Many practitioners have expressions concerns about being unsure about how to chant about a complex problem. In this post we are going to deconstruct a complex problem to look at how to chant about it. Then we will discuss an issue that makes chanting about these problems difficult, having an assumption of how it will work out. I’ve included a marvelous experience. It illustrates that you can never predict how a problem will resolve.
Video Transcript DownloadHow do You chant About a complex Problem
I found your video useful. But the question this raised for me was: How much can our chanting influence the lives of others? For instance, in your example, the conclusion is that Susan should chant ultimately for Amy’s happiness. With the principle that chanting doesn’t work without action, how can Susan help Amy be happy unless Susan does something for Amy herself? I understand your saying that the solution can come from anywhere and that Amy’s happiness is the bottomline, but what if Amy’s happiness to Amy means affection from her step-family?
Another question associated with this: How does one take action when one is unsure of what to do? Does chanting help with this?
Hi Lakshmi
Chanting can definitely influence the lives of others. You can see from the experience in this post on complex problems that Bob definitely influenced the life of his boss. If Amy only sees the solution having a relationship with these children from step family, then maybe you might chant for Amy to see the steps needed to reconcile with the girls.
In answer how do you take action when unsure of what to do, I would chant for steps to take or for clarity around the situation.
Hope this helps.
Margaret
Someone was telling me about this practice and its unbelievable benefits. I had difficulties believing what he was telling me, but I was curious so I searched online and found your site. I am 64 years of age, have no children and estranged from my siblings and their families. Many years ago I had a job I enjoyed immensely. Then at a very young age I had a major accident that left me severely disabled with pain and unable to work. Currently my income is enough to exist (for example I can eat healthy and purchase medication to treat pain and depression, but not fix my house which is in a deplorable state.) I cant afford a car and find public transportation very difficult to use so my day to day existence is most often one of isolation. I go out only when it is necessary e.g., pharmacy, grocery shopping. Most of my contact with people is online. I spent years in counselling accepting my financial situation, my disability, my life. When I look back I realize that I had so many hopes and dreams – I wanted to marry, have a family, children, grandchildren, work at my job and then retire like my colleagues and friends. None of which came to fruition. I can envision this practice helping younger people, those with many years left, with time to fulfill their dreams, overcome challenges. But my life is coming to an end and right now what is left will most likely be like the preceding thirty five. So my question is what can this practice do for me. What can I chant for
Hi Crystal,
What do you want to have happen in the later part of your life? What do you want to do, so that you won’t die with regrets? Would you want to reconcile with your family? Are there other things you might want to do? If so, I would chant for ways to do them. Are there ways you might want to contribute to the lives of others? I would chant for steps you can take to do any of these things. You are going to find, once you start a dialogue with the universe that the answers you get will fit with your life situation.
In Buddhism we believe that the time of aging is the third stage of life, where we bring our lives to fruition, like a beautiful sunset. We also believe that life is eternal, that we are laying the foundation for the next lifetime. In that way being older is just like being younger.
Go to http://www.sgi-usa.org, our national Buddhist website. Down at the bottom of the home page is the online bookstore. They have a beautifully written little phamphlet called The Winning Life. It’s only $1:00 but it will teach you some of the basic philosophy. Also on the home page, go to contact us and put in your zipcode. That will connect you with the group closest to you.
Tell me how it goes.
Margaret
Hi Margaret Thanks for the response. To answer your questions, I don’t know what I want to have happen in my life. I don’t know what I want to do. These are questions I have not asked myself in a very long time because of my life circumstances. In all reality is there anything I can do my physical circumstances, age, lack of money being what they are? So I don’t know what I want to chant for. Do you have any suggestions? I stopped dreaming and hoping a very long time ago and at this stage of my life perhaps is afraid to try. So you see I am having great difficulty believing chanting will change anything in my life? Perhaps chanting, hoping and dreaming is for those who are much younger than me. Life has taught me so many times to not expect much. For years, all I ever wanted, all I dreamed about, thought about, worked for was going back to my job. I did everything I could, spent all my savings trying to get well enough to go back to work but it never happened. You asked if there are ways I might want to contribute to the lives of others. Strange thing, the job I loved so intensely and I lost because of my accident involved helping others. It made me feel useful, complete, fulfilled, happy, so very happy. You said I am going to find, if I start a dialogue with the universe that the answers I will get will fit with my life situation. Please explain this further. Reconciling with family is not an option. Someone sent me a copy of the pamphlet called The Winning Life that you suggested and I am already reading it.
I know you are afraid to hope, but you have a choice right now. Continue in the way you have been, or try something different. I don’t think you would be asking me these questions if you were satisfied with the way you life has been going. Chant to know what a next step to move your life forward would be in your life? I can’t tell you what to chant for because I’m not you. The answers you get will work within your life situation. You don’t have to believe anything to begin. This is a prove-it-to-yourself practice.
The way to find out if the practice works is through having the experience and trying it. Do you have someone who has introduced you to the practice? That person can teach you how to chant and how to set your first goal. Within the next week I am going to have the chant on my website. Right now you can find it on the http://www.sgi-usa.org website. Go to Study/ Buddhist concepts and then daimoku. Daimoku will allow you to listen to the chant.
Margaret
HI Margaret
I have done as you suggested. Thank you for these. Have not heard back as yet. But I have been reading on the SGI site and following alone with the chanting videos. I have read A Winning Life several times. I’m old so it is difficult to change my belief system. I realized that I am not only afraid to hope but it has been so long, that I don’t now how to hope. So I still do not what I need to chant for. Am I correct that chanting is about you need rather then what you want. As such I have chanted to know what a next step to move my life forward would be in my life. A step that would help me as well as others. Still don’t know what that step is. Sometimes when I chant I have old memories, involving my job, my accident, university, traveling, family – when I was young, happy and did have hope. Sometimes it becomes difficult to continue chanting. Yet it is over whelming to stop and return to current reality.
Chanting can be about both what you need and what you want. Just keep chanting. And feel free to ask questions.
Hi Margaret,
Sorry for my intrusion. I have been following Crystal’s posts and would like to share an encounter some years ago with someone similar to her. Hope it helps.
I met a friend’s Uncle who was at at that time 63 yo. He was travelling together with us in a group. I noticed he looked dejected and abit forelorn. After a few days just before the trip ended I plucked enough courage to ask permission to share the Buddhist practice with him.
He then told me what he had gone through. His wife of many years died of cervical cancer after 4 years of struggle with the disease and medical treatments.
He had been cheated of millions in a business deal that went awry. His adopted son was in jail and he had been estranged from him for a very long time but would get into fights whenever they met.
After listening to him – I explained to him about the practice and asked that he try it – to be happy again.
Two weeks after our return to Singapore where we are from, i met him again and indeed he had tried chanting.
I kept in contact with him and was very touched when he shared with a group meeting that ‘he never realized that at 63, he could still be happy again after what he had been through’
I sensed that Crystal is quite understandably jaded after what had happened to her – the bottomline – everyone (irrespective of age or circumstances) deserves to be happy and in fact can be. The difference is taking action – making that first move.
Everyone’s situation, background and challenges are different – but ultimately we all want breakthroughs in our lives.
Give it a chance. You deserve it. You must start with a totally clean slate and tell yourself – everything is possible. Sure, there will be moments when self doubts will set in but this is precisely why it is important to triumph over them.
All the best!
I am 55 yo and have been practising for 30 years (mind you, I only really challenged myself in my 30s)
Thanks Bernard. We all need to encourage one another when times are hard.
How do I chant that DHEC find a perk on my land . Everything was going well and my new home was so close ( living with relatives right now) our bank loan is getting ready to expire , they need to find a perk for the septic tank and We have no money to spend my life and a place to live of my own relies all n the perk test being positive from the county. Having my own will put me in a great place for Kosinski rufu. I have been chanting fro get my home ny Thanksgiving 2017 . I chant still , how do I chant for next perk to be positive ? If no perk then no home ? Tired of living with people need my own
Thank you so much for coming in my life, when my faith in Buddhism is at cross roads. You have reinforced my faith n I am highly indebted to you
I’m glad.
My partner is involved with someone. Reasons for his involvement is my behaviour of ignoring him and not understanding him. I realised my mistakes and have apologised. I always feel guilty about it and though he says he loves me dearly, my constant focus is that he gets over this. He says he cannot leave the person who helped him through a difficult situation and helped him feel alive. I also told him he shud go with her and be happy since they are more compatible. But he says he has never stopped loving me and wants me to be confident. I don’t want him to have 2 partners, this is constantly disturbing me. He wants to be with both of us and no matter how hard I try I’m unable to feel confident. How do I.approach this issue.
You could chant for clarity about what you want in this situation, and when you know take whatever action is necessary for you.
Sensei says we should chant for the other person’s happiness not be scared of the results. I’m chanting for his happiness and visualising us happy and determining to take the correct action. Is that how I should chant