Putting Yourself FIRST

As one of my favorite people, Maya Angelou, says 
"A woman who takes care of herself is unstoppable."
A PERSON who takes care of himself/herself is unstoppable! 


What is the best way to take care of yourself? 


Put your PRACTICE first!!! 


I promise you, and I can prove to you by personal example, that if You make sure you have carved out your time and space to chant every day - twice a day - all you have ever wished for will be yours. 


And I know, it is not so easy to say "Now is my time to chant" when others around you are wanting things from you. But THIS IS THE EXACT way that you will STRENGTHEN YOUR LIFE. and when you have a strong life you can be a better person for everyone, including those around you who may be asking you for things at the exact time you want to chant!


Now, I do know there are just times that you have to be flexible. I know there are probably times you have to chant in the car on the way somewhere, but make these time the EXCEPTION and not the rule. 


The more clearly you carve out your chanting time, the stronger you become. It really does work this way. You MAKE your life conform to YOUR wishes. You say "I will chant for ____ amount of time every single morning. towards accomplishing _____goal." If you have not done this  ~ please do! It is the clearest way to accomplish your goal. 


My son did this a few years ago hen he was studying for his MCATS - the Medical School entrance exams. He chanted all summer consistently every day. He chanted more than he'd ever chanted every day. And occasionally he chanted and hour and a half at his leader's house and he went to SGI meetings. His goal was to achieve a certain grade on the MCATS and to get into a medical school that was the BEST school for his life. 


This was not an easy goal for him to achieve. He was working in a research laboratory, he was tutoring others and he was taking the MCAT prep course. But he put chanting first. 


He did not achieve the number goal he wanted on the test, so at first he thought chanting didn't work. But later, when he had stopped chanting as much, he realized that while he was chanting with determination he had the best semester he'd ever had at school. He felt the most "himself". He was able to express himself and accomplish a lot and he was just HAPPY! 


So now, he chants every day and has a much stronger practice. 
Cool huh? And he DID get into the perfect Medical School for his life. The Loyola Stritch School of Medicine. Coincidentally it's also the closest medical school to where I live. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!! 


Remember this:


When you put yourself first...when you carve out YOUR time to chant...your life will direct itself in the direction of your happiness. It has to. You are chanting the name of the mystic law. You are summoning the life in your life. You WILL achieve your dreams. But sometimes you have to fight for them...you have to fight the internal voices that say "I'm too tired to chant...or I really should do the laundry first." (and then suddenly it's 2;00 and you haven't done morning gongyo yet!)


Put yourself first by putting your practice first! 


Strengthen the core of your life!


Do this and write me and tell me how it's going!!! 


Chanting for you!

Human Revolution/Transformation can be painful - at first!

I have a friend who has a difficult relative who has been disturbing the peace in their family for some time. 
We all have people that disturb us, right? 


Well, I have found that there is only one solution for this problem and it works absolutely 100 percent of the time. Not only that, it will absolutely turn poison into medicine in your life. Seriously. I guarantee it. It works every single time. 


Today I went to the meeting here in Chicago with Danny Nagashima. It was great. I saw Danny last week in Los Angeles, and it was great to hear his lecture on the Treasure Tower today. He's so animated, so humble, so alive! If you get the chance to see him DO!!!


And there was an experience that included a really great thought. I have said before that the ONLY way to solve any relationship issues is to chant for the other person's happiness. I have done this so many times and gotten amazing results. One of two things either happens. Sometimes the person and I just fall in love in a really great way, and we end up having an unexpectedly great relationship. OR, they leave my environment. Either way, I concentrate on really, sincerely chanting for their happiness. 


In today's experience, the person said "Chant that their Buddha Nature hears YOUR Buddha Nature." And I thought "Yes!" That's it exactly. 


Why does chanting for another's happiness have such deep significance in our lives? It's because our lives and the lives of every other person on the planet, are interconnected. We are all one life. Science is proving this over and over. Nothing exists in a vacuum. When I chant for another person's happiness, I also chant for my happiness, and I do my human revolution. Just by transcending my anger at another, and chanting for their happiness....it is making a huge cause! 


And you can do this in all instances. 


Last night my friend was telling me about this "evil" person in his life. I understand that she has been a huge disappointment and caused a lot of pain. I said that chanting for her happiness was the only answer and he said "But she's just evil." And I said that she is a reflection of his own life...part of his karma that he needs to change...and that all life is interconnected. Her suffering is what is causing her "evilness", and he can chant for her happiness and it will raise his life-condition and change the dynamic of their entire family. In the end....he may look back at this time and say "Thank You!" to her for helping him do his human revolution. And, to my great happinness, he agreed to chant for her. I will join him in is prayer. 


I also reminded him that he is not asking anyone or anything for favors or blessings when he chants. He is only summoning the power of the universe that is rightfully HIS. That power is rightfully ALL OF OURS. And he needs to make a determination towards the happiness of his whole family. 


This type of prayer is karma changing. This is what human revolution is all about. This is the real stuff...the hard stuff....and the BEST STUFF for our lives. 
I challenge you to change the dynamic between you and someone you have problems with. You can do it. We can all do this. 


If you have a benefit write me! I want to hear! If you want me to share it with the other readers let me know!




 As I said I've been encouraging a friend in doing "family revolution"...at least that's what I called it yesterday. He said the word "revolution" makes him picture redcoats from the wars...so I think I'll use the phrase "Family transformation" for a while and see how that feels. What do you think? Let me know! The word REVOLUTION clearly means standing up to what is not right to create something better. The word transformation means a total change. Your opinion? 


At any rate, my friend was here yesterday filled with anger about this one person in his life...the one who has been driving him crazy...the one for whom he launched a fierce daimoku campaign for her happiness at the beginning of this week. He is, of course frustrated that another incident around this woman has come up to anger him...and I think he is starting to be humbled as well. He's getting to the part of his Daimoku where he is realizing that his reactions to each situation are going to have to change TOO. Oh how painful, yet how breathtakingly real and freedom-giving to see your own part of the problem and be open (even just to have the realization) that family transformation (any transformation) includes YOUR transformation! Ouch! 


This takes GUTS! 


He also said he was going to have to think about how to fix a part of the problem and I said "No! Stop thinking! Your mind hasn't helped you so far! Just chant for awhile! Chant in the car, chant whenever you can...just chant and take a break from thinking!" And he laughed wholeheartedly knowing I was right. Sometimes we do think too much! Instead, make your determinations for the outcome you want, and just chant!! Try it!


As I've said before, this practice is not for cowards! No! Practitioners of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism will ONLY WIN IF THEY CONTINUE TO ROAR LIKE LIONS! We all have to continually, every single day, roar down the tendencies we have in our own lives to cause ourselves pain! We are fighting back years of habit...lifetimes of karma...and WE CAN DO IT! And each time we triumph, we change the fabric of the entire universe and make everyone stronger against their own innate darkness. 


We all know how easy it is to blame others...blame our bosses...blame our jobs, blame anyone and everyone etc. But we know that doesn't make us any happier  - or change the situation! But somewhere in our minds we know that WE are present in each of the situations...and maybe...just maybe...what needs to change is our attitude. And through bringing forth the universe within us by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo we can do it! We can shed light on ANY darkness we still live with. This week I'm shedding light on an area of my life that keeps cropping up. And I am more determined than ever to ROAR it out of my life "I am a BUDDHA" I yell in my head when I chant! "I will not have this in my life! I MUST have absolute victory in all areas of my life. I MUST inspire my district and my blog readers and all I touch! 


Roaring right along with you my fierce and powerful friends!

The Secret to having ALL your relationships be fulfilling

I have a friend who has a difficult relative who has been disturbing the peace in their family for some time. 
We all have people that disturb us, right? 


Well, I have found that there is only one solution for this problem and it works absolutely 100 percent of the time. Not only that, it will absolutely turn poison into medicine in your life. Seriously. I guarantee it. It works every single time. 


Today I went to the meeting here in Chicago with Danny Nagashima. It was great. I saw Danny last week in Los Angeles, and it was great to hear his lecture on the Treasure Tower today. He's so animated, so humble, so alive! If you get the chance to see him DO!!!


And there was an experience that included a really great thought. I have said before that the ONLY way to solve any relationship issues is to chant for the other person's happiness. I have done this so many times and gotten amazing results. One of two things either happens. Sometimes the person and I just fall in love in a really great way, and we end up having an unexpectedly great relationship. OR, they leave my environment. Either way, I concentrate on really, sincerely chanting for their happiness. 


In today's experience, the person said "Chant that their Buddha Nature hears YOUR Buddha Nature." And I thought "Yes!" That's it exactly. 


Why does chanting for another's happiness have such deep significance in our lives? It's because our lives and the lives of every other person on the planet, are interconnected. We are all one life. Science is proving this over and over. Nothing exists in a vacuum. When I chant for another person's happiness, I also chant for my happiness, and I do my human revolution. Just by transcending my anger at another, and chanting for their happiness....it is making a huge cause! 


And you can do this in all instances. 


Last night my friend was telling me about this "evil" person in his life. I understand that she has been a huge disappointment and caused a lot of pain. I said that chanting for her happiness was the only answer and he said "But she's just evil." And I said that she is a reflection of his own life...part of his karma that he needs to change...and that all life is interconnected. Her suffering is what is causing her "evilness", and he can chant for her happiness and it will raise his life-condition and change the dynamic of their entire family. In the end....he may look back at this time and say "Thank You!" to her for helping him do his human revolution. And, to my great happinness, he agreed to chant for her. I will join him in is prayer. 


I also reminded him that he is not asking anyone or anything for favors or blessings when he chants. He is only summoning the power of the universe that is rightfully HIS. That power is rightfully ALL OF OURS. And he needs to make a determination towards the happiness of his whole family. 


This type of prayer is karma changing. This is what human revolution is all about. This is the real stuff...the hard stuff....and the BEST STUFF for our lives. 
I challenge you to change the dynamic between you and someone you have problems with. You can do it. We can all do this. 


If you have a benefit write me! I want to hear! If you want me to share it with the other readers let me know!

New Determinations from YOU! And news about my Buddha Boy Aaron

I am hearing from so many readers! Thank you so much. I love knowing that my words are making a difference. I just finished three hours of Daimoku this morning to be able to reply in this blog with as much wisdom as possible. 


First of all, to those of you who written to say that you are upping your daimoku instead of quitting chanting I say BRAVO!!!!If you quit you will never know what a glorious life you can have if you keep chanting. And yes, I know, chanting can make you feel all sorts of emotions that you've been tamping down by various methods. It makes sense doesn't it? Whenever you are really at the brink of changing your life forever... negative forces will rise up to get you to stop. Now, I don't say this to get you scared...it is just a fact of life that when a boat moves quickly the wind resistance increases. It's the same with faith...but the POWER, the real POWER in your life arises when you TURN UP THAT MOTOR and defy that negative wind. Happiness is your birthright. Claim it now. It does not come without struggle. It does not come without struggle. Persevere! As the Gosho says "Suffer what there is to suffer and enjoy what there is to enjoy, and continue chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo no matter what happens." Keep going and don't give up whatever you do! 


I was reading Discussions with Youth last night. Check this out. 
Daisaku Ikeda states " If the power of your faith and practice is a force of 10,000, then it will elicit that degree of corresponding power." (page 299) So I decided to chant this morning to increase the power of my faith 10,000 times!!! It was wonderful to chant this way. It was so easy to chant for three hours. I chanted for YOUR prayers to increase in power by 10,000 x and for everyone who is chanting to increase their faith by 10,000 x. Why not? ! It felt so good! 


He also said, " If you summon your courage to challenge something you'll never be left with regret. How sad it is to spend your life wishing , "If only I'd had a little more courage." Whatever the outcome may be, it is important to take a step forward on the path you believe is right. There is no need to worry about what others may think. Be true to yourself. It's your life after all."
That passage brought tears to my eyes. This morning I was chanting for courage! 


I have so many things to share with you. First of all last week my son Aaron was awarded the Campus Community Engagement Award from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana for the leadership program he started at Edison Middle School. The reception was lovely, and Aaron gave a great speech. The mayor and the chancellor were both there to present him his award. He received a beautiful etched glass standing plaque and $1500. He was the only student winner. The coolest thing is that he has also trained his replacement to keep the program running long into the future. That is the sign of a real leader...building things that last. 


And yesterday. Aaaahhh yesterday. There was a victory meeting for youth at the Chicago Buddhist Center and Aaron and I went. You might remember that he's a senior in college, and he's known as a fortune baby...meaning a child whose parents chanted for him before he was even born. He has chanted his entire life...and he recently realized that he is his truest, most happiest self when he is chanting. 
He stood on the stage in front of hundreds of people and announced that it had taken him 21 years to fully embrace his Buddhist faith. He said he'd been accepted to med school and was going to be devoting the rest of his time at college  to helping the youth devision in Champaign. 


Is there anything that could possibly make me happier? Isn't that the greatest news? And he's going to Loyola Medical School right here in town, very close by...so he'll be a part of my district and chant with the youth in our district. 


How wonderful!