Living a Victorious Life!

I'm just sitting here, greeting the day on my patio. I finished my 40 minute walk around the neighborhood and have some time to write to you. 


I'm thinking about what a happy life I have, and how I want every one of you to experience this happiness. 


I feel totally unafraid, fulfilled, happy about the present and looking forward to the future. 
I know that each part of my life is moving toward more and more happiness at every minute.  
I'm becoming healthier and more fit without dieting and messing up my metabolism, I'm wearing beautiful clothes and feel confident. 
I'm progressing at work, and I'm just about to launch a series of really cool products that will benefit you and the people I have yet to meet. 
I have fun and playful and warm relationships with so many people and I make more friends everyday. 
The vision I have written for my life is here, right now!


Some of you have been reading this blog since the beginning in 2009. You might remember ~ I was very much under the sway of intense emotions. I've had strong mood swings and depression and sadness most of my life. And every day I have faced the Gohonzon and told my life I WILL BE HAPPY! No matter how much the sadness and hopelessness comes to claim me...I WILL WIN!!! I MUST be happy so I can show others how it is done! 


And here I am...clear...free. Sitting on my patio, feeding the baby ducks, facing a day of fulfilling work and an evening at the pool with my sweet son...smiling at the beginning of each day...having beautiful dreams when I sleep...and greeting the next day with enthusiasm and happiness! 


And I greet each day with an hour of Daimoku. 


Each day I roar like a lion. 


Each day I CLAIM my happiness, I CLAIM my results, I CLAIM my life. 


I tell the Gohonzon (which is inside my life and IS my life) that I am praising my life and loving my own self. 
I have always known that real love comes from within, blah, blah blah, haven't we heard that our whole lives? And now, I am generating that love and feeling that love. 


I chant to PRAISE MY LIFE! 


I chant to live a sparkling life of happiness so that each one of you, and all my district members, and everyone I am meeting now, and will meet in the future will say 
"Hey! ~ This woman has something special. She has an inner glow. Maybe she can tell me how I can get that for myself!" And of course, nothing makes me happier than introducing people to this practice...and happiness for the rest of their lives! 


And YOU can be happier than you ever dreamed possible. Don't wait for it. If you are in a bad situation GET OUT OF IT! And keep chanting. Remember that this is not a practice of passive acceptance. It is a practice of ACTION! There is no need to suffer. Change what you do not like about your life! Chant for everyone and everything involved. Chant to KNOW the right action to take. Chant to be decisive and wise. 
And take action...starting with strong daimoku in the morning and in the evening. You have your Soka Gakkai district and friends for support. And if you're not yet a part of this wonderful organization full of warm hearts and shining eyes please JOIN US! We are here wanting to give you a hand into a happy life. We are all examples of victory! Go to the Soka Gakkai website and call the center closest to you. You will claim your new family. 


Write to me and share your experiences!! Let me know if I can share them with the readers. 
Be victorious! Happiness lies at the end of your determinations! Don't give up. ROAR like the LION YOU ARE! Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!!!!

Experience: Roaring Daimoku like a Lion King!

Thank you for letting me share this experience with the other readers of this blog! Your courage and power is inspiring to us all. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is stronger than any problem!!!

A Reader's Experience:

I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you and your blog. It is such a great way to reach people and really encourage and motivate others with their practice. It has certainly helped me!

I think most of all you have helped me with "attitude". I had been chanting but in a way that didn't have

much power behind it. My determination was kind of weak and I kept feeling doubt creeping in. I took advice from the guidance I got and was grateful to those who tried to help me, but I still felt deep inside that maybe I didn't have the strength or the determination I needed. Your blog has done that more than anything else. It gave me a more concrete idea of how I should think about my own lion's roar. The idea of changing this karma in my family forever. I know that we can chant for anything but you actually demand that it be torn out of your life by the roots so that it is permanently removed never having to deal with it again.

And so in that same spirit of determination and command from the very core of my life I have been chanting for my son who has just become a proud father on May 23rd, to his daughter, Michele Lee! Michael, my son is an alcoholic. My family has suffered along with him and all the affects of this disease most of Michael's  teenage and adult life. Last year at this time, I initiated an intervention for him to go to rehab. After 3 months he came back home, but he still wavered on and off again. Then we learned there was a baby on the way, then he lost his job, and then he got another DUI. For my New Year's determination I renewed my Vow to change this Karma in my family and even went to FNCC to the relationship conference. I put up a little sign on my alter "Transformation", a reminder for me not only of those I chant for, but that I too need to transform the way I think and act; in words, deeds and actions of how I am with my son. Michael and his girlfriend have been together for 5 years and were so happy about the baby so after some initial consideration decided they could never give up the baby. They are both in their early 30's. I chanted for their happiness, for a harmonious family life, for a wonderful job where his boss could be a mentor to him and he would be fulfilled. Michael began to feel differently about things as the pregnancy became more real along with his fatherhood. He is respectworthy in his actions with the baby, changing her diapers and batheing her, and dressing her.  I think he is proud of himself for his struggle,but. this is an ongoing battle for him, but I can truly see a transformation in him. With all your encouragementI I continue to chant like the roar of a lion! Thank you for all your help and blogging!

    Also I chanted for Michael's girl friend to have an easy labor and it only took about 4 hours and she had no meds. His daughter is doing so well

Again, thank you for sharing your inspiring story!


Roar ON!!! 

-- 
Jamie Lee Silver

Human Revolution/Transformation can be painful - at first!

I have a friend who has a difficult relative who has been disturbing the peace in their family for some time. 
We all have people that disturb us, right? 


Well, I have found that there is only one solution for this problem and it works absolutely 100 percent of the time. Not only that, it will absolutely turn poison into medicine in your life. Seriously. I guarantee it. It works every single time. 


Today I went to the meeting here in Chicago with Danny Nagashima. It was great. I saw Danny last week in Los Angeles, and it was great to hear his lecture on the Treasure Tower today. He's so animated, so humble, so alive! If you get the chance to see him DO!!!


And there was an experience that included a really great thought. I have said before that the ONLY way to solve any relationship issues is to chant for the other person's happiness. I have done this so many times and gotten amazing results. One of two things either happens. Sometimes the person and I just fall in love in a really great way, and we end up having an unexpectedly great relationship. OR, they leave my environment. Either way, I concentrate on really, sincerely chanting for their happiness. 


In today's experience, the person said "Chant that their Buddha Nature hears YOUR Buddha Nature." And I thought "Yes!" That's it exactly. 


Why does chanting for another's happiness have such deep significance in our lives? It's because our lives and the lives of every other person on the planet, are interconnected. We are all one life. Science is proving this over and over. Nothing exists in a vacuum. When I chant for another person's happiness, I also chant for my happiness, and I do my human revolution. Just by transcending my anger at another, and chanting for their happiness....it is making a huge cause! 


And you can do this in all instances. 


Last night my friend was telling me about this "evil" person in his life. I understand that she has been a huge disappointment and caused a lot of pain. I said that chanting for her happiness was the only answer and he said "But she's just evil." And I said that she is a reflection of his own life...part of his karma that he needs to change...and that all life is interconnected. Her suffering is what is causing her "evilness", and he can chant for her happiness and it will raise his life-condition and change the dynamic of their entire family. In the end....he may look back at this time and say "Thank You!" to her for helping him do his human revolution. And, to my great happinness, he agreed to chant for her. I will join him in is prayer. 


I also reminded him that he is not asking anyone or anything for favors or blessings when he chants. He is only summoning the power of the universe that is rightfully HIS. That power is rightfully ALL OF OURS. And he needs to make a determination towards the happiness of his whole family. 


This type of prayer is karma changing. This is what human revolution is all about. This is the real stuff...the hard stuff....and the BEST STUFF for our lives. 
I challenge you to change the dynamic between you and someone you have problems with. You can do it. We can all do this. 


If you have a benefit write me! I want to hear! If you want me to share it with the other readers let me know!




 As I said I've been encouraging a friend in doing "family revolution"...at least that's what I called it yesterday. He said the word "revolution" makes him picture redcoats from the wars...so I think I'll use the phrase "Family transformation" for a while and see how that feels. What do you think? Let me know! The word REVOLUTION clearly means standing up to what is not right to create something better. The word transformation means a total change. Your opinion? 


At any rate, my friend was here yesterday filled with anger about this one person in his life...the one who has been driving him crazy...the one for whom he launched a fierce daimoku campaign for her happiness at the beginning of this week. He is, of course frustrated that another incident around this woman has come up to anger him...and I think he is starting to be humbled as well. He's getting to the part of his Daimoku where he is realizing that his reactions to each situation are going to have to change TOO. Oh how painful, yet how breathtakingly real and freedom-giving to see your own part of the problem and be open (even just to have the realization) that family transformation (any transformation) includes YOUR transformation! Ouch! 


This takes GUTS! 


He also said he was going to have to think about how to fix a part of the problem and I said "No! Stop thinking! Your mind hasn't helped you so far! Just chant for awhile! Chant in the car, chant whenever you can...just chant and take a break from thinking!" And he laughed wholeheartedly knowing I was right. Sometimes we do think too much! Instead, make your determinations for the outcome you want, and just chant!! Try it!


As I've said before, this practice is not for cowards! No! Practitioners of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism will ONLY WIN IF THEY CONTINUE TO ROAR LIKE LIONS! We all have to continually, every single day, roar down the tendencies we have in our own lives to cause ourselves pain! We are fighting back years of habit...lifetimes of karma...and WE CAN DO IT! And each time we triumph, we change the fabric of the entire universe and make everyone stronger against their own innate darkness. 


We all know how easy it is to blame others...blame our bosses...blame our jobs, blame anyone and everyone etc. But we know that doesn't make us any happier  - or change the situation! But somewhere in our minds we know that WE are present in each of the situations...and maybe...just maybe...what needs to change is our attitude. And through bringing forth the universe within us by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo we can do it! We can shed light on ANY darkness we still live with. This week I'm shedding light on an area of my life that keeps cropping up. And I am more determined than ever to ROAR it out of my life "I am a BUDDHA" I yell in my head when I chant! "I will not have this in my life! I MUST have absolute victory in all areas of my life. I MUST inspire my district and my blog readers and all I touch! 


Roaring right along with you my fierce and powerful friends!

New Determinations

This week has been all about making new Determinations and chanting for the people you are having the most trouble with - chanting for them to be happier than they ever thought possible! 


How has it been going for you?


One member in my District was having a challenge with an official at a hospital who cancelled her contract. As a sincere Buddhist she chanted for this women, and shortly after that the woman lost her job.  The member was not chanting for the woman to lose her job! She was chanting for her happiness...purely for her happiness. And she told the woman she was chanting for her, and it touched her heart. 


I know this story is not yet over...anything can happen. They may become friends. They may do business together again at some point...the hospital official may begin to chant...or they may never see each other again. What's important is that she chanted for her, she made the cause! 


That's what it's all about. That's where the power lies. 


Who ELSE can you chant for? Who do you think is an impossible relationship for you. Who have you given up on, but in your heart you'd like the relationship to change? 


Be courageous! 


You're a Buddha

Turning Poison into Medicine - Relationship Success Stories

Here are some success stories to inspire you. 
All week we've been talking about taking poisonous relationships and turning them around by chanting for the other person's happiness. Check these stories out!


Experience:


We just finished an SGI meeting here in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. One of the members (I'll call her "B". told me the news about her sister-in-law. Last year "B", was in tears about a pending visit from her sister-in-law. Of course we talked for some time about the importance of chanting for the sister-in-law's happiness. It wasn't easy for "B" to do...but she did it! The visit was a little rocky, but "B" kept chanting strongly through it all. At one point, when she heard something bad her sister-in-law said about her, she had the courage to bring it up to the sister-in-law in a way that showed she deserved respect. And "B" kept chanting...She followed our advice to sincerely chant for her sister-in-law's happiness. Sincerely. Even though she didn't feel it at first. 
Fast forward to this year. Now "B" is pregnant. Tonight she told us that her sister-in-law and she are friends, and that she got a call today that her sister-in-law will be flying into town around labor day to host her baby shower! Complete Victory! That's what this practice is about. 


Another Experience:


When I was still fairly new to the practice I sold advertising. A LOT of advertising. And there were a lot of details that went along with placing the ad back then. You had to determine where it went, check it over and over for errors etc. There was a young girl who was in charge of physically posting the ads on the board. Let's just say she and I drove each other mutually crazy. So I followed the advice of my seniors in faith and chanted sincerely fot her happiness. It was hard at first but after a little while it was a truly sincere desire. I pictured her with a smile on her face. Guess what happened? She fell in love and moved to Los Angeles! From that time on I have ALWAYS chanted for another's happiness!


Another Experience:


At another job there was a person who disliked me the first moment she saw me. Who knows why...it was a mystery. I did the same thing. I chanted for her for quite some time, and during this time she and I slowly became friends. One day she came and told me her husband had left her. She was thrilled! She was so happy. She had wanted him to leave! From then on she was one of my biggest supporters and helped me accomplish quite a few wonderful things on this job. 


Another Experience:


Our youngest member is only 17 and started chanting almost a year ago. She is a lovely young woman, but people were picking on her....they sent her nasty texts and said bad things about her. We had a talk about chanting for the bully's happiness...and she started to chant sincerely for this person and BOOM. The bully moved away. 


It ALWAY works! Chanting for another person's happiness always works. And it strengthens your life force and YOUR character. 


The last few blogs have been on the theme of chanting to turn poisonous relationships into medicine. 
If you are interested in this subject read back a few days. And when you have an experience share it with me and I'll share it with the other readers if you wish. We all encourage each other.

More about changing relationships

This week I've written about determinations and changing poison into medicine in all areas of our lives. 
Today I want to remind you that when you want to change a difficult relationship into a great one, determinations and chanting are important, but please remember that your everyday actions make a huge difference. 


If people come to you saying bad things about the person you are focusing on - you must not join the party of people speaking ill of that person! Your everyday actions, thoughts and words are ALL CAUSES that you are making. You want to focus on making good causes at all times. 


If you want to change a troubling relationship into a fabulous one please reread the post from Monday. Then watch your actions, and refuse to join the folks who are badmouthing the person whose happiness you are chanting for so deeply. 


All of this is up to you. 


Your happiness rests on you doing your own human revolution. You may think that your chanting for the difficult person is about THEM. But NO! It is about your human revolution. It is about YOU creating the flow of energy that will attract only amazingly great things into your life! It is about you changing from the inside so that you can build a solid sense of self that will be strong and happy NO MATTER WHAT your circumstances!!! It is about YOU, and the other person...and YOU are leading the way for the happiness of all humanity. YOU are opening the door to happiness in your life, in the life of the "difficult" person, and in the happiness of us all because, as you know so well...we are all interconnected!!!

Where else do we need determinations?

I thought about the nature of determinations all day yesterday.


And I saw something in my own life, and found some great quotes I'd like to share with you. 


I started thinking about the areas of my life where I have the most complaints rumbling around in my head. And I realized that there is a direct relationship between complaints and a lack of a clear determination to WIN. 


Remember that Human Revolution is not easy. Only lions can roar! 


It takes courage to realize that the things you (me) have been complaining about (in our heads or out loud) are EXACTLY the same areas where we lack strong determinations. 


What other determinations can you summon from the depths of your being? 
What are the areas you've been "hoping" will change, but you don't have a strong determination to win? 


I'm looking at those areas and am about to sit down and chant my morning hour of daimoku with an open mind and an open heart for change in my own life...perspective...and most of all fresh, clear determinations. 


June's issue of Living Buddhism (available at US Buddhist Centers, by calling 310-260-8900, or visiting www.sgi-usa.org) is excellent, as always. 


Under the section "Writings for Discussion Meetings - Building a Solid Sense of Self" the article talks about Nichiren Daishonin's Determination. 
He knew that he would be persecuted as a votary of the Lotus Sutra, and even before anything happened he resolved (made the determination) that "whatever might happen to me in the future, I must not bear any hatred toward others." 
The article continues, "When we find ourselves in a difficult situation we can use it as an opportunity to apply our Buddhist practice to our daily lives and transform the situation. It's also important that we self-reflect on our own actions and continue to polish our character and how we interact with and treat others....with difficulties at work, at home or in other areas of life, once we make a firm determination to win, it does not matter what others choose to do or say. If we persevere with confidence and dignity on the course we have chosen, we can break through any obstacle. Through our Buddhist practice , we can open up and transform all areas of our life, no matter the difficulties." 


I feel this with my life and am working on fresh new determinations in the areas of my life that could stand a fresh blast of the light of Daimoku. 


In the article Daisaku Ikeda is quoted as saying "Building a solid and unmoving self like Mount Fuji means doing our Human Revolution, elevating our state of life, based on our practice of faith. It means developing a solid self that is never defeated by our environment or circumstances and is capable of transforming everything into happiness and victory. True Happiness shines in the lives of those who possess such an indomitable spirit." 


YES!