Faith Equals Daily Life!

Hello, my friends! 

Faith Equals Daily Life is a term we hear often in this practice. This week a reader emailed me to ask what this means to me. 

For those of you new to this blog, I'm a 35-year practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism, and I live my life to rid the world of suffering. I'm a proud member of the SGI, but I do not speak for the SGI. This is my personal blog for you. 

Faith equals daily life means: 

Chant about everything! Infuse all your hopes and dreams into Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and take steady action based on your determinations. Go forth fearlessly supported by your abundant daimoku! Leave complaining to the other guys, don't let it cloud your benefits. Focus on being, and seeing the solutions. Journal in Appreciation every day. 

All kinds of benefits are flowing to me with this determination. I am chanting to reach the people who are most open to using EFT, and those I can help the most profoundly to be naturally drawn into my sphere. I am chanting to fulfill this mission that my entire life has prepared me to do. 
I did not go through all my trials in vain. My prayer is to turn poison into medicine (for my life and for ALL).  

The pain I suffered at losing my beloved boy to suicide has a purpose right now. My study and certification in Clinical EFT, and my certification as an energy healer, along with cultivating deep listening skills all add to my expertise as an EFT Professional. The fact that I can help people all over the world through modern technology is the icing on the cake! The book I've written: Our Forever Ben, One Mom's letters to her son in spirit and his poetic replies" is more current than ever! 

One of my most recent benefits is being invited to create a video course called "How to live a life of meaning after losing a loved one to suicide." I'll get all kinds of curriculum and technical support to create this! What a joy it is to help others in this way! I'm beginning the formulation of this course and will keep you appraised of it! 

Another benefit...and this is a doozy: My son Aaron Michael Silver is very busy with his life as a medical resident in Phoenix. Our time together is premium time. Check this out: He just confirmed that on April 21st, his 30th birthday, he will be here in Florida for a conference and he will be able to take his birthday off to spend with me. Talk about benefit! 
May your life be filled with benefits too! 

Chant about everything. YOU are the Buddha. YOU tell your life what you want by praying to your life every single day. When you chant to be the example of kosen-rufu (world peace) and to let your bright light illuminate the way for others all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the universe convene to carry forth your life force.  

As Daisaku Ikeda writes: 

"Prayer is an attempt 
to merge the inner workings of our life
with the rhythm of the universe. 
When we pray in such a way, 
all the workings of the universe 
will function to protect us 
and the endless cycle of painful reality 
will be transformed 
into a cycle of victory and happiness. 
Prayer is the key to open the door 
to unleash that infinite human potential within our lives."

Daisaku Ikeda, From Ikedaquotes.org

Faith equals daily life means that every single day is a reflection of your faith and determination. Faith equals daily life means our faith is not shut off in some little box that we only take out every once in a while. No, our faith IS each day...our determination for each day...our life, Well-Lived...every single day. 

Chant about it all. Chant to connect life to life. Realize that, as Daisaku Ikeda says: YOU are the protagonist in the great play of your life. Enjoy it!!

Be well my friends! 

Joining together as an SGI District

Tonight the entire District that meets at my house chanted incredible Daimoku for one hour together for one of our members who is heading to Dublin to see her sick 97 year old mum. And we chanted for another of our members who has been in the hospital. And another of our members is having a childcare problem. 

My apartment vibrated in incredible rhythm, joy and unity for a solid hour. If it could have taken off and flown into the stars it would have! 

I was chanting for every single member to have a breakthrough from our hour together. 

Have you ever chanted so deeply, connected to the Gohonzon (which is your life itself) sooooo strongly time ceased to exist? That's what tonight's chanting was like for all of us. It felt like doing a spiritual marathon and that's exactly what it was!!! Chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is exercising your spiritual muscles. Really. I think we were all sweating in the energy we were producing. 

I felt the deep, deep honor of being a District leader and having the responsibility to suppor these wonderful members. I chanted for all of the members to experience being a leader themselves...there is nothing like it. Chanting for yourself AND OTHERS is the key to this practice. 

When you have your whole heart in the practice...when you chant, study, help and encourage others...your life is UNSTOPPABLE and all your worries and challenges disappear! 

If you are not affiliated with the Soka Gakkai International you are really missing out. Go to the SGI-USA.org website. There are links to help you find local practitioners. You can also go to 
SGI.org to find districts all over the world!