How to Achieve Unlimited Victory

Today's quote by Daisaku Ikeda fits my family's recent news.

On Monday, my son Aaron called me from his trip to Australia to tell me he had won the Loyola, Stritch School of Medicine award for Persevering Through Hardship. Persevering Through Hardship. Boy, does he deserve that. He only had one semester of medical school before his brother Ben started showing signs of mental illness, and by Aaron's second year, Ben had already been hospitalized and things just got worse and worse until this summer, when, as many of you know, Ben began his next eternal journey. 

Somehow, Aaron's determination, along with his strong Buddhist practice, and support from his family and friends got him through. With honors. What a champion. 

The harder it got, the more he chanted. That is the sign of a true victor in life. 

In many ways we are all going though hardship, aren't we? This is the age of Mappo - a dark time. But if we all perservere...if we all wake up every morning and spring in front of our Gohonzons and make our determinations AGAIN, we will all win. 

I've been in three all-day conferences in the last few days...meeting new and old friends...learning useful information to further my life and the lives of others. Soon I start formal training in EFT Energy Freedom Technique - Tapping. It's a powerful modality. Moving ahead fearlessly...together... 

Today's guidance from Daisaku Ikeda in 

For Today and Tomorrow states:

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"Strength is the source of happiness. 

We mustn't shy away from life's challenges. 

We mustn't be defeated. 

Refusing to be defeated equals victory. 

A person who perseveres to the end is a winner. 

In the course of promoting or movement, 

the Soka Gakkai has never pulled back 

in the face of any hindrance. 

We have kept moving forward. 

And that is the key to our success. 

Never to retreat a single step, no matter what - 

that is the Soka Gakkai spirit. 

Those who can embrace this spirit 

can achieve unlimited victory."

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The Important Thing about Prayer

"There are many elements involved 
in a prayer being answered, 
but the important thing 
is to keep praying until it is. 
By continuing to pray, 
you can reflect on yourself 
with unflinching honesty 
and begin to move your life 
in a positive direction 
on the path of earnest, steady effort. 
Even if your prayer 
doesn't produce concrete results immediately, 
your continual prayer 
will at some time manifest itself 
in a form greater than you had ever hoped."

From Daisaku Ikeda, Buddhism Day by Day, page 97. 
Share your thoughts with me at chantforhappiness.com 

The Exuberance of Youth

Some Exuberant Youthful Energy!

Welcome to the blog about bringing forth your own potential through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! I write this as a 31 year practitioner of SGI Buddhism, and do not officially represent the SGI. My goal is to use my life to show how amazing this practice is...and how to use chanting as an effective, practical tool. 

Friday night I participated in the filming of a documentary. Through very "myoho" circumstances I met Anya Solotaire when I went to watch my SGI friend James Cornolo perform. She told me she was producing a film on people's experiences with the unknown. I told her about Ben, and how he and I continue to write poetry and letters to each other through my own hand, even though he's not here physically anymore. 

She said "That's exactly what we're looking for!" and asked me some more questions. I told her about chanting, and chantforhappiness.com and about YOU and how much you are a part of my life, and Ben's story. 

So Friday night, Anya, Fred Frederiksen, and Sarah Stevens from Bummer Camp Productions came over to film. 

The first thing they wanted to do was chant with me, so we chanted for at least 15 minutes. WOW! They spent the next few hours filming. I read Ben's poetry and my poetry ~ we even sang The Circle Game. 

It was so refreshing to be around such bright and smart, and visionary young people. Ben's story continues!

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As for me, I continue to chant at least an hour every day, even though I am walking through a lot of grief right now. 

I've almost finished the flyer and promo materials for BensMemorialMile.com . You can check out the link to register for the June 11th event!

I'm preparing for a speech I'll deliver on Thursday morning called "Ushering in the New Age of Agelessness." You know how much I love this process! One day I will have all my speeches on the web for you. Next week I am starting courses in learning EFT, Tapping, Energy Freedom Technique. It will give me even more to offer you! 

I currently offer individual life coaching (not the same as guidance). 

You can email me at chantforhappiness@gmail.com for more information.  

As long as we keep waking up 

and heading to the Gohonzon, we will win. 

As long as we don't give up, we will win. 

As long as we keep studying, 

keep introducing others 

and keep chanting with all our hearts, 
We will win. 

We will win together! 

What if you get Bored Chanting?

Yesterday - Aaron and Meg's going away party. 

Today they left for Australia for 6 weeks

My sister Alison is in pink, and her husband Frank is to the right. Paul is behind me.

This morning, believe it or not, I got bored while chanting. I had the thought: "I have been chanting for this goal for SO LONG - what's the use?" Such a clear attack of fundamental darkness, right? And instead of stopping chanting, I reached for one of my favorite books, "The Heart of the Lotus Sutra." I read:

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"The true aspect of the Buddha is found in the ability to lead a pure and noble existence, to emit the fragrance of compassion and to shine with wisdom, even amid painful circumstances. It is this function of the Mystic Law that is eternal."
From "The Heart if the Lotus Sutra" by Daisaku Ikeda, page 130

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Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the power within us all, even amidst our pain...

And I picked up where I had left off and chanted for another hour. I'm in painful circumstances, but I am determined to shine. I'm battling every day, just like you are. Let's win together! You are inspiring me with your emails. Thank you so much!

Problems are Like Push Ups ~ They strengthen our Muscle of Faith!

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Problems, once embraced and challenged, are the "weights" that build our muscle of faith. 

How do we accomplish this? How do we embrace our problems? We embrace our problems every single time we sit down to chant. We embrace our problems every time we are not defeated. We embrace our problems every time we say "Heck NO! I've got a Gohonzon - this suffering ends NOW!" 

And we do this day after day after day. That's what makes us winners. We activate our highest potential through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. We access our wisdom, take the right action and power through when the going gets tough. 

How do we do this? For one thing, we focus on others we wish to help. Today, and every day, I wake up with the conviction that again, this day, I will win. I will win to show actual proof that YES! Chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo works! The Mystic Law (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) when chanted, activates our innate power, helps us to break through any dead ends, and enables us to forever change our karma. 

But it's not easy, is it? It takes courage to sit down one more time to chant...it takes courage to face our lives. And the more we face our lives, the stronger our muscle of faith grows. And when we have a strong muscle of faith we can sit down with absolutely no doubt and know that YES, this daimoku, this VERY DAY, is changing my karma forever! That's a strong muscle of faith! 

Every time we chant we have the opportunity to life the weights of our faith. RRRRRRR! We can do it. 

When we chant we strengthen our mind of faith!

How strong is our mind while sitting in front of our Gohonzon? How focused are we? How certain are we that WE are the Buddha commanding our life? 
Every time we overcome our resistance to chanting. Every time we ring that bell we win!

We are all winning together. 
You inspire me and countless others every day! 

12 Powerful Nichiren Buddhist Quotes on Overcoming Illness

For any of you who are facing illness - this should raise your spirits! 

The person who originally compiled these quotes 

was able to use this practice and modern medicine 

to overcome breast cancer completely. 

Please feel free to forward the link to this post 

to anyone who is suffering from illness. 

From President Ikeda's Lecture series "The Hope-filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin: On Prolonging One's Life Span - Faith for Leading a Long and healthy Life" in the July-August 08 Living Buddhism. (Thank you to my friend Melissa Bradford for compiling these great quotes!)

1. “Suffering from illness is a means by which you can eradicate your negative karma.”  
President Toda, as quoted by President Ikeda. - pg 70 

2. “To see illness as an opportunity to transform our karma – this strong spirit and resolve can break through all obstacles and devilish functions and open wide the path to happiness.  Like a rocket blasting out of the earth’s atmosphere, the passionate conviction of faith that comes from viewing illness as an opportunity to transform our karma can become a powerful engine propelling us forward not only in this existence but throughout eternity, enabling us to freely savor everlasting happiness.”  Pg 74

3. “Becoming ill in itself is certainly not a sign of defeat.  Even the Buddha, who is said to have ‘few ills and few worries’ (LS, 214), struggles with sickness from time to time.  Accordingly, there will be times when we are confronted with illness.  The important point above all is not to be defeated mentally or emotionally by the prospect of being ill.  Faith is the source of the fighting spirit to stand up to illness.  Therefore, as we noted earlier, Nichiren Daishonin first of all talks about the ‘treasure of faith’.  Pg 77

4. “As Nichiren says, ‘Illness gives rise to the resolve to attain the way’ (The Good Medicine for All Ills, WND-1, 937).  If a practitioner who upholds faith in the Mystic Law becomes ill, it definitely has some profound meaning.  It could be said that confronting illness is one route to awakening to the eternity of life.  President Toda often said, ‘A person who has overcome a major illness knows how to deeply savor life.’” Pg78

5. From Matilda Buck’s guidance, World Tribune 4/27/01 pg 10 “When We Face Disappointment” – regarding SGI leaders who overcame cancer and chanted this way:  

Through this experience, I will become someone who does not doubt the Gohonzon (my life), no matter what happens.
As a Bodhisattva of the Earth, I have the mission to experience this, and as a Bodhisattva of the Earth, I have the mission to create a victory.
I will share the power of Buddhism with others, even as I grapple with this experience.
I won’t let my spirits stay down.  I won’t make a place in my life for negativity to settle.

6.From The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Volume 6:  “Praying with doubt is like trying to keep water in a bathtub with the plug pulled.  Our good fortune and benefit will drain away.  A passage from the ‘Perceiver of the World’s Sounds’ chapter reads, ‘from thought to thought never entertaining doubt!’  A confident prayer will reverberate powerfully throughout the entire universe.”  Pg 88

From Buddhism Day by Day:

7. “Buddhism views illness as an opportunity to attain a higher, nobler state of life.  It teaches that, instead of agonizing over a serious disease, or despairing of ever overcoming it, we should use illness as a means to build a strong, compassionate self, which in turn will make it possible for us to be truly victorious.”  pg 300

8. “The expansive world lies not in some distant place; it exists right where you are.  That is why you need to win where you are right now.  Today’s victory is linked to your eternal victory.”  Page 314

9, “No matter what the circumstances, you should never concede defeat.  Never conclude that you’ve reached a dead end, that everything is finished.  You possess a glorious future.  And precisely because of that, you must persevere and study.  Life is eternal.  We need to focus on the two existences of the present and the future and not get caught up in the past.  We must always have the spirit to begin anew ‘from this moment,’ to initiate a new struggle each day.” Pg 315

10. “The air around us is filled with radio waves of various frequencies.  While these are invisible, a television set can collect them and turn them into visible images.  The practice of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo aligns the rhythm of our own lives with the world of Buddhahood in the universe.  It ‘tunes’ our lives, so to speak, so that we can manifest the power of Buddhahood in our very beings.” Pg 314



11. From For Today and Tomorrow Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda: Sept 20 pg 288:  
When your determination changes, everything else will begin to move in the direction you desire.  The moment you resolve to be victorious, every nerve and fiber in your being will immediately orient itself toward your success.  On the other hand, if you think “This is never going to work out,” then at that instant every cell in your being will be deflated and give up the fight, and then everything really will move in the direction of failure.

12. Aug 15 pg. 249:  
The first thing is to pray.  From the moment we begin to pray, things start moving.  The darker the night, the closer the dawn.  From the moment we chant daimoku with a deep and powerful resolve, the sun begins to rise in our hearts.  Hope – prayer is the sun of hope.  To chant daimoku each time we face a problem, overcoming it and elevating our life-condition as a result – this is the path of “changing earthly desires into enlightenment,” taught in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.

Look How Far You've Come!

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Yes! We need to look at how far we've come, instead of always looking at how far we need to go. Its easy to get caught up in the "to do" of life, isn't it? 
And it's easy to have the old internal "demons" come up, and forget to recognize them for what they are.

A few weeks ago I was chanting three hours a day, for my country, for Aaron and Meg and their residency, and for the upcoming changes I intend to make. 

Then, last week, I started experiencing what I call "daimoku backlash." All the old fears, depression, hopelessness and loneliness came rushing back to roll me under the waves. I kept chanting every morning, but inside my heart I felt this old and familiar hopelessness.

Yesterday the gosho quote I love so much came to mind from "On Attaining Buddhahood" ~ my favorite gosho. (Gosho are the letters Nichiren Daishonin wrote to his followers) 

I have engraved this gosho in my life, and it came back to help me at this crucial moment. "Unless one perceives the true nature of his life, his practice will become and endless, painful austerity." And what is the true nature of our lives? That we are powerful beyond measure - OF COURSE! That's why we chant. We are powerless beyond measure...and sometimes we forget this. 
Daisaku Ikeda often tells us to read the gosho with our lives - to ingrain the words within our souls. It is for times like this, when we are suffering, that the ingrained gosho can come back to us and help our lives to shine once again. I love this practice! 

So I'm writing this blog from my new computer that actually works, and letting you know once again that we can rise from anything. A new day will always dawn if we don't give up. We WILL turn that corner. Please do not give up. No matter what. 
Keep chanting through your tears. 
Keep studying. 
Keep doing shakubuku even when you're in the midst of pain. 
Keep waking up each morning and thinking "What could I be excited about today?" and "I am going to greet this day and greet my life with a karma changing gongyo today!" 

And then do it! Have a great day. 

LOOK HOW FAR YOU'VE COME!