I Summoned This Storm ~ PowerPrayer to Move from Victim to Victory

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I'm here in Cape Cod for the week. 

It is lovely and I love being with my family. 

We can all use this message from time to time...

because no matter how well we know it - there are times we forget! 

This PowerPrayer has been inspired by the Gosho Study from the August 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: 

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"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."

"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."

"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)

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So, 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 Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, 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 
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:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


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Write me your victories at Chantforhappiness@gmail.com! 

16 Points and a PowerPrayer to Rid Your Life of Despair

You Can Do it!

16 Tips and a PowerPrayer for overcoming despair

It is possible to permanently change your basic state of life. I know. I did it. And I know countless other Buddhists  who have. Of course, I may still feel sad. But I never, ever experience the sadness I used to live with most of my life. And I am not on any medication. (Not that you should just stop taking yours. Buddhism is common sense. Please chant for the wisdom to know what to do, and work with your medical practitioner if you are on medications)

Jamie’s 16 tips to rid your life of Despair:

by Jamie Lee Silver from ChantforHappiness.com

Tip #1

Chant as much as you can. 

Ask someone to chant with you!

Get support! 

Tip #2:

Study Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. 

There are a few quotes from the Gosho I've embedded in my life: 
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"Suffer what there is to suffer and enjoy what there is to enjoy, and continue chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo no matter what happens...then you will experience boundless joy from the law."

From Happiness in This World, Writings of Nichiren Daishonin 

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One of my favorite quotes from Daisaku Ikeda (from the book Learning from the writings. The Hope-Filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. Page 277:

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"Seen from the perspective of Buddhism, 

everything has profound meaning. 

There is no need whatsoever to vacillate 

between elation and despair at each turn of events. 

There is no such thing as a storm that will 

continue blowing and wreaking havoc without end. 

In the same way, 

there is no hardship that will continue forever. 

There are clear days and there are rainy days. 

If we are swayed by our environment, 

rejoicing one moment and despairing the next 

amid ever-changing circumstances, 

then we will not be able to accomplish 

a true revolution in our state of life.

The important thing 

is to always believe in the mystic law 

and to enter the powerful orbit of faith, 

practice and study. 

Entering the orbit - the orbit of human revolution 

and of changing our karma - 

is the way to construct a life 
of good fortune and happiness 

that will endure throughout eternity. 

No matter what happens, 

we will enjoy the unerring protection of the Gohonzon. 

Instead of drawing conclusions about the world of faith 

from a superficial viewpoint, 

we need to calmly discern 

the true reality and significance of things 

and keep pressing forward. 

With the passage of time, 

it will definitely become clear

 that everything has unfolded 

in the best possible manner." 
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Tip #3:

I take plenty of Vitamin D. For me, sometimes I just need more Vitamin D. 

Also I drink a LOT of water! 

Tip #4:

Encourage someone else! Give a stranger a Nam-myoho-renge-kyo card. Talk to someone you know about past benefits you've had. Doing this will remind you of how you've broken through in the past, and you'll gain more hope for the present. 

Tip #5:

Take a bath with salt in it...the more salt the better! 

Tip #6: 

As I've mentioned before, clean your Butsudan and altar area. The altar in your home is a reflection of your own life. When you treat it with respect, your environment and all the people in it treat you with respect. If you do not yet have a Gohonzon you can still set up an altar where you chant with offerings to your life...fruit, water, a plant, candles, and incense if you like. 

Tip #7: 

Call a true friend. And if you don't have one, see the PowerPrayer for making friends. 

This is how I made so many friends. 

Tip #8: 

As soon as you can, get back in front of the altar to chant. And don't be afraid to cry in front of the Gohonzon or while you are chanting. heck, for the first couple of years I cried a lot when I chanted. It was as if my life had to release years and years of  emotion. 

Tip #9: 

Move your body. Go for a walk! Get your energy and your blood flowing! 

Tip #10:

Study~

Read the Gosho or President Ikeda's writings! When you read these things - read them with your life. Choose a phrase or a passage and chant to realize its deeper meaning with your life. Chant to share the heart of Daisaku Ikeda. He has a heart beating with the fervent drum of Kosen Rufu (World Peace and the happiness of all beings). 

Tip #11:

When I feel sad ~ I write. I write all the sadness out. Sometimes I write to my Mom, sometimes to Ben. When I hold my pen on the paper and keep writing - they write me back. It takes no special skill - just the belief that it is possible.
I write everything. It helps to clear my mind. I write fresh determinations. I write letters. I write poetry. 

Tip #12:

Change “Why me?” to “Yes me!”

Change what you are saying to yourself, and the questions you are asking yourself in your mind. If your constant refrain is "Why me? How can this be happening to me again?" it is important to change that thought. Replace it with a more positive thought. You chose that thought, you have the power to choose a better one! How about "Things are getting better and better for me, I just know it...sometimes it is hard to see, but I am definitely on my way!" or "Don't give up (insert your name) it's always darkest before the dawn!" 

Tip #13:

Breathe deeply. When we are feeling low we tend to breathe in a really shallow way, and it adds to our depression to breathe this way. Sit down and focus on your breathing. Fill your body with air. Picture that air as a bright light coming down from the top of your head...slowly moving down your body as your grey depressive mood seeps out your fingers and toes. Try this. It really does work! 

Tip #14:

Smile! Go look at yourself in the mirror and smile. Look in your eyes and smile. Did you know it is almost impossible to be depressed when you are smiling?

Tip #15: 

Look up! That's right, look up. Tony Robbins, the inspirational success coach and mentor says that looking down has been proven to actually bring people down, while looking up has the opposite effect. 

Tip #16:

PowerPrayer to Rid your Life of Despair
by Jamie Lee Silver, Chantforhappiness.com 

Read before chanting to fuel your mind!

"Gohonzon (my life itself!) 

Now is the time for me to rise from these emotions 

so I can show actual proof of the power of this law. 

NOW is the time for me 

to vanquish these feelings of hopelessness. 

I will NO LONGER allow these feelings to run my life. 

NOW I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY! 

I am a precious child of the Buddha, 

I will not stand for these feelings anymore. I

 vow to win in all aspects of my life. 

I vow to win!" 

Faith Like Flowing Water

With Ben on our Carribean Cruise in 2012

Thanks for all the feedback on my recent posts. 

Tomorrow I go to Cape Cod with my son Aaron, his girlfriend Meg, and my "Wusband," Paul, for a week. We'll be staying with Paul's brother and sister-in-law - who will always be my family too, even though I'm no longer married to Paul.

This vacation is another example of the power of the law - "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo." When we decided to get divorced I made a determination to have the kind of divorce no one would even believe...where each member of the family was better off than before...something truly remarkable...and we've achieved it. We've had friends begin their Buddhist practice after seeing us together! 

Lately I've been thinking a lot about having 
Faith Like Flowing Water ~ as opposed to faith like fire.  
To me, faith like flowing water means faith that does not stop, it continually flows over whatever rocks are in its way. It is undaunted. It stops at nothing. It may seem like having faith like flowing water is difficult, but I believe having faith like fire is much harder. Every time the fire goes out it needs to be rekindled from scratch. Difficult! 

Last night it was really difficult to chant, but I knew I wanted to, and I knew I HAD to...because it was Wednesday and tomorrow was going to be Thursday. Ben started his next journey on a Thursday, and each Thursday is really hard for me. This Thursday it is eight weeks. It feels like no time at all and it feels like an eternity. 

And as I was "trying" to chant last night, I just sat there and kept trying, and at a certain point it kicked in. Faith like flowing water...faith like flowing water...never giving in and always winning. This morning's daimoku was powerful - I never wanted to stop! 

Here are some quotes on having Faith Like Flowing Water: 

FAITH THAT IS LIKE CLEAR, PURE , FLOWING WATER.

"Today there are people who have faith in the Lotus Sutra. The belief of some is like fire while that of others is like water. When the former listen to the teachings, their passion flares up like fire, but as time goes on, they tend to discard their faith. To have faith like water means to believe continuously without ever regressing."

The Two Kinds of Faith - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 89

Sensei Ikeda has explained the meaning of the above gosho passage through the following excerpt, in which he explains the difference between having faith that is like water and faith that is like fire.

"Faith that is like fire,” he said, “resembles a flame that leaps up and burns brightly for a short time. We experience this when we have a burst of enthusiasm and decide to chant or share Nichiren Buddhism more seriously. Just like a flame, however, this kind of faith tends not to last.

In contrast, faith that is like flowing water resembles a stream firmly and steadfastly running its course. It is the faith of a person who, though their actions may not be showy or extraordinary, has an invincible determination and sense of mission, and continues to challenge themselves in faith, practice, and study throughout their life.

It’s important that we maintain faith that is like flowing water. But how do we do that? By practicing Nichiren Buddhism together with the Gakkai organization. When human beings, ordinary people, are all on their own, they aren’t as strong. They can easily lapse into self-centered, arbitrary views and stop making efforts to grow.”

Not being part of an organization might seem more free and enjoyable, but true growth in faith is nurtured through the process of fellow members, “good friends” in the realm of Buddhist practice, encouraging and inspiring one another, and spurring each other on. Sensei went on to say that Gakkai meetings play an important role in helping us maintain faith that is like clear, pure, flowing water.

Excerpt - "The Banner of the Law", NHR , Vol 26

The Physics of Chanting

The Physics of Chanting
by Emily Maroutian
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When I first heard about the SGI practice of chanting, “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo,” I was skeptical and doubtful that it would actually “cause” anything to happen. After all, what could repeating a few words do anyway? However, I was open-minded enough to try it.
I sat on my bed, closed my eyes and began to chant. I chanted for about five minutes and I immediately began to feel my body vibrate from the sound my vocal cords were making. I experienced a tingling sensation in the palm of my hands and the rhythm of the chant made my body rock back and forth. My body’s physical reaction to the chanting frightened me and so I stopped. Does this really work? I thought. But how can it? 
Then it suddenly hit me! Physics!
Physics’ current theory of everything, String Theory, dictates that the entire universe is made up of tiny vibrating strings. The underlining fundamental make-up of all things, including you and I, are minuscule invisible strings. Much like the strings on a guitar, they vibrate and play notes. Moreover, since sound is a vibration, not only is the entire universe vibrating but it is also playing a symphony.
So how does chanting work? 
When an opera singer hits a high note, she can break glass from across the room without ever touching anything. In physics, this is called resonance. Her vocal note and the glass’s vibrational note resonate and that causes the shattering effect.
You and I are constantly vibrating through our being. 
We attract (law of attraction) into our lives whatever it is that harmonizes with our note (law of harmonic vibrations). This is why you can meet someone and feel as though you have known them forever; both of you are harmonizing. They resonate with you and you resonate with them.
We can also repel opposing vibrations (law of repulsion) and keep away situations and people that are vibrating on opposite levels. This is why people who have been in our lives for a long time can suddenly decide they want to move on. Our shift has repelled them because our vibrations don’t harmonize.
If this is the case, then let them go and have faith that it’s all for the best. If you are shifting positively and people are dropping out of your life, let them go. You can’t hold back growth and transformation by holding onto someone who “needs” to leave. Holding on might require that you have to shift into a level that is unhealthy or negative. It may take time, but they will return once they can harmonize with you once again.

When we chant something as powerful and beneficial as “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo,” we shift something within our being, which then alters what we attract into our lives. We alter the level in which we are vibrating on and that attracts a different level of people, things and situations.

In the same way, when we are depressed and carrying around self-pity, we vibrate on a level that attracts things that keep us feeling depressed. It also attracts more reasons, situations and issues that make us continue to pity ourselves. It is the Karma that we create and recreate over and over again.
If we were to chant, “I hate my life.” repeatedly, we would attract and harmonize with people and situations that reinforce that statement. We also reinforce it with our thoughts, emotions and our whole being.
Our environment will support our being regardless of how positive or negative we are. 

So we must not only chant “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo,” but we must become it as well. Our being must vibrate on the level of “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.” Our lives must align with it in order for its true power to be unleashed in our lives and our environment.

Who we are is the biggest cause in our lives. 

Anyone at anytime can change their note. 

It begins with “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.” 

When we shift, our environment shifts. Every member of SGI knows this through experience, now there is a physical explanation of how it works.
Resonance, String Theory and the laws of attraction and harmony are what come into play when we devote ourselves to the mystical law of cause and effect through sound and vibration. Nichiren understood this hundreds of years before science discovered it. Now I understand it as well. Through this understanding, we can have faith that when we chant we are aligning ourselves with the highest good in the universe.
My experience with chanting was very positive and life changing. Even though I chanted for only about five minutes, it only took a matter of four hours for my environment to respond to my request. After that experience, I began chanting everyday and continued to receive the same level of response from my environment.
We chant because it begins with our words and moves through our thoughts, feelings, actions and being. Then it resonates in our environment and then the world. But it begins within us. The more we gather and the more we chant, the more energy we feed into our goal of a peaceful loving world. So never forget fellow Buddhas that the universe is playing a beautiful symphony in which you and I are notes. And when we all gather, we make beautiful music together.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Win in the Morning and You Win in Life! Keys to Releasing Emotions!

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"No matter what happens, 

you must carry out the practice of gongyo 

and chant daimoku everyday. 

Doing gongyo and chanting daimoku 

give rise to a bright and vibrant life-force from the depths of your life, 

giving you the power to resolve life difficulties. 

Therefore, you should never neglect gongyo 

on account of being too busy or too tired. 

Never "pull the plug" of your faith."

Daisaku Ikeda, Ikedaquotes.org

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I love hearing from all of you at chantforhappiness@gmail.com. Lately some of you have said it's just too hard to chant, and you can't seem to get back to where you were in your practice. 

This post might be able to help you release the emotions that can keep you from chanting. 

I have started incorporating a process called EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) "Tapping" into my life. 

EFT does not replace chanting, and it does not mean I am employing any other strategy besides the Lotus Sutra. I base my life on my chanting...my every morning and every evening, and every morning and every evening practice. I base my LIFE on this. And l believe chanting has brought other modalities for health and healing into my life, such as essential oils (yes I am a Young Living distributor, email me and I can tell you more about the oils), Yoga, and now EFT Tapping. 

I know how hard it can be to chant. I know emotions well up in us that seem just overwhelming. I know turning to face ourselves and face our life when we chant can be daunting. The Gohonzon is the mirror of our inner life...sometimes it is hard to see it! And I know the benefits of breaking through and creating a consistent practice are far beyond any happiness we have ever experienced. It's worth it! 

I also know that some of the most important things we need to chant about...some of the core issues...well, sometimes we just can't chant about them at all. They seem too painful to even chant about. 

So we need a release for that pain and anger and sadness. We need a valve to just let it out. Tapping has been working as a release valve for me. And I think it has been making my chanting even more focused, and helping me with my grief. 

To learn EFT, I took several courses from Nick and Jessica Ortner over the internet. And I learned the totally easy - impossible to do wrong - method of tapping on meridian points on my head, hand, and collar bone while releasing the emotion. 

Now I'm using "Faster EFT"  to release emotions. I really ought to just demonstrate for you in a video. I'll look into doing this for you, and you can search on Youtube and find a ton of videos under EFT and tapping. 

You tap...focus on the emotion you want to release...speak words of release "I release this sadness, I release this pain, I release this sorrow."  I feel the emotion in my body...and experience the release. 

And then, you can sit down to chant and really focus. 

I'm not saying this is for everyone...or making any kind of prescription for any of us. I am just saying this has been working for me for quite some time. I think it helped me to have the level head I needed to complete the divorce, and it is helping me come through this current wall of pain. 

Have a great day! 

Deepening Our Faith....from Kate Randolph. Best. Guidance. EVER!

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Faith is Envisioning the outcome exactly as you want it to be and then challenging the doubt in your mind with your Daimoku. Envision the outcome as though there were no obstacles, eliminating all the obstacles and then sending Daimoku like arrows through each obstacle, shooting them down as they arrive in your mind. 

You have to expect doubts to arrive in your mind and now is the time to realize they are not real...they are only thoughts in your mind. They are not reality. They are just thoughts and you just pop them with your prayer with your eye on the outcome with your prayer 

Many of us are from the generation when we were chanting for stuff. But there's no one there. This is not an ask. There's nobody there...nobody there to give it to you...Stand up and demand it and then do battle with your mind. 
That's the whole thing
That's what deepening your faith is: 
Envision the outcome...and wait for the obstacles to arrive in your mind (they are only in your mind) and you have to have confidence and in front of the Gohonzon do battle in your mind and say No No No that is not my reality, that is not reality, that will not be my reality. These obstacles are NOT my reality, these negative thoughts are NOT my reality. Envision your outcome and say YES YES YES YES each Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. And tell the Shoten Zenjin YOU will get my back...you have my back  
what I envision...my perfect outcome...THAT is my reality and then you add to it: For the sake of all people. 

Demand the complete and total protection of the universe to do battle with your mind. 

THAT is deepening Your Faith!!! 

Go for it! Let me know what you achieve~ !!

Inspiring Guest Blog Post from Simran Kalsi

Hello fellow comrades!! 
For me chanting twice daily was a big challenge. I am in this wonderful practice from past almost four years now. Initially I would just chant for 5 minutes twice a day, daily. But then as faith deepened i challenged myself and today i can easily chant for 1 hour daily. Yes sometimes we feel that the circumstances are harsh but hey! We do not stop taking our meals and drinking water when we are in hot water..do we? So why faith should suffer? In fact difficulties are like the fuel which  propel us to move forward.
The more sugar we put in our coffee, the sweeter it becomes. Similarly the more effort we put in deepening our faith by chanting more and more, the greater are the benefits that follow.
Whenever i feel lazy, i tell myself..NO! These devilish forces (which is our own lesser state of life) cannot stop me from changing my karma. I am the master! I am the director of my movie(my life) and the crowd watching the movie being shot can yell as much as they like or they may try to distract me from making this beautiful movie. I will NOT stop! I will not pay heed to these voices as this is my own fundamental darkness. I will win!!! I am the Sun!!
No suffering, be it death (i lost my dearest mom to cancer last month) can discourage me or stop me from achieving my goal!! If these are the challenges which i need to face to come out shining like a diamond then" LIFE!! BRING IT ON!!" I am the master!!
Once you speak to yourself like this every time you feel lazy or low then you will surely know what to do next. And that is sit and speak to your life for one hour..twice..daily. !
As they say "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." You need to do this to feel it yourself!! Go lions!!! Roar!!
Nam myoho renge kyo

- simran kalsi(New Delhi, india)