Million Daimoku Campaign Update: Expect New Challenges and Negativity - But You Will WIN!

Many of you have joined the Worldwide Million Daimoku Campaign, and it's not too late to join. 
Just set your sights on chanting 300 hours of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, write your goals for yourself and make or download a chart where you fill in the time you are chanting to add up to 300 hours. You can do a search on 
daimokucharts.org and download one for yourself. Or just make one - it doesn't have to be fancy. 
Most SGI members have goals they have set to reach by November 18th. 


It is natural to experience challenges and negativity after starting a Daimoku campaign. Think of it this way. Your regular life is like a plane going slowly down the runway. There's no resistance from the wind. When you start your daimoku campaign you turn the engines on and rev them up for takeoff, and start going faster. 

What happens to the wind resistance? It increases because your speed increases...just like your obstacles increase when you start a million daimoku campaign. 

But remember, those obstacles are EXACTLY what you need to get to the next level of happiness in your life. Remember the Gosho lecture I wrote about last month. You Summoned those obstacles for your own growth and so you can change your karma forever. 
Think of them as another log on the fire! And as long as you keep chanting, as long as you don't stop, you will take off sailing into the sky. Yes the wind resistance will still be there, but so will all the benefits of being able to look down on all your problems that looked so big while you were on the ground, but now look so much smaller from the air. 

And you will be able to soar over those problems and change them all ~ one after another ~ as your new life flies on and on with the wind of daimoku beneath your wings! 

How to Chant Joyfully for Longer Times

I know many of us are challenging ourselves to chant more than ever...aiming towards November 18th and the opening of the WorldWide SGI headquarters. I wrote this a while ago and repost it from time to time.

When I first began chanting a leader told me our lives and our karma can be compared to a glass with dirt at the bottom...the dirt represents the karma that exists inside our lives. She said when you start to chant you stir up that dirt and see it swirling around...and if you want to really dig deep and clear it out, you might want to chant for a really long period of time...to do a Daimoku Tozo as we call it. 

(Now, none of us ever HAS to chant for a long period of time. This is something that is entirely optional and comes from your deep desire. It's perfectly okay if you don't choose to do a long tozo. As long as you are chanting every day, studying, attending as many meetings as you can, you will definitely change your life for the better.) 

A reader requested I share some ideas about chanting joyfully, especially since so many of you are challenging yourselves to chant for longer periods of time. Thank you for asking.

How to joyfully chant for longer times.

1. Realize that what you are about to do...an extended chant...a tozo...has profound significance for your life. Give  yourself credit for this worthy goal, and set a chanting time goal for yourself. 

2. Write your goal or goals for the tozo. (Some of these goals may occur to you naturally as you're chanting) Write yourself a Power Prayer connected to the greater good...to the real difference you want to make in the world. Remember that you are a precious votary of the Lotus Sutra and when you break through, the energy is forever changed. You are paving the way for others to break through. So address that in your goals and in your chanting For instance: 
"I am determined to have the most beautiful, loving relationship so that I can totally inspire other people that great relationships are possible ...I can show actual proof with my life, and be able to introduce others to this practice!" In one of the tozos I chanted, I'd read President Ikeda's guidance saying you can chant to have 10,000 times more power in your prayer. So I spent the first hour chanting to increase the power of my daimoku by 10,000 times! That hour flew!

3. Have your favorite drinks close by...tea...water...soft drinks...whatever you like. 

4. DEMAND your results! YOU are the Buddha! Do not beg favors from a 'higher power." Remember the Gohonzon cannot get down off the scroll and do the Buddha's work in the world. YOU actually are the Gohonzon; it is inside your life. The scroll is a reflection of the highest life condition that exists within your own life. So when you are chanting CLAIM what is yours! Yes, the Gohonzon consists of the functions in the universe that are in our lives. Tell your life what you want. And know that all real change comes from within.

5. All change comes from within. Take responsibility for your life...not blame. Realize whatever you are going through, whatever is causing you to chant...it's your karma..not your FAULT. Chant to reach the very core of that karma and change it forever. THEN your life circumstances and environment will change to reflect it. You don't have to figure out the deeper cause, don't worry about getting it right. Chanting is experiential, not an intellectual exercise.  

6. Keep your favorite study material close by...whatever touches your heart when you read it. And if you find yourself losing focus open it up to any page you want. I have "For Today and Tomorrow" next to me right now. I just opened it for you right now...I read "When we chant sonorous daimoku, the sun rises in our hearts. We are filled with power. Compassion wells forth. Our lives are lit with joy. Our wisdom shines. All Buddhas and Buddhist deities throughout the universe go to work on our behalf. Life becomes exhilarating." Read your passage and get right back to chanting!!!

7. Invite others for all or part of your tozo. 

8. Have pen and paper handy. You'll want to write down those brilliant ideas that come into your mind while you're chanting. You'll also want to write down some of those pesky thoughts and reminders that keep coming back...things like "remember to buy dog food." Just write it down and eject it from your brain so you can focus on what really matters.

9. Put your telephone away. Tell people you are busy. 

10. After the tozo write in your journal. You never want to forget this day. Write to me too. I love to hear your successes and your challenges. 

11. Expect some obstacles to arise after your tozo. And just say "Hello obstacles! I was expecting you!" When you chant for an extended time you can compare it to turning your speedboat to HIGH. The faster you go, the more resistance you feel. Sometimes after a tozo I experience some obstacles, sometimes I don't. But if you do, please remember obstacles are fuel for your happiness and not to be feared. Face them and chant them away. 

I am chanting for you to accomplish your goals and shine with happiness!
I am chanting for you to connect with the SGI and President Ikeda and all your Soka Gakkai friends. 
I'd love to hear from those of you who have connected to the SGI through my blog. I am sharing your stories with Daisaku Ikeda, Sensei. Send your experiences to chantforhappiness@gmail.com

Happiness

Happiness - The Purpose of Life ~ by Daisaku Ikeda

Happiness

by Daisaku Ikeda

The purpose of life is to attain happiness.
Happiness is something you have to feel inside.
It is something you have to build for yourself.
It is something that lives within you.
That is why the state of your inner realm, your life,
is so crucial to your being happy.
Happiness is not in some far off place.
Happiness exists within your own life.
It is within a single thought in your mind.
You, yourself are the most precious of all.
You have no need to be envious of anyone
or to long for things far away.
Faith and one's single minded desire
to achieve Kosen Rufu (world peace)
are what makes this self of yours shine its brightest
and develop its highest potential;
they are what fill you with good fortune,
satisfaction and eternal joy.
This is the essence of true happiness,
A palace exists within your own life.
When you open that palace
you can be happy wherever you are.

"'Just as flowers open up and bear fruit, just as the moon appears and invariably grows full, just as a lamp becomes brighter when oil is added, and just as plants and trees flourish with rain, so will human beings never fail to prosper when they make good causes.'
From “The Third Day of the New Year” (WND-1, 1013).

"Those who make the best possible causes in their lives through working for kosen-rufu will never fail to enjoy immeasurable good fortune and benefit. Such are the workings of the law of cause and effect in life.
"How admirable are the efforts of those who strive tirelessly day after day for the happiness of others and the peace and prosperity of society! They are certain to achieve lives of brilliant victory." Daisaku Ikeda

Win in the Morning and You Win in Life~! 10 tips for Overcoming Stress

Be Good to YourSELF!

Here are 10 tips for sailing through stress:

Win in the Morning and you WIN in LIFE! 

1. Get some exercise! Walk if you can. Fill your lungs with air, and oxygenate your body. It is always amazing to me how my mood is affected by moving my body. Yoga is great too. Find something you love...dance...run...whatever makes you feel great!

2. Drink lots of water. I drink about 100 ounces of water a day. It helps me in so many ways. I feel so much better. I take out four 24 ounce bottles and put them on my counter and make it a goal to drink them all each day.

3. To keep myself from anxiety I stay away from most forms of caffeine. Your body may handle caffeine just fine. But if you have anxiety I recommend cutting out the caffeine for a few days and seeing how you feel. I do drink tea.

4. Take loving care of your body. Get a massage. Massage is healing. It literally helps to drain the toxins from your body.
And get enough sleep! Studies are coming out every day about how important sleep is to overall health, mood, even weight loss. 

5. Take your vitamins. I found a reliable person to help me understand what my body needs, and I follow the regime. I take a lot of vitamin D3. I can feel the difference if I don't take it. Even if it's sunny I need my Vitamin D!

6. Chant as much Daimoku as you can. I know sometimes my voice gets tired and raspy. But I am keeping up my two-hour a day campaign. I have to. I am skyping with friends all over to chant and get and give support.

7. Study Buddhism to get perspective and re-fire your faith. When you are studying you can tap into your deepest and most powerful prayer.

8. Laugh! Have some fun with your friends. Make room for spontaneity. This week I ended up on a sunset boat cruise on Lake Michigan viewing my favorite skyline with the sun going down behind it, and the lights of the city coming up. Truly a magical moment. Or watch something that makes you laugh. Most of us have heard about Norman Cousins who healed himself of cancer by watching old funny TV shows. Laughter fills your body with oxygen. 

9. Be grateful for all you DO have. When I am really stressed I write down all the things I am grateful for...my eyes, my ears, my sense of smell, the fact that I can walk, and sleep, and all my close friends.

10. Do something for others. Doing shakubuku is the highest cause you can make for your own happiness. Give out Nam-myoho-renge-kyo cards, invite people to your house to chant. Call up a fellow member and say "How are you?" 

Of course, chanting a lot of daimoku is the cornerstone to handling stress, but the other things I mentioned here are also important to me. I hope they are helpful to you. 

Courage, Strength and Wisdom!

Words of a VICTOR in Life