Love YourSelf ~ Keep Your Eyes Open While Chanting and Enjoy your Daimoku!

One of my early Buddhist mentors said we should greet the Gohonzon as we would a lover...to have that feeling of love in our hearts while we are chanting. 

We are, after all, greeting ourselves, aren't we? 

And love for ourselves is the most crucial and key element of happiness and contentment that makes all things flourish. Since our environment is a reflection of ourselves, it makes so much sense to fill our hearts and ourselves with self love. 

I recently saw the beginning of a video of a person I really respect ~ Louise Hay, founder of Hay House Publishing. She is now in her eighties and STILL living a vibrant, exciting and contributive life. Her main message was that all happiness stems from loving yourself. That's where it begins and ends. 

How do we love ourselves? 

I believe this is a life-long journey with many facets and twists and turns in the road. And I KNOW that I made huge strides the moment I decided to speak nicely to myself in my head. I challenge you to stop saying mean things to yourself. 

Stop calling yourself a failure, or an idiot, or stupid ~ stop getting mad at your imperfections and focus on words of praise! 

Tell yourself "Look how far you've come! you are definitely on the right track! I am so proud of you!" It might sound corny, but being NICE to yourself will change your life. So will making a vow with yourself not to complain. 

I think how we greet the Gohonzon is key to how we greet our lives, because the Gohonzon, is, after all, our life itself. 

I offer you these quotes from Sensei! 

Enjoy!

Daisaku Ikeda says:
"It's best to keep your eyes open 
and to look at the Gohonzon. 
It's generally considered impolite 
not to look others in the eye while talking to them. 
This is also true 
when we are facing and addressing the Gohonzon 
as we do Gongyo and chant daimoku. 
If you do close your eyes occasionally, 
there's no need to worry. 
It's just that when we close our eyes, 
it can be more difficult 
to commune strongly with the Gohonzon. 
This, of course, 
does not apply to people who are blind 
or vision-impaired 
who need to simply chant or do gongyo 
to the Gohonzon within their hearts. " 
From Faith in Action page 122. 

Also:

"It's very important to sit before the Gohonzon 
as though going to meet the original Buddha, 
Nichiren Daishonin, 
and that daimoku and gongyo be enjoyable. 
What's most important 
is that you continue 
in your Buddhist practice throughout life. 
There's no need to be overly concerned with formality." Faith in Action, Page 122

PowerPrayer to Establish a Strong Buddhist Practice for Chanting My Way to Happiness!

Establishing our strong Buddhist practice will lead us to happiness for ourselves and others, and to a happier world for all. Establishing a strong practice is not "hard" or difficult to figure out. It just requires putting OurSelves, and our practice first, so that we can be more useful to the world, and HAPPY! 
Absolute Happiness is the goal of chanting....establishing such a strong life-condition that no matter what happens we are unswayed and possess strong determination. 
Julia and I wrote this PowerPrayer for you yesterday. Please give me feedback on how this strengthens your practice for the book we are writing. 

PowerPrayer to Establish 

a Strong Buddhist Practice 

for Chanting My Way to 

Absolute Happiness! 

I will do Gongyo and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
every morning and every evening 
no matter what. 
I will no longer allow anything to stop me! 
I am establishing the strongest practice imaginable 
and I am becoming so fully resourced in self esteem 
that I fully commit to myself:
I keep my promise 
to myself 
first and foremost 
with the understanding that I can only really love/help others 
when I myself have become strong and self-loving.
And it’s very natural for me now 
to share Nam-myoho-renge-kyo 
because my life is overflowing with benefits. 

The more I chant, the more I want to chant. 
I look forward to my time with myself 
dialoguing with my own life
and discovering who I really am. 
I feel the connection more deeply every time I chant. 
I see actual proof that my self esteem is rising:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Nothing can stop me from getting to discussion meetings 
and studying SGI periodicals and books. 
I love studying because it makes me a better person. 
Study helps me to see the connection between my chanting 
and what I see happening in my life. 
What a privilege! 

Yes! You Can Chant for ANYTHING!

I know it is hard to believe, but this is actually a practice where you can chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo 
for anything you desire. 

As Daisaku Ikeda states in Faith in Action, page 35:

"Buddhism teaches us 
that the individual writes and performs the script 
for his or her own life. 
Neither chance nor a divine being 
writes the script for us. 
We write it, and we are the actors who play it. 
This is an extremely positive psychology, 
inherent in the teaching of 3,000 realms 
in a single moment of life. 
You are the author and the hero. 
To perform your play well 
it is important to pound the script into your head 
so thoroughly 
that you can see it vividly before your eyes. 
You may need to rehearse in your mind. 
Sometimes it helps to write down your goals, 
copying them over and over 
until they are inscribed in your heart."

I get emails asking if it's okay to chant for marriage, or  money, or anything...and the answer is a resounding YES! 

Chant for whatever you want. 

Earthly desires are enlightenment. 

Your desires will lead you exactly where you want to go ~   sometimes to the fulfillment of those exact desires ~ sometimes to even better desires you uncover as you chant. ~
Many of us know people who didn't chant for the most lofty goals when they first started chanting, but over time, through following their hearts, their goals turned more and more towards their happiness, and the happiness of others. 

But you have to start somewhere, and that somewhere is exactly where you are now. 

Please know that you are a noble child of the Buddha...in fact...YOU ARE THE BUDDHA and you deserve to chant for your desires. How can you believe in the power of the mystic law (chanting Nam myoho renge kyo) in your life if you do not see actual proof for yourself? 

Chant to have the kind of benefit that will make you see the power of this law. you need to encourage yourself! Chant for anything. When you encourage yourself you can definitely encourage others. 

Start with your own life and go from there. Your prayers will eventually turn to the happiness of others, and the best way to help others become happy is to become happy FIRST, then show by your example what is possible. 

That is why we chant to show actual proof of the law in our lives. When we show actual proof in our lives and do our own Human Revolution,  constantly improving ourselves,  others will see our results and be inspired. 

As I've said many times, there are people who decided to practice, people I deeply love, who decided to practice just by seeing the changes I made in my life. And my constant prayer has been to show actual vibrant proof of the power of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo so that others can be inspired to tap into that same power and become happy themselves. 

When you make the vow to be happy for the sake of others you are making the Buddha's vow. 

You can do it. Chant for anything. Money, cars, job, friendship...anything. 

Chant to show actual proof so you can inspire others. 

When I chanted for my house I chanted for a house to show actual proof, and for a place where I could have meetings. When I chanted for a car I chanted for a car to drive members to meetings. 

When you connect your prayer to the greater good it is that much more powerful. 

Chant for your desires. You deserve them, and the world deserves your happiness. Your happiness is contagious, important and worthwhile. And you have the ultimate key to making it happen...Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. Go, you Buddha YOU.  

Power Prayer for Living in Appreciation

Today, July 15th, 2013, would have been my Mom's 80th birthday. In honor of her, I offer you one of the PowerPrayers from the book Julia and I are almost done writing for you, 

Your Own Treasure Map:
PowerPrayers for Chanting for Your Absolute Happiness

Since Mom was such an appreciative spirit, she found the good in everything. When she was young she had rheumatic fever which resulted in her having continual heart and lung problems when she got older. Even in our numerous medical appointments she would do her best to make every nurse the doctor smile. Mom was full of love and appreciation, and loved nothing better than chanting with me and her grandsons. 

In honor of my Mom I offer you the PowerPrayer Julia and I wrote together for you, and I am chanting for you to have a week filled with appreciation for yourSELF, all those around you, and for you to find something wonder-ous in every single moment. 

PowerPrayers are meant to be read just before you chant the name of the rhythm of life itself, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo so you can have a joyous focus in your chanting. 


PowerPrayer for Living in Appreciation ~

Oh, Thank You! Oh!

As I am chanting I am feeling the happiness
comes from living in a deep state of appreciation.
As I have practiced and studied Buddhism, 
I have become more and more aware of the Mystic beauty and connection in all of life.
My heart is glad so often because of benefits and I have learned to chant as a way of saying thank you. 
Oh, thank you to my own life!
Even when I am in distress I am already thanking the Gohonzon (my life) because I've never seen it fail. 
I know greater good will follow any challenge!

So I am even appreciating the times of challenge 
as much as the myriad benefits
to self, 
          soul, 
                 and life, 
                             my Daimoku has garnered.
I am opening of my heart 
                 and my eyes. 
                              I see beauty all around me. 

I enjoy each moment of my life  
and I feel its spaciousness. 
My life is deeply nourishing to me now. 
What greater appreciation is there to feel?
The ruby of my heart treasure gleams.
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

If You're Struggling...

Please remember what Nichiren Daishonin says:

"Winter Always Turns to Spring"

And sometimes the saying "It's always darkest before the dawn" is all too true. 

You WILL break through. You WILL be happy. You will probably remember this time as the time you REALLY changed your life. Problems and challenges are FUEL for your growth and happiness. But sometimes it does not feel that way, does it? 

I know!

Believe in the power of your own prayer. 

Believe in the power in your own Life! 

And keep chanting! DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!!

Chant for the type of benefit that will strengthen your faith. 

Chant to strengthen your faith and your life...

Keep chanting!

Keep introducing others to the practice and telling people about Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! It doesn't matter if they decide to start chanting today. I have many friends who started chanting after I'd known them for 20 years! When you tell people about the practice you are planting a seed in their lives, and changing your OWN karma. 

I carry Nam Myoho Renge Kyo cards with me everywhere I go.  And I give them to people who help me in stores, and people I encounter casually. I just say "This is the secret to happiness and bringing out your highest potential. You can chant for anything you want."

Have a great day!!

Shunzo Ohno's Victory in Faith and how it relates to all of us

Shunzo Ohno is a World Class, 

Grammy Award winning musician 

and a Soka Gakkai member. 

The July edition of the Living Buddhism magazine published by SGI-USA has an article about Shunzo Ohno's struggles and triumphs. If you would like to subscribe to Living Buddhism and the World Tribune just click on the SGI-USA Portal to the right and go to the subscriptions center or call 310-260-8900. 

I'm not going to relate every detail about the article, but there are a few things that really struck me about Shunzo's struggles and the encouragement he received from President Ikeda. I find that many times when I am reading Sensei's guidance to others, that the guidance also relates to me. Even though Sensei is speaking to one person, we can  all take his guidance to heart. Here's what I mean. 

Shunzo Ohno first met SGI President Ikeda when he was visiting New York, where Ohno lived. At this time he was working as a busboy after experiencing some highs and lows as a trumpeter in New York. When President Ikeda met him he asked "Why don't you play a song?" and Ohno played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for him. Sensei responded by telling Ohno "Please become a world-class musician," and these words reignited Ohno's passion for music. After this he won several Grammy awards. 

In December of 1988 Ohno was in a bad traffic accident that seriously injured his lips and face. Normally this kind of accident would end a trumpeter's career. President Ikeda sent him this message:

'You are the world's Shunzo Ohno. Please fully recover. make sure you recover. Make a come-back. Re-establish your daily life. Focus on your art. Please prosper even more from now and forever. Rise up again like a phoenix." 

And through hard work and determination Ohno played again, only to be diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer in December of 1995. President Ikeda sent him a message saying "Mr. Ohno, your fellow members and fans are awaiting your full recovery. Mr. Ohno, fight and win. My comrade fight and win." And in June of 1996 Ohno played for President Ikeda on stage with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter (also SGI members). He has since produced many works and there is a book and a documentary about him in Japan. 

When he met Sensei again in 2010, he told Ohno that he listens to Ohno's music 365 days a year. 365 days a year! 

I find this story so striking. 

We each have such a noble mission you and I. 

You are the world's________________(fill in your name here!) 

Think to yourself:

"I am the world's _______________"(your name!)

You are so important. Just keep this in mind whenever you face difficulties. Say it over and over. You are so important. 

We can all take this guidance to heart. The world is WAITING for each of us to rise up into our magnificence and SHINE! The world is waiting for each of us to write our brilliant legacy! It is time for us all to DREAM BIG! 

As one of my favorite quotes from Sensei says 

"When one sun rises, everything is illuminated." 

We are the sun. We illuminate everything with our light.

The world is waiting for YOU, and for all of us! 

PowerPrayer for Releasing Resistance to Change

This post contains one of the most important PowerPrayers. I think many of us (me included) have what many religions call "attachments" to the way we see things, and the way we think things ARE. 
To really be able to change our lives, we have to be courageous and willing to release fear of the unknown and step into change. 
Last fall I was reading Louise Hay's seminal book You Can Heal Your Life. This is a book I have kept close to me ever since discovering it many years ago. Louise is an amazing human, one of the people I most revere. In the 80s she was one of the first to work with people with AIDS.  She is also the founder of Hay House Publishing which publishes Doreen Virtue, another of my favorite writers. 

So I came across the affirmation "Release my resistance to change." and I thought "Wow, this is really powerful. What would happen if I chanted this way?" And I tried it. Immediately my life shifted drastically and I was given the time and space to write my Treasure Map of PowerPrayers for you. 

I warn you! This prayer, along with chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo may shake up your life a bit. But if you are courageous and you have a strong practice (meaning you chant every day, twice a day, are connected to the SGI, and are going to meetings, study President Ikeda's guidance and the Gosho and encourage others to chant), you might be as appreciative of this powerful prayer as I am! 

Please let me know how this PowerPrayer works for you. I deeply appreciate all your letters and posts. I will be using many of your testimonials in the book. You and your feedback and support are crucial to helping this book and blog reach people who are looking for solutions...seeking Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Your efforts at sharing this blog and emailing the link to people, liking the Facebook page "Chant for Happiness" and sending me your thoughts are so important! My email is chantforhappiness@gmail.com. 

Power Prayer 

for 

Releasing Resistance to Change

I chant to release my resistance to change 
and to be willing to change from the inside out. 

I am now open to changing in any way 
that will help me to be a shining beacon of light and hope 
to myself and those around me. 
I now find the experience of change deeply pleasurable! 
I love it. 
I love the sensation of changing 
and becoming a happier and more beautiful person 
and inspiring 
that same kind of change in everyone in my life.
My inner wisdom and intuition is blossoming. 
I can hear it, 
I trust in it, and I love to see the effect in my life!