Power-FULL Daimoku = Power-FULL Day!

How do we have Power-FULL Daimoku? 

Every day is a new challenge. 
Every day we wake into our glorious lives, that sometimes don't feel so glorious. 
Every day we have the chance to begin anew. 
Every morning, 
every moment 
is "Hon-nim-myo" ~ 
from this moment forth. 

I have a lot of things on my plate - just like you!

So I decided to make a determination before chanting ~ that after my hour of chanting I would feel absolutely refreshed, confident and ready for anything! I turned my phone off, made my tea, and chanted with some of these thoughts in mind. 
I write this Fresh Determination from my heart for you. You can read it before you chant and see if it inspires your fresh determination. 
This blog is for you. I do not express the official voice of the SGI, only the official voice of this one practitioner, myself, who longs for the happiness of all people! 

Fresh Determination
for a Power-FULL Happy Day!
By Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com

Life!
Today I embrace you at every moment
The wisdom I am creating, right now, 
through every Nam-myoho-renge-kyo I chant
pours through me every moment this day. 
Every moment is in rhythm
Every moment I am in exactly the right place 
at the right time
Seeing through the eyes of the Buddha I AM! 
I make a difference in every life I touch

The right words come at the right time. 
My warm heart shines
My confidence shines
I feel the love of those around me
I feel my love for myself, for my warm and wonderful self! 
I create an environment that appreciates me 
as I appreciate it! 
My brilliant future is assured
without me having to worry about it or strategize. 
I fuse my life force with Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and the spirit of my mentor Daisaku Ikeda. 
Together I renew my vow to change myself first, so that this will become a peaceful, respectful world! 

I am creating my future as I lovingly love my present! 
Here are some goals I am visualizing: 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gohonzon!
Life!
Some kind of way 
I am showing proof of this marvelous practice 
at every moment! 
Some kind of way 
the people I am chanting for 
will be happy and healthy!
I chant for ___________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
their health and happiness and stability! 
their ability to tap into their practice and get results!
their strong life force!
their mission for kosen-rufu! 
For ______________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
to be inspired and come to the meeting! 
This is a great day!

My New View! Look! Actual Proof Right Here!

Here is the view from my new apartment's PATIO! Yes, you heard me correctly ~ PATIO!!!
I have been longing for a patio for so long! Here is the pond I look out on~it has a family or two of ducks, a visiting egret, fish, and at least one huge frog that greeted me one evening when I was walking in! And my apartment is so clean and so sweet...it's just perfect for me. And the best part of all...my life is no longer on HOLD. I knew that I was going to transition to a new life....and here it IS!!!
Every day I am chanting in appreciation and living in an Apartment Community called (Get this~) Versailles. 
I have successfully made the move from a marriage that was unhappy to a life that is bringing happiness to the whole family. My boys are happy and love their new resort with a pool, hot tub and work out room, and Paul, my soon-to-be ex-husband is also happy. The boys are here a lot, and Paul's been over a few times to hang at the pool or have dinner here. How is it possible to be happily making this change?
 It all comes from Daimoku, Daimoku, Daimoku, and taking continual action for Kosen Rufu and for my own happiness. 
I chanted to make the type of internal change that would cause a change on the outside. All real change comes from within. I know it's a cliche, but it is also true. We are microcosms of the universe...and have access to all the power within our own life (i.e. the life of the UNIVERSE!)
I was terrified of living on my own...but here I am...just fine! And soooo happy. Will I be here forever? Who knows, who cares...this is such a nice new step! 
Believe in your right to be happy. Believe in your bright and creative life. KNOW that the universe is yours to command...chant with conviction and appreciation and LOVE YOUR LIFE!!! I Love YOU!

Buddhist Bliss!

That's just what I'm experiencing right now! Buddhist bliss...feeling...knowing...believing and seeing that my desires are actually leading me to the deepest happiness I've ever known...because they are leading me to chant hard from the deepest core of my being...as Nichiren Daishonin says "chant as if to make fire from wood, or water from a dry well" THAT kind of chanting!

You should just see me...since 2005 I have lost over 65 pounds...35 of that since October 28th of last year! I fit in the cutest clothes ever!

Think about the changes in my life since I began this blog and started chanting 2 hours a day. At that time I was soooo sad. That's one of the reasons I began the two hours a day...also I was entering into my 25th year of Buddhist practice and aware I wanted to make some huge changes in my life! And that's what I've done...

My husband and I are amicably divorcing and looking at the next phases of our lives now that our Buddha Boys are almost grown. We have fulfilled our parenting mission together. My desire is for us to have the kind of life after divorce that will inspire people...that we'll still work well together for the good of the kids and remain the close friends we've always been. (Can I just say that this is an enormous breakthrough)!!

And now I have something new and exciting and that is an opportunity to recreate myself in the work world. I am no longer employed by the retirement community I worked for over the past 4 years...and the future is so bright for me. I'm not sure exactly where it will lead me...but right now I'm planning a trip to go visit my dear friends in the Bay Area for a few weeks. I have friends all over and it's been a few years since we had good quality time together. Yaaay!

And this morning I chanted for 2 hours with a desire I can't share with you just yet...one I thought I couldn't have...one that would literally make the impossible happen. And here I am, on top of the world.

Remember - there are no bad desires! You desires are yours alone...if you don't get what you are chanting for you will get something better.