Saying "Thank You" Makes Our Hearts Sparkle!

How are you doing during the 100 day Gongyo Challenge? I know it can be hard to be perfect...hard to chant a sonorous and meaningful song to your own life every morning and evening.  And sometimes it's easy, right? Sometimes we spring out of bed and can't wait to chant and connect with our own highest wisdom and inspiration. The 100-day challenge is not about being perfect...it's about striving to have the best possible practice so we can be the happiest people on earth...and create a happier world for everyone. Join us! 

Today as I sat to chant, the first thought that flooded my mind was all my desires. And, as you know, it's perfectly all right to chant for our desires. But today I stopped myself and said "Today I will chant in appreciation for all I've already received and all that's yet to come. YES" 

Enjoy! 

Before I posted this blog I read every word in the April Living Buddhism  ~  published by the Soka Gakkai. It's the monthly American publication available in the US by calling 310-260-8900. I am grateful for this publication and our wonderful SGI organization. Click on the link to the right to learn more and connect to your local members. 

In April's issue there is an article by Daisaku Ikeda called 

"The Power of Thank You.

Praise, gratitude and appreciation brings happiness." 

In this article, Daisaku Ikeda says that during all of his travels he always learned the local word for thank you ~ because it is the most important sentiment and word. 

"A person who can sincerely say thank you 
has a healthy, vital spirit, 
and each time we say it 
our hearts sparkle 
and our life force rises up powerfully 
from the depths of our being...

When we cannot say thank you, 
our personal growth stops. 
When we are growing 
we can see how wonderful others are, too. 
When we stop growing, 
all we see are other people's faults."

LIVING BUDDHISM APRIL 2014, P. 16

The spirit of gratitude generates the energy of life in our bodies and our hearts.

Right now, as many of you know,my son Ben is in the hospital. So far, no community will take him. All I can feel is gratitude for this wonderful son who makes me chant so much. My life has grown because of him! I am happier, stronger, healthier and wiser because of the Daimoku I have chanted for him. And I am deeply grateful that he is alive, and that I gave birth to this Buddha Boy. As I was chanting my hour this morning, my heart was overflowing with gratitude...to him...to my life...to Daisaku Ikeda...to you...and to all who have helped and supported me on this journey. I know Ben will win and encourage many people. He already has! 

Daisaku Ikeda is right! Gratitude brings Happiness. 
How many people can you thank today? 
How many gifts of heart can you bestow today? 
How many ways can you make your own heart sparkle by saying Thank You today? 

When a Problem Persists - Compassion for Ourselves!

Welcome to Chantforhappiness.com, a blog about drawing forth our own power, our own entire universe of Buddhahood, from within our lives by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (Meaning: I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration) You can now receive these blogs by email by putting your email address in the box to the right. 

This blog is written by a 30 year practitioner of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism...a practice that enables us all to strengthen our muscles of faith by showing actual proof and turning every problem into medicine ~  while encouraging others through our own lives. 

It is a noble and fulfilling practice. I began this blog almost 6 years ago when I was suffering from severe depression after a breakup. I determined to chant two hours a day - and permanently alleviate the depression that had been in my life since before I was born---was part of my karma, my mother's karma, and my family karma for countless generations. I made a stand to forever root this karma of depression out of my life and take the world along with me by writing this blog. I was successful. I no longer have any depression. I do not wake up with a veil of sadness that follows me through the day. It is gone.

We, as Nichiren Buddhists, know that problems and challenges are part of life...that they actually are part of the fulfillment of a vow we made before we were born to prove the validity of this mystic law. Our challenges are, in fact, the answer to our prayers and our means to strengthen our faith (and when we say faith we do not mean just belief - we mean belief put into action to get results). 

And sometimes our problems are daunting and persist. How do we deal with those? 

Frequent readers of this blog know that I have a 22-year-old son who has been sick for some time. He is still in the hospital and he's quite sad right now. He became ill over two years ago with what they call Schizophrenia, but from time to time I wonder if that's really what's wrong. And the problem persists. 

It is very difficult to have a child who is suffering, and every day I am grateful that he is alive and we have more chances to find the right treatment and find the right place to help him. 

And, even though I practice this incredible law, and have seen its benefits in my life for over 30 years, I must say this is a long and confounding challenge. Many of you are facing such challenges. I know. We are challenging our karma together. And I endeavor to use my life as an example to encourage you and give you hope. 

What I can say right now is to give Your SELF some compassion. It's easy to get down on ourselves when we have long challenges. It's easy to think "If I had more faith, I'd have solved this problem by now." But that type of thinking does not get us anywhere, does it? It only gets us down on ourselves and rattles our faith more and more. 

These last few days I've posted encouraging blogs for you and for me. Sometimes I have to really dig deep to see my own beauty and my own strength....and to know that when I visit Ben, even if I can't "fix" him, I have still made a difference just by being there...and that my daily chanting for him, for kosen-rufu, for you and for this world makes a difference even if I can't see it right in front of my eyes this very minute. 
It's been 4 weeks now since he was rescued off the top of a 6-story parking structure while threatening to jump. It's been a long six months where he has given up many times, and yet, he is still alive and has a great mission. The shoten zengin (protective forces of the universe) have come to his aid time and time again. I absolutely cannot give up on him, or denigrate myself for not having "fixed" this problem yet.

So please don't do that to yourself. Together we must boldly advance every day doing what we know we need to do...studying the words of Daisaku Ikeda, our wise, wise encourager, and reading the Gosho of Nichiren Daishonin, the man who realized that chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was the most powerful teaching for our time and endured persecution after persecution. He didn't say "Oh, this persecution is a sign that my faith is weak." He didn't get down on himself when he was exiled to Sado Island. No. He saw these challenges as proof of this faith, and we have to do the same. Being part of the SGI, going to local meetings, and chanting every morning and evening is our great, great fortune and a gift we give ourselves. 

Whatever you are challenging in your life, I invite you today to appreciate yourself anew. Do something nice for yourself. Be your own best friend. Think about ten things you appreciate about yourself. Write a note to yourself. Get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Honor your strength, courage, beauty and wisdom. 

Winter always turns to Spring! Do not give up! Let's keep persevering together! 

Become a Person of Unlimited Self-Esteem - Believe in Your Own Greatness!

We chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo  - Meaning: I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration. Chanting this prayer brings forth the universe of power within our lives, within all of life, to make our dreams come true, and ultimately, change the entire world. 

You can now subscribe to this blog by putting your email in the box to the right. 

This guidance has been circulating for many years, and is attributed to Danny Nagashima. I hope you find it beneficial! 

How to become Men/Women 

of Unlimited Self Esteem

By Danny Nagashima, SGI General Director (USA)

You can analyze your situation all you want. 

You have to get to the root of why “I don’t believe in the greatness of my life”. 

You have to grab it by the roots and yank it out of your life. 
The answer is probably so simple, but we tend to over-analyze, it gets complicated and the solution seems far away. Your mission as a Buddhist is to become happy – not to master suffering. 

We have the negative and positive sides of us – one says, “who are you kidding”, the other, “you can do it”. 

You have to fight to not to give in to your negativity. This is not about being a writer, an artist, an actor, etc. It is about becoming the man or woman that you always wanted to become, a man or woman who really values his/her life.

The obstacles you face 
are the answer to your prayer.

Those feelings of self-doubt, those feelings that “I am a failure” – those are the feelings that you have to face and to address. 

How you feel about yourself, that feeling of self-loathing, of not being good enough, of being a sham. Those are the feelings you have to face. Your talent is not being questioned; it is about how you feel about yourself. 
That is the karma. 

You have to value your own life, 
to appreciate 
that it has nothing to do 
with anybody else validating you. 

Follow your heart; follow your Buddhahood and the effect from that, the benefit from that will be massive.

You need to follow your heart, truly treasure your life. When Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the Gohonzon, he was already chanting daimoku out of the greatness of his life, his Buddhahood, his enlightened state; he inscribed the Gohonzon for all humanity so that everyone could relieve his or her suffering. 
When you sit in front of the Gohonzon and chant, you have to have the most reverence for your life, the same as the Daishonin’s; therefore your life deserves that kind of reverence.

If you chant for two weeks to really be a person of unlimited self-esteem and to really, truly appreciate your life including your flaws, your accomplishments, your defeats and your losses, your victories, all that you have created and to truly appreciate your talent as XYZ for two weeks, everything will change.

Forget about the past garbage. Put it away. That will only make you feel impotent. From today on, really chant about being that man/woman of unlimited self-esteem. 

Really appreciate everything about your life; all the things that make you incredibly unique and wonderful. All your sufferings, problems, heartaches, will be the stuff you need, in order to share your experience, to encourage and to inspire others. Focus on really, truly awakening to your greatness. This is the opportunity (sufferings, obstacles, lack of self-esteem) you needed to go through in order to become outrageously successful – so you can fulfill your dream. If you focus on this – really valuing your life now, then everything will fall into place in a much bigger way. 
This is something no one can give you; the universe is showing you what you need to tackle. When you first chant this way, a lot of garbage may come out of your life, a lot of negativity, awful feelings may surface. We always bring into our lives what matches our life condition. So chant to feel incredible joy about your worth and you will feel and know self worth and greatness.

You not being able to do whatever you determine is a manifestation deep down of your feeling of fear, that you are not good enough, that you do not have it in you. 

You must get yourself to a place where there is the greatness of your life, then everything will be transformed. We have to believe in our Buddhahood. When we face the Gohonzon, we should say, “I am going to praise my wonderful life”. It is important to awaken to your own greatness. Your life is the Gohonzon. Now is the time for you to start over.

When you pray to a deity, your prayer becomes passive. Our voice is the Mystic Law. This law is not outside of you. When you get a benefit, it was you who created it. You must awaken to your greatness, appreciate and value your own life. It is no different to the enlightened life of Nichiren Daishonin, embodied in the Gohonzon.

Just as a beautiful piece of art elicits a response, or a great book touches your life in a certain way, we must elicit the Buddha nature from our own lives. It is right here, and the Gohonzon is the perfect vehicle to bring out that strength, joy and vibrant life condition; then you take that to the world and change the environment. 

We are not necessarily chanting for the house, the car, the job, the relationship, but we are chanting to elevate our life condition to attract that happiness. The results that we see in our lives are a reflection of our life condition. 

Every day as you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo consciously call forth your Buddhahood to manifest itself consistently. 

Chant to rise above your basic tendency of disbelief, or continually thinking that you are a common mortal who does not deserve good fortune in this life. Do not negate your life when you sit in front of the Gohonzon. Do not beg. Do not scream. Do not berate the Gohonzon. Believe in the greatness of your life; manifest the extraordinary side of you. The Gohonzon is the tool we need to bring out our Buddhahood. "My life is the Gohonzon." Do not slander your life. The doubt is necessary to prove to myself that “I am a Buddha. I will fulfill every one of my dreams for myself”.

We already possess something incredible – our Buddha nature, the Gohonzon. But we do not believe that the good fortune, the “million dollars” is truly mine. I will not be able to get it, or to enjoy it. Trust that the Gohonzon, your prayer, is the absolute means for you to transform your life. Trust and faith are the key words.

Chant with the expectation that every one of your wildest dreams will be fulfilled beyond your wildest imagination. Chant to believe in your Buddhahood. Trust in the greatness of your life. 

In “On Attaining Buddhahood”, Nichiren Daishonin made a primary point: to free ourselves from the suffering of birth and death which we have endured in lifetime after lifetime, and to attain absolute happiness, we need to awaken to the mystic truth that has always been within our lives. That truth is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. That truth is “I am a Buddha”. Trust that you have everything you need for your happiness.

TEN POINTS TO BECOME A PERSON OF UNLIMITED SELF-ESTEEM

1. Chant to become a person of unlimited self-esteem
2. Chant to awaken to your own greatness
3. Chant to appreciate your life, including flaws, accomplishments, defeats, losses, and victories and truly appreciate all that makes you a unique and wonderful person
4. Chant to make the impossible possible
5. Chant to consistently manifest your Buddha nature and rise above your basic tendencies and overcome your inherent negativities in your life
6. Believe that you are a Buddha and create all the benefits for yourself
7. Believe you are the Gohonzon
8. Trust that in the Gohonzon, (your life itself) you have the means to fulfill each and every desire to become extraordinarily happy
9. Chant to display your Buddhahood and to bring forth that strength, joy, vibrant life condition

10. And then take it to the world and change the environment.

4 Ways to Summon the Heart of the Lion King

" 'Lion' in "lion king" is written with the Chinese characters for teacher and child, representing mentor and disciple. In other words, when disciples align their spirit with their mentor and stand up with the  same commitment, they can summon forth the bold and fearless heart of the lion king within them. 

"Each day I tell myself: "As a disciple of President Toda I will respond to his aspirations! I will create a record of kosen-rufu that would make him proud!" By doing so, no matter what difficulty I may encounter, I can bring forth the courage to never be disheartened. 

"Those who always remember their mentor's spirit in their heart, who always are living together with their mentor, will never stray from the correct path in life, the path to happiness. When we live with our mentor in our heart we cannot allow ourselves to be cowardly or lazy; we are spurred to be courageous, challenge ourselves and cast aside our arrogance. We may be able to deceive others, but not the mentor in our hearts. 

...It is important, therefore, that when we are facing a challenging situation, we always think deeply about what our mentor would have done or said."

From the New Human Revolution, By Daisaku Ikeda, Volume 26, Chapter 4, installments 51-67, as written in the April 2015 Living Buddhism, page 39.

When I read this passage, I think of one of my mentors in faith, Gene O'Connell. When I lived in San Francisco she was my chapter leader, and she helped to raise me as a "baby Buddhist." She was working her way up the ladder at San Francisco General Hospital. 
When Gene started chanting she was a Mom on welfare. She put herself through nursing school, then got another advanced administrative degree and eventually, by always asking herself "What would President Ikeda do?" she became the CEO of San Francisco General Hospital. 
She was a great example of living the master/disciple relationship. 
I strive to be an example myself...by asking that question of myself as well. And when I am chanting, I often chant to see the world through Daisaku Ikeda's eyes, and to feel with his heart....and most of all...to chant with his same strength...to somehow reach into the lives of all beings suffering anywhere ...anywhere...and have my daimoku touch the entire fabric of life. I don't know if that is what Sensei has in mind when he chants, but one day, if I ever have the chance to sit and chat with him, that is what I would ask him. "When you chant, what do you think about? How do you encompass the whole world in your prayers? And how can I do the same?" 

All of us feel the master/disciple relationship in many ways. And we can grow in understanding as time passes. Reading his writings every day is a great place to start. 

Here are 3 Ways to Summon the Heart of the Lion King: 

1. Practice consistently  - every morning and evening. I know, I know, I say this all the time, and there's a reason for it. When you're chanting consistently, your life condition is higher and more resilient. You'll still have problems, because life is full of hardships, but you'll greet them with an invigorated heart! Please don't believe me when I say this - if you aren't already doing this, try it. Do the 100 day Gongyo Challenge with us! Start anytime. Readers of this blog are challenging themselves to do the most perfect gongyo possible every day, twice a day for 100 days. Join us! (Of course the goal is then to continue for the rest of their lives, but it's nice to start somewhere~)

2. Study Daisaku Ikeda's writings and the Gosho every day...even a single line. Early in my practice I engraved the phrase "Suffer what there is to suffer and enjoy what there is to enjoy" into my life. 

3. Tell your life what you want. Do not beg! Draw the power of your own life through your prayer. I picture all the power of the universe behind me...coming through my back, into my hands, into the Gohonzon, and channelled to fulfill my prayers, for myself and for others...my family...my friends...my fellow members...my colleagues...and YOU! 

4. Be part of our incredible Soka Gakkai organization. There are such riches there...so many friendships...such inspiration and strong determination. Whenever you go to a meeting you get encouragement and encourage others by sharing your own struggles and victories. We are all building the heart of the lion king together! 

What is True Happiness? By Daisaku Ikeda

"What are the ingredients for happiness? 

This is one of life's fundamental questions. 

The most crucial determinant for happiness 
is our inner state of life.  

Those with an expansive 
inner state of being 
are happy. 

They live out their days with an open and confident spirit. 

People with a strong state of life are happy. They are not defeated by suffering and can calmly enjoy life as it unfolds. 

Those with a profound state of life are happy. Savoring the deep significance of life, they are able to create a record of meaningful and enduring value. 

People with a pure state of life are happy. They are always spreading refreshing joy to those around them. 

There are countless individuals who are blessed with wealth, social status, and other material advantages, but are unhappy. And such external circumstances are changeable and impermanent; no one knows how long they will last. 

But when you have established an unshakable inner state of happiness, no one can destroy it. Nothing can violate it. Creating this great life state is the aim of your Buddhist practice. The important thing is to never stray from the Gohonzon, to never stop advancing in faith. 

In the course of life, you are bound to face all kinds of difficulties. At times, you may become stuck. That is when you need to strengthen your faith and chant daimoku in earnest. Difficult as it might be, once you surmount the steep mountain of your karma, a new horizon will open wide before you. Buddhist practice is the repetition of this process. Eventually, you will reach a state of absolute happiness that will never be destroyed. 

Develop deep, strongly rooted faith. As long as a sapling has strong roots and receives enough sunshine and water, it will grow into a tall, sturdy tree, even if it is buffeted by the elements. The same is true of our Buddhist practice and our lives. 
I hope that all of you will be courageous individuals who cheerfully spread the great light of happiness throughout this troubled world, your lives serving as personal proof of the true greatness of Nichiren Buddhism. "

From the February 2015 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai's monthly study journal, as quoted in the May 2015 Living Buddhism. 

"I Summoned This Storm!" PowerPrayer to Move from Victim to Victory!

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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 
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 that permanently changed my life 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) 

Write me your victories at Chantforhappiness@gmail.com! 

The Power of Each Character of Gongyo!

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This month's Gosho study from Living Buddhism is on "Letter to Horen." In it, the Daishonin describes the characters of the Lotus Sutra as individual Buddhas emitting beams of light...able to find all those, living and dead, with whom we are connected. 
Wow.
What a great thing to learn about while we are all striving to perfect our Gongyo and deepen our faith. 

Daisaku Ikeda states in Living Buddhism, 
June 2015, page 32:

"...Through chanting the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can transmit benefit even to deceased family members, relatives, friends or acquaintances who may have opposed our Buddhist practice - benefit that will warmly embrace them and lead them to a state of profound peace and comfort.

Similarly, through the power of the Mystic Law, our family members and friends who have passed away in the course of the journey for kosen-rufu - whether from illness or as a result of unexpected accidents or natural disasters - will also be able to enter the path of Buddhahood. 

The best offering we can make for the eternal happiness of the departed is to live fully and strive vibrantly for kosen-rufu in their stead..."

"The Daishonin says that 
each of the 510 characters 
of the verse section 
of the "Life Span" chapter 
of the Lotus Sutra, 
from "ji ga toku burrai" 
(Since I attained Buddhahood) (LSOC, 270) 
to "soku joju busshin" 
(quickly acquire the body of the Buddha) (LSOC, 273), changes into a sun 
and then into a Buddha. 
It emits great beams of light 
that pervade every corner of the universe, 
finding Kyoshin's father wherever he might be 
and illuminating him 
(see WND-I, 517-18).
In other words, 
each chapter 
of the verse section of the "LifeSpan" chapter 
recited by Kyoshin 
becomes the Buddha, 
shining with the brilliant light of compassion 
that reaches his deceased father
in whatever state of being he may reside, 
relieving him of his suffering 
and guiding him to enlightenment."

I had this in mind during Gongyo over the last few days. 
What a wonderful life-giving practice we have!