I was talking to a friend in faith yesterday and he mentioned that something happened in his job recently and he was "chanting to adjust to it." He is a driver for a non-profit. He drives mentally and physically challenged adults to the place they do their work.
A few weeks ago one of his favorite riders was taken off his route. This rider was someone he really loved. He felt he made a difference in his life by singing and joking every morning. He said whenever he sees him, his ex-rider starts to cry because he misses being driven by my friend.
And my friend told me he was chanting to adjust to this...chanting so he doesn't feel so bad about it....
I said, "Hmmm, why not chant and take action to get this rider back? You can make a determination, chant, and make sure someone in a position of authority sees him the next time he is crying because he misses you."
Well, my friend though this was an excellent idea and he's going to do just that.
After the conversation, I thought about us all. How often do we chant to accept something when we really could be chanting to change it? Interesting thought, right?
We are so much stronger than we know!
Love this!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent topic!! I find myself doing this all the time. I am unclear about what to chant about because I think I do not deserve to ask for what I want. I have self-sabotaged myself even before the conclusion. I must be CLEAR about my DREAMS and what I want to accomplish because I AM A BUDDHA! thank you, Jamie!
ReplyDeleteU made me ponder so much after this..!!
ReplyDeleteThank u so much
U made me ponder so much after this..!!'
ReplyDeleteThank u so much
wow. What an encouragement. Thank you
ReplyDeleteHi, this is quite strange. Most days I hear 'chant to accept' even if in a different wording. Chant to get exactly what you want is sniffed upon on this side of the pond. Or at least that's how I feel.
ReplyDeleteDear Jamie, I love you so much. I am Shuvra, a women's division member from India. I can't help but cry many times for your son Ben. Wanted to send some Shiva chant for you. Prayed lot many days for Ben. I have a mentally challenged brother named Abhijeet( 45 yrs) and parents who chant. I started my practice in New Delhi as an Young Women's Division member
ReplyDeleteSoka Gakkai, the chant, how Sensei has occupied my whole life.My wish is such that, every single person I would meet, I would talk about the chant and if later, whenever they would remember me, they should say Nam Myoho Renge Kyo in mimd. As if it is like Mathematical equation, Shuvra=Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
Being a Hindu by birth, I am equally devoted to Hindu Gods. In fact, once I was quite ill. I had severe depression and all my block members in Delhi were chanting for me which I came to know later. You know, that time I was so depressed, I was unable to speak out even a word. Due to my younger son's six months ceremony we all went to our local temple complex, known as Kali Mandir Complex.When I entered the Shiva temple and paid obeissance to Lord Shiva, I clearly heard, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo there! Next, when the priest at the Radhakrishna Temple was sounding the bell during aarti , it sounded like NMHRK! In fact, my mother had heard this sound of daimoku long time back,while working in her kitchen at dead of night. Even once during my illness I heard during the twilght, faint sounds of daimoku coming from high above the stars. That time I did not believe what I was hearing and was crying out loud when my block chief luckily came and she made me chant together. There are numerous more such spiritual experience s I have. I don't know how much sane a person I am. I have too much bent towards Indian classical music and dance . Can sing little. I want to embrace the whole of world. I FEEL Sensei and Mother. Don't have any other expression. The very thought of Sensei makes me cry and cry.What will I do?Husband and children say I am highly mentally imbalanced.Do you think the same for me?
It happened to me. I was with a Christian friend, he went in a corner to pray.., I could hear the rhythm of the universe 'Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo' - I restarted practicing after a six month breakdown. I truly believe all religion come from the same source. Thank you for sharing your experience-
DeleteThank you so much, Jamie. I've been told before this that I should put down on paper in clear uncertain language exactly what I want, but I keep skirting the issue, whether out of fear or embarrassment or because I'm generally woolly headed I'm not sure. I find it easier to put down what I wish for friends and family, but for myself I become vague. As for Gita's feeling that on this side of the pond we are encouraged to 'chant to accept', that has not been my own experience so far. On the contrary, I've been told to specify an exact date by which I want a particular wish to come true. It's my own inhibitions that hold me back. Of course I'm pretty new in the practice - just five months - but I'm working on it.
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