6 Keys to Stop Suffering and Start Thriving!

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Six Keys to Stop Suffering 

and Start Thriving

By Jamie Lee Silver, Chantforhappiness.com

Key #1
Decide to Chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for longer times. 
Yes!
Daimoku WORKS. It absolutely does. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the law of the universe. And sometimes you just have to pump up the volume, and CHANT MORE! I remember something my mentor in San Francisco told me. She said she chants to be able to chant more. When she sets a goal of, say, two hours, she spend the first few minutes chanting to finish the two hours. Interesting.
And I'll tell you a little secret - the more you chant the more you want to chant. That's just the way it usually works for me....

(As you know, this blog is meant to inspire you by example. It doesn't take the place of our Buddhist study, and isn't an official publication of the SGI. It's just me, a regular person, a Buddha just like you, using her life as an example in the hope of inspiring you.) 

Key #2
Set a Daimoku Goal - How much will you chant a day?

A few weeks ago I began chanting two hours a day. How did I know I had to do that? I felt it. I felt myself spending too much time worrying about the state of the world. I felt myself being too emotional. So I decided "enough is enough!" It's time to take my practice to the next level - again! I'm going to get into the groove that only DAIMOKU can bring! 

Key #3
Break through together! 
Find a daimoku buddy.

So I talked with my friend Nina in Chicago and we decided to break chanting two hours a day together. We text each other when we start chanting, and we talk every few days. We aren't chanting at the exact same time, but we share the goal to chant two hours.

Key #4
Study! It brings everything together! 
I'm studying the Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra volumes 5 and 6 in preparation for FNCC's The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra conference beginning on November 18th in a few weeks. It's amazing. And I'm also studying the gosho, of course. 

Key #5 
Encourage someone else. 
I'm fostering a fellow Buddhist who wants to break through. I'm committed to her winning. We'll break through together! 

Key #6
Do shakubuku.
I do shakubuku with my life, just as Daisaku Ikeda writes in this month's study. I chant to be the bright shining light and to shine so bright that people are naturally intrigued and want to chant. I have several new friends chanting now. 

And I AM breaking through...

My spirits are better. I've found a doctor who is helping me with my insomnia, I have a broken foot and all the care I need to heal. I've solved some major problems that I've been worried about...and I've stopped worrying altogether. 
I have some other things in the works that are also exciting. 

That's a lot for just a few weeks of chanting two hours a day. What can chanting more daimoku bring you? What do you want? Let's win together! Let's all win together! 

How to Have a More Power-Full Gongyo and Power-Full Day!

How do we have Power-FULL Daimoku? 

I'm having a blast here in Florida. This place is all I ever longed for and MORE. I'm headed to my first planning meeting right now...Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! 

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. 

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!

12 Incredible Buddhist Quotes for Overcoming Illness ~ Please share

For any of you who are facing illness - this should raise your spirits! 

The person who originally compiled these quotes 

was able to use this practice and modern medicine 

to overcome breast cancer completely. 

Please feel free to forward the link to this post 

to anyone who is suffering from illness. 

From President Ikeda's Lecture series "The Hope-filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin: On Prolonging One's Life Span - Faith for Leading a Long and healthy Life" in the July-August 08 Living Buddhism. (Thank you to my friend Melissa Bradford for compiling these great quotes!)

1. “Suffering from illness is a means by which you can eradicate your negative karma.”  
President Toda, as quoted by President Ikeda. - pg 70 

2. “To see illness as an opportunity to transform our karma – this strong spirit and resolve can break through all obstacles and devilish functions and open wide the path to happiness.  Like a rocket blasting out of the earth’s atmosphere, the passionate conviction of faith that comes from viewing illness as an opportunity to transform our karma can become a powerful engine propelling us forward not only in this existence but throughout eternity, enabling us to freely savor everlasting happiness.”  Pg 74

3. “Becoming ill in itself is certainly not a sign of defeat.  Even the Buddha, who is said to have ‘few ills and few worries’ (LS, 214), struggles with sickness from time to time.  Accordingly, there will be times when we are confronted with illness.  The important point above all is not to be defeated mentally or emotionally by the prospect of being ill.  Faith is the source of the fighting spirit to stand up to illness.  Therefore, as we noted earlier, Nichiren Daishonin first of all talks about the ‘treasure of faith’.  Pg 77

4. “As Nichiren says, ‘Illness gives rise to the resolve to attain the way’ (The Good Medicine for All Ills, WND-1, 937).  If a practitioner who upholds faith in the Mystic Law becomes ill, it definitely has some profound meaning.  It could be said that confronting illness is one route to awakening to the eternity of life.  President Toda often said, ‘A person who has overcome a major illness knows how to deeply savor life.’” Pg78

5. From Matilda Buck’s guidance, World Tribune 4/27/01 pg 10 “When We Face Disappointment” – regarding SGI leaders who overcame cancer and chanted this way:  

Through this experience, I will become someone who does not doubt the Gohonzon (my life), no matter what happens.
As a Bodhisattva of the Earth, I have the mission to experience this, and as a Bodhisattva of the Earth, I have the mission to create a victory.
I will share the power of Buddhism with others, even as I grapple with this experience.
I won’t let my spirits stay down.  I won’t make a place in my life for negativity to settle.

6.From The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Volume 6:  “Praying with doubt is like trying to keep water in a bathtub with the plug pulled.  Our good fortune and benefit will drain away.  A passage from the ‘Perceiver of the World’s Sounds’ chapter reads, ‘from thought to thought never entertaining doubt!’  A confident prayer will reverberate powerfully throughout the entire universe.”  Pg 88

From Buddhism Day by Day:

7. “Buddhism views illness as an opportunity to attain a higher, nobler state of life.  It teaches that, instead of agonizing over a serious disease, or despairing of ever overcoming it, we should use illness as a means to build a strong, compassionate self, which in turn will make it possible for us to be truly victorious.”  pg 300

8. “The expansive world lies not in some distant place; it exists right where you are.  That is why you need to win where you are right now.  Today’s victory is linked to your eternal victory.”  Page 314

9, “No matter what the circumstances, you should never concede defeat.  Never conclude that you’ve reached a dead end, that everything is finished.  You possess a glorious future.  And precisely because of that, you must persevere and study.  Life is eternal.  We need to focus on the two existences of the present and the future and not get caught up in the past.  We must always have the spirit to begin anew ‘from this moment,’ to initiate a new struggle each day.” Pg 315

10. “The air around us is filled with radio waves of various frequencies.  While these are invisible, a television set can collect them and turn them into visible images.  The practice of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo aligns the rhythm of our own lives with the world of Buddhahood in the universe.  It ‘tunes’ our lives, so to speak, so that we can manifest the power of Buddhahood in our very beings.”  Pg 314



11. From For Today and Tomorrow Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda: Sept 20 pg 288:  When your determination changes, everything else will begin to move in the direction you desire.  The moment you resolve to be victorious, every nerve and fiber in your being will immediately orient itself toward your success.  On the other hand, if you think “This is never going to work out,” then at that instant every cell in your being will be deflated and give up the fight, and then everything really will move in the direction of failure.

12. Aug 15 pg 249:  The first thing is to pray.  From the moment we begin to pray, things start moving.  The darker the night, the closer the dawn.  From the moment we chant daimoku with a deep and powerful resolve, the sun begins to rise in our hearts.  Hope – prayer is the sun of hope.  To chant daimoku each time we face a problem, overcoming it and elevating our life-condition as a result – this is the path of “changing earthly desires into enlightenment,” taught in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.

Problems are Like Push Ups ~ They strengthen our Muscle of Faith!

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Problems, once embraced and challenged, are the "weights" that build our muscle of faith. 

How do we accomplish this? How do we embrace our problems? We embrace our problems every single time we sit down to chant. We embrace our problems every time we are not defeated. We embrace our problems every time we say "Heck NO! I've got a Gohonzon - this suffering ends NOW!" 

And we do this day after day after day. That's what makes us winners. We activate our highest potential through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. We access our wisdom, take the right action and power through when the going gets tough. 

How do we do this? For one thing, we focus on others we wish to help. Today, and every day, I wake up with the conviction that again, this day, I will win. I will win to show actual proof that YES! Chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo works! The Mystic Law (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) when chanted, activates our innate power, helps us to break through any dead ends, and enables us to forever change our karma. 

But it's not easy, is it? It takes courage to sit down one more time to chant...it takes courage to face our lives. And the more we face our lives, the stronger our muscle of faith grows. And when we have a strong muscle of faith we can sit down with absolutely no doubt and know that YES, this daimoku, this VERY DAY, is changing my karma forever! That's a strong muscle of faith! 

Every time we chant we have the opportunity to life the weights of our faith. RRRRRRR! We can do it. 

When we chant we strengthen our mind of faith!

How strong is our mind while sitting in front of our Gohonzon? How focused are we? How certain are we that WE are the Buddha commanding our life? 
Every time we overcome our resistance to chanting. Every time we ring that bell we win!

We are all winning together. 
You inspire me and countless others every day! 

Life is Eternal - Communicating With Eternal Lives is Natural!

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Dear readers, I first posted this a few days ago, and took it down when someone wrote in criticizing me. I'm very thankful for that person, because when I took it down I heard from some amazing people requesting I re-post it. We are now in communication about this subject. So now, I am summoning up my courage and posting it again. 

You see, I don't think it is strange to be communicating with someone I deeply love, (and whose life IS eternal) even though they have left their physical body. To me, it is very natural to be writing to Ben and have his words flow through my head and hand  ~ so he can write back to me. And I think the knowledge of how to do this could help many people. 

Is this Buddhism? Well, doesn't Daisaku Ikeda talk about dialoguing every day with Josei Toda? Is this any different? I "hear" best through writing. So that is what I do. I'm going to spend some time looking up quotes in the Gosho and by Daisaku Ikeda that relate to communicating with eternal lives. 

As always, this blog is about chanting for happiness. It is not an official SGI publication. It is what I write from my heart to share the benefits of this practice. Continuing to communicate with my beloved Ben, who has been "gone" just six months, is a HUGE benefit! Read on. And thanks for writing in! 

The last three years strengthened my life and my practice. Now I am ready to soar.
As many of you know, my son came down with an illness of the brain. Schizophrenia. And I fought with all my life, with all my practice, and with every breath, to save his life. And although I did not save his earthly life, I have learned the true eternity of life. And I have something new to share with people who have lost loved ones and are still suffering. We are still connected to our loved ones, and we can communicate in writing. 

From the moment Ben left his physical body, there was a gorgeous white egret swooping down to the pond by my patio. I felt it was Ben, my boy, coming to say "Mom! Look, I am free! I am free of this horrible brain disease! I am self-sufficient and I am free." And I dreamed of him, with a huge smile on his face, arms outstretched to dance with me. 

And, on the Friday after his life celebration, I wrote to him and asked if he was right here and if he had any words for me.

I am not psychic. I am not special. I am open. 

Several years ago, I lost some dear friends and communicate with them using automatic writing. I have told many people about this, and everyone who has tried it is amazed that it's so easy. 

The process is simple. All I do is write to him, ask if he has words for me, and keep my pen on the paper. Before I have even written my whole letter to him I hear his words coming to me. I keep my pen on the paper, and just write what I hear. 

Below is our first exchange. I write anytime I want. He always writes back. 

Dear Ben, 

Soaring above us all

free and flying

you got your way

you ended your torturous road

you are released,

you are released.

And now, you will have all of us chanting for you

as your mission continues, 

right here, 

right now, forever. 

Oh Ben, 

Write through me

laugh through me

live your happiness all around me. 

My dear boy, I know you never meant to hurt me. Not ever. 

Ben, maybe you’re sitting right next to me on this Friday ~ 

right here by the pool. 

What do you have to say? 

Mom, 

I did it. 

I meant to do it. 

~ at the time ~ 

and I knew it would make you sad, 

but somehow I still had to do it. 

I had to obey my mind, my legs, my feet, 

my incredible surge of strength and courage. 

I could not say no. 

It had to happen. 

And this story is not yet written, is not yet told ~

but will be. 

My life and death HAVE meaning~ 

Not HAD. 

Dearest Mom, my closest friend, don’t despair. 

I know you, 

                 you, 

                     you

will create a life of meaning, of love, 

of warmth and creativity. 

Together we will live on

Together we will always live on

Enjoy the sun

              Enjoy this day

                           Enjoy your life. 

                      

Your Ben

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to you, my friends. I hope the New year has been a fresh start for you. 

The Profound Eternity of Life

Buddhist Concepts – Wisdom....

A Buddha is characterized as a person of profound wisdom. The idea of wisdom is core to Buddhism.  But wisdom can be a vague and elusive concept, hard to define and harder to find.  How does one become wise?  Is wisdom something that we can actively develop, or must we merely wait to grow wiser as we grow older?  Perhaps it is because wisdom is such an indistinct concept that it has lost value as a relevant ideal in modern society, which has instead come to place great store in information and the attainment of knowledge.

Josei Toda, second president of the Soka Gakkai, characterized the confusion between knowledge and wisdom as one of the major failings of modern society.

His critique is starkly demonstrated in the astonishing progress of technology in the last century. While scientific and technological development has shown only a mixed record of alleviating human suffering, it has triumphed remarkably in its ability and efficiency in unleashing death and destruction.

Toda likened the relationship between knowledge and wisdom to that between a pump and water. A pump that does not bring forth water (knowledge without wisdom) is of little use.

This is not to deny the importance of knowledge. But knowledge can be utilized to generate both extreme destructiveness and profound good.

Wisdom is that which directs knowledge toward good--toward the creation of value.

Buddhist teachings, such as the concept of the five kinds of wisdom, describe and analyze in detail the dynamics of wisdom and how it manifests at different levels of our consciousness.

When wisdom is functioning in our life, it has the effect of enabling us to overcome the ingrained perspectives of our habitual thinking and arrive at a fresh and holistic view of a given situation. We are able to make a broad assessment of facts, perceive the essence of an issue and steer a sure course toward happiness.

Buddhism also likens wisdom to a clear mirror that perfectly reflects reality as it is. What is reflected in this mirror of wisdom is the interrelatedness and interdependence of our life with all other life. This wisdom dispels our delusions of separateness and awakens in us a sense of empathetic equality with all living things.

The term "Buddha" describes a person who freely manifests this inherent wisdom. And what causes this wisdom to well forth in our lives is compassion.

Buddhism sees the universe, and life itself, as an embodiment of compassion--the interweaving of the "threads" of interdependent phenomena, giving rise to and nurturing life in all its wonderful and varied manifestations.

It teaches that the purpose of human life is to be an active participant in the compassionate workings of the universe, enriching and enhancing life's creative dynamism.

Therefore, it is when we act with compassion that our life is brought into accord with the universal life force and we manifest our inherent wisdom. The action of encouraging and sharing hope with others awakens us to a larger, freer identity beyond the narrow confines of our ego. Wisdom and compassion are thus inseparable.

Central to Buddhist practice is self-mastery, the effort to "become the master of one's mind.  "This idea implies that the more profoundly we strive to develop an altruistic spirit, the more the wisdom of the Buddha is aroused within us and the more powerfully we can, in turn, direct all things--our knowledge, our talents and the unique particularities of our character--to the end of creating happiness for ourselves and others.

Speaking at Tribhuvan University in Nepal in 1995, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda commented, "To be master of one's mind means to cultivate the wisdom that resides in the inner recesses of our lives, and which wells forth in inexhaustible profusion only when we are moved by a compassionate determination to serve humankind, to serve people."

If human history is to change and be redirected from division and conflict toward peace and an underlying ethic of respect for the sanctity of all life, it is human beings themselves who must change. The Buddhist understanding of compassionate wisdom can serve as a powerful basis for such a transformation.

[ Courtesy January 2003 SGI Quarterly]

3 Perfect Ways to Set Goals - not Scary at ALL!

 

Written words have power. Many books have been written about the power of writing goals. I write my goals and determinations every day...and chant to change my life from the inside...to root out the karma I don't like, and replace it with better karma. And with each Nam-myoho-renge-kyo I chant, I vow to become even wiser, and make better causes each and every day towards my own happiness, and a happier world for all. Kosen-rufu! 

Here are some cool ideas for setting goals - try these:

Goal Setting Technique Number 1

Set "FEELING" Goals. 

You don't have to spell everything out. You don't have to be able to predict the future...all you have to do is make a determination to create a new feeling. Now, I don't mean that if something is bad, you should just "poof" feel better about it. No, that's not what I mean. But you can have a goal like this: 

"By March I will feel better about my finances, I will feel I am on more solid footing and I will feel more secure." Then chant about it. You can do this about anything you want to change. The person who introduced this to me is Nick Ortner who wrote the book The Tapping Solution. 

Goal setting technique Number 2

Write a narrative about how things will be when your goal comes true. 

I love setting goals this way. You can choose whatever you wish. Here are some examples for you:

 "Life! Gohonzon! I now live in a sunny climate with a job I love and a wonderful boyfriend. Every day I wake up glad to be alive and energized by the sun and my surroundings. I have friends to chant with, play with, shop with and take long walks. I laugh so easily and feel totally in the flow with my life. Every day is full of appreciation and love right now." 

or maybe:

"Life, Gohonzon, I am so happy! I have a job I love and I do something that makes a difference in people's lives. I make ______ and have these benefits______. This year I travel to ______ and ______for my vacations"......and on and on...you fill in the blanks. 

or: 

"My living situation is more harmonious than ever. Suddenly there is no more fighting and we all seem to have undergone a transformation. I feel more love in my life than ever. Thank you Gohonzon (my life!)

Goal Setting Technique #3

Write letters to whomever you want to bring into your life.

Many of you write me about finding the love of your life. Or about loving someone who does not seem ready to love you back. You can use this technique to write to a specific person, or to write to the love of your life - even if you haven't yet met. 

Here's how: 

Write letters to the person you envision being in your life. And if you really feel creative, write letters FROM them Back to YOU. 

Like this: 

Dear Love of my Life, 

I can't wait to meet you! Hurry into my life! 

I feel you close to me, I know we will meet shortly. You and I will enjoy so much together. I love your happy spirit, and sense of responsibility. You love my eyes and warm hugs. You are really made for  each other. We love and adore each other and love to make each other happy!  

Do you have any words for me? 

And then you write a letter from them to you: 

Yes!  

I can't wait until we meet. I have been waiting to meet you my whole life. Do not give up hope. I am nearer than ever before. Let's keep chanting and hoping and wishing on that star! Let's keep writing about our life together. It's getting closer and closer! 

And you can use this for a specific person as well. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy New Year dear friends. 

I hope you have a great New Year's Eve and a Powerful New Year's Day!

8 Questions to Start the New Year Positively

I always begin a new year by evaluating the last year...
I ask myself the following questions: 

1. What am I proud of - 
what are my main accomplishments from 2014? 
2. What COULD I be proud of? 
3. What did I read?
4. What did I learn? 
5. What new idea/modality/practice did I experience? 
6. What will I write down in my journal for the end of 2015? 
7. What am I determined to record at the end of next year's journal? 
7. Whose lives did I impact? 

And I write out a list of positive accomplishments in all areas of my life, mind-body-spirit. 

And I also take a look at the not-so-positive aspects of last year. 

1. What can I do better? 
2. What behavior will I commit to changing? 
3. What behavior will I commit to doing consistently? 

I also like to write out a vision of what I want my life to be. I do that every year. I write it in the present tense and put in all the elements I want. Then I read it often. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking back on last year is a harder than ever this year. Of course. 
But if I can face my life right now...if I can not give up and make a new determination to create a life of brilliant victory. Well then, so can you!

So the new year is a great time say: 

"Hon Nim Myo! From this moment forth!" 

Now is the time to bring forth more power from within my life than ever before. Now, because of what I have suffered, I can help so many more people. I can be a better source for good. I can create more happiness for myself and others. 

We can live in the present. It is all we can do. 
It is what we must do. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the December 2015 Living Buddhism, Daisaku Ikeda writes: 

"In a Buddhist scripture, Shakyamuni states: 

"The past should not be followed after, 
the future not desired. 
What is past is got rid of 
and the future has not come. 
But whoever has vision now here, 
now there, of a present thing, 
Knowing that it is immovable, unshakable, 
for him to cultivate it. 
Swelter at the task this very day" 

Daisaku Ikeda continues:

"It is foolish to endlessly suffer and agonize over the past, 
or to needlessly fret and worry about the unknown future. 
Instead, we should concentrate on taking care 
of the things that we have to do today. 
What is important is that we live each day 
earnestly and conscientiously.
This is the Buddha's message. 

Those who live long lives are for the most part optimists. 
I hope that you will live each day joyfully and with genuine optimism."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Everything is the Answer to Our Prayers

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"While controlling your mind, 
which is at once both extremely subtle 
and solemnly profound, 
you should strive 
to elevate your faith with freshness and vigor. 
When you do so, 
both your life and your surroundings 
will open wide before you 
and every action you take 
will become a source of benefit. 
Understanding the subtle workings of one's mind 
is the key to faith and attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime." 

Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow, page 95. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, if you read yesterday's blog you know I chanted like the house was on fire on Sunday. I chanted deep, heartfelt Daimoku that THIS MOMENT I was changing my karma through THIS Daimoku. Two hours. Powerful stuff. 

When we chant powerful Daimoku, or do a toso (extended chanting session) sometimes what we get immediately following isn't exactly what we expect. We might expect the skies to open and our benefit to fall straight into our arms. But it isn't always like that. 

The key for me is to recognize WHATEVER HAPPENS as a benefit. 

On Sunday night after this powerful Daimoku, I did not feel well. During the night, I had a dream where I saw Ben as a young child and was crying out "my baby, my baby!" I woke up not feeling well and weeping. (If you are new to this blog you can go back to the July 4, 2015 post and read it, and the days that follow) 

Instead of thinking "Oh no...this Daimoku clearly did not work," I thought,"Even THIS could be the answer to my prayers. I haven't cried in a while...maybe it's time to process some grief."

I took the day to cry. We may be Buddhas, but we are still human beings, and we still feel pain, just like Nichiren Daishonin did. And my philosophy is to feel what I feel. (Unless of course I am in the middle of a presentation or it is not an appropriate moment...we have to use common sense.)

I believe that if I run from my sadness, closing it up tight every time I feel it, I will not be able to ever let it out, and heal. I feel (but cannot prove) that closing off these emotions might lead to disease.  And it was my great benefit that I did not have anything pressing I had to do. I decided to let my sadness flow...and such sweet sadness it was. 

I took out all of the letters I got this summer, many of them from YOU, all over the world, and I read them, and felt all the love, compassion and feeling from each of the words in the cards...and I cried until there were no more tears left for that day. Then I stopped, refreshed, wrote in my journal, and made some calls. 

Today, my heart is light, and I am ready for this exciting week where I have four presentations in three days. I'm presenting "Growing older, Bolder, BETTER!" at the Downers Grove, Illinois Library on Thursday night at 7:00. Call and reserve a space if you're close and want to attend. 

Tomorrow is November 18th, Ben's 100th day. Please join me in Daimoku for his brilliant, sparkling life. I see him being reborn soon, without the troubles of this life...with a Gohonzon in his home...and having a blast as a youth in 2030...full of hope, inspiration, perseverance and mirth! 

Yesterday I got an email from someone in Canada who found out about chanting from this blog and joined the SGI this week! Isn't that wonderful! It fills my heart with joy!

My address is 17w702 Butterfield #104, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 and my email is chantforhappiness@gmail.com  

Karma Changing Chanting! Right Here Right Now!

RESOLVE

"The benefit of all the other sutras is uncertain, 
because they teach that one must first make good causes and only then 
can one become a Buddha at some later time. 
With regard to the Lotus Sutra, 
when one's hand takes it up, 
that hand immediately attains Buddhahood,  
and when one's mouth chants it, 
that mouth is itself the Buddha, 
as for example, 
the moon is reflected in the water 
the moment it appears from behind the eastern mountains, or as a sound and its echo arise simultaneously."

From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin - WND, p.1099
Wu-lung and I-lung. Written to the lay nun Ueno on November 15th.

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How can we, as Buddhists really make a difference in the world? We have seen the horrible news. There are so many who are suffering all over the world.

We are in the age of Mapo...a time of great challenges and darkness, and we chose to be born now so we can make a difference. We, as microcosms of the universe, can make the changes we need to make by changing ourselves first, by doing shakubuku to enable others to do this as well, and by taking the correct actions to stand up in faith and in the world. 

And, for me, it starts in the conviction 
of the power of the Daimoku 
I am chanting this very moment. 

RIGHT NOW, WITH THIS DAIMOKU, 
I am changing my life, 
and all of life. 

I have become aware of some karmic patterns I am determined to change. 
I have lived these karmic patterns my whole life. 

Today I had a deep resolve and change of heart that RIGHT NOW, WITH THIS DAIMOKU, I am changing these patterns forever. Just like the quote above so mystically says 

"the moon is reflected in the water 
the moment it appears from behind the eastern mountains, or as a sound and its echo arise simultaneously."

As I chanted I summoned up the deep conviction, expressed as the thoughts in my head, that each and every daimoku was changing my karma RIGHT NOW, not at some time in the future.  

"THIS DAIMOKU IS changing this specific karma right this very second."

I wrote down the nature of the karma I was changing. 

I dug deep into the feelings within my gut - these inner rumblings of fear, and doubt and pure emotion -  to change these feelings forever...to be rid of the doubt that my prayer would not work. I did not chant "wishful Daimoku" 
I chanted "Right here right now I am changing my karma FOREVER" Daimoku. 

After the two hours, as I was doing the silent prayers, I prayed to deeply realize that this very morning the Daimoku I chanted is a DONE DEAL. I prayed to have the conviction that I JUST CHANGED my karma, and I will not be swayed by any doubt. 
I believe in my Buddhahood and the Buddhahood of others. I believe in the power of the Nam-myoho-renge-kyo I just chanted. 
I have faith in the power of my prayer 
and the power of my life 
and my Buddhahood. 
I can, and DID, and will continue to change my karma, change the karma of our troubled world, and create a world fo respect for all beings (kosen-rufu) through my own life.