More about Despair and chanting from our true hearts

I posted that last post for anyone who is thinking that their suffering will never end. The poem expresses a beautiful truth, doesn't it? Instead of whiling our days away complaining to our friends about our sorrows, or lamenting our lives, we turn to our own lives, our own Gohonzon, where we can pour out our hearts as we chant. Here is our home. Here we are safe. Here we enter into a dialogue with the universe within. Here we can speak our truth and wash the pain away. We can open our hearts to the beauty that is within us. 

Tears cried while chanting in front of the Gohonzon are like gold, or diamonds, in our lives. 

Tears are offerings to our highest selves...offering to our own happiness. And then...in time,  those tears will end. They will definitely end. Our Gohonzon is our home within our home...the home of our hearts. 

After the tears end we can make a fresh start with a new determination towards our happiness. 

We can boldly say: onward. Hon Nim Myo. From this moment forth I am confident in the power of my life. I know that I am creating value with every moment and every cause I make. 

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo IS the cause for our happiness. And we can chant as often and as long as we wish. And if there is some impediment to our chanting, we can CHANT to be able to chant more. We can put that very prayer into our prayer. 

We are all precious Boddhisatvas of the earth. We all have such important missions. It is my honor to be able to touch you in any way that inspires you, and inspires us on our journey together. This world needs us. Let's not waste any precious moments in complaint. Let's renew, refresh and move on. 

Thank you again for all your kind words and invitations. I will surely travel to meet you all when the time is right. I put a button for donations on the top right side of this blog. If I have inspired you I can inspire more, and you may express your appreciation in this way if you wish. Another way of expressing your appreciation is forwarding this blog to others. (Just type chantforhappiness.com in the body of an email message.) They might see and find just what they were yearning for...and in turn inspire others and on and on... 

If you are in despair, here's a poem for you

O! Wanderers in the shadowed land



Despair not! For though dark they stand,

All woods there be must end at last,

And see the open sun go past:

The setting sun, the rising sun,

The day's end, or the day begun

.
For east or west all woods must fail. ♥ 



J.R.R. Tolkein

You CAN do it! You have the POWER. How to Summon it!

Winter always turns to Spring! 

Thank you for contacting me. Your letters of gratitude and your questions really inspire me. It is so nice to know that my determination to use my own challenges to inspire you is working for so many of you. I have cherished a dream to have friends all over the world for my entire life. I love getting to know you. One day I hope to travel extensively, meeting you in your unique environments. I have traveled quite a bit but there are so many places I have never been, India, Malaysia, Australia, South America, to name just a few. I love hearing from you and sharing your lives, as you share mine. Every time I strengthen my faith, I hope to help you strengthen your faith too. You can email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. 

Today I want to revisit the nature of study and our attitude in study. In this month's Living Buddhism there is a quote from Josei Toda. As many of you know he was the Soka Gakkai's second president, a lion for world peace, and Daisaku Ikeda's mentor. He was imprisoned in WWII for not supporting the Japanese war effort and refusing to enshrine a Shinto talisman on his altar. His mentor Tunesaburu Makiguchi, founder of the Soka Gakkai in 1930 was also imprisoned and died in prison.  Josei Toda lived to rebuild the Soka Gakkai with Daisaku Ikeda by his side. Daisaku Ikeda (Sensei, or teacher, as he is known to many) tells us that every day he continues to have a dialogue with Josei Toda in his heart. 

In March's Living Buddhism, Toda is quoted as saying:

"Every time I read the Daishonin's writings, rather than simply trying to understand his words, I seek to come into contact with his immense compassion, his towering conviction, his ardent spirit to aid and protect others, and his solemn and unswerving commitment to kosen-rufu.

Whenever I read his writings, his radiant spirit, like the midsummer sun at noon, floods my heart. My chest feels as if it is filled with a giant ball of molten steel. Sometimes I feel like a scalding hot spring is gushing forth inside me, or as if a great, earthshaking waterfall is crashing over me."
From the March 2013 Living Buddhism, page 26. 

Wow, talk about reading the Gosho with your life. I remember that adage from my early days of my practice. Read the Gosho with your life. Not with just your brain...but with your entire life. I am going to strive to feel this more and more. 

I know that the passage I shared with you last month brings out that towering feeling of strength in me. It is one of my favorites and I'll repeat it here for you. In this Gosho (honorific writing, letter to his follower)  Nichiren Daishonin is being taken off to be beheaded for having the audacity to offer his prayers in service to the government, and claim that the prayers they were offering at the time weren't correct. He is being led on his horse to the place of his execution. He sees a statue of the god Hachiman and asks to have a moment with this statue. He gets down from his horse and screams at this God. Remember, in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism all "Gods" are functions within our lives, and a part of us, not outside of us. He is addressing the Hachiman within him when he yells:

"Bodhisattva Hachiman are you truly a god? When Wake No Kiyomora was about to be beheaded, you appeared as a moon ten feet wide. When the great teacher Dengyo lectured on the Lotus Sutra you bestowed on him a purple surplice. I, Nichiren, am the greatest Votary of the Lotus Sutra in Japan, and entirely without guilt. I have expounded the law to save all people from falling into the hell of incessant suffering for opposing the Lotus Sutra...
If I am executed tonight and go to the pure land of Eagle Peak, I shall report at once to Shakyamuni Buddha that Tensho Daijin and Hachiman have broken their oath to him. If you feel this would go hard on you, you had better do something about it right away!"
From the Gosho called "The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra. Previously called "On the Buddha's Behavior" 

And, as you know, a brilliant, bright orb came out of the sky and scared his executioners away. Many of the people who were in the execution party later became Nichiren's disciples because of the compassion he showed for them, and the strength of his determination. The full story is in the same Gosho. 

Can you feel his tremendous conviction and spirit in this passage? 

You too can summon this power. 

You are the latter day Nichiren. 

You are the Votary of the Lotus Sutra. 

You live a proud life to save others from suffering. 

You can sit in front of your Gohonzon and command the forces within your life to protect you, to have you rise above your problems, to have you achieve victory in all areas of your life. 

You can say "enough"! 

No more of this karma of feeling insecure and doubting myself. 
No more of this karma of being abused by anyone or any thing! 
No more doubting my own Buddha Nature! 
No more living in fear! 
No more feeling unloved or hopeless. 
No more struggling in a job you hate, or is any other terrible situation. 
No more ________________ you fill in the blank. 
You are a Buddha. 

Whatever it is, whatever suffering you have, you can change it. 

Rise up like a strong lion. Roar in front of the Gohonzon. Tell your life what it MUST accomplish for you. Write your determination. Chant every morning and evening, chant as much Daimoku as you possibly can, and study as much as you can. Encourage other people to the best of your ability. (Sending people links to this blog or other SGI websites counts. Ikedaquotes.org is one of my favorites.) 

And whatever you do, don't give up. We are changing the karma for our entire lineage. We can change our karma this lifetime. We must persist. 

Chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Works

"What is easily done can be easily undone. To move steadily forward on one’s chosen path, step after step, whether or not others are watching; to meet difficulties with the steady, relentless strength of ceaselessly flowing water—such firmness of purpose, such integrity and perseverance builds a foundation that can never be compromised." 
Daisaku Ikeda

Last night's SGI meeting at my house was amazing, just as amazing as this whole week and whole life has been. 
If you follow this blog you know that I chanted 7 hours on Monday (3 in the morning, 1 after working out, and 3 more at night after I returned from a third meeting about a prospective job). Tuesday I chanted another two hours and Wednesday I went to visit and encourage a member who needed guidance. 

I was chanting for confidence and to do the right thing regarding this prospective job. I chanted to discard the transient and reveal the true of my life and potential, and to have absolute confidence in my life. I chanted to root out the karma of being in the state of hunger (a definite family karma that has been passed down through the generations, and I am determined to STOP this karma now and forever). Hunger is one of the four lower worlds marked by insatiable desire that is never thoroughly quenched. In the unenlightened state it is a cause for deep suffering, in it's exalted state it can be expressed as desire for Kosen Rufu and to guide people to happiness. I chanted to desire most what is BEST for my life. I chanted to only accept this job if it's the absolutely right job for Kosen Rufu. I chanted for America and the strength and wisdom of our leaders. I chanted for kosen Rufu (World Peace) I chanted for my sons and every member and all of the readers of this blog. And I chanted for shakubuku and for at least two people to receive their Gohonzons on Wednesday night at my meeting. 

Right before the meeting I had a moment of anxiety about the outcome of all these job interviews. Then I looked at my email and there were several from readers thanking me for this blog. I realized I just HAVE to trust my life and my prayer. If this job is good for me I will accept it. If not, a better one will come along. I can relax and trust the process of my Daimoku. 

Right before the meeting Aaron, my son in Medical School showed up to surprise me. He makes as many Wednesday nights as he can, but Med School keeps him pretty busy. 

At the meeting Patty received her Gohonzon joyfully, She is full of enthusiasm for this practice, just like I was, and still am. I look forward to posting her experience here. We asked if anyone else wanted to receive a Gohonzon and Aaron said it was time for him to get a large Gohonzon (he's been practicing with a small Omamori since he left for college in 2008). He said he knows he will take on a huge challenge in life. Every day in Med School they are presented with opportunities for doctors to make major differences all over the world. Yesterday he learned of a need for doctors in a certain region of Ghana. This summer he will go to Bolivia. He said he is determined to strengthen his practice and life, and knows the significance of getting a large Gohonzon. And he's very aware he has to OWN his practice. He doesn't chant to make his mother (me) happy. He has to chant for the strength of his own life. Can you imagine how happy this made me? 

Daimoku absolutely works. And you don't just get what you chant for. You get so much more!

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Chanting for Happiness - Beaming Like the Sun

Thanks Mojo for posting this Louisiana sunrise on Facebook this morning. 

"Become like the sun. 

If you do so, all darkness will be dispelled. 

No matter what happens, 

live confidently with the conviction that you, yourself are the “sun.” 

Of course, in life there are sunny days and cloudy days. 

But even on cloudy days, the sun is still there. 

Even when you are suffering, 

it is vital that you strive to keep the sun shining brightly in your heart." 

Daisaku Ikeda

I'm about to sit down and chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo for at least an hour, as I do every morning. Maybe more if my voice holds out. Tonight there is a Gohonzon Conferral taking place at my District meeting. I have been chanting for people to receive the Gohonzon with all my heart. Tonight's new member just came to us. She called me and said she'd started practicing on a trip to India and was looking for a meeting. She is full of excitement and unbridled enthusiasm, just like I was when I started practicing (and still am). 
When you are chanting for shakubuku it happens. Some of the members I introduced who are still practicing are people I barely knew, or didn't know at all, when I first told them about the practice. Talking to strangers really works. And, as some of us deeply believe, there are no strangers, only friends we haven't met. 

So don't worry about tempering your enthusiasm. Share your heart. Go for it. Each of us, one by one are creating ripples of happiness in the entire universe. The response of the person is not the most important thing. The VERY first time I heard of chanting I thought "That's the last thing I need." Luckily I heard about chanting two more times in a short period and chose to go to a meeting. What's important is 

Right now I am sitting down to chant for happiness. I am determined to shine and glow with happiness no matter what is going on in my life. No matter what. No, I have not accomplished every single one of my goals, and will always have aspirations, but I can be happy and shine with the light of Daimoku, with the light of the sun,  just as I am, right here, today. 

My power prayer for today:

I chant to praise my life and feel it's absolute perfection at every moment all day long. I chant in appreciation for my ever-growing health. I chant to have the glowing life-condition of the Buddha I am. I chant to appreciate my life just as it is - with all my heart! 

I praise my life for it's strong determination and I chant for everyone who is seeking this practice, everyone who is yearning to be happy, to FIND it right away and begin living a victorious life! 

Snow Storm in Chicago...

There are many happy people right now in the Chicago Area...especially the ones who don't have long commutes! 

It's been snowing for the past 5 hours and doesn't look like  it plans on stopping. I thought you'd want to see it. 

Chanting for Complete Victory in a Major Decision

Isn't this a cool picture? It's from my friend and Buddhist practitioner Julia, whom I talk about frequently. I think this picture of a head of cauliflower she found in Northern California shows the progression of our lives moving through karma eternally. At the base, the karma is really think and as we gently turn the wheel of our lives from one day to the next, summoning strength through our Daimoku, the karma gets smaller and smaller as our lives spin ever upwards. There is no end to the spinning spiral, although all of us have experienced the lightening, and sometimes total alleviation of karma that used to cause us suffering.  This picture captures it perfectly. Thanks Julia! 

Chanting for Seven Hours on a Full Moon Monday

Whenever I mention a long tozo I have to make it clear that, as a Buddhist you will never be required, or asked to do a long tozo (chanting session). At some point you may decide to chant for a long time, but it will only be because YOU want to do it. When yesterday began, I didn't even realize that I would be chanting for that long a period. 

As many of you know, I have been in the wonderful position of determining my next career path. I was "laid off, made redundant, downsized" right before Christmas. But I wasn't discouraged or downtrodden. The company I was working for downsized 900 people in one day and decided to "teach out" (close once the students graduated) the campuses I represented. With all the causes I make every day, I just KNEW this event was the door to a wonderful new opportunity for me. 

So, I have been networking and am in discussions about a particular job. And I've been chanting abundant Daimoku to make sure that this is the right job for me. Yesterday I woke up early and just began chanting. After three hours I took a break to get ready for my appointment, then I chanted another hour. I had a great meeting with the prospective employer. When I came home "I just felt like chanting" (Thank you Forest Gump ~ remember the running scene?) And I chanted effortlessly for another three hours. I figured, I was that close ~ why not take it all the way. 

I chanted for confidence, and for the job to fit all of the criteria I had already written down. I looked at many of my power prayers from the last two months, and I just poured my heart into my life. I chanted for my District and for YOU, the readers of my blog. I chanted for shakubuku. Lately I've met a lot of people who are interested in receiving their Gohonzons. There is no coincidence about that. I am always chanting to meet people who are ready to hear about this practice. 

So this morning I am clear-headed. I've already chanted 2 hours and will get right back to chanting after I post this. Join me if you'd like. 
I just arranged a Gohonzon Conferral. Nothing makes me happier than helping people get a start with this practice and then helping them achieve their goals and defeat their fundamental darkness and live lives of glorious victory

Questions anyone?