When a Problem Persists - Compassion for Ourselves!

Welcome to Chantforhappiness.com, a blog about drawing forth our own power, our own entire universe of Buddhahood, from within our lives by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (Meaning: I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration) You can now receive these blogs by email by putting your email address in the box to the right. 

This blog is written by a 30 year practitioner of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism...a practice that enables us all to strengthen our muscles of faith by showing actual proof and turning every problem into medicine ~  while encouraging others through our own lives. 

It is a noble and fulfilling practice. I began this blog almost 6 years ago when I was suffering from severe depression after a breakup. I determined to chant two hours a day - and permanently alleviate the depression that had been in my life since before I was born---was part of my karma, my mother's karma, and my family karma for countless generations. I made a stand to forever root this karma of depression out of my life and take the world along with me by writing this blog. I was successful. I no longer have any depression. I do not wake up with a veil of sadness that follows me through the day. It is gone.

We, as Nichiren Buddhists, know that problems and challenges are part of life...that they actually are part of the fulfillment of a vow we made before we were born to prove the validity of this mystic law. Our challenges are, in fact, the answer to our prayers and our means to strengthen our faith (and when we say faith we do not mean just belief - we mean belief put into action to get results). 

And sometimes our problems are daunting and persist. How do we deal with those? 

Frequent readers of this blog know that I have a 22-year-old son who has been sick for some time. He is still in the hospital and he's quite sad right now. He became ill over two years ago with what they call Schizophrenia, but from time to time I wonder if that's really what's wrong. And the problem persists. 

It is very difficult to have a child who is suffering, and every day I am grateful that he is alive and we have more chances to find the right treatment and find the right place to help him. 

And, even though I practice this incredible law, and have seen its benefits in my life for over 30 years, I must say this is a long and confounding challenge. Many of you are facing such challenges. I know. We are challenging our karma together. And I endeavor to use my life as an example to encourage you and give you hope. 

What I can say right now is to give Your SELF some compassion. It's easy to get down on ourselves when we have long challenges. It's easy to think "If I had more faith, I'd have solved this problem by now." But that type of thinking does not get us anywhere, does it? It only gets us down on ourselves and rattles our faith more and more. 

These last few days I've posted encouraging blogs for you and for me. Sometimes I have to really dig deep to see my own beauty and my own strength....and to know that when I visit Ben, even if I can't "fix" him, I have still made a difference just by being there...and that my daily chanting for him, for kosen-rufu, for you and for this world makes a difference even if I can't see it right in front of my eyes this very minute. 
It's been 4 weeks now since he was rescued off the top of a 6-story parking structure while threatening to jump. It's been a long six months where he has given up many times, and yet, he is still alive and has a great mission. The shoten zengin (protective forces of the universe) have come to his aid time and time again. I absolutely cannot give up on him, or denigrate myself for not having "fixed" this problem yet.

So please don't do that to yourself. Together we must boldly advance every day doing what we know we need to do...studying the words of Daisaku Ikeda, our wise, wise encourager, and reading the Gosho of Nichiren Daishonin, the man who realized that chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was the most powerful teaching for our time and endured persecution after persecution. He didn't say "Oh, this persecution is a sign that my faith is weak." He didn't get down on himself when he was exiled to Sado Island. No. He saw these challenges as proof of this faith, and we have to do the same. Being part of the SGI, going to local meetings, and chanting every morning and evening is our great, great fortune and a gift we give ourselves. 

Whatever you are challenging in your life, I invite you today to appreciate yourself anew. Do something nice for yourself. Be your own best friend. Think about ten things you appreciate about yourself. Write a note to yourself. Get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Honor your strength, courage, beauty and wisdom. 

Winter always turns to Spring! Do not give up! Let's keep persevering together!