Courageous and Determined Blog Readers!

Many of you are challenging yourselves to chant more Daimoku than ever! Many of you are doing long Tozos. (Chanting for many hours) 


I am looking forward to hearing your stories of victory!!!


And I have one important reminder:


Remember that when a ship increases its speed, the wind force it encounters is stronger! You are speeding your life up when you chant so strongly. You are revving up the motor of your life!!!


After your tozo....don't be alarmed if those negative thoughts come right back into your mind with a vengeance. you know the ones I mean! The ones that say "Oh, this is hopeless! I will never accomplish my dreams!" The thoughts may say to you: "I chanted so many hours yesterday, why don't I feel great today?" THOSE THOUGHTS!


They are normal! They are part of the process. If they come into your brain say "Hello Negative thoughts! Jamie warned me about you! No taking up residence in my brain!!! Negative thoughts be gone!!" 


And don't worry. YOU ARE CHANGING YOUR KARMA....YOU ARE MAKING DEEP CAUSES IN YOUR LIFE! You WILL be victorious!!!!


I am chanting for you all! Let's have an amazing week!!!!

Powerful Determinations!!!!

Hello! Hello!


I finished three hours of Daimoku today, and feel as if I could go on chanting for a week....there is so much yet to uncover and change and grow and expand in my life....for the sake of my readers and for the sake of my family...district...students...everyone! 


In a few moments I'll be at the Gohonzon enshrining ceremony for the Ali family...


But I wanted to take a moment to talk about determinations. 


Determinations are NOT resolutions...they are NOT plaintive requests for something outside of yourself to deliver some "blessing" to you. 


Determinations are a VOW...a ROAR of the lion within you! A Roar for your life to respond to! 


Who are you making the determination to? 


YOURSELF!!! YOUR LIFE!!! ALL OF LIFE!!!


You make the vow! 
Then you chant...chant...chant to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!!


I will give you some examples of my determinations...


I am determined to raise my life condition and do my own human revolution...I am determined to live a life of satisfaction and fulfillment in all areas of my life...in my love life...my work life...my relationship with my body...
And I make these determinations because I know my life...and every life...is paving the way for the rest of humanity to be happy and to achieve these goals. We are all interconnected in the web of life...when I raise my life condition it is a CAUSE for all of humanity's life condition to raise!
Likewise, I am determined to praise my life with the internal dialogue inside my head. I am determined to live each moment in gratitude for my health, my happiness, my family, my fellow members and blog readers, and all those who love me. 
I am determined to inspire millions of people through my blog and the books I write and the talks I want to give on Buddhism. I am determined to publish at least one book this year!
I am determined that I will live my life in a way that inspires every single person I meet to try this incredible practice for themselves!


These are my vows. These are determinations! 


Please make some for yourself and remember one of the secrets to true happiness that is unchanging and always works is this: 


Whenever you have a problem with anyone...anyone at all...the best and only way to solve the problem is to chant for their happiness! Picture them with a great big smile on their face and chant sincerely for their happiness. Even if you don't feel sincerity at first, THAT WILL CHANGE...just keep chanting. 


Soon you will absolutely change the situation. I guarantee this. It always works! 
How about making a major change in one of  your relationships by chanting for their happiness starting RIGHT NOW!!!! That's a great determination!!!!


Happy New Year!!!

It's November....a time for new determinations....

Here we are in November...when it gets colder and darker...and somehow the days seem so, so long. 
Oh yes, things do pick up closer to Thanksgiving when the boys come home, and then there's the holidays to look forward to...I think. 


Today, as I sit down to chant, I am making new determinations. First of all, November is the month of Spiritual Independence. On November 28th we will all celebrate the day the SGI was excommunicated by the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood. And I don't mean that tongue in cheek. It really is a day to celebrate. No Buddhist needs a priest to tell them what to do! We are all spiritually independent and it is time to truly claim all the power we have within. 


Look at what is going on in  the world, people are rising up to claim the power that is theirs. This is a concept Daisaku Ikeda has been talking about for years! The people have the ultimate power....no one can stop the people when they are united. The Occupy movement is already having an effect. The Bank of America decided today not to charge it's customers $5 a month to access their own money. Hurray. What is next? I just read that Occupy protesters are heading to Iowa to occupy the offices of those running for President and demand that they start actually talking about the things that are important to Americans. This ought to be interesting. 


And what does spiritual independence have to do with all of this? Everything. We are claiming our spiritual independence...we are becoming Buddhas of absolute freedom. I have vowed in my prayer and in my life that no person, no circumstance, no nothing will determine my happiness and independence. I know this may strike you as a radical notion, and I can tell you it is easier said than done...but when I keep my life condition high I feel the beginnings of such a state in my life. If you look back to the beginning posts of this blog in 2009...you'll see how this blog was born...from extreme heartache and the desire to be happy no matter what the circumstances. This does not mean I don't chant for what I desire....no...it means I don't suffer over it...most of the time! 


I will write more on keeping Life Condition high in the following weeks. It all starts with your determination, your list of goals, feeling the call of your heart...and chanting, studying, helping others to chant...and continually digging deep in your prayer to realize THIS is your karma, and THIS you can change (whatever it is!)


So I'm making a fresh determination today, that the next few months are going to shine in my life. I am determined to celebrate my first year living on my own in holiday time and create many new traditions for myself. I may travel...make new friends...have adventures. I will continue chanting for the opportunity to reach as many people as possible through this blog, and by writing books and giving speeches. Please contact me if you have invitations or an agent for me! Most of all I will not feel sorry for myself that my life has changed so dramatically!


I made the decision myself to change my life, get my own apartment and begin a new phase of my life. My kids are both at college, and we are divorcing...but that doesn't mean I have to be sad. Through my daimoku I am going to come up with some goals and visions for this season...and I will fulfill my determination to live an inspiring life based on chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo...no matter what!


Join me! Make your determinations! Free your life from whatever suffering you are experiencing...let's all change our karma....and the karma of our towns, our country and our world through our own inner transformation. 

Great Results! The Universe is Yours to Command!!!

The key to creating results in your life through chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is to attach your prayers to your mission, make a strong determination, and chant with conviction that your life has the power to deliver what you want.

I begin praying each day by chanting to meld my heart with President Ikeda's. I chant to share his heart...literally. I chant to pray as deeply as he does for the welfare of the entire world...and for my life to be a shining example that lights the way for others. If I can be happy - the whole world can be happy. If I can overcome my fundamental darkness (which is nothing more than the ignorance that I am a Buddha), well, so can everyone else!

You know I just got the exact job I wanted, right? It only took me a month and a half to find it. I decided to look for a job on the 15th of January. By February 27th (actually by the 24th) I'd had my first interview at the college where I now work.

I made my determination to get a job by the 27th of February because we were having women's division victory meetings on that day, and we were reporting to President Ikeda, and the other women in the territory.

When I faced the Gohonzon to chant, I prayed that I HAD to get the job I wanted by this date so that I could show actual proof to my District Members, and my Blog readers!...of the power of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. I demanded this result from inside my life. Chanting to the Gohonzon gives you the power to demand your benefits from the universe.

And I chanted to have the job BY THIS DATE, February 27th, Mrs. Ikeda's birthday!!!!

My friend sent me an email with the job description for this job opening attached. I knew it was my job the minute I saw it because it was the perfect blending of my talents, the perfect location, and I'd get to use all my connections.

Now I am using the power of daimoku every day to learn a new field...to grow...to absorb...to have wisdom and infuse this college campus with the light from inside my life.

Losing the weight was the same way.

First I wrote down ALL the reasons I wanted to be thinner. I read this all the time. Then I visualized myself walking into my favorite store and picking clothes off the smaller sizes rack, taking them into the dressing room and trying them on! I made myself a book of pictures and inspirational quotes to look at every day. I found one diet that worked then I found another, and I also worked out...walking or riding my exercise bike....chanting all the while to show actual proof.

If you are determined...if you summon faith that Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is your life itself...the universe will be yours to command!

Important to remember: you will get the best results from your practice if you join with other members in the SGI-USA.

Go to the website sgi-usa.org to find the people in your area who practice. There really is no substitute for practicing with fellow members. Your benefits increase and you get the support you need to make it through the inevitable challenges you'll face in life!