About the video:
What is the Nichiren perspective is on ego or no self. Is the aim to fully dissolve the personal self? Is it an illusion we have an ego? Are we to upgrade the self or see it as non-existent? I’ve never fully understood this topic.
This is an interesting question and illustrates the confusion that can develop when we have heard the ideas of another form of Buddhism and don’t know how they equate to our own practice. Your question is relating to the Theraveda or the Tibetian form of... Buddhism.
About the video:
Recently I received a question, “Please explain our connection with the Gohonzon and why it’s important to have faith in the Gohonzon. What exactly does the Gohonson mean?.
This is an important question as it goes right to the heart of our practice. Gohonzon means object of respect. At one level the Gohonzon is a piece of paper, but to look at it that way is to completely miss the significance of the symbolism there. So what does the Gohonzon depict?
... Read more...
About the video:
Our lives are planted in the murky pond of everyday life, just like a lotus flower grows in a dirty murky swamp. If the lotus flower was moved out into a clean pond, where would it get the nourishment it needs to grow. Then it wouldn’t be able to bloom. Like that the murky pond of everyday life is where we find our nourishment to grow, through the troubles and challenges that come up.
About the video:
When you have come up against adversity and go to an experienced practitioner for guidance, they will say “Congratulations you have something to chant about.” Why would they say this? They know that no one is out to get you, that adversity is a normal part of the path to enlightenment. As the wisdom of the Lotus Sutra vol V1. P. 88 says,
“The benefit we receive when we initially take faith is like a small mountain. The boundless life force of Buddhahood is...
About the video:
I think one of the important Buddhist concepts is the oneness of self and environment.
This means that we and our environment are not separate but rather our outer life circumstances arise from internal causes, our thoughts, and then manifest in the outer world.
. This, of course, is the complete opposite of how we are trained in our culture. As part of that training we are taught to keep our gaze fixed on problems and solutions outside of ourselves.
About the video:
Recently I received a question, “Please explain our connection with the Gohonzon and why it’s important to have faith in the Gohonzon. What exactly does the Gohonson mean?.
This is an important question as it goes right to the heart of our practice. Gohonzon means object of respect. At one level the Gohonzon is a piece of paper, but to look at it that way is to completely miss the significance of the symbolism there. So what does the Gohonzon depict?
About the video:
Setting a goal, chanting about it and then following through with the action steps needed to accomplish it, seems very straight forward. Yet is everything Why? Because taking these steps will invariably going to ask us to address one or more of our habitual ways of thinking and ask us to address beliefs which limit us and are keeping us from being successful. This is why taking these steps is the path to our human revolution.
About the video:
I’ve noticed that the majority of the prayers in Gongyo are prayers of appreciation and gratitude. Since it is Thanksgiving I decided to look into gratitude and what it does for our lives, as I am sure those prayers are no accident.
About the video:
One of the reasons we practice faith is to be able to change our karma when faced with a difficult situation, to correct the fundamental causes which bring about suffering. Since family and relationship issues cause many to suffer greatly, lets examine how we would change karma in that kind of situation.
About the video:
This week we have a question.
“I have been chanting for months now to find out what my passion is. Unfortunately I can’t seem to connect to my own prayer and I keep feeling I should chant differently, perhaps word my prayer differently ..in the past I have always had success when chanting for concrete goals, but now that I am chanting for something that seems so vague I find it hard to focus. I keep feeling that the universe won’t answer me ...
About the video:
In this vlog I have been talking about how to use Buddhist philosophy and practice to deal with the concerns of everyday life. The longer I have been writing about this topic, the more curious I’ve become about what science has learned about how we humans create our reality since Nichiren Daishonin taught this form of Buddhism 750 years ago. In this vlog I want to discuss what science is teaching us and look at whether it supports our Buddhist practice.
About the video:
We know that results occur from the inside out – oneness of self and environment. So, if we are not getting results from our chanting, its time to reflect on the following...
About the video:
When we chant in front of the Gohonzon with a prayer need for something or a need to know something, we have opened a dialogue with the universe. As President Ikeda says in Faith into Action, “To offer prayers is to conduct a dialogue, an exchange with the universe. We are going to get a response. We know that but often aren’t clear on how the universe responds.
About the video:
I have received questions from some of you who are concerned with not having the motivation to chant. Here are some of them.
“How can I chant consistently when everything is an effort. How can I force myself when I’m not able to. Chanting seems too much, and even important goals- I cannot force myself.” Another talks about lethargy “ Everything feels too hard so there is no motivation to deal with any issue.”
About the video:
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.
About the video:
In this vlog, I am going to define human revolution. Then we’ll discuss ways you might be blocking yourself from moving forward, and finally how to take the steps to expand your life.
About the video:
There are two aspects to this question, your practice for yourself, and practicing for others. To me, it’s almost like they are concurrent also sequential steps in the journey to enlightenment. It takes these two legs to move toward enlightenment. In this video we’ll be looking at what it means to put the practice in the center of your life. Then we’ll contrast it with what it looks like when you aren’t putting the practice in the center, even though you might be chanting. This is when your practice might be wavering.
About the video:
I’ve received two questions about chanting which I am going to address. Starting with these questions, we are going to discuss the different issues that can come up as we chant.
About the video:
Suffering is caused by:
1. Earthly desires that give rise to suffering.
2. Negative karma
3. Ignorance which blinds us to what we are at our core.
4. The evils and impurities of this world
5. Delusions and worries
6. The illusions of birth and death
About the video:
As you know, I have been experiencing some challenges getting my vlog out on the website. This is because, in the last six weeks, I have faced some life-threatening breathing challenges and hospitalizations. In this vlog today, I want to share with you how our practice has supported and helped me in dealing with this stage of life.
About the video:
Do you think that getting a divorce will solve all your problems? In this vlog I am going to illustrate how to actually change your destiny so you don’t repeat the same problems in another relationship.
About the video:
Today in the vlog we are going to discuss the circumstances under which obstacles become problems and how to change yourself so they can become opportunities.
About the video:
Do you feel sometimes that the results you get in your life aren’t what you expected? And, you don’t know why? When this happens its almost as though we are living by accident rather than on purpose.
What if you knew how to make use of one of the Buddhist laws, the simultaneity of cause and effect to create your future on purpose and not by accident? This is what I will be addressing in my video blog, below.
About the video:
In this video you will learn how to recognize the signs your faith is slipping. Then we’re going to cover six ways to back back on track.
About the video:
If you are chanting but not getting the results you want, I am going to show you 4 ways to turn chanting difficulties around so you can achieve better results.
About the video:
Not satisfied with your job, but don’t know how to transition into your life’s work? This vlog will show you how to make the shift.
Are you working, but it is not work that brings you any satisfaction? Are you feeling you are missing out on what you most deeply want to do? You’ve had internal nudges but don’t know how to make the transition to the work you really want to do.
About the video:
In this vlog we are going to discuss what prevents us from experiencing being connected to the inner guidance from within, where you know without question that the universe has your back.
Goals are a mixed blessing. We have to set them but if we’re not very careful they can overshadow the quiet inner voice from within, the universal self that will guide us step by step.
About the video:
In this video, we discuss how to overcome feelings of being undeserving of your goal. Then talk about how to set a lofty goal and move towards it step by step, building confidence as you go.
About the video:
In this vlog, we are going to be looking at the 8 warning signs that indicate you are chanting for what you don’t want. It was developed in response to the question, “I have lots of negative thoughts. How can I get rid of them?” By watching this video you will learn how to identify when you are moving away from your goal and what to do about it.
About the video:
I received a question this week. “How do we get in our own way when chanting for a goal?” In this vlog we are going to discuss seven ways we can block ourselves when chanting for a goal.
About the video:
Have you ever had the experience that even though you are chanting for a goal, you aren’t moving forward?
In this vlog we are going to explore:
1. reasons why you might not be moving forward
2 An exercise to discover the hidden issues
3. Ways to chant about the real issues
About the video:
In this vlog we are going to discuss the mystic function of the mind which says that life is the visible manifestation of the invisible workings of the mind. With this concept, belief and thought alter reality. This means it is important that we learn how to chant for positive goals and pull our thinking away from negativity and doubts. In this vlog you will learn some ways to do this.
About the video:
When we first start to chant we are taught to set a goal and chant for it. It seems as though we are influencing a situation outside of ourselves. What we don’t see, is that to influence that situation and achieve our goal, we have to change ourselves – that it is an inside out process.
About the video:
This week we are going to look at a question, “How would a Buddhist handle a desire for vengeance?” This video will show how a person can use their Buddhist practice to resolve a relationship with others, that has been difficult and antagonistic.
About the video:
Do you know the warning signs you are battling fundamental darkness? Today we are going to identify the internal weaknesses which can affect our practice and sometimes make us stop chanting altogether, so you can recognize them when they come up. They will. It happens to everyone.