May all People Shine! May all Life Shine!

"May all people shine! 
May all Life shine!" 

"This cry of love for humanity 
is the cry of the Lotus Sutra. 
It is the cry of those who understand 
the true aspect of all phenomenon. 
Buddhism exists to enable all people 
to share in the boundless joy of life. "

From The Heart of the Lotus Sutra, by Daisaku Ikeda. 

Today it is sunny in the Midwest. It will be almost 50 degrees...and the snow is melting. 

Every day we are challenging our lives through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. We chant to change from within. 

Every day I chant to change whatever I need to change in my own life so that I can make my environment shine...continue to advance...continue to help others...continue to live out my vow of kosen rufu - a world where everyone shines! 
When I see that my life is not my life alone, that it is also a gift to the world, then days of low-grade anxiety, like yesterday, can just pass, and I can move on. 
Yesterday was the ten year anniversary of the day my beloved sister-in-law Marla died. 
We met in our twenties when we married brothers. We raised our kids together. She lived in LA and I was in San Francisco. Our two families spent weeks at a time traveling in California - camping all over the Sierra mountains. Having a blast. We were supposed to grow old together, laughing about our younger days, laughing as only the two of us could laugh. 
March 10th is a date for me to honor her and chant in appreciation for her life. I came home and chanted for two more hours last night and feel refreshed and ready to go today. 

The power of Daimoku is vast. It can heal anything. As long as we do it. That's the thing. That's the most important part. We need to chant! That's what makes us warriors. That's what makes us strong. 

My hope for you today - this day - is that you chant with all your heart. Tell the Gohonzon - your life - how you feel and tell your life what you want. Keep going. 

Don't ever give up! 

3 Secrets for Setting Goals and Reaching Them

"This Lifetime will never come again; 
it is precious and irreplaceable. 
To live without regret, 
it is crucial for us to have a concrete purpose 
and continually set goals and challenges for ourselves. 
It is equally important 
that we keep moving toward specific targets 
steadily and tenaciously, one step at a time." 
Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow, page 55. 

We all know we need to make lists and write down our targets and goals, don't we? We've seen the studies that report that college graduates with clear goals achieve more success than others who don't have written goals. But still, somehow it is difficult to write them out and make them. 

Why is Setting Goals difficult? 
1. Many of us have set goals and failed to reach them. Raise your hands if you've ever done the same. And we've seen those targets breeze by...losing faith in ourselves. These failures mean nothing. We should make goals anyway. Read on. 
2. Sometimes it's hard for us to decide what our goals are. 
I chant for clarification and wisdom... 
3. We're afraid we won't reach our goals. That's a version of number 1 above. Or...maybe we're afraid we WILL reach them, and regret the outcome. 

So as I am making my list of goals I am remembering what some of my favorite mentors have to say about goal setting. 

3 Secrets For Setting Goals 
and Reaching Them! 
By Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com, based on the teachings of Tony Robbins. 

1. For every goal you have be clear on WHY you want to achieve that goal. Write your goal...and write WHY you want to achieve it. As a Votary of the Lotus Sutra, all of my goals include the vow to show actual proof through my own life that the impossible is possible. 

2. Make yourself an inspiring name for this goal. I have a  friend who just embarked upon a fitness regime with a trainer. After a few days she was feeling discouraged, and I suggested she come up with a name for herself for this endeavor. She exclaimed "Fitgirl!" and has told me over and over how calling herself "Fitgirl" gets her out of bed and to her workout every day. What name can you come up with for yourself to invigorate (great word - meaning "give life to") your goals?

3. Schedule it.  

So here we are. Be bold. Be Brave. Make your list. If I can do it...so can you! Go Buddha Go!  

Celebration Ceremony for a Milestone Reached

Some of my best friends in Chicago, Lashell, Gaye, me, Mary, Laurie, Kindred and Sarah

Last night I had a party celebrating my reaching a new milestone in life, and some of my best girlfriends were able to come. If only all of you, all over the world could have been there. What a great party that would have been...!

You know, I have the belief that major transitions in life should be honored with a ceremony of some type. That's why I became a certified celebrant ~ so I could perform weddings, funerals, and other ceremonies.  

Last night we had a candle ceremony. I gave everyone a lit votive candle in glass, and as we held them, we went around the room. Each person gave a blessing of words to honor my new life and bright future, and a blessing for all of us, and the world. When everyone had said their blessing, we each made our own private wish and blew out our candles. Beautiful. 

Thank you for being with me and for being my friend. I am chanting to be able to visit you all over the world, and for us to meet one day. Maybe I'll be in a lovely place and you can visit me! 

PowerPrayer to Help a Friend or Family Member

How do we help someone who is suffering? Of course, the first thing we think of is to help them learn to chant...but what if they can't chant for some reason? 
We still have the power to help them. 
As votaries of the Lotus Sutra, we have the power. Daisaku Ikeda always says if one person chants in a family - it is enough! 
Last week I had to help someone stop suffering. 
And I had to do it with faith alone. 
AND IT WORKED. I can't give you the details now...but this prayer led me to find a solution to the problem to relieve the person's suffering. This PowerPrayer worked. Within a few days I found a professional who had the answer and we put it into action.

FAITH
It all begins with faith. 
We know this. 
We've heard it a million times. 
What does it mean to us?
How can we REALLY ACCESS OUR FAITH?
What does faith in action mean? 

Last week,  when it became clear that someone in my life was still really suffering I took it to the Gohonzon. OK...what does that mean? 

I sat in front of my Gohonzon and I chanted...and as I chanted I just have to say I shouted in my mind: 

PowerPrayer to Help a Friend or Family Member:
While chanting, let these feelings and thoughts flow through your mind: 
By Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com

Gohonzon!
My LIFE!
My Infinite life force! 
Through my life alone, 
as a votary of the Lotus Sutra 
I am roaring like a lion
Right here
right now
that I will find a solution to this problem. 
I will find a way to stop this person from suffering. 
With every Daimoku I am chanting - right here - right now 
I KNOW the solution is at hand 
through my Daimoku alone. 
Gohonzon! 
My Life! 
SOME KIND OF WAY! 
I now draw my immeasurable power...
the power that is vested in me 
as a votary of the Lotus Sutra....
I now draw on that power to solve this problem. 
I am solving this problem now 
through every Nam-myoho-renge-kyo I chant. 
The answer is coming NOW! 
I have everything I need, right here at this moment
while chanting these daimoku 
to solve this problem. 
________________
(you state the problem and the solution you seek)
Some kind of way
I accomplish this right now! 

3 Point Vow for Kosen Rufu - World Peace through Each of Us!

This year once again I feel such gratitude to be able to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo along with my mentor, Daisaku Ikeda, and along with all of you, my friends all over the world. I have been hearing from so many of you...all my courageous friends. 

We all live noble lives as Votaries of the Lotus Sutra. Our great vow in life is to usher in the new age of light, of happiness, of respect and love. We call it kosen rufu, and I believe every person longs for this new world. Everyone longs for a world of peace, a world of no violence, a world of love. How do we do this? We do it through our own Human Revolution - our own inner change that ignites our lives, and ignites all of life.

We do our Human Revolution by making our great vow for kosen-rufu and chanting to see and make the changes we need to make within our own lives. 

What does this mean for each of us? Here is my interpretation. As always these are my views only. I speak to you from my experience and don't officially represent the Soka Gakkai. 

As you know, in 2013, the Soka Gakkai opened the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen Rufu in Tokyo. We can now travel to the hall to renew our vow for Kosen Rufu. (There are specifications for entry. Please check with your local SGI center) 

3 Point Vow for Kosen 

By Jamie Lee Silver, from the blog Chantforhappiness.com: 

If you want to share this with people, please include my name and chantforhappiness.com. You can also share this link instead: http://chantforhappiness.blogspot.com/2014/01/3-point-vow-for-world-peace-kosen-rufu.html

1. I vow to use my life for Kosen Rufu. I vow to use every thought, every action, every word and every prayer to transform my life, to discard the transient and reveal the true, and to change the world through tapping into the power my life inherently possesses through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, studying Buddhism, doing shakubuku and deepening my connection with my mentor-in-life Daisaku Ikeda.  

2. I vow to live my life as an example that happiness, absolute happiness, is possible. I vow to use my life as an inspiration for people to learn about chanting, and tap into their own limitless potential. 

3. I vow to win in all areas of my life, health, love, happiness, friendships, family, (both my real family and my Gakkai family) work, writings and wealth for the sake of Kosen Rufu. 

Centering our lives on Kosen Rufu, and contributing to the Happiness of our own lives, and to the lives of others is crucial. How do we affect change? I've recently shared that I am noticing what I do not like in others and chanting to change those things is myself (even if I believe I do not share those traits). Last weekend I had actual proof of the power of this prayer. Try it. You may be surprised how quickly you can uproot patterns of frustration. I'll write more on this later. I've got to run! 

PowerPrayer for Moving from Victim to Victor!

According to Daisaku Ikeda, we summon the exact set of obstacles we need to springboard our lives to the next level of practice and happiness. 
We will be better off for them!  
We summoned these storms. 
Realizing this takes our lives from Victim to Victory! This simple change in perspective brings incredible power to our Daimoku. When we are chanting we can address our lives and roar like the lions (Buddhas!) we are. What follows is a PowerPrayer I offer you to reclaim your life and move from Victim to Victor. As always, I offer you my writings from my heart, not as an official SGI representative, although I love the organization and encourage everyone to participate - if you are not yet a member please use this link to connect: sgi-usa.org 

PowerPrayer 

For Reclaiming My Own Life 

and Moving 

From Victim to VICTOR 

Read this before you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
and hold its spirit in your heart and mind - that's what a PowerPrayer - A Fresh Determination is...

by Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com. 

LIFE !! 
I get it! 
I SUMMONED THIS STORM and I can VANQUISH IT! 
I summoned this storm and I will WIN over it !
Shoten Zenjin (protective forces of the universe within all life) 
I now command you to fulfill these prayers!__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I am a precious Votary of the Lotus Sutra 
and I vow to PROVE the POWER of the MYSTIC LAW 
through my own victories - 
so I can encourage everyone that 
the IMPOSSIBLE IS POSSIBLE!
I will NOW raise my life condition to a level I have never before experienced. 
I see through the eyes of the Buddha, 
I feel with the heart of the Buddha
I AM the Buddha! 
The universe exists within ME! 
I am CLAIMING power over my own life. 
No more complaining for me! 
No More "Woe is me!" 
NO! 
Starting today ~ with this Daimoku ~ 
I bring forth all the wisdom I need
                             to know what I need to do - 
All the courage I need ~ 
                             to take the right action 
All the perfect timing I need ~ 
                             to accomplish what I want
And the People and Resources I need ~ 
                             ALL appear right now! 
I am a powerful being waging a powerful war against the fundamental darkness inherent in all of life and I will WIN. 
Starting today 
I will win in:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This PowerPrayer has been inspired by the Gosho Study from the August of 2013 Living Buddhism "The Three Obstacles and Four Devils" written in November 1277 to the youngest Ikegami brother, Munenega, after his brother had been disowned by his father for his faith in Nichiren Buddhism. 

President Ikeda's lecture from the August Living Buddhism on this Gosho includes these words: 

"Though we speak of the "three obstacles and four devils" appearing, no one wishes to have to face adversity. 
That is surely a natural human reaction. 
But Nichiren says that 
the appearance of the three obstacles and four devils 
is a source of JOY. 
How could that be? 
It doesn't seem possible. 
But it is, in fact, 
by overcoming the steep hills and inclines of obstacles 
we can forge our lives 
and ascend the summit of Buddhahood, 
where we can savor the sublime vista of 
eternity, happiness, true self and purity."

He goes on to say:

"We need to "own" them (our obstacles) as something we ourselves have summoned up...we are in charge, we are the protagonists...the struggle against the three obstacles and four devils is indeed a great joy."

President Ikeda goes on to say:
"As Nichiren Daishonin writes: "When a tiger roars, gales blow; when a dragon intones, clouds gather" (The Workings of Brahma and Shakra," WND-1, 799) When we adopt this attitude ~ "I summoned this storm!" ~ our hearts will be filled with the bright sense of hope and purpose." (All quotes from the 2013 August Living Buddhism, pages 21, 22) 
By Jamie Lee Silver from Chantforhappiness.com

Write me your victories at Chantforhappiness@gmail.com! 

Win Win Win Win Win !!!

What does is mean to win? 
We talk about winning a lot in this practice:

"Win in the morning and you win in Life!"

That's a motto I carry from my mentor Daisaku Ikeda. And I do win every morning. I chant a full hour of Daimoku and give it my most focused concentration

What does it mean to win in life? For me, it means a win- win for everyone. That's what I was chanting for in my divorce - a win-win for both me and the man I now call my "wusband." (I don't like the term "ex", and we'll always be friends.) I wasn't out to ruin him or defeat him. I chanted for a win-win. And that's what we got. Last night we went out to dinner and toasted to our accomplishment. 

And challenges, obstacles, (benefits in disguise) lead us to chant. Yesterday I talked with my son Ben and realized I have to draw the strength of my entire immeasurable life force through for him in Daimoku...and continue to do this over and over until he is free from the torment in his head. 

If any of you know of any doctors or alternative health practitioners who are having success with the disease of schizophrenia please contact me at chantforhappinedd@gmail.com. At least he is safe and happy in the wonderful community we found for him! 

Every day I chant to Master my Mind, Master my Mind, Master my Mind! I chant to draw the immeasurable power of my life through my prayer and focus it in many directions, including my family. My sister is getting married in April and we have a great relationships, and I am chanting to change myself to make it even greater and revolutionalize our family patterns. 
Chanting to master my mind is powerful!