It is really cold in Chicago right now...it feels like this picture, only we have no snow...
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Powerful Power Prayer
We are all so much more powerful than we know.
I'm chanting this Power Prayer:
I now unleash the unlimited power of the Gohonzon in my life for the good of all.
I'm experiencing clarity of vision and easily knowing exactly which steps to take for the ultimate happiness of all.
I am determined to increase my levels of strength and fortitude...for the positive energy within my life to continue to overpower my fear and negativity.
Each day I am moving closer and closer to my goal.
I also chant for every member in my District and each and every reader of this blog.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
Monday, January 21, 2013
An Important Day for the States ~ Strength and determination in life
In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness.
When you wage a struggle,
you might win or you might lose.
But regardless of the short-term outcome,
the very fact of your continuing to struggle
is proof of your victory as a human being.
A strong spirit, strong faith and strong prayer—
developing these is victory and the world of Buddhahood."
Daisaku Ikeda
Today is Martin Luther King Day. And inauguration day for President Barack Obama. It is a day of hope and new beginnings.
When we practice Buddhism every day is a day of hope and new beginnings. We embrace the "Hon Nim Myo" spirit, meaning "from this moment forth." The past is inconsequential, the future becons, and the point of power is right now, right here, sitting in front of our Gohonzons dialoguing with the source of our lives, directing our energy and vitality.
Each moment we spend chanting and creating our lives is eternal. Every Daimoku we chant goes deep into our lives for all eternity. Every chant holds meaning for our lives seven generation in the past and seven generation in the future. It is this realization of eternity and the expansiveness of each one of our lives that brings us power. Remember we each chose to have the karma we have and be born with our challenges in order to prove the validity of the law, strengthen our life and raise the life condition - vibration of us all.
We are all true Boddhisatvas. When we embrace our challenges, rather than running from them, we can change them. As President Ikeda says "It is important to take a long range view." What you are chanting about may not change today, tomorrow, or for months to come. But every time you wake up, chant and challenge it you strengthen your life. Strengthening our lives is happiness itself. Whatever your challenge - make a fresh determination every single day and you will win. What is strength? Resiliency. Determination. Resolve. Courage. Hope. Victory.
"Strength is happiness. Strength is itself victory.
In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness.
When you wage a struggle,
you might win or you might lose.
But regardless of the short-term outcome,
the very fact of your continuing to struggle
is proof of your victory as a human being.
A strong spirit, strong faith and strong prayer—
developing these is victory and the world of Buddhahood."
Daisaku Ikeda
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
My Personal Professional Power Prayer. Casting-off the transient and revealing the true.
There's a very interesting quote in the March Living Buddhism Magazine (published by the SGI-USA, go to SGI-USA.org for subscription information.)
On Page 21 the lecture by Daisaku Ikeda on the Gosho "The Actions nof the Votary of the Lotus Sutra" states:
"On May 3, 1951, Josei Toda was inaugurated as the second Soka Gakkai president. He regarded that event as signifying "casting off the transient and revealing the true" by the Soka Gakkai, as an organization of believers directly connected in faith to Nichiren Daishonin.
"Mr. Toda explained that his mentor and first president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi often used to say that the Soka Gakkai must "cast-off the transient and reveal the true" - referring to the Buddhist concept that means to discard one's transient status and show one's true identity or highest potential. Mr. Toda said he had asked himself what that meant in terms of the Soka Gakkai. None of the other members knew what Makiguchi meant, either. But after spending two years in prison for his beliefs, Mr. Toda said, he finally had a realization that led him to proclaim to his deceased mentor: "Our lives are eternal...We (the members of the Soka Gakkai) are Bodhisatvas of the earth with the great mission to propagate the seven-character Lotus Sutra (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) in the Latter Day of the Law." This awareness gradually spread through the entire organization, with members gradually coming to understand that they shared this lofty mission as the true followers of Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day. Mr. Toda declared that his inauguration was proof of his own personal awareness and commitment in this regard, and thus marked the moment of the Soka Gakkai's casting off the transient and revealing the true, which Mr. Makiguchi had longed to see."
That's it. We ARE the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. We have inherited the direct line of Buddhahood by chanting "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo." Now is our time. Now is the time for us to have more benefits, bring forth more power and be absolutely incredibly happy for the sake of the world, for the sake of hope and for the sake of peace. We can do it.
In other words, we can all "Cast-off the transient and reveal the true" within our own lives.
How can we do this, and why would we want to?
For me, "Casting off the transient and revealing the true" means bringing forth my own Buddhahood and claiming my responsibility and honor as a Boddhisatva of the earth. The more I can activate the power of my true self...the true self that lies beyond my mind, beyond my heart, and is the power of the universe itself, the more my environment will change to reflect my truest desires.
This quote, and a wonderful conversation with my mentor Kate, led me to chant a new Power Prayer today. I chanted three hours this morning of absolutely focused and targeted Daimoku.
Power Prayer to Reveal my True Self and create the Profession that uses ALL my talents:
I chant to discard the transient and reveal the true in all aspects of my life. Today I am willing to discard everything that no longer serves me. I discard all doubt, all negativity and any feelings of not being good enough or not knowing what I should do.
I am determined for my profession (whether working for myself or with others) to be fulfilling in every possible way, and to utilize every single one of my skills, and joys and potential.
I am richly compensated and prove the power of a human being realizing her true potential.
I am in an organization that is thriving with self-fulfilled individuals living their passion every day. My professional environment reflects my true identity, my real, magnificent self, and is filled with appreciation and love.
I am DONE with the karma of being unappreciated. I permanently root that karma from my life.
I permanently wash doubt and negativity from my life. I don't care how many times it arises. Each time I feel doubt I will chant and chase it our of my brain like the fierce lioness I am.
Everything I need right now to achieve my goals comes to me immediately and my mind is cleared of confusion. I easily make decisions and move forward in all areas of my life.
My power to help people is inexhaustible and unlimited and I trust myself to let it flow.
I surround myself with trusted, wise and loyal advisors in all areas, law, health, accounting, and technology etc.
All that I need flows to me effortlessly. I easily make choices and move forward. I tap into my deepest and most trustworthy wisdom right now. President Ikeda's spirit runs through me and I chant to live a brilliant, sparkling, dedicated life that would make him proud.
I now release the full, unlimited power of the Gohonzon in my life. I access the full power of my conscious and subconscious mind to create the reality of all I desire. I tap into the vast resources of my life and help others to do the same.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Persistence WORKS. Chronicle of a Victory in life.
I have achieved VICTORY in one area of my life.
I'm telling you about it to serve as an example of how you can create a victory in your own life.
I have triumphed over something that caused me great suffering, and outlining the steps I took towards that victory. You can apply this to any problem or challenge that feels impossible to you. I share this with you in the hopes that you can use this outline to create your own victory. This is my experience and not any official advice from anyone besides my own heart for your happiness.
When I was six years old I realized that my thighs were bigger than the rest of the skinny girls in school. In third grade I had to go on medications for asthma and had to stop running around, because I stopped breathing when I ran. Back then we didn't go to the hospital, or have inhalers. I would spend hours just gasping for air. It was even scarier than it sounds. Anyway...I was soon much heavier than the other kids, at least most of them.
Being overweight is a terrible way of suffering here in America. It leaves you free to be tormented by any kid who wants to show off and prove his own self worth. I went on my first diet in fourth grade, but I was always hungry ALL the time. I knew it wouldn't work. Our houeshold diet consisted of the standard American diet at the time...lots of processed foods.
In High School and College I went from diet to diet and lost and gained weight more times than I can count. But I could not fix the problem. When I became a Buddhist after college I chanted sincerely about this problem, and every year at New Years I would determine to lose fifty pounds by my birthday. I did lose the weight a few times, but it always came back.
OK, here's the encouraging part.
Every year I determined to lose the weight. Every day I determined to do it. And even when I felt hopeless and a failure I determined to lose the weight. A few years ago I made a book of pictures of what I wanted to look like, and I visualized myself walking into my favorite clothing store and buying anything I wanted. I also wrote a list of why I wanted to be thin. I put every sentence in the present tense. And I kept chanting, encouraging others and introducing people to this practice.
I chanted that "No matter what, I am going to be victorious in this endeavor so that I can help others who are also suffering." Even when I felt discouraged I did not stop. I found one diet that helped, and I gained back some of the weight. I found another that brought me down further. I was living at a lower weight but had more to go. I incorporated walking vigorously into almost every day. Yet, I still lived in fear that one day I would gain back all the weight. And every day was a struggle with myself. I was hungry all the time. I was mad at myself most of the time.
Then came the real breakthrough. In 2012 I chanted to be more healthy than I'd ever been. I chanted for more energy in my body, a quicker, more resilient mind, and to develop strength. I chanted to discover what I did not know that could help me. I chanted to bring to me the resources and people who would know just what I needed to do to live in absolute health. I chanted to change in any way possible to make this dream a reality in my life. I chanted to release myself from the torturous world of hunger, fear and doubt once and for all. And every time doubt and depression arose in my mind I vanquished it by saying "I don't CARE how many times you rise to defeat me, I WILL WIN! I will keep chanting until doubt, depression and defeat are out of my life forever."
One day in the fall a friend told me about a professional she had consulted who had known exactly what foods and supplements she needed, and she was following this professional's advice and felt better than ever. I asked for her name and called her. She basically told me everything I was eating was wrong, and that I had to change everything. Everything. I couldn't phase the new way of eating in. I had to do it all at once. It took a few days for this to sink in.
Then I connected with my dear friend Julia who had been eating a plant-based, whole food diet for three months and was so excited about it. She told me about all the great foods I could eat, and introduced me to many new ways of cooking and buying and seasoning food.
See, that's the way it works. When we keep our determinations, eventually the universe conspires (breathes with us) to provide all we need to make the victory real. That night I saw a doctor on TV saying that the average American diet makes people hungry all the time, and that telling someone on the average American diet not to eat when they are hungry is like telling them not to breathe when they need air. That really made sense to me.
The minute I started this new way of eating my intense hunger just evaporated. I felt free of hunger for the first time in my life. I have now been eating this way since November 14th. I feel better than ever. My clothes fit better than ever. And the fear of gaining the weight back has vanished. It's not going to happen. It is gone. I have changed a deep suffering. I am out of fear. I am enjoying food more than ever and cooking incredibly delicious soups and stir frys. I have replaced almost everything in my kitchen.
So whatever it is that is your deepest, most troublesome karma...whatever is impossible in your life. You can change it too. You can gain victory over it. No, it might not happen over night. I had to develop to the point that I could handle making a transition easily and with no suffering. I had to change something deep within my life, and now my environment is changing to reflect the change in side my life.
My great desire is for my experience to help you in some way.
If I can do THIS, you can do ANYTHING.
I'm telling you about it to serve as an example of how you can create a victory in your own life.
I have triumphed over something that caused me great suffering, and outlining the steps I took towards that victory. You can apply this to any problem or challenge that feels impossible to you. I share this with you in the hopes that you can use this outline to create your own victory. This is my experience and not any official advice from anyone besides my own heart for your happiness.
When I was six years old I realized that my thighs were bigger than the rest of the skinny girls in school. In third grade I had to go on medications for asthma and had to stop running around, because I stopped breathing when I ran. Back then we didn't go to the hospital, or have inhalers. I would spend hours just gasping for air. It was even scarier than it sounds. Anyway...I was soon much heavier than the other kids, at least most of them.
Being overweight is a terrible way of suffering here in America. It leaves you free to be tormented by any kid who wants to show off and prove his own self worth. I went on my first diet in fourth grade, but I was always hungry ALL the time. I knew it wouldn't work. Our houeshold diet consisted of the standard American diet at the time...lots of processed foods.
In High School and College I went from diet to diet and lost and gained weight more times than I can count. But I could not fix the problem. When I became a Buddhist after college I chanted sincerely about this problem, and every year at New Years I would determine to lose fifty pounds by my birthday. I did lose the weight a few times, but it always came back.
OK, here's the encouraging part.
Every year I determined to lose the weight. Every day I determined to do it. And even when I felt hopeless and a failure I determined to lose the weight. A few years ago I made a book of pictures of what I wanted to look like, and I visualized myself walking into my favorite clothing store and buying anything I wanted. I also wrote a list of why I wanted to be thin. I put every sentence in the present tense. And I kept chanting, encouraging others and introducing people to this practice.
I chanted that "No matter what, I am going to be victorious in this endeavor so that I can help others who are also suffering." Even when I felt discouraged I did not stop. I found one diet that helped, and I gained back some of the weight. I found another that brought me down further. I was living at a lower weight but had more to go. I incorporated walking vigorously into almost every day. Yet, I still lived in fear that one day I would gain back all the weight. And every day was a struggle with myself. I was hungry all the time. I was mad at myself most of the time.
Then came the real breakthrough. In 2012 I chanted to be more healthy than I'd ever been. I chanted for more energy in my body, a quicker, more resilient mind, and to develop strength. I chanted to discover what I did not know that could help me. I chanted to bring to me the resources and people who would know just what I needed to do to live in absolute health. I chanted to change in any way possible to make this dream a reality in my life. I chanted to release myself from the torturous world of hunger, fear and doubt once and for all. And every time doubt and depression arose in my mind I vanquished it by saying "I don't CARE how many times you rise to defeat me, I WILL WIN! I will keep chanting until doubt, depression and defeat are out of my life forever."
One day in the fall a friend told me about a professional she had consulted who had known exactly what foods and supplements she needed, and she was following this professional's advice and felt better than ever. I asked for her name and called her. She basically told me everything I was eating was wrong, and that I had to change everything. Everything. I couldn't phase the new way of eating in. I had to do it all at once. It took a few days for this to sink in.
Then I connected with my dear friend Julia who had been eating a plant-based, whole food diet for three months and was so excited about it. She told me about all the great foods I could eat, and introduced me to many new ways of cooking and buying and seasoning food.
See, that's the way it works. When we keep our determinations, eventually the universe conspires (breathes with us) to provide all we need to make the victory real. That night I saw a doctor on TV saying that the average American diet makes people hungry all the time, and that telling someone on the average American diet not to eat when they are hungry is like telling them not to breathe when they need air. That really made sense to me.
The minute I started this new way of eating my intense hunger just evaporated. I felt free of hunger for the first time in my life. I have now been eating this way since November 14th. I feel better than ever. My clothes fit better than ever. And the fear of gaining the weight back has vanished. It's not going to happen. It is gone. I have changed a deep suffering. I am out of fear. I am enjoying food more than ever and cooking incredibly delicious soups and stir frys. I have replaced almost everything in my kitchen.
So whatever it is that is your deepest, most troublesome karma...whatever is impossible in your life. You can change it too. You can gain victory over it. No, it might not happen over night. I had to develop to the point that I could handle making a transition easily and with no suffering. I had to change something deep within my life, and now my environment is changing to reflect the change in side my life.
My great desire is for my experience to help you in some way.
If I can do THIS, you can do ANYTHING.
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