire others to begin chanting, you will see benefit flowing in all directions into your life. Chant to do shakubuku and help others become happy, and you will experience greater joy than ever before. 

5. Realize that you ARE the Buddha. You are the walking, talking embodiment of someone who is awakened to the law of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. This realization alone is a great cause for your happiness. Chant to see yourself as a Buddha and to feel yourself as the true Buddha you are. 

6. I chant to see the world through Daisaku Ikeda's eyes and to share his heart for Kosen Rufu. Sometimes when I chant I imagine him sitting here with me, and that our prayers for the happiness of all people are joined. 

Power Prayer for revealing your Buddha Nature and Appreciating YourSELF

"I chant to reveal the pure, sparkling Diamond
 of resilience, strength, wisdom and heart
 that lies within me. 
With every Daimoku, I chant to be more aware 
of how wonderful I am every single day. 
I chant that every cause I make, 
at every single moment of every single day 
leads me to see my Buddha nature. 
I chant that my Buddha Nature emerge 
and flow from my life touching everyone I see. 
I chant that I see my life 
as the brilliant sparkling Diamond that it is. 
I chant that throughout the day 
I say only nice words to myself. 
I chant to praise myself with my every thought. 
I chant to believe in my own goodness 
and to see it revealed in my actions. 
I pray to realize my life as the Buddha I am.
I chant that those around me are inspired to begin chanting, just by seeing my happiness flow. 
I chant to meet the people who are looking for this law, 
and to be able to help them practice"

Buddhists Take Action!

This blog is not on official publication of the SGI. It is written by a 30 year practicing SGI member. My purpose is to share the profundity and actual proof of chanting through my own life. You can subscribe by putting your email in the box to the right. You can translate using the translate button at the top right. If you want to share this blog please include the name chantforhappiness.com. Thanks! 

There is a reason for everything, right? And Ben's cause is a noble one. I have my son Ben's permission to share this with you. 

As many of you know, my 22-year-old son Ben was a star athlete who received a full college scholarship to run at a private university. But he was injured and could never compete again. 

The stress of this situation brought on a mental illness when he was 20 years old. For the past 2 years, Ben has been in and out of the hospital and various treatment centers. He has tried to end his own precious life many times, and I firmly believe it is my Daimoku, our Daimoku, and his mission, that has kept him alive.  

We recently found a place for him to live in Evanston Illinois called Albany Care psychiatric facility. Our hopes were that Albany Care could help him get back on his feet, gain confidence, and hope...and eventually he could live the life he was born to live...one of value and fulfillment. 
He had only been there a week when the following occurred:

Last Sunday Ben and I were heading out to a movie, but he was agitated. We parked in a 6 story parking garage. I put on warmer shoes while he stepped out of the car. He went down the elevator before I did and I could not find him when I reached the ground floor.

I began calling people in terror. Aaron, (Ben's brother), and Meg, (Aaron's girlfriend) were only blocks away (so myoho!) they live about an hour away - and Paul, Ben's Dad, was also close. 
They showed up quickly and began looking for Ben. I also called 911. 

When we "found" him he was standing on the narrow ledge of the parking garage, 6 stories above us, in an altered state of mind. 

Police and fire department officials worked together to rescue him. He was in this altered state because he had stopped taking one of his medications. These medications are deadly if someone stops taking them. We have got to do a better job and find better forms of treatment!

It was an amazing event. The man who snuck up behind him and saved him was an off-duty detective, Ken Carter, who was having lunch in a restaurant directly beneath where Ben was standing. His fiance looked up, saw Ben, and they called for reinforcements. MYOHO! 
(I didn't know where Ben was at this time - we were all looking for him on the ground)

And the detective who talked with Ben while Ken snuck up behind him has been chanting since the age of 12 and was raised as a Buddhist by one of my mentors. Thank you Detective Corey McCrary. MYOHO! 

Ben is determined to live. He snapped out of it right after he was rescued. He said he wanted to live. He chanted Daimoku with me and Aaron in the hospital that night. We chanted in tears of gratitude. I was thinking of all of you and our shared Daimoku all day. When I saw him on that ledge I thought "It's up to you shoten zenjin!" 

Ben also chanted Daimoku with me last night at the psychiatric hospital when I went to see him. He had to ask for a private room for us to do this. And HE did it. 

And the other amazing thing is this:

When I called Albany Care in Evanston (the place he'd been staying) to plead with them to take him back, I talked with their Administrator. 

He told me that unless funding is restored by the state of Illinois legislature Albany Care (and ALL psychiatric facilities in the state of Illinois) will be CLOSED by July 1st 2015! I was already going to write letters of thanks to the police, fire department, and newspaper... 

Now my letter writing has taken on new meaning. I am writing letters of thanks that include pleas for people to contact their congress people. 

It is crucial that it stay open. ALL the psychiatric intermediate care places will close if funding is not restored. We can't let this happen. People will end up in the hospital, in prison or on the street. It will not save the state money. It will cost the state money and cause immeasurable human suffering. 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! Onward and Upward! 
Buddhists chant and take action! 

Buddhists summon the unfathomable power of the Mystic Law within our lives. 
Buddhism is about chanting and intelligence...knowing when to take action, and what action to take. I am chanting strongly every single day to know what to do - and to do it! 

(If you live in Illinois and want to take action, contact me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com and I can tell you how to look up your government officials.) 


Saturday, May 30, 2015

8 More Forms of Fortune




8 More Forms of Fortune


Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo brings fortune into our lives...far better than "things" or money can ever do. Don't get me wrong, money is great...but it doesn't bring absolute happiness or fortune!

From reader BHAVIKA VATNANI 

1. Fortune is being wise in every situation of life.. 
2. It is being a person who can never hurt anyone and      himself or herself too... 
3. It is being happy all the time and believing that we will get what we want.. 
4. Fortune is a feeling of having something, what we really don't have and still being happy, just because we believe we have that.. And then by feeling it, we get it...

and a few more from me: 

Fortune is

1. Hitting all the green lights.
2. Being on time
3. Knowing you've helped others
4. Having friends

Write me your ideas of fortune at chantforhappiness@gmail.com


Friday, May 29, 2015

When You're Down - Just Keep Chanting

(I share these posts as a fellow SGI member, not in an official SGI capacity. (Although I love the organization and strongly encourage you to follow the link to the right to find out more! If you'd like to subscribe to the blog please enter your name at the right)

Sometimes life seems to hit you from all sides all at once. I'll just bet you know what I mean. We call this sansho shima, (the fundamental darkness in life) and we know our problems are tailor made to strengthen our lives. We know this. We know we can turn any poison into medecine. 

But we are human, and occasionally we get a little down. 
When I woke up this morning I felt heavy with worries. I went for a walk and sat down to chant. For the first 15 minutes, I had very unsatisfying chanting (Daimoku). My mind was full of "What if I did this? What if I do that? Maybe I should..." I was attempting to strategize my worries away. But I know this is not the most powerful way to chant. I knew I had to get back to my lion's roar of Daimoku. 

"Help!" I thought. And I reached for a recent World Tribune (that's the SGI newspaper in the U.S.), and found this quote by my mentor, Daisaku Ikeda. He was quoted in Gitima Sharma's experience from the April 20th, 2015 World Tribune.
"The daimoku (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) that we chant...is not a weak, imploring pleas for something. It is a lion's roar that reverberates with all our being, and is powered by making a personal vow, setting our minds on realizing it and aligning our lives with the fundamental law of the universe. Ther is no force stronger or more sublime." 
Gitima goes on to state in her experience, "With the roar of a lion, I prayed: I will shine as President Ikeda's disciple and use my education to advance kosen-rufu."

And I went back to chanting in front of my Gohonzon. Once again realizing I am a Buddha. 


After this, I chanted another hour of hope-filled dynamic Daimoku to change any part of me that could be limiting me in any way. I chanted to fulfill my vow to use my talents for kosen-rufu.
I chanted in appreciation, and I chanted for kosen-rufu, and every member and all my friends...especially a dear friend in the hospital. 

And I ended my morning chanting feeling refreshed and ready for the day. So the moral is, if you feel stuck chanting and strategizing don't give up. Reach for a quote of Sensei's and chant until you feel satisfied and strong!  

Thursday, May 28, 2015

We Are The World (1985) (Official Video)






A reader in New York sent this to me.

I love the unity of the performers and yes, 
WE are the world!

Sending love and joy. Enjoy!






Encouraging the Person Right In Front of Us


(You can now subscribe 
by putting your email in the box to the right)
From the May 3rd World Tribune, Daisaku Ikeda states in the essay "What is the Correct Path in Life?" page 4

"The eminent British historian 
Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975) 
affirmed his belief 
that the only way to relieve the sufferings of our world 
is through some sort of religious faith, 
which could take the form 
of love for others or concern for their happiness; 
something bigger than ourselves 
that leads to overcoming self-centeredness and egotism. 
This is the perfect description of you, 
the members of the SGI who, 
embracing the eternal and indestructible Mystic Law, 
strive to encourage the person right in front of you 
and dedicate yourselves to realizing the great dream of kosen-rufu."

That's us, isn't it? 
Every day striving. Every day Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to be the Buddha at every moment. We chant for wisdom...we chant for understanding...we chant for ourselves and for our fellow travelers along the road. We chant to show actual proof that summoning the Mystic Law by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo every single morning and evening works...and to inspire others.

At every moment, through every trial, I strive to be the example of someone who really, sincerely, cares for others. This last place Ben lived in Evanston was full of people who looked very different from the people I usually encounter day-to-day. 
Each time I visited I enjoyed meeting these new friends and sharing new smiles. 
And with each professional, I felt and expressed heartfelt appreciation for the good work they do. At every moment I, just like you, am the Buddha in the world. 
Right now, that place is refusing Ben reentry, and I am doing what I can to appeal their decision.  I am determined to find him the help he needs - whether here or elsewhere.  
I am continuing to follow my guidance to chant to end the karma of mental illness in my life, and in my family forever.

I don't know how the victory is going to unfold. That's something we just don't know. All we can do is live each moment just like our mentor states...encouraging the person in front of us. 

On Tuesday, I gave my speech Growing Older, Bolder, BETTER! to an audience of people who are aged 50 or better. Three people stayed to talk to me at length. One said that this morning was her "Hon nim myo" and my speech was her new beginning. I love my life! 

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

18 Types of Fortune and 3 Ways We Build Fortune in Our Lives


I get many emails asking how to get money  ~ and asking "Is it ok to chant for money? 
As you know, I am an enthusiastic SGI member, and this blog is not an official SGI blog. Here I share my heart of faith with you. 
First I would would like to say to chant for exactly what you want. If you need money chant for money~! You deserve to have what you need. There are many, many examples of people chanting for money and getting it. I chanted for 5K and got it immediately. 

But underlying the need for money there is a deeper and more exciting benefit that we can access within our lives. We can access and build TRUE FORTUNE into our lives. 

What is FORTUNE? How do we build it for ourselves?

First of all, fortune is self made. No matter what our levels of fortune may be before we begin practicing Buddhism, once we begin intoning the name of the Law of Cause and Effect, the Mystic Law itself, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, our lives begin to move in the direction of fortune. 

With our Daimoku (chanting) we begin "changing from the inside out", the ONLY way to affect true and lasting change. 

And with each passing day of chanting, studying, encouraging others and introducing people to this practice our fortune grows and grows.

Fortune :

Daisaku Ikeda states: "Governments come and go, economies rise and fall, and society changes constantly. Only the good fortune we accumulate during our lives lasts forever. True victors are those who cultivate the tree of Buddhahood in the vast earth of their lives while achieving success both in society and in their personal lives through true faith and a true way of living. (Faith in Action page 110)

Fortune is being in rhythm so that we KNOW what to do, and have the spirit, conviction and courage to make the best possible causes at all times! 

Fortune is being in the right place at the right time. 

Fortune is Happiness and the ability to overcome any suffering and turn poison into medicine.

Fortune is strength and resiliency. 

Fortune is getting a call from an associate about a job opportunity that happens to be perfect for you. Being in the Right place at the right time.

Fortune is having the courage and wisdom to say what must be said and do what must be done at the crucial moment. 

Fortune is always having what you need when you need it. 

Fortune is having the time to chant to our heart's content and encourage others, too. 

Fortune is being able to join harmoniously with our fellow SGI members creating a new kind of family for us all. 

Fortune is being born at the same time as Daisaku Ikeda and learning how to engrave the mentor disciple relationship into our lives so that it is a living, powerful source of energy and wisdom in our lives.  

Fortune is the finding solace and peace even when we have lost a loved one. 

Fortune is experiencing the true depth of friendship... knowing how to be a friend, attracting, keeping and appreciating quality people in our lives.  

Fortune is experiencing how to love and be loved in return. 

Fortune is the freedom to live our lives as we want...traveling freely and happily. 

Fortune is health. 

Fortune is the ability to laugh.  

Fortune is the ability to sit in front or our Gohonzons and carry out a meaningful dialogue within our own lives that makes the impossible possible, and brings happiness to ourselves and our families, friends and world.

Fortune is seeing that advertisement for exactly what we need when we need it. A few years ago I kick started my 70 pound weight loss by turning on the TV and seeing a weight loss program being advertised that I ordered and really worked for me. Another time I googled "Agents looking for authors" and found out about a Writer's Digest Conference in New York. A week later I was on a plane to a conference that really forwarded my writing career. 

How do we build fortune for ourselves?

1. First we must build a strong practice 
The more "work" we put into building our practice...the less "work" we have to put into our lives...the less struggling we have to do. We can use all the resources at our disposal to CREATE the discipline to be able to chant twice a day every day and participate in activities. Being a part of the SGI is crucial. Click on the link to the right or send me an email if you need help finding your local organization. 
The foundation of our practice is 
Faith
Practice for ourselves and others
and Study
Having the wisdom to open our lives is crucial. Seeking guidance is a way to open our lives. 
Having a seeking mind to understand how and why the Mystic law can have such a profound effect on our lives is important. Studying our SGI publications is important. We call this having a seeking spirit. 

Fortune Comes from Having the spirit and the prayer: 

"I will WIN because my life is important. I will use my life as a shining example that this practice works!! My winning will be a real "win/win" because I will inspire others to the greatness of their own lives! I will win for kosen-rufu. I will win over my own negativity. I will absolutely do this!" 

2. Determine and believe we DESERVE what we want fuels our fortune. Every action we take all day long is a cause for our happiness. What do we want? Why do we want it? What can we do to fuel that desire? 
Hon Nim Myo - "from this moment forth". Every time we chant we begin life anew. From this moment forth I will win. From this moment forth is EVERY MOMENT. We have the power to change. NOW. We chant the MYSTIC LAW underlying all of life. Wow. We are filled with fortune!

3. Chant for what we want, and Chant for STRENGTH of practice and strength of mind and heart! If we want money, we chant for money. If we want to NEVER WORRY ABOUT MONEY AGAIN - we chant with this in mind. If we want a job we chant for it. The world is OURS. We chant for exactly what we want!

What does fortune mean for you? Write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com with your experiences and comments! 

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

3 Secrets for Setting and Reaching Goals


"This Lifetime will never come again; 
it is precious and irreplaceable. 
To live without regret, 
it is crucial for us to have a concrete purpose 
and continually set goals and challenges for ourselves. 
It is equally important 
that we keep moving toward specific targets 
steadily and tenaciously, one step at a time." 
Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow, page 55. 

We all know we need to make lists and write down our targets and goals, don't we? We've seen the studies that report that college graduates with clear goals achieve more success than others who don't have written goals. But still, somehow it can be difficult to set goals and write them down. 

Why is Setting Goals difficult? 
1. Many of us have set goals and failed to reach them. Ugh. For more years than I could count I set a goal to lose x amount of weight by my birthday. Raise your hands if you've ever done the same. And we've seen those targets breeze by...losing faith in ourselves. These failures mean nothing. We should make goals anyway. 

Amos Snell, my dear friends and mentor who helped raise me into this faith would always say "Do you know how many times you get to remake a determination? A million or more. Just keep remaking that determination, chanting in front of the Gohonzon and you'll make it happen. Don't give up." He'd also say "You're a Buddha. Dream BIG!"

2. Sometimes it's hard for us to decide what our goals ARE. Maybe this does not describe you. Maybe you can set clear goals and targets and achieve them every time. Well, for the rest of us it is more difficult. For whatever reason, sometimes I just have the hardest time deciding. So I chant about making the correct decision and bringing wisdom forth from my life. 

3. We're afraid we won't reach our goals. That's a version of number 1 above. Or...maybe we're afraid we WILL reach them, and regret the outcome. 

So let's just go for it and set those goals.
I put kosen-rufu at the center of every goal. "I want to acheive THIS so I can show actual proof and inspire others to chant!" That's kosen-rufu in action. 


3 Secrets For Setting Goals 
and Reaching Them! 
By Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com

1. For every goal you have be clear on WHY you want to achieve that goal. Write your goal...and write WHY you want to achieve it. As a Votary of the Lotus Sutra all of my goals include the vow to show actual proof through my own life that the impossible is possible. Years ago before I lost about 50 pounds I wrote down all of the reasons I wanted to be thinner. I still have that list and have referred to it over and over through the years. That list of WHYS has really powered my results. 

2. Make yourself an inspiring name for this goal. I have a friend who embarked upon a fitness regime with a trainer. After a few days she was feeling discouraged, and I suggested she come up with a name for herself for this endeavor. She exclaimed "Fitgirl!" and has told me over and over how calling herself "Fitgirl" gets her out of bed and to her workout every day. What name can you come up with for yourself to invigorate (great word - meaning "give life to") your goals? Email me some of your goal names! You will inspire me and others. 

3. Chant about it. Inspire yourself. Release the fear. Chant to change yourself so you can make this goal become real. 
Write yourself your own personal PowerPrayer (fresh determination) or adapt one of the PowerPrayers from this blog. Really chant about it! Schedule time to make it happen. Go Buddha Go!

So here we are, May 26th. 
Ho Nim Myo! From this day forth. 
Be bold. Be Brave. Make your list. If I can do it...so can you! Go Buddha Go!  

Monday, May 25, 2015

Appreciation for the Protective Forces of the Universe




The protective forces within all life. 
We call them Shoten Zenjin. I love them, no matter what they are called. Yesterday they helped my son Ben one more time. And he is back in the hospital again.

This morning my friend Georgine is coming over to chant, my own personal shoten zenjin. My view is shoten zenjin manifest in many forms at any time. One of the people who helped Ben yesterday overheard me use the word "myoho." He said "I don't often hear people speaking Japanese." Of course, I told him I was a 30 year practicing Buddhist. He told me he'd been chanting in the SGI since the age of 12. Myoho indeed. Shoten zenjin indeed. 

Once more I sit down to chant in deep gratitude for Ben's life, for my life, for my family, for the members, for you, and for his shoten zenjin yesterday. I am more determined than ever to change my own karma so that my environment will change. 

"Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness could therefore be an obstacle." 
Nichiren Daishonin


Saturday, May 23, 2015

5 Essential Keys and a PowerPrayer for Shakubuku

(You can now subscribe to this blog by putting your email in the box to the right.
Translate using the button at the top right as well) 

Our lives blossom when we introduce others to this practice. (Shakubuku) When we introduce others we are doing the work of the Buddha. There are many ways to do shakubuku...in this post I focus on planting seeds. Three people had to tell me about Nam-myoho-renge-kyo before I started chanting. I had three seeds. Then I embraced this practice fully when an extremely articulate and passion woman (Kate Randolph) and I spent a day together. We'd been total strangers. After a day with her I began a dedicated practice with the wonderful San Francisco members who raised me as a Buddhist. 

You never know when seeds will sprout. Some of my friends began chanting right after I started. My Mom jumped right in after a year saying "I want what you've got!" and chanted the rest of her life. Many times with me and my two boys. 

So I plant seeds.

We are the Buddha after all. 

As my friend Kate says: 

The Gohonzon cannot get down off the wall 
and tell people about chanting. 
Only we can do it. 
And THIS is one of the main reasons 
we are worthy votaries of the Lotus Sutra. 
When we help others learn to practice 
our lives expand and we change our karma. 

Shakubuku is easy, not hard. 

It all starts with Daimoku. And a sky-high life condition! When we are beaming and happy people want to know our secret. And we want to tell them.

I chant this PowerPrayer to meet the people who are seeking this practice.
I firmly believe that there are Bodhisattvas out who made the vow to return at this time to prove the power of this law, but they haven't found it yet. YOU can be the one who helps them live out their vow.

There are so many people who are seeking the solution to their problems. There are so many who are suffering with no solution. But look at us...we know we can transform any poison into medicine. We are changing our karma right here, right now. I do shakubuku out of compassion for those who are still searching.

Five Things I Tell People About Chanting:

1. You can chant for whatever you want. And if you don't get exactly what you want, you will get something better. You get to KEEP your Desires! And that includes chanting for people you love. You can help others through your chanting. In this practice desires are NOT the cause of your suffering. They are the fuel for your happiness. How refreshing!  (Life is long. Patience is important. Not giving up is KEY.) 

2. You don't have to convert. It's like meditation. Anyone can do it. After chanting for a while, you may want to fully embrace this practice. After seeing the actual proof you will probably want to. But you can test it first and watch your own results. It works. 

3. You don't have to believe it will work. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the law of cause and effect. We don't have to understand it. When we turn on the light do we UNDERSTAND why electricity works? Most likely not. But it works. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a law. The law of the universe. You can these words and you will see an effect in your life. It will work. 

4. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means "I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration.It is the name of the rhythm of life itself. If you intone the name of the rhythm of life itself while focusing on your desires you tap into the energy of the universe...your highest potential...to make your dreams come true. Internal change is where it starts. Chanting works because chanting creates an effect on the INSIDE of your life. And because we are connected to our environment our environment HAS to change. It HAS to. And it will. 

5. Chanting has No rules. No paths to memorize. No uncomfortable positions or clothing. All people regardless of race or sexual orientation are welcome. 

If people have time to talk I also discuss the SGI, President Ikeda and the benefits of being part of this incredible organization. 

As many of you know, I looked for this practice for the first half of my life. I knew it HAD to exist. I kept finding practices that said my desires were the cause of my suffering.... Somehow I KNEW that my desires weren't bad...that they were a part of me, a lovely, beautiful part of me. So I kept searching until I found this practice. I know others are out there...just like I was...searching. That's why I write this blog! And I have been so grateful for the last 30 years to be able to chant and sing the story ~ CREATE the story of my life.

So everywhere I go I bring cards. I made them myself, and you can usually buy them at the SGI Centers. I have the words Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and the phonetic pronunciation. They also say: Chant these words and become happier than you ever imagined, and the contact info for the Chicago Center are on them. If appropriate I invite them to a meeting.

I hand people a card, even if I've just met them for a moment at a store, or in line somewhere. 

After I thank them for helping me,  I say "I have something special for you. I just have to let you know about this- Have you ever heard of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo? When you chant these words and think about what you want you become happier than you ever imagined."

Everyone says Thank You!
Almost NEVER does anyone respond negatively. 
And with each person I am planting a seed. It might not sprout now, but it might sprout when the NEXT person tells them, or when a family member starts chanting.  At any rate it a great cause for YOUR life too!


PowerPrayer for Shakubuku 
(to introduce others to this practice) 
By Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com

When you are experiencing benefits and your life is glowing like the sun, you will naturally want to share your secret with other people. 
Simply put, Shakubuku means sharing Nichiren Buddhism with others. From the Japanese, it means “to clear away illusions that prevent one from recognizing the ultimate truth or reality.” This truth is that we are all Buddhas. Every time you share Nichiren Buddhism with others you are doing the work of the Buddha, in helping others to attain happiness by realizing that they are Buddhas, too. Each time, you bring people one important step closer to knowing who they are and their absolute happiness. Please do not cut and paster this PowerPrayer. If you want to share please use the buttons at the bottom of this post. 

Life!

I chant for kosen-rufu Now! 
I deeply desire a world of respect for all of life. 
Let me meet the people who want to practice right now!
Give me the courage to tell them 
about Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
and the heart and wisdom to touch their lives.
Increase my level to really CARE about others, and to be articulate in sharing this practice. 
Give me the confidence and 
let my life SHINE with BENEFITS and ACTUAL PROOF 
so that people want to know my secret! 
Let my life SHINE! 

Do you have any shakubuku tips for the readers of this blog? Email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. Also send your experiences with a picture and a bio so you can share your inspiring practice on the blog! 

Friday, May 22, 2015

10 Powerful Quotes on Prayer by Daisaku Ikeda



Daisaku Ikeda's 
10 Powerful Quotes on Prayer 
(You can subscribe to this blog by putting your email in the box to the right)
~ 1 ~

Prayer entails an intense challenge 
to believe in yourself 
and stop diminishing yourself. 
To belittle yourself 
is to disparage Buddhism 
and the Buddha within your life.

~ 2 ~

Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. 
It is the way to banish sorrow, 
the way to light a torch of hope. 
It is the revolution 
that rewrites the scenario of our destiny.

~ 3 ~

Prayers are invisible, 
but if we pray steadfastly 
They will definitely effect clear results in our lives 
and surroundings over time. 
This is the principle of the true entity of all phenomena. Faith means having confidence in this invisible realm.


~ 4 ~

Prayer is not a feeble consolation; 
it is a powerful, unyielding conviction. 
And prayer must become manifest in action. 
To put it another way, 
if our prayers are in earnest, 
they will definitely give rise to action. 


~ 5 ~

Prayer is the courage to persevere. 
It is the struggle to overcome our own weakness 
and lack of confidence in ourselves. 
It is the act of impressing 
in the very depths of our being 
the conviction that we can change the situation 
without fail. 


~ 6 ~

Prayer is an attempt 
to merge the inner workings of our life 
with the rhythm of the universe. 
When we pray in such a way, 
all the workings of the universe 
will function to protect us 
and the endless cycle of painful reality 
will be transformed 
into a cycle of victory and happiness. 
Prayer is the key to open the door 
to unleash 
that infinite human potential within our lives. 


~ 7 ~

The important thing 
is to firmly fix our gaze 
on our own weaknesses, 
not run away from them, 
but to battle them head-on 
and establish a solid self that nothing can sway. Hardships forge and polish our lives, 
so that eventually 
they shine with brilliant fortune and benefit. 
If left in its raw, unpolished form, 
even the most magnificent gem will not sparkle. 
The same applies to our lives. 


~ 8 ~


Prayer is not of the realm of logic or intellect. 
It transcends these. 


~ 9 ~

Prayer is an act 
of which we give expression 
to the pressing and powerful wishes 
in the depths of our being 
and yearn for their fulfillment. 


~ 10 ~ 

"What kind of future do I envision for myself? 
What kind of self and I trying to develop? 
What do I want to accomplish in my life?" 
The thing is to paint this vision of your life in your heart 
as specifically as possible. 
That "painting" itself becomes the design of your future. The power of the heart 
enables us to actually create with our lives 
a wonderful masterpiece 
in accordance with that design. 

It is not about others. 
It is about you winning, 
and winning over yourself. 
By doing so, you will provide inspiration 
and encouragement to all around you. 

From Ikedaquotes.org

10 Powerful Quotes on Prayer by Daisaku Ikeda




Daisaku Ikeda's 
10 Powerful Quotes on Prayer 

~ 1 ~

Prayer entails an intense challenge 
to believe in yourself 
and stop diminishing yourself. 
To belittle yourself 
is to disparage Buddhism 
and the Buddha within your life.

~ 2 ~

Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. 
It is the way to banish sorrow, 
the way to light a torch of hope. 
It is the revolution 
that rewrites the scenario of our destiny.

~ 3 ~

Prayers are invisible, 
but if we pray steadfastly 
They will definitely effect clear results in our lives 
and surroundings over time. 
This is the principle of the true entity of all phenomena. Faith means having confidence in this invisible realm.


~ 4 ~

Prayer is not a feeble consolation; 
it is a powerful, unyielding conviction. 
And prayer must become manifest in action. 
To put it another way, 
if our prayers are in earnest, 
they will definitely give rise to action. 


~ 5 ~

Prayer is the courage to persevere. 
It is the struggle to overcome our own weakness 
and lack of confidence in ourselves. 
It is the act of impressing 
in the very depths of our being 
the conviction that we can change the situation 
without fail. 


~ 6 ~

Prayer is an attempt 
to merge the inner workings of our life 
with the rhythm of the universe. 
When we pray in such a way, 
all the workings of the universe 
will function to protect us 
and the endless cycle of painful reality 
will be transformed 
into a cycle of victory and happiness. 
Prayer is the key to open the door 
to unleash 
that infinite human potential within our lives. 


~ 7 ~

The important thing 
is to firmly fix our gaze 
on our own weaknesses, 
not run away from them, 
but to battle them head-on 
and establish a solid self that nothing can sway. Hardships forge and polish our lives, 
so that eventually 
they shine with brilliant fortune and benefit. 
If left in its raw, unpolished form, 
even the most magnificent gem will not sparkle. 
The same applies to our lives. 


~ 8 ~


Prayer is not of the realm of logic or intellect. 
It transcends these. 


~ 9 ~

Prayer is an act 
of which we give expression 
to the pressing and powerful wishes 
in the depths of our being 
and yearn for their fulfillment. 


~ 10 ~ 

"What kind of future do I envision for myself? 
What kind of self and I trying to develop? 
What do I want to accomplish in my life?" 
The thing is to paint this vision of your life in your heart 
as specifically as possible. 
That "painting" itself becomes the design of your future. The power of the heart 
enables us to actually create with our lives 
a wonderful masterpiece 
in accordance with that design. 

It is not about others. 
It is about you winning, 
and winning over yourself. 
By doing so, you will provide inspiration 
and encouragement to all around you. 

From Ikedaquotes.org