New Year's Day - A Great Day to Chant!

"New Year’s Day marks the first day, the first month, the beginning of the year, and the start of spring. A person who celebrates this day will accumulate virtue and be loved by all, just as the moon becomes full gradually, moving from west to east, and as the sun shines more brightly, traveling from east to west."

(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin vol. 1, p.1137)

The golden year [of 2014],
opening the way to a bright future, has begun!
Now is the time to expand the great solidarity of youthful, capable individuals.
Together, let's commence a grand march of hope!

-Daisaku Ikeda

On this day I am so grateful to all of you. 

What a joy to be at the forefront of World Peace with you! What a joy to be changing our karma together, and changing the world together. 

We have all arisen as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. We have chosen our various problems to transform in this lifetime so we can encourage others. And we are doing it together in our precious Soka Gakkai organization with our fellow members. (If you are not yet connected to the SGI use the link to the right, or email me and I can help you - new friends, wonderful experience and deepened faith await you in the SGI!) 

We can make the impossible possible through this practice. We can go from friend-less to friend-FULL, we can raise our life from sorrow and hopelessness to one of joy and determination. We can eliminate depression, lose weight, become happier, younger and we can find true love. The possibilities are endless. We can become happy and chant for all who are suffering. So many people are looking for what we have...let's shine and share and lead our friends to chant with us! 

Can there be any better joy? 

On this day I encourage you to chant for what you really want. Please chant for what you want. 

Last night I answered  emails...and many of them said "I want this_______but feel I can't chant for it for various reasons."
In my experience the best thing is to chant for what we really want. Chanting with passion will lead us to even greater happiness...even if we feel we shouldn't desire something, or we are not worthy of it, or someone has told us not to chant for it. 

Somehow the Nam-myoho-renge-kyo we resonate will lead us to the truest and best desires for our life. And we can start right where we are...with our desires right now.

The Mystic Law is, well, MYSTIC! We ARE nam-myoho-renge-kyo. We ARE the Gohonzon! When we chant we are dialoguing with our own life. We are telling our life what we want. Think "LIFE this is what I want!" while chanting. Not "Oh please?" We are not beggars - we are the Buddha! 

Chanting will work no matter what you are chanting for, so we don't have to worry. My dear friend Amos started chanting to prove to his wife that chanting didn't work. He thought she was wasting her time. He is still chanting and inspiring people more than 40 years later. The Mystic Law is a Law! It works. People have chanted for all sorts of "wrong" things and that chanting has "righted" their lives. Of course life is cause and effect so we never chant that harm should come to anyone ~ that just makes sense, right? 

So on this auspicious day of the New Year, and the New Moon we can pour our prayer into what we really want. Our dialogue is with our life itself. What do we want? What do we really want? 

Last night I was home, answering emails with one of the live shows ringing in the new year on in the background. All night there was the twitter feed running at the bottom of the TV screen. People were tweeting messages of hope and love and peace for the New Year. 

Kosen-rufu! World Peace! A world of respect for all of life! It is happening and we are ushering it in! We are literally chanting a higher vibration to this planet. We are noble votaries of the Lotus Sutra! We chant for our benefits in the name of benefits for all. "I must overcome this__________so that I can show to others the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and encourage others to chant!" 

It is an HONOR to be Setting Sail into a New Era of Worldwide Kosen-Rufu with you ~ my dear friends! 

Write me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com with your victories to share, and your questions. (I never share anything without your permission.) 
Happy New Year!  

The 10 Breaths Challenge - A Great Idea for the New Year

Photo credit Gary Seronick

The Ten Breaths Challenge 

Excerpted from Health and Spirituality Magazine (link at the bottom)

By: 

Glen Schneider

Tags: 

Breath

Breathing

practicing

Calmness

Mind

connected

The first time I tried the complete 10 breaths practice, I was out in my garden on a crisp February evening. I was walking along a path when I looked up and saw the crescent moon framed by the bare branches of our buckeye tree. I stopped to take in this lovely scene, and I decided to take 10 conscious breaths while looking at the moon in the branches. During those 10 breaths, I noticed that somewhere in my chest I felt nourished in a way that was new. It was a small, pleasant feeling. Then I continued on my way.

The following night, I went outside on an errand to the garage. I happened to look up and there was that crescent moon again, a little higher now, in the open sky. I stopped for just a moment—I don’t know why—and as I did, I felt a rush of feeling, as if I were greeting a dear old friend, and these words bubbled up from deep inside: “Oh, yeah. You and me, we go way back.”

That surprised me, because I had never felt such a familiar connection with the moon. Then I remembered my experience of the night before.
The 10 breaths practice is a simple way to use conscious, rhythmic breathing to help us savor life and live more fully. It is quite simple. When something good and wonderful touches us—be it a sight, a sound, or a feeling—we stop and offer it our full presence for the length of 10 breaths, so that we can really taste the experience of the moment.

If we pay close attention, we can see that opportunities for happiness, for touching life’s magnificence, present themselves many times each day. Something catches our eye; something touches our heart. Good feelings arise.

Gradually, I have trained myself to stop and experience more and more of these moments while breathing in and out 10 times. Trees, birds, flowers, even my own body have all become good friends. I have rediscovered feelings of love and wonder that had been dormant in me since childhood. I have learned ways to deepen my connections with other people. My reverence for life has grown immeasurably, and so has my gratitude.

By happiness, I am speaking of the deep, abiding happiness of contentment, connection, and fulfillment, of dwelling happily in the present moment. This is the experience of opening to the goodness and wonders of life, enjoying life deeply, and feeling viscerally connected to others, the whole of creation, and the spiritual dimension.

Many people I talk with share a deep fear that they are somehow missing life, that they are alive but are not fully experiencing life. They feel that they are getting only glimpses of life’s promise. 

Page

Practicing 10 breaths has shown me how to stop, open my heart, and savor what I love in the world—to let in the good. My life has blossomed in ways I would never have thought possible.

The 10 Breaths Practice

Stop whatever you are doing.

Close your eyes, put your dominant hand on your belly, and begin to pay attention to your breathing. Notice the rise and fall of your hand on your belly as you breathe. Take three deep breaths to settle and clear your mind.

When you feel more present, open your eyes and look at the object of your concentration. Take a deep, slow breath in and out. That is “one.” Continue counting each breath: “two,” “three,” “four.” Let your encounter unfold naturally. Just behold the object of your concentration and observe it without mental commentary or judgment as you count. Notice its color, shape, sound, or smell.

While counting, become aware of your body and any sensations or emotions that may arise. Allow every cell of your body to open up to the encounter. Allow the experience to be as full as possible. Don’t hold back.

When you have reached “10,” rest in the feeling of the moment. Then, if you’d like, take 10 more breaths in the same way.

The 10 breaths practice is very simple in concept but can sometimes be challenging in practice. It takes getting used to and requires focus and courage. Often, it is hard simply to stop what we’re doing and make space to enjoy life more fully.

One way I learned to stop was by setting a goal of doing 10 breaths at least once a day. At first, I chafed a bit at this, but now it’s second nature. I look forward to each day’s new encounter. It’s so much fun. What will call me, what will touch my heart, what will be my treat for the day? The important thing in practicing 10 breaths is to get started and set your intention to keep on counting with your breath all the way to “10.” When you do this, you create new neural pathways that help anchor your habit of happiness.

The 10 breaths practice engages the teacher within. What catches your attention is entirely, uniquely up to you. How you behold your experience and how it unfolds is completely yours. You can practice this anywhere, anytime. When something speaks to you, give it your full respect and the time it deserves. You will be richly rewarded.

Excerpted from  Ten Breaths to Happiness: Touching Life in Its Fullness , by Glen Schneider.

http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/take-10-breath/page/0/1#sthash.ptcphc7v.dpuf See more at: http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/take-10-breath#sthash.ws32DsIW.dpuf  

Ushering in the New Year as Dancing Bodhisattvas of the Earth!

In the December 20th World Tribune, Daisaku Ikeda writes:

"There is a passage from Nichiren Daishonin's writings that I would like to share with you today:

When great evil occurs, great good follows...(T)he great correct Law will spread without fail. What could any of you (my disciples) have to lament? Even if you are not the Venerable Mahakashapa, you should all perform a dance. Even if you are not Shariputra, you should leap up and dance. When Bodhisattva Superior Practices emerged from the earth, did he not emerge dancing? 
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol.1. p. 119)

We have been born into this world as Bodhisattvas of the Earth to take our place on the stage of our respective missions and then perform the joyous dance of fulfilling our vow for kosen-rufu. Not even the most terrible calamity can discourage or deter us.

We powerfully chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo - the "greatest of all joys" (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, p. 212) - infusing our lives with a vibrant energy that virtually compels us to leap up and dance. We challenge ourselves to confront and battle obstacles, do our utmost to transform great evil or disaster into great good and spread the supreme teaching of the mystic law. 

By bringing the forth the power of faith and practice of Bodhisattvas of the Earth dedicated to realizing the great vow for the widespread propagation of the mystic law, we can manifest the boundless and immeasurable power of the Buddha and the Law, and transform this suffering filled saha world into the Land of Tranquil Light. This is the Daishonin's promise.

(December 20, World Tribune, from the essay Setting Sail Into the New Era of Worldwide Kosen-rufu, page 3.)

Today the New Year dawns in a different city all day long! All of us are forever united in Daimoku with our mentor. Let's make this the most meaningful New Years filled with our boundless fresh determination! 

7 Power-full Questions for Reflecting on 2013 and Launching 2014

Challenging the Future...the time is NOW! 

I just finished my hour of Daimoku, (chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) with my phone turned off, concentrating on how to make the writings surrounding the New Year as meaningful and powerful as possible. 

I write the New Year in. I use words to focus on what I learned the previous year, and what I will launch in the year to come. Today I am sharing with you some of the thought processes that you may like to use to launch your powerful year. 

As I mention frequently, these are my thoughts and my methods. They do not reflect any official Buddhist stance or opinion and are not guidelines of the SGI. They are thoughts I share personally with you, as a fellow practitioner in this glorious practice. 

Reflecting on 2013, 
and launching 2014. 

This are the writings and lists I will create:

For 2013 ~ 

1. What, and who, am I grateful for in 2013? 
2. How can I express that gratitude in meaningful ways? ~         What concrete actions will I take? 
3. What am I proud of? 
4. What do I wish I had done differently? 
5. What have I learned? 
6. What is still "in the works" and what will I redetermine for 
     2014? 
7. What will I leave behind in this year? Are there habits I no longer want to have? Negative tendencies I am committed to changing? 

For 2014 

1. How can I dream bigger and brighter than ever before? This week I make my list for the New Year, and for the next 10 years. 
2. What do I need to focus on, in my Daimoku, and in my life, to be more productive, more happy, more of an asset to others than ever before? 
3. What else can I do, in my prayer and actions, to welcome in the week ahead...the New year...in the highest possible life condition so that this year is the best year of my life. 
4. Who can I encourage? And what actions do I need to take to encourage them? How can I chant the most powerfully, and take the wisest actions for the happiness of every member of my SGI district? 
5. What PowerPrayer can I write that will encompass my fresh determination and vow for the New year. 
6. What words of Daisaku Ikeda will I engrave in my life as a guiding light for this year? 
7. What new positive habits will I establish as I go about starting my new job and changing the rhythm of my life? (Some people call these habits resolutions - I prefer to think of them as guidelines) 

I know there are more...and this list will grow...

How do you begin the New year powerfully? 
Do you have any thoughts to share with the readers of chantforhappiness.com? Email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. 

We Are Microcosms of the Universe

Buddhist thought holds that we are microcosms of the universe. Science is moving closer to Buddhist thought all the time. This picture really intrigues me. It's just mesmerizing isn't it? And we access the power of the entire universe every time we chant. 

And when we look around our lives we see that our lives actually do reflect how we feel, what we see, and how we experience the world. 

Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (it means: I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration) we can set our entire lives right. 

We can change ANY poison into medicine. 

We can change anything. 

Life is eternal. 

Some things take longer than others, 

I know, we all know. 

But the important thing, as Daisaku Ikeda says, 

is to keep chanting until we DO change it. 

The important thing is to not give up, and to take every challenge and make fresh determinations around it.

ANY experience can be a catalyst for greater happiness when we meet it right in front of the Gohonzon, and don't run from it! The key is to keep chanting for human revolution, doing shakubuku and studying. 

How much Daimoku should you chant? We can only answer that question for ourselves. We each have a minimum amount that makes us feel good. Some of my friends chant at least two hours a day...others chant 15 minutes in the morning and the evening and make every second count. There is no prescription for this practice. It is for our own lives.  

How much we chant sometimes depends on our goals, our state of life, and as many have pointed out - we DO need to sleep! So ~ we chant as much as we need to keep our life conditions elevated! Only we know how long that is. And whatever we do ~ when confronted by obstacles and "problems" meet them head on in front of the Gohonzon and say 

"Life! I summoned this storm and I will USE it to revolutionalize (my word!) MY LIFE! I will use this as fuel for my life and the lives of others! I will prove the power of my life and this practice right here. RIGHT NOW!" 

New Year with Fresh Determinations!

The sun has given us an exclamation point to start our day! 

We are about to usher in the mid teens of this century, what will we each create in our lives? What will our determinations be? I'm on vacation right now, so will be writing brief posts for a few days. Please feel free to browse through the previous posts to find more. 

As Nichiren Daishonin says in the New Year's Gosho that we have studied every year since 1985 when I began chanting: :

"A person who celebrates this day will accumulate virtue and be loved by all, just as the moon becomes full gradually, moving from west to east, and as the sun shines more brightly, traveling from east to west." WND

So every year I celebrate the New Year in many ways. I write my evaluation of the previous year. I write the highlights and the challenges and what I learned. Many years I write a poem to sum up the year. 

Then I get to the really fun part of bringing in the new year. I make my list. In 1993 when I was practicing with Danny Nagashima in San Francisco he told us his list had over 200 things on it for the year. So I challenged myself to write a list with over 200 goals for the year. THAT was a truly memorable year. 

The list is not only a list of goals...it is also a list of who I want to be, how I want to feel, what I want to release and what I will bring into my life. It is a list of declarations. As I mentioned, I am on vacation through the next week and will have plenty of time to write. I am looking forward to this process! 

Enjoy making your lists! You are a Buddha! Dream Big!!! 

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to Summon Fathomless Wisdom

The following is a Passage from Julia Landis' and Jamie Lee Silver's upcoming book, 

The BuddhaZone, 
PowerPrayers for Chanting Your Way to 
Absolute Happiness:

"As Nichiren (SGI) Buddhists we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to summon up our fathomless wisdom while steering our life-craft in the direction of our innermost desires. We chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo over and over and over again. We call this chanting Daimoku 

(Die-MOH-Koo). Daimoku means title and the title of the Lotus Sutra is  Myoho-Renge-Kyo.  The founder of this practice, Nichiren Daishonin, added to Myoho-renge-kyo  the syllable Nam which means “I devote my life to.” 

So, a brief translation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is, 

“I devote my life to the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration,” or, “I am one with the very rhythm of life.” It is the title of the Buddha's highest teaching, The Lotus Sutra. 

“Myoho-renge-kyo is the name of the ultimate mystic truth, and Nam-myo-ho-renge-kyo  is the name of the life state of Buddhas who embody and reveal this truth.” 

p.28 On Attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.

It actually becomes very natural over time to focus on a personal PowerPrayer while chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.  It is nothing more than putting your deepest fundamental wish into action. By chanting and focusing on our most cherished desire, we come to steer our lives with confidence in the direction of Buddhahood. Our lives become lives of immense creativity, wisdom and value, and most of all Love. For as we chant, rhythmically and powerfully, we exude into our environment a music that evokes our deepest, innermost  capacity and transforms any manner of poison (problem) into a medicine (benefit), and further, into a nectar (deep and absolute happiness). 

Love's Got to do with it

Chanting is infused with love. That's the source of its power. When we chant for what we really want it comes from a real love for ourselves...and love for others. When we begin with love for ourselves, that love exudes from us, and changed all we touch. All love begins with self love. However, you don't have to come to this practice in a state of self-love. This practice will take you there. Chanting Daimoku will itself bring about this state in your life. As the well known writer in the personal growth movement, Louise Hay, has said at the age eighty-two, “self love is the most important thing of all.” When you love yourself, everything in your environment loves you back. Your environment is a reflection of your own state of life and connection to the source of all happiness. 

Sadly, in general, Human beings tend to project this source outside of themselves. In fact, we are most comfortable, it seems in today's spiritual culture, when we project both the source of our mystical power and, also, its recipient outside of our lives. (Everyone seems to be praying to a power outside of themselves for a person who isn't them!) A great majority of souls, and you, yourself, we imagine, have prayed with love in your heart for the happiness of someone else, invoking a power that you have come to believe is “higher” than your own life. It has become commonplace.

But how often have you prayed with immense love...

for your own life, 

for your own happiness, 

for your own well-being? 

And more importantly, how often have you prayed...

from your own life

to your own life 

for the very best things 

and experiences for you

in short, for your own happiness?
And through your own happiness...
to bring happiness to ALL? 

We have found that, as it has been written, if we intone our voice with Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can summon up great love, the kind of love that is required of us if we want to awaken to our true potential. And that is another name for Buddhas: Beings who have realized their infinitely positive wise and loving potentials.

It is our PowerPrayer that as you are reading, these words are activating within you the curiosity and courage it will take to sustain you on this journey. 

Listen to the secret we whisper into your ear:

You are the Buddha of Infinite Potential. Yes, YOU are the Buddha. Your life story is one of awakening. Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo you will be able to solve your problems and awaken to your own Buddhahood that has always been your birthright." 

The above passage is part of the preface to the book Julia and I wrote for you. I'm in the process of figuring out how to best publish it for you and offer it for sale right here. It is packed with PowerPrayers to strengthen your life and your practice. 

On this blog I have written many posts for people who are interested in chanting, and I invite your questions and comments. You may email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com.