Showing posts with label overcoming obstacles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label overcoming obstacles. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Welcome Dr. Akemi Bailey Haynie! "Illness Has Been My Greatest Benefit."

Dr. Akemi Bailey Haynie is the new 
SGI-USA National Women's Division Leader. 

On Sunday, October 6th, 2013 those of us who attended the World Peace Prayer Meeting in Chicago were treated to an historic changing of the guard where our beloved Linda Johnson passed on her title as National Women's Division leader to Dr. Akemi Bailey-Haynie. Central Territory is so fortunate. Linda Johnson will remain our Women's Division Territory Leader as well as being National Women's Division Advisor. 

It was an emotional and exciting moment for Chicago. I attempted to write down every word said, but of course I missed quite a few! I can share some of them with you, but I want to let you kow these are not official or formal notes, they are my best attempt to capture what resonated with me. 

Dr. Akemi Bailey Haynie came from a poor, and difficult family. Her mother is a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing and she just wrote and published her mother's memoirs in a book entitled "Winter Always Turns To Spring". This passage is taken from the Friesen Press Website: 


Sachiko Takata (Dr. Bailey Haynie's mother) was 14 years-old when an atomic bomb dropped on her hometown of Hiroshima, Japan. In an instant her world was changed. Her mother died shortly after Japan’s surrender. The devastation of war and the loss of her mother awakened in Sachiko’s heart a deep resolve to devote her life to building a world of peace where the dignity of all human beings is respected and the peril and haunting specter of nuclear war is nonexistent.
Given her experience with war, it was ironic that she would marry an American soldier, LeRoy Bailey. It was in the United States that she was introduced to Nichiren Buddhism and credits her practice of Buddhism, as well as her mentor, Daisaku Ikeda, with saving and transforming her life. Through his example, she was able to learn how to tap the innate power of her spirit to weather life’s storms; to change poison into medicine; to win over all obstacles, and to turn winter into spring.
Because of her growth and understanding of life, Sachiko Takata Bailey now thinks of August 6, 1945, as Victory Day, because the victorious and optimistic person she became emerged from the ashes and ruins of Hiroshima.
Dr. Bailey Haynie started chanting at the age of 9. She immediately became able to respond without shame when her teachers called on her. She said she has always taken President Ikeda's guidance into her life...and to be FEARLESS no matter what happens! She was a YWD leader for 18 years anda Women's Division leader for 19 years. 

She battled cancer 4 times and had 22 surgeries. Many days she chanted 3 to 10 hours a day through her illnesses. She said President Ikeda says that:
ILLNESS is not a sign of misfortune. Suffering is the fuel of wisdom - through suffering you gain insight into the meaning of life. Illness gives rise to the way. She said "Illness has been the greatest benefit of my life!"

Her life shines with victory. She lives with a dancing spirit. Dr. Akemi Bailey Haynie has her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D....all paid for by her employers, more than $300,000 in education so far. She is a trainer in the field of education who introduces President Ikeda and his educational theories on the first day of every training. She has introduced 162 people to this practice and is determined to be a winner, not a victim in all areas of her life. She's been happily married for more than 20 years to her partner for kosen-rufu and has raised two wonderful young men who both practice. 

Dr. Akemi Bailey Haynie says that our relationship with our mentor helps us perceive our own weaknesses and confront them with courage. 

How encouraging! What an historic time! 
I'll tell you, when Dr. Bailey-Haynie said "Illness has been the greatest benefit of my life" it really hit me. It put all I have been going though in new and refreshing perspective. 

Here we are, 40 days away from November 18th...it is crunch time for all of us all over the world. Let's all ring in November 18th with incredible victory. We have the tool to accomplish worldwide kosen-rufu (peace and happiness in a world with respect for all!) and to accomplish our dreams and create our own happiness. We have Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, our mentor and the SGI. 
We can do it. All we have to do is the hardest and most important thing of all...win over ourselves! How do we do that? Put our practice first, put shakubuku first, study, chant, move for kosen-rufu. I hope you all are joining with your fellow members and creating golden memories you will NEVER forget!!! 

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

PowerPrayer for Defeating Obstacles (Sansho Shima)


As you know, Julia and I are working on a book of PowerPrayers for you. Well today I have a sneak peek for you. I'm giving you a PowerPrayer we wrote together just yesterday. 

As you know, in any worthy endeavor obstacles HAVE to arise. That is a a natural function of life. But the important question is this : Can we see them for what they are, necessary obstacles to FUEL our determination and make us chant HARDER? Or are we FOOLED by them into thinking "Oh well, I guess I wasn't supposed to do this anyway" and then give up? It is up to each of us to either determine to win, or just succumb to losing. 

The first step is recognizing them for what they are:

"When devilish functions are recognized for what they are, they lose their power."
Daisaku Ikeda, June 2013, Living Buddhism page 23. 

Yesterday Julia and I made a fierce determination to win over the obstacles that have arisen for us in pursuit of our worthy goal of writing and getting this book into your hands so that it can help you and your friends become truly happy. 

I share the prayer we are both chanting. This morning I just finished an hour of chanting this prayer. Nothing will stop me. Nothing can stop you!!


Sansho Shima PowerPrayer:

Hello, Sansho Shima, 
I was expecting you.
I recognize you for what you are.

Sansho Shima, I see you for what you are! 
No way! 
Not this time
not any more. 
I'm in charge now.
I AM Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
I am roaring like a lion.
You  are not real, you  have no power here.
On the contrary, 
I take your pure energy now, and though my Daimoku I make you my ally, instead. 
Shoten Zenjin! Support me in every single action I take towards my goal. I am doing the Buddha's work on earth. Support me in every way!

I now use this obstacle to refuel my determination
and I will chant   ______  number of hours
every day until until I have ultimate victory.

Sansho Shima, I am now turning you into Shoten Zenjin! 
You are now the cause 
for victory in the lives of those I will
encourage by sharing this story.
You are now part of a powerful 
and inspirational story of victory.
You are not leaving me in a diminished condition
I am raising you to a high life condition
and purpose.
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

Thursday, June 6, 2013

The Most Powerful Way to Overcome Your Fundamental Darkness

This says it all. How much do you really want to be happy? You can totally change your life by recognizing and overcoming your fundamental darkness by establishing a rock-hard consistent practice of doing gongyo and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo twice a day - every day.  

Last night was a Gosho study here. We studied "The Workings of Brahma and Shakra", by Nichiren Daishonin. 
The line that stands out the most from President Ikeda's Gosho lecture is this:

"When devilish functions are recognized for what they are, they lose their power."

Daisaku Ikeda, June 2013, Living Buddhism page 23. 

And as I always say, be FUELED by your devilish functions (obstacles) not FOOLED! When you see them for what they are ROAR them out of your life! 

Ok. How CAN we see our fundamental darkness for what is it, and how do we overcome it?

Last night one of our visiting members said he was having trouble doing evening gongyo. As we were discussing this he came to see that whatever was stopping him was a manifestation of his own fundamental darkness...the forces in life that try to hold us back. 
Whatever stops you chanting HAS to be fundamental darkness. And once you see it for what it is you can just make a fierce determination to do gongyo twice a day ~ and do it. Your friends in the SGI will support you. They will come to your house, call or text you. Whatever you want. Just ask for the support and you will get it. You can even get support on Facebook if you want. Reach out and your friends will be there. 

The beautiful thing is this: When you overcome the fundamental darkness that keeps you from practicing consistently you will SIMULTANEOUSLY break through in all areas of your life. Put the effort into your practice and the rest of your life flows more easily. Please don't believe me when I say this. Please experience this phenomenon by DOING it. There is no other way. 

A few other thoughts:

What IS fundamental darkness? It exists within every person. It was in the original Buddha, it was in Nichiren Daishonin and all three Presidents. We ALL have it. We don't have to be scared of it and we can defeat it, over and over and over again! It manifests in different ways in all of us.  

For myself, my fundamental darkness used to appear often as depression. Many times I called my mentor in faith to request guidance and she'd say "It's back! That's just your fundamental darkness!" That freed me. 

I am just like you. When I see fundamental darkness for what it is I get rid of it through Daimoku. Knowing what it is gives me power. And it's easier for me to do this because of my strong practice. I chant at least an hour every single morning...and sometimes much more. I chant evening gongyo consistently, even if I don't particularly feel like doing it! 

And I have overcome the deep depression I used to experience on a regular basis. I've also overcome the extreme longing I lived with every day. These are benefits of practice. This is the promise of this wonderful Buddhism.

So, just like the meme above says - think about what you want MOST. And use your powerful practice to get it! 


Thursday, May 5, 2011

My Ben

Ben Silver
OK it's time to put the pedal to the metal again and chant really hard for my very own Ben...my Benjamino. 


He's such a great and determined warrior of a kid. 


He's 18 and finishing off his senior year of High School. He's a runner, who is passionate about running, one of the top ten in the state of Illinois (which is the top running state in the nation). 


Right now he can't run. He has a hip that is so painful that he can barely walk...and it comes from training too hard...pushing himself too hard...it comes from being so determined. And it's frustrating and sad for him to not be able to run this track season. He's also got a sinus infection so he is just feeling so down. 
He chants a fair amount, but I think he has yet to really prove the power of this Gohonzon with his life. Of course I can't push him to chant.
 But I can chant with the determination that my prayer will absolutely penetrate his sadness...that there will be medicine springing from this practice...and that MY Daimoku is enough for both of us. 
It is interesting that this comes about just as Mother's Day approaches. Really interesting. I will pour so much prayer into him, and chant really strongly. I know we can somehow turn this around. There is nothing more important in a mother's life then for her children to be happy. 
Please join me in my prayer for my Ben...and thank you soooo much!