From Suffering to Dynamic Progress

Last night we had a district meeting and I brought a wonderful guest who has already experienced benefit from chanting. There were two other new members who just received their Gohonzons at the meeting, too. And it dawned on me that my primary chanting partner over the last year, my friend Deborah, and I, had brought the guests. 
What a wonderful practice this is...where we can walk through the fires of suffering, and emerge with fresh determination, action and results that inspire others to become happy. Poison into medicine indeed! 

4 keys to Finding and Clearing our Own Obstacles to Happiness!

Happy Nichiren Daishonin's Birthday! 

It is another beautiful day to renew our powerful vow for kosen-rufu and for our own happiness. 

In For Today and Tomorrow, on February 16th, 
Daisaku Ikeda states:

"I hope you will always live in unity 
with Nichiren Daishonin, 
pursuing faith as disciples who are 
"of the same mind as Nichiren."
Unfazed by the petty jealousies of others, 
please move forward boldly with joy and laughter." 

Well, I like that idea...of the same mind as Nichiren (determined, resolute, certain!) moving forward boldly with joy and laughter. I know I strive to do that every day. 

As I chant this morning I continue to focus on mastering my mind...and on changing the things in myself that I don't like in others. 

Have you ever had a friend or a family member that you just want to say "why can't you SEE this about yourself? It is so clear to others!" 

We all have blind spots don't we? I've been chanting to see my blind spots...the tendencies I have that hold me back...the patterns I live out that no longer serve me or make me happy. What are three keys to dong this? 

Three Keys to Finding and 
Clearing our own Obstacles to Happiness 

1. Identify character traits you dislike in others. (Such as, quick to anger and yell, continual martyrdom, etc)

2. Even if you don't believe you share those traits chant with an open mind to change them in yourself. 

3. Notice what happens. Notice your own reactions. See if suddenly you can SEE yourself with those traits. 

4. Chant to change these traits in yourself and replace them with traits you would rather have. 


Ever since the guidance I got last week, I am chanting to change the things in myself that I see and dislike in others. (Even if I don't believe I share those traits) And I'll tell you, I have revealed some personal tendencies that I'm not happy about! That's why the Gohonzon is a mirror for our inner life, and why we have to be so courageous. 

I may not LIKE what I'm seeing, but if I never saw it, I could never change it. AND the obstacles to chanting about this are so strong! I just have to laugh. But this is what Human Revolution IS, isn't it? The willingness to SEE what we need to change and the courage to change it. What if I changed these tendencies? I can't say for sure, but I am willing to try...willing to chant...willing to look in that mirror.  

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo takes courage, and the results are worth it. As I dig deep into challenging my life, and doing tons of shakubuku, I wish you all the best. 

Be courageous! 

As Louise Hay says: "How can you clean house if you don't see the dirt!" 

PowerPrayer to Rise Above Our Sadness

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! 

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! 

Mindblowing PowerPrayer to Master Your Mind in the Past and the Present

WOW, chanting to Master my Mind is having a profound affect on my life. 

I feel like I'm starting my practice anew...as I chant my mind is being flooded with ideas, inspiration and PowerPrayers...as I pray even more deeply. 

When I start chanting I don't even look at the clock until at least 15 minutes has passed, but it feels like about three minutes. I see and feel the effects of the prayer every day. All day I am in the right place at the right time. I am calm. I am thinking before I speak (gasp) most of the time. And I am unafraid...even as I walk into new territory.

Here is my latest

PowerPrayer for Mastering Your Mind
by Jamie Lee Silver of Chantforhappiness.com

As I am chanting I am mastering my mind! 

As I master my mind I show even more proof of the power of the law and do shakubuku! 


As I am chanting, 
I am going back through 30 years of Daimoku
(you fill in number of years of your practice here____) 
and infusing every single Nam-myoho-renge-kyo 
with the prayer to master my mind. 

With every Daimoku 
I feel my prayer and my muscle of faith strengthening! 

As I master my mind
I see the power of the this prayer
reflected in my environment

I infuse my life with wisdom, courage, and certainty.

I am level headed. 
I think before I speak. 
I am able to check my emotions whenever I desire. 
I gain the strength of memory!

I express myself efficiently, accurately and expediently. 

As I am mastering my mind I feel the currents of my immeasurable power flowing through me like never before! 

3 Ways to Make This Your Best Valentine's Day Ever!

Valentine's Day is February 14th in America. Many people have a love/hate relationship with this holiday because it's traditionally when you receive a token of love from someone who loves you...
But what if you're not in a relationship? Or, worse yet, what if you have a significant other who doesn't "believe" in Valentine's day, calls it a "Hallmark Holiday" and refuses to participate. There are many ways to be disappointed or sad when Valentine's Day comes along. 

Not for me. Not anymore! 

Several years ago I embarked on the greatest love of all...cultivating my love for myself from within my own life.

I truly believe as Louise Hay states, that loving ourselves is the greatest journey we can take, and all love that surrounds us stems from love of ourselves. 

So now, when Valentine's Day comes around I follow my own traditions: 

3 Ways 

to Have a 

Fabulous Valentine's Day!

1. Spread the love! 
Make Valentine's Day about SHOWING your love...not about waiting for someone to give it to you. I've already spent a few hours writing and addressing cards to those I love..girlfriends...family members...even new business friends. Every day this week I've given gifts and surprises to people...bringing them joy, and ME joy! If you don't have a lot of friends, this is the perfect time to reach out to new potential friends. Be bold! 

2. Reach Out!
Call some friends you haven't talked to in a while. I set a dinner date with a dear friend, and I've called some friends I haven't spoken to recently. 

3. Love YourSelf!
Show YourSelf some love! You are special! Express your love to yourself. Recently I bought myself a token to commemorate the day that Ben was accepted into his new community. Every time I look at it I feel new appreciation for the fortune within my own life. 
And this week I plan on buying myself some flowers, and continuing to express my love to myself and others. I started walking regularly, as I mentioned, and it feels great! I'll treat myself to yoga. 
On Valentine's Day I have a new friend coming over to chant, and I'll think up some surprises for other friends. 

Make it fun. Valentine's Day is about love. It's up to all of us to bring love, to feel love, to build love. 
I'm sending love to YOU right now ~* 

3 Benefits of Chanting to Master Your Mind

As some of you know, I have chosen the month of February 2015 to chant to master my mind. I am using the PowerPrayer from the post of February 4th every time I chant. And I can really see the results. 

So far I see 3 Major Benefits of Chanting to Master My Mind: 

1. Clarity of purpose. 
2. Better Organizational Skills.
3. Increased Energy and Vibrancy. 

How does this show up in my life? 
In my 30 years of practice,  I've heard about mastering the mind, but I've never really chanted about it. For one thing, I thought if I mastered my mind I would lose my spontaneity, my spark, my Jamie-ness. I thought I would become, well, boring. Impossible! Right? 
Occasionally I'd get guidance that stressed NOT to follow what my mind dictates, and I struggled to understand what that meant. If I master my mind, who AM I? 
Now I'm seeing the answers. 

This week was a spectacular one from a business standpoint. Lately, I am doing public speaking almost every week. I present a speech I created called: 
Growing Bolder. 
Tools and Techniques for Thriving at Every Age. 
I present the latest research 
that shows that life GETS BETTER as we age...
and the more aware we are of this, 
the better we usher in 
our own happiness and fulfillment at ANY age. 
I talk about the value of using our words not just to describe our lives, but to PREDICT our course in life. 
Our words determine our experience. Think of the difference between using the word "Overwhelmed" in which we are victims, and the phrase "In Demand" which portrays us an anything BUT victims. 
When we are in demand we are important, and we have choices on where we will put our energy. I ask my audiences "Which would you rather be, a victim, or important?" I give examples of people who made this switch of language, and catapulted themselves to increased success and happiness, both in their personal lives and in their careers. 

Originally, I gained passion and confidence in public speaking by emceeing SGI meetings when I was a youthful Buddha. As I prepared for each and every meeting I chanted that each person who attended would leave the meeting incredibly inspired. I chanted that their cells would rearrange and they would NEVER be the same. 
Just from this one meeting. 
As a district leader, I continued to chant this way. For years. And I chant this way before every speech. No wonder I am "in demand" as a speaker! 

And, yesterday, owing to the prayer to master my mind, I made huge inroads. I chanted an hour and a half with a member. I finalized the terms of a legal matter. I worked out for the first time in a while (I've been sick this winter) and rediscovered how much my body loves to dance on the treadmill to my favorite tunes. And I started exercising my upper body as well. It's been a while. I feel great. Then I deep cleaned my refrigerator and cleared out a cluttered area in my apartment. Boy does that feel great. Then I spent the evening sharing poetry and song with a friend in faith. Great day!

Today I've already chanted an hour to master my mind. I worked out again. Now I am writing you, and I will spend the afternoon researching and preparing new material for some speeches I've been asked to give on topics I love: How to Make Friends, How to Really Love Ourselves. Looks like another great day! 

PowerPrayer for Mastering Your Mind

A PowerPrayer is a fresh determination. We use PowerPrayer to face the Gohonzon (our lives) and chant with focus. You can use this PowerPrayer anyway you wish. You can change it, reword, or embed it in your heart. Some readers print them out. Others read them just before starting to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 

PowerPrayer for Mastering Your Mind
by Jamie Lee Silver of Chantforhappiness.com

Life!
With the immeasurable power of my life
I am chanting to master my mind. 
I am mastering my mind as I chant right now... 
In this moment. 

I will master my mind for the sake of the law. 
I WILL master my mind 
to show actual proof of this practice. 
I don't care how many times I have to remake this determination...I will keep chanting to master my mind! 
All day I will see the benefits of this exact prayer. 
As I master my mind I master my life. 
As I master my mind I master my emotions. 
As I master my mind I strengthen my life. 
As I master my mind I build fortune of the heart. 
As I master my mind I gain the courage and wisdom to take the right action, right now, to reveal and attain my goals. 
Mastering my mind makes me even more useful 
as a Votary of the Lotus Sutra. 
Mastering my mind gives me more power to encourage and help others!