Make a POWERFUL Determination!

Make a new determination
Make a fresh determination
Make a bold determination!


What  does this mean?


Making a determination sets your course. It's like a compass. It can move your life. It is a powerful tool. It is a cry of the heart. Once you make a determination your life begins to move in the direction you have set! 


So how do you do it?


It starts with your desire. Some of my best determinations come when I am in front of the Gohonzon chanting. That's why I always have pen and paper handy.


What's the difference between a goal and a determination?


Goals are usually short and set in time. "I will lose 20 pounds by my birthday." Sound familiar? "I will get straight "A"s this year. Get the idea?


A determination goes deeper. Here are a few examples of mine.


"I vow to create VICTORY in every aspect of my life! 


Some of you know I lost 70 pounds. 
Here was my determination: 


For my Body: I am determined to be healthier, happier, and more fit than I have ever been. I'm determined to find the right practitioners and who will guide me in my path to vibrant health! I feel better and better every single day! I am determined to know which food choices contribute to my overall good health, and to use this knowledge to the best of my ability! 


And when I knew it was time to move on from my marriage I determined to have the kind of divorce that was so positive and uplifting that people would be inspired to chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. And two of my friends who saw us going through the divorce process were so inspired they began chanting and have since changed their lives in amazing ways. One of them had her mother receive the Gohonzon just last night! 


I have a vow for my love life too: 
"I VOW to create Victory in every aspect of my life! I will have the kind of love relationship that brings us both absolute joy! It will grow every day and we will spend our time together delighting in each other's happiness and having fun exploring this wonderful world! Both of us have passion and drive and We will appreciate each other in ways I have never experienced in a relationship, and our love and appreciation will grow and deepen through the years.


I have determinations for many areas of my life. I believe this is very important for creating the life of my dreams and being happier than I ever thought possible! And all of this is possible for you! That's why I write this blog!!!


You can make a strong determination in every area of your life. And while you are chanting, you can focus on expressing these determinations to your life!


It's the right time to move your life! It's the right time to dig deep! Please share your determinations with me, and share your successes. I am actively gathering material for the book I am writing for you and everyone you wish to inspire. Wouldn't you love to have YOUR story in it? Join me! 

Response to A Question

Hello!

Question:


"I have been chanting for about a year and a half but my life doesn't seem to have improved. It even seems worse. Please tell me what I can do."


Answer:


Examine your practice! Focus on the basics!


Prescriptions for a Powerful Practice!


Here are a few questions for you to consider~ all of these things contribute to having a powerful practice. When you have a POWERFUL PRACTICE you are able to raise your life condition high enough to overcome your challenges and get the engine of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo running in your life and be happy! 


1. Do you have a Gohonzon (altar) in your home? 
2. Do you go to SGI meetings regularly? (SGI websites can connect you to your local group of friendly people!)
3. Have you made a personal connection with SGI members who inspire you?
4. Do you study and read President Ikeda's writings and the writings of Nichiren Daishonin? 
5. Do you chant twice a day, every day? 
6. Do you have an attitude of gratitude - are you able to focus on the positive in your life? 
7. Are you introducing others to the practice to the best of your ability? 
8. Do you have fresh determinations about the changes you want to make in your life? 
9. When you are chanting are you focusing your mind? Are you VOWING to achieve victory in all aspect of your life? 


You are so much more powerful than you realize!


If you are doing all of these things your life will become unstoppable! Your challenges will disappear one after the other...new challenges will arise but you won't be afraid of them. 


If you are chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and wish to change your life you must be the one to pick your life up from the floor- make a fresh determination and ROAR like a lion when you chant. Tell your life exactly what you want. Write your determination for your life. Send it to me. I will chant for you too, but it is YOUR determination that will create your results. 


You can do it!

Make your determination! 


Chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! Chant to raise your life condition! 


Write me again! 

An Honored Birthday ~ and New Beginnings

Today would have been my sweet Mommy's 81st birthday. 
I know that sounds old to many of you...but to some I'm sure it doesn't. You know I spent many years working in a nursing home. I once heard a 99 year old man call an 83 year old woman a "youngster"

It really seems fitting that I began the day by chanting two hours of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo with six of the members in my district. It felt so good!  We all have many challenges and much to chant about. That is our benefit. ALL of us are strengthening our life conditions and turning poison into benefit. 


We have also been celebrating the fact that it has been a full year since my teenage friend Shazara "went missing" from her home in the depths of despair and ended up on my doorstep...a complete stranger... but not for long. I invited her in and invited her to chant. One she started, she didn't want to stop. Today she is a very different young lady...she has solved her lifetime problem of being bullied, she is filled with life and enthusiasm and determined to help other teenagers end their pain like she did. This year will be her senior year in High School. I can't wait to see what she will accomplish! 


And it also was just perfect, that on Mom's birthday, Ben and I helped Aaron move into his new rental house close to the Loyola Medical School Campus. He starts Med school on the 30th of August. 
Wow! He has planned for this for so many years. 
He has chanted so much to prepare his life!


I am inspired! And my Mom...she is thrilled and proud! 

Born in San Francisco, a 49er fan for life!

Aaron's shared rental house

Great Colors!

A Great Quote from a Reader Today

This was sent to us from a reader:


"I am from India . Sensei has quoted this from a poem written by Walt Whitman in the latest Value Creation, a monthly magazine - Just loved it and it gave me lots of strength - thought will share this with you immediately." 


Afoot and light hearted I take to the open road, 
healthy, 
free, 
the world before me.
Henceforth I ask not good fortune,
I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, 
postpone no more, 
need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, 
libraries, 
querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road

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!

True Joy!

True joy comes from solving your own problems, creating the life of your dreams and chanting for others to accomplish their goals and dreams and overcome their problems! 


We have a saying "practice for yourself and for others" and it is at the heart of what we do.  By practicing for others (chanting with them, chanting for them, helping them attend meetings) we build compassion in our lives and bring about the lasting karmic changes we want to make...and it just feels so good to help another person. 


It is so easy to stay enmeshed in our own challenges and problems. That is how most of the world works. But we have the perfect opportunity to create Kosen Rufu in our homes, our neighborhoods, our workplaces and everywhere we go. 


See what you can do today ton help someone who is suffering today! 

Power Prayers!

Our thoughts while chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo are very important!


We can aim them like a laser towards what is really important, and we can use them to raise our life conditions and strengthen the core of our lives - which in turn makes us stronger and more capable of achieving our goals and being truly happy from the inside of your lives - regardless of day-to-day circumstances. 


We can't always control everything that goes on in our lives. This is a fact of life. There are some things we experience that we wish we could just NOT experience. But at the heart of our lives we can have a powerful power prayer. 


Here are some examples of POWER PRAYERS:


LIFE! Right here, right now I am raising my life condition and strengthening my life so that NO MATTER WHAT I will be able to greet each day with appreciation, and have a high enough life condition to overcome anything!


LIFE! I am determined to expand my capacity in every way. Today I expand my capacity for JOY! I expand my capacity for APPRECIATION! I expand my capacity to appreciate each moment as it comes, and to express appreciation as much as I can possibly can all day. I expand my capacity for powerful determination and concentrated thought. I expand my capacity for brain power! I expand my capacity to HELP OTHERS! 


LIFE! I WILL WIN in every aspect of my life! Job, love life, wealth creation, friendships and ability to lead and help others. I MUST be an example that this practice works. I chant to change the inside of my life so that all the things I truly desire can come to me as a reflection of the inner changes I have made through my chanting and strong determination!


LIFE! I chant specifically to achieve this outcome ______________________. (Fill in the blank)
Or something better! I am determined to make these internal changes to activate these results!




Chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo with passion and determination activates the law within your life. Remember that you are aligning with the mystic law, and not asking anyone or anything for favors. Chant POWERFUL DAIMOKU! 


Let me hear from you!!!