PowerPrayer for Rising Above Our Problems and Having Joy ~ No Matter What!

I read some guidance that said 

"When you chant you should 

take a vacation from your troubles." 

Great idea

And today while I was chanting that's exactly what I did. I chanted to lift my life condition so I could see over and above my troubles...and to experience this day in a state of elevation through Daimoku. 

I chanted to release all feelings of having to be in control at every single moment, because, as we all know, control at every moment is impossible anyway! 

I think sometimes we think "I'm a Buddha so I should be able to command every single moment of every single day. I'm a Buddha, right?" But I don't think that's exactly how it works, 

The only things we can really be in control of are our reactions to what's going on. That's not to say that we can't change our lives through chanting. WE CAN. But the process of doing so doesn't always go as quickly as we'd want it to. We are not like Samantha on the TV show Bewitched. We can't just wiggle our noses and make everything change. 

PowerPrayer 

for Rising Above Our Troubles 

and Having Joy - No Matter What!

by Jamie Lee Silver of Chantforhappiness.com

Life! 

Gohonzon! 

Today while chanting 

I am seeing my life and my spirits 

rising above my worries. 

As I am chanting I am seeing my life rise above. 

I am focusing on joining the ceremony in the air. 

I am joining with all the Buddhas on the Gohonzon, 

and knowing that 

YES! 

This is the life I chose for Kosen-rufu, 

and I will keep my life condition HIGH no matter what. 

I see through the eyes of the Buddha. 

I shine for all those around me as a beacon of hope. 

I am the Buddha at every moment today...

fully aware and focusing on all that is right in my world! 

I am going to float above my worries and chant in the world of gratitude and appreciation. 

I am so grateful for:__________________________

And I release this day to my prayers! 

(I wrote this in the Spring, but based on some of the emails I've been getting I think this is a good time to run it again. All my best, Jamie)

3 Buddhist Victories in Finding Lost or Stolen Items - A Job for Daimoku!

Chanting to find lost items - or stolen items can work. 
Here are a few success stories. 

Years ago in San Francisco my backpack was stolen out of my car. I didn't care about the backpack but I DID care about my walkman (that shows how long ago it was!) I chanted to get that Walkman back. It was my constant musical companion and had a really cool equalizer on it. I'd listen while I was walking the 2 miles to work every day. I just yelled at those shoten zenjin in my prayer! "Bring my walkman back to me!" I just chanted on faith alone. That's all. 
The next day when I went into work the walkman was sitting in the breakroom just waiting for me. It didn't make any sense at all, none at all, but I chanted in deep appreciation. 

A few years ago one of my district members was introducing a friend to this Buddhism and the friend's wallet was lost. We all chanted for the wallet to be found, intact, and after a few days it was returned completely to him. Her certainty made us all certain. She KNEW Daimoku could return his wallet to him. 

Right after that, my son Aaron lost his entire backpack. He had put it in a locked locker at the Armory (gym) at the University of Illinois and when he returned for it, it was gone. He was so upset. That day he had carried EVERYTHING - his laptop, wallet, phone...you name it, all his valuable items. He felt it was stolen and that recovery was impossible. 

I told him about the walkman incident and the recent wallet incident and we all just chanted "Some kind of way! He will get his backpack back!" We kept chanting and he left his name with he attendants, and took every action he could think of to find it. Nothing happened for a few days and then I got a call from the Armory.(He had given them my number because his phone was lost). They found the backpack in another locker...totally complete...nothing missing. It made no sense but we didn't care! We didn't have to figure it out- we just chanted in appreciation. 

My friend Morag in the UK just emailed me that her family's van with all of their sporting equipment AND her children's passports has been stolen. I encouraged her to tell those shoten zenjin that this is unacceptable and she HAS to get that van back. Please join me in chanting to get Morag's van back! 

Do you have similar stories to share? 

Email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

A Special Blog for my Loyal Readers

Today is a special day for me. 

It has been a year since my son Ben first got sick. Some of you have followed his progress closely both through this blog and through emailing me directly to voice your concern. Many of you have been chanting for Ben. 

My appreciation for YOU knows no bounds. Surely we have all been friends lifetime after lifetime after lifetime. You are my cherished friends. 

This is a photo I took this weekend of Aaron (left) and Ben (right) joking together. It makes me so happy to see this. 

This year has changed me. I have chanted more daimoku than I've ever chanted in one year. I have summoned appreciation for having an obstacle SO BIG that made me chant so much~! And Ben is doing great. 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo WORKS! It absolutely works. 

Whatever you are dealing with just do not give up. Do not give up! 

7 Steps to Changing Your Karma ~ please share

Welcome to Chantforhappiness.com. Check out some of the previous posts while you're here!

I've heard from many of you lately who are very sad and suffering, disappointed and losing hope. You are not alone. And you can rise above this and change your karma - right here and right now. 

As Daisaku Ikeda writes:
The course of our lives is determined by how we react  - what we decide and what we do - at the darkest of times. The nature of that response determines a person's true worth and greatness. 

I was in an extreme place of sadness when I started this blog, and there is one important thing I realized that I really want you to understand too. 
It is true, that my suffering was triggered by an event in my life. This can't be denied. But somewhere in the depths of my life I knew that the tears I was shedding were WITHIN my life, and had always been within my life. These were not new feelings of despair. Yes, they were intensified by my recent event, but I realized that I had carried these feelings INTO this life, and that my Mom, my sweet Mommy, had also experienced a lot of these feelings. 

I realized that this sadness was my karma. But in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism that doesn't mean what it means in other forms of Buddhism. 
Karma in some sects means something you have to ENDURE, in others, it's something you have to LEARN FROM. and In Nichiren Buddhism, also known as SGI Buddhism, also known as Practical Buddhism ~  where we chant the name of the Mystic Law - Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Karma is something that we can change, in fact, it is our MISSION to change our karma. 

7 Steps to Changing Our Karma

by Jamie Lee Silver of Chantforhappiness.com. 
Please do not cut and paste. Please do share the post using the links at the bottom.  

1. Recognize it for what it is. 
In my case, I had to stop blaming the man I was sad about, and, as I said, realize the pain was always within my life. A leader told me many years ago that someone could not make you feel anything that did not already exist in your life. Okay. I got it. And I stopped complaining and feeling sorry for myself. I shifted my attitude and took this on as a challenge. YES  - I CAN change my karma! That is the beauty of this practice. 

2. Make a fierce determination to change your karma, and take the actions to change it. 
Chant to root the cause of your suffering FOREVER OUT OF YOUR LIFE. 
CHANT TO EXPERIENCE LIFE AS THE BUDDHA YOU ARE! CHANT TO USE YOUR VICTORY TO INSPIRE OTHERS! 
Many of you have written that you just can't chant, you can't go to meetings, you're too depressed and too busy. Somehow, you just have to overcome this through sheer determination. That's why we have our wonderful organization, the Soka Gakkai. It is entirely up to you! Your friends in faith are waiting to hear from you, chant with you, win with you. Connect to the SGI (use the link sgi-usa.org). And call your SGI friends. I have always chanted to make strong friends in faith who inspire me. You can do this too, and go to them for guidance. 

3. Take action. 
In my case, five years ago, I formed a connection with a strong and inspiring member and we determined to chant two hours a day "together" to change our karma. Sometimes we chanted in the same room, sometimes by phone or text. We didn't always chant at the exact same time, but somehow, knowing we had the shared commitment was very important. Also, take concrete action. Chant for wisdom, and take the actions that arise from your prayers. 

4. Be consistent. Practice correctly. 
I know, I know, I say this all the time because it is really important. Go to meetings, study the writings of Nichiren Daishonin and Daisaku Ikeda, and introduce others to the practice. 

5. Realize that obstacles will arise. 
Don't let them stop you. 
Chant through your tears. Chant through your tears. A leader once told me that Every tear cried in front of the Gohonzon is a diamond in your life. Keep Chanting through your tears. Don't stop! Embrace it. Get out the tissues and get that karma out of your life, not just for you, but for the generations ahead of you! 

6. Don't give up. 
Whatever you do, don't give up. 
Do whatever you have to do to keep going. Karma changing doesn't usually happen overnight. Call on your friends. Start a journal. Realize that what you are doing is REALLY important.

7. WIN and share your Victory with others! 
Document your experience. Write down the challenges your faced and how you overcame them through chanting. Write down the quotes and guidance that inspired you. 

We would all love to hear your victories. You can share them on Chantforhappiness.com. Just send a picture, a little about yourself - where you live, how long you've been practicing, and your experience to chantforhappiness@gmail.com. 

When We Are Having Trouble Focusing Our Prayer....

Has this ever happened to you? 

Today I sat down at the Gohonzon all ready to have a great dialogue with my life in daimoku and my mind just jumped around so much I couldn't focus at all. Thoughts roamed through my head, but none of them were "prayers" really, they were just thoughts about the day before, the upcoming day, tomorrow, but they were not in the realm of prayer, the realm that I call "telling my life what I want." 

I took a look at the recent publications from the SGI and they are just awesome. They improve with every issue. I really look forward to studying them in depth and sharing what I've learned. But now I want to chant...to dig in...to dialogue...not to just think random thoughts. 

What do we do when it's so hard to focus while chanting? 

Well I could just give up and say "I can't connect today..." But I can't let myself do that. I just can't. I have time to chant right now and I must use it! I have emails from you and I really want to be in a high life-condition to answer them. I am moving out of "having surgery mode" and back into life at full throttle - the life I love, exciting, fun, interesting, full of writing, learning and laughing. 

So, I decided to spend the rest of this toso focusing on shakubuku. Goodness knows this world is in turmoil. We live in the age of Mapo and it seems like all the news is bad. So I am turning my prayer to reaching and meeting the people who are searching for this practice. My goal is to meet them, (or have them be someone I already know) and have the wisdom to say what they need to hear, invite them to a meeting and have one person receive Gohonzon this month.

My goal is also to have people find this blog, connect with the SGI (link is at the right!) and start chanting that way. 

The next person I introduce to this practice may be someone I've spoken to for years, months, days. It may be someone I've just met who may have a best friend or family member who has been chanting for them for years, and my invitation is just what they need to reinforce a desire to practice.  

I know one thing for sure....nothing makes me happier than introducing someone to this practice and watching their life change as they embrace it. One more person challenging life...one more person gaining the understanding that happiness comes from WITHIN...one more person fighting for kosen rufu makes a huge difference. 

Chanting for shakubuku is a joy! 
Doing shakubuku 
is the fastest way for us to change our karma. 
Every person practicing brings more joy into their life and into the lives of others! 

If you have started practicing because of this blog I'd love to hear from you at chantforhappiness@gmail.com

Daily Guidance by Daisaku Ikeda

Thank you to Nalini Prakash who sends me daily guidance every day! 

IN the world of faith, 

having a sincere and faithful mind 

enable you 

to keep yourself in tune with the rhythm of the Mystic Law; then you will quickly receive benefit and your good fortune will increase.


IT is only natural 

that the energy you acquire 

through the practice of gongyo for yourself 

will be channeled back into your activities for others, 

for kosen-rufu. 

The fact is that the practice of gongyo 

and your actions in service of kosen-rufu 

will become one, 

and together they will unlock 

the infinite power of the Mystic Law for your life.


AN earnest struggle, 

just like a river crashing loudly over rocks, 

will inevitably encounter obstacles and devilish functions. 

If you keep pressing forward, 

not allowing yourself to be defeated in your struggle, 

you will surge forward with increased impetus 

and achieve great results – 

just as a river flows with increasing momentum 

each time it crashes against rocks, 

racing on with great vigor.


THE determination to accomplish kosen-rufu 

gives momentum to the determination 

to accomplish one’s human revolution. 

Human revolution is like a planet’s rotation on its axis, while kosen-rufu 

is like the planet’s revolution around the sun. 

Rotation and revolution are the foundation 

of all motion in the universe. 

It would run counter to the laws of the universe 

if a planet did not revolve around the sun.


PLEASE read the Gosho each day, 

even if only a single paragraph or sentence. 

Mr Josei Toda used to say, 

“When you are tired, 

that is when you should study the Gosho.” 

The Gosho blazes 

with the brilliant life of Nichiren Daishonin. 

When we expose ourselves to the Gosho, 

our life changes 

and wisdom, courage and confidence well forth.

Hi everyone, I'm a bit behind on answering emails - I will do my best to catch up soon! 

 

Happy 5th Anniversary ChantforHappiness.com!

Happy 

5th Anniversary 

Chantforhappiness.com! 

Here I am - my hernia surgery was a week ago, August is here, and this week is the 5th year anniversary of Chantforhappiness.com! 

I feel like popping open a bottle of champagne and toasting to all of you! 
At first, I had no readers, I only had the memory of myself combing the bookstores and libraries to find this practice...looking for it for YEARS and finally finding it when I met Kate Randolph in San Francisco in 1985 when I was already 25 years old. Right away I wanted to share my new tool for happiness - the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo within the SGI with everyone! 

In the past five years, the readership of Chantforhappiness.com has grown to 36,000 people a month ~ all over the world. This humble site has received more than 600,000 hits. Many of you are from the US, Australia, India, Singapore, Canada, Europe, Africa, South America, and many other places too. 

Where do YOU live? Write to me at Chantforhappiness@gmail.com and you may be in my next book. I'm collecting the emails I receive about how this blog has been a lifeline in places where there is no SGI, or how it has helped at times to give you that extra burst of energy to continue advancing fearlessly...(or to continue advancing with fear, but with strong determination too!)
My goal has been to help you connect with the Soka Gakkai International (which is full of people helping others become happy), and to the heart of our living mentor Daisaku Ikeda. I am so grateful to have raised my life from one of extreme depression, friendlessness, and sadness to one of strength and happiness that flows through me at every moment. I ride the wave of every challenge I face, and turn it into a benefit. And if I can do it so can YOU!

It's very mystic that I had surgery for a Hernia. When I consulted Louise Hay's book "You Can Heal Your Life" (one of my favorites ~ I always keep this book close to me) about the real meaning of a hernia, it said "Ruptured Relationships, Strain..." and I had to laugh. Hmmm, WHICH ruptured relationship? All of them? A particular one? My entire "ruptured relationship karma"? 
And I thought back to 5 years ago when I began this blog. It was born from the ashes of a ruptured relationship. I was missing someone so badly I could literally FEEL the pain in the exact area where my hernia operation took place. Heartache actually hurts. I know. I've felt it. I know how all of you who write to me about heartache feel. 
I also knew at the time that the pain I felt was INSIDE my life. Yes, it was triggered by the relationship, but it was within me, and therefore, I could forever root the cause of the karma of this pain and depression out of my life through this practice. So I began chanting two hours a day to get rid of this pain FOREVER...to Root it out of my family karma. And I began writing this blog so that I could show actual proof through my life and take the whole world along. And of course, it worked. I followed the Soka Gakkai's prescription for happiness. Now I have permanently turned a corner...raised my life condition...changed forever this state of suffering. Forever. Changed. No more depression. Ever. 

And here we are! 

During the life of this blog so many things have happened...including: 

My sweet Mommy died...
I had major hip replacement surgery... 
My son got into Medical School and just passed his boards with flying colors...
I wrote the book PowerPrayers for Chanting Your Way to Absolute Happiness and Success (soon to be released)... 
I went through the biggest challenge of my life when my son became sick this year and he is now much better... 
and now I am mystically recovering from surgery in the exact part of my body that triggered the blog in the first place. And you, my friends, have accompanied me on every leg of this journey as I've proven the power of the Mystic Law with my life...and as YOU'VE proved the power with your own lives! 

I have answered hundreds and hundreds of emails. I have shared laughter with you, and I've shared your tears. In some cases I've been able to answer a few seconds after you wrote; others of you have had to wait longer, or have had to write me again when times were busy. Many mornings I have woken up to 5, 6, 7 emails from you...and sometimes...just when I needed it most...your emails were full of appreciation that brought tears to my eyes...just at the right time! 

Many of you have connected with the SGI through this blog. Others have reconnected. Many of you have broken through...some are still fighting, but are not alone! 
And yes, some of you found out about this practice for the first time through Chantforhappiness.com. I want to hear all your stories, and share them if you'll let me. Don't worry though, I never share anything unless you give me permission, so whatever you write is in confidence. You know the email: chantforhappiness@gmail.com

I can tell you with more confidence than ever that chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo IS the answer to every single one of your questions and the exact prescription for all of the success and happiness you were born to experience. I write this blog to show through my own life experience, my own ups and downs, that anything is possible. And it IS! If I can overcome my heartache and lifelong depression so can you. So can anyone. If I can lose the weight that my mother carried...that all the women in my life have carried...then ANYTHING is possible, because THAT was clearly impossible...
I write this blog to show you the impossible is possible and to share our glorious mission in life together! 

I salute YOU my dear friends! I salute YOU!