Please steadily advance along the fundamental path of "faith manifests itself in daily life," living in the way that best suits you. Just as the sun rises every day, if you persistently advance based on the Mystic Law, the absolute Law of the universe, you will definitely be able to lead a life in which all desires are fulfilled, a life that you cannot now even conceive of. Please be convinced that you are now leading the most certain and valuable life.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 15/11
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The influence of one person.
In a family, if one person is unhappy, then so is the entire family. Therefore, I would like you to sincerely pray for and protect one another so that there are no people who are unfortunate and unhappy, or who abandon their faith, and that every person will become happy. These are the kinds of humanistic bonds among fellow members that give birth to true unity. Coercion or force stemming from power and authority is ineffective at critical moments.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 14/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 14/11
Saturday, November 19, 2011
How A Random Act of Kindness Turned 93 Dollars Into One Hundred Thousand For the Hungry
Spiritual Story by Carolee Hazard
On August 11th, 2009, Jenni Ware found herself stranded at the Menlo Park Trader Joe’s checkout line - her wallet was gone. Her already hectic day had just taken a turn for the worse. Carolee Hazard, a complete stranger, approached the distressed Ware and offered to pay the $207 bill. Jenni gratefully accepted and promised to repay her. Once home, Carolee posted on Facebook what had transpired, adding that she was “vacillating between feeling really good and very, very stupid”. Friends reassured her that she had done the right thing and good karma was sure to follow.
The next day a check arrived from Jenni for $300, with a note thanking Carolee for her generosity and trust, and recommending she get a massage with the extra money. After writing a check back to Jenni for the $93 “tip”, Carolee turned to her Facebook friends and asked what they would do with the money. Several people suggested giving it to charity, which Carolee decided to do. Touched by Jenni’s honesty, Carolee matched the $93 and turned to Facebook for suggestions on where the $186 should go. One person tossed out Second Harvest Food Bank, since the events had occurred at a grocery store. Another friend, inspired by the story, matched with $93 of his own money. So did another. And another. And another.
Carolee and Jenni reconnected after a week and Jenni learned that the massage money had become $2000 through the spontaneous generosity of Facebook friends. Jenni then posted the story to her Facebook page, her friends began making donations as well. The total donations soon swelled to $10,000. Children donated 93 cents of their allowance. One single mom, working 20 hours a week while in grad school, offered $9.30, because she couldn’t afford $93. The media picked up the story and donations poured in. Many chose to give $93 to their local food banks in Oregon, Massachusetts and other states.
In the year since Carolee and Jenni’s chance meeting, the 93 Dollar Club has raised over $96,000 to benefit Second Harvest Food Banks of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Every dollar becomes 2 meals, so the money raised so far will provide 200,000 meals. With help from posting and reposting on Facebook, the "pay it forward" story has traveled around the globe and continues to move people to spread goodness and help fight hunger, not only in Silicon Valley, but around the country and world.
On August 11th, 2009, Jenni Ware found herself stranded at the Menlo Park Trader Joe’s checkout line - her wallet was gone. Her already hectic day had just taken a turn for the worse. Carolee Hazard, a complete stranger, approached the distressed Ware and offered to pay the $207 bill. Jenni gratefully accepted and promised to repay her. Once home, Carolee posted on Facebook what had transpired, adding that she was “vacillating between feeling really good and very, very stupid”. Friends reassured her that she had done the right thing and good karma was sure to follow.
The next day a check arrived from Jenni for $300, with a note thanking Carolee for her generosity and trust, and recommending she get a massage with the extra money. After writing a check back to Jenni for the $93 “tip”, Carolee turned to her Facebook friends and asked what they would do with the money. Several people suggested giving it to charity, which Carolee decided to do. Touched by Jenni’s honesty, Carolee matched the $93 and turned to Facebook for suggestions on where the $186 should go. One person tossed out Second Harvest Food Bank, since the events had occurred at a grocery store. Another friend, inspired by the story, matched with $93 of his own money. So did another. And another. And another.
Carolee and Jenni reconnected after a week and Jenni learned that the massage money had become $2000 through the spontaneous generosity of Facebook friends. Jenni then posted the story to her Facebook page, her friends began making donations as well. The total donations soon swelled to $10,000. Children donated 93 cents of their allowance. One single mom, working 20 hours a week while in grad school, offered $9.30, because she couldn’t afford $93. The media picked up the story and donations poured in. Many chose to give $93 to their local food banks in Oregon, Massachusetts and other states.
In the year since Carolee and Jenni’s chance meeting, the 93 Dollar Club has raised over $96,000 to benefit Second Harvest Food Banks of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Every dollar becomes 2 meals, so the money raised so far will provide 200,000 meals. With help from posting and reposting on Facebook, the "pay it forward" story has traveled around the globe and continues to move people to spread goodness and help fight hunger, not only in Silicon Valley, but around the country and world.
Buddhism entails practice, tenacious efforts are required.
Buddhism aims to make people free in the most profound sense; its purpose is not to restrict or constrain. Doing gongyo is a right, not an obligation. Because Buddhism entails practice, tenacious efforts are required, but these are all for your own sake. If you want to have great benefits or to develop a profound state of life, you should exert yourself accordingly.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 13/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 13/11
Always advance with hope
I hope that no matter what happens, you will always advance with hope. Especially I hope that the more desperate your circumstances, the more you will press on with unflagging hope. Please keep challenging things with a bright and positive spirit, always taking care at the same time to safeguard your health.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 12/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 12/11
Friday, November 18, 2011
Holding the Space
Spiritual Story by Kelly Ballard
For the past few years, I have gone on an annual women�s spiritual retreat. I had never been on a retreat before several years ago. The only other time I voluntarily lived with women was in college and only then because boys were too messy and smelled funny.
To be perfectly frank, in the past I never liked women all that much. I usually had only a few close girlfriends growing up and the rest were guys. Women were always too emotional, too catty for me. They would cry easily and I could laugh with the guys.
Tears have always made me uncomfortable. I don�t like to cry. Both my parents were coaches, so needless to say tears were frowned upon. If anyone started crying in my house, you were sure to ridiculed until the tears were replaced by hot anger. Quickly, I learned to stuff all my emotions and found refuge in humor.
In my early twenties, I began uncovering all of those stuffed emotions�rejection, humiliation, anger, hurt, desperation, fear, longing, on and on. A list of emotions we all run from, but never quite stay ahead of. I also found tears. Yuck. Aching, lost tears that would come pouring out at the movies, while watching silly soap operas, the Olympics, even commercials�It was pitiful.
I sought help and worked successfully with an excellent counselor. There were lots of tears and healing, thus leading to the next phase in my life, marriage and kids. It was only after �birthin� babies� that I discovered the true value of girlfriends. Girlfriends know your shoes, especially when they are covered in spit-up and the kids� breakfast. Not only could you laugh with your girlfriends, but you could cry too.
I joined a Mommies group after my daughter was born and found a wonderful circle of women. I soon discovered that if one Mommy started crying, invariably someone else began sniffling and so on and so on. Same went with the babies, one baby cries and soon there was a roomful wailing - you did not cry alone. Many times I would find myself welling up with tears and sometimes, tears fell. This was all very new to me.
Then I decided to go on the women�s spiritual retreat after my son recovered from a serious health crisis. Little did I know that spiritual retreats are geared to connect you to your vulnerabilities, inevitably leading to tears � here again, usually en masse. I cried the entire weekend and I really, really needed it.
I had been so strong in my belief that my son would recover and in searching/finding the cure, that there had been no allowance for tears. I was an old pro at stuffing my feeling from childhood. That survivor had stepped back into my life for a while, but fortunately I was able through this circle of women and cleansing tears to regain myself, my adult. As much as I have fought it, tears bring release and most hopefully, peace.
So I was surprised this year, when I shed no tears while at the retreat. It wasn�t for lack of compassion for the suffering of those around me but I finally discovered the concept of �holding the space.� I no longer had these wounded places that could be triggered by a friend�s pain or experience. I was free.
I was free to support my weeping friend by just listening. I did not need to take on her issues. I could be her witness. She could tell her story without having to worry about me. It was such an empowering feeling to be on the other side. I knew I had finally passed through and released so many of my painful �hooks.�
Her tears did not make me uncomfortable... they told me of her heart.
Oh, I know maybe another year I�ll go to the retreat, share a painful story and quite possibly discover myself in tears again, but now, I know tears from every side. I see their many facets -- cleansing, sadness, joy, pain, triumph... all of it. I am grateful to be here, in these new shoes, no longer covered in spit-up. I am grateful to have a circle of women in my life that allow me to be wherever I am on my journey. Sometimes holding the space, and sometimes being held. May you find your own circle.
For the past few years, I have gone on an annual women�s spiritual retreat. I had never been on a retreat before several years ago. The only other time I voluntarily lived with women was in college and only then because boys were too messy and smelled funny.
To be perfectly frank, in the past I never liked women all that much. I usually had only a few close girlfriends growing up and the rest were guys. Women were always too emotional, too catty for me. They would cry easily and I could laugh with the guys.
Tears have always made me uncomfortable. I don�t like to cry. Both my parents were coaches, so needless to say tears were frowned upon. If anyone started crying in my house, you were sure to ridiculed until the tears were replaced by hot anger. Quickly, I learned to stuff all my emotions and found refuge in humor.
In my early twenties, I began uncovering all of those stuffed emotions�rejection, humiliation, anger, hurt, desperation, fear, longing, on and on. A list of emotions we all run from, but never quite stay ahead of. I also found tears. Yuck. Aching, lost tears that would come pouring out at the movies, while watching silly soap operas, the Olympics, even commercials�It was pitiful.
I sought help and worked successfully with an excellent counselor. There were lots of tears and healing, thus leading to the next phase in my life, marriage and kids. It was only after �birthin� babies� that I discovered the true value of girlfriends. Girlfriends know your shoes, especially when they are covered in spit-up and the kids� breakfast. Not only could you laugh with your girlfriends, but you could cry too.
I joined a Mommies group after my daughter was born and found a wonderful circle of women. I soon discovered that if one Mommy started crying, invariably someone else began sniffling and so on and so on. Same went with the babies, one baby cries and soon there was a roomful wailing - you did not cry alone. Many times I would find myself welling up with tears and sometimes, tears fell. This was all very new to me.
Then I decided to go on the women�s spiritual retreat after my son recovered from a serious health crisis. Little did I know that spiritual retreats are geared to connect you to your vulnerabilities, inevitably leading to tears � here again, usually en masse. I cried the entire weekend and I really, really needed it.
I had been so strong in my belief that my son would recover and in searching/finding the cure, that there had been no allowance for tears. I was an old pro at stuffing my feeling from childhood. That survivor had stepped back into my life for a while, but fortunately I was able through this circle of women and cleansing tears to regain myself, my adult. As much as I have fought it, tears bring release and most hopefully, peace.
So I was surprised this year, when I shed no tears while at the retreat. It wasn�t for lack of compassion for the suffering of those around me but I finally discovered the concept of �holding the space.� I no longer had these wounded places that could be triggered by a friend�s pain or experience. I was free.
I was free to support my weeping friend by just listening. I did not need to take on her issues. I could be her witness. She could tell her story without having to worry about me. It was such an empowering feeling to be on the other side. I knew I had finally passed through and released so many of my painful �hooks.�
Her tears did not make me uncomfortable... they told me of her heart.
Oh, I know maybe another year I�ll go to the retreat, share a painful story and quite possibly discover myself in tears again, but now, I know tears from every side. I see their many facets -- cleansing, sadness, joy, pain, triumph... all of it. I am grateful to be here, in these new shoes, no longer covered in spit-up. I am grateful to have a circle of women in my life that allow me to be wherever I am on my journey. Sometimes holding the space, and sometimes being held. May you find your own circle.
21st century, a century of humanity and culture
The 20th century was a century of war and peace, a century of politics and economics. The dawning 21st century holds the promise, however, to be a century of humanity and culture, a century of science and religion. I hope all of you will advance on this wonderful new path of humanism with pride and confidence, as gallant philosophers of action.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 11/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 11/11
We are leaders of happiness and creators of peace
There are various kinds of careers and roles that people fill in society. While each role of course has significance, the fundamental role that we each play as a Buddhist is that of philosopher of life and of humanity who can impart eternal value to humankind. We are leaders of happiness and creators of peace. In this sense, our role is unique.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 10/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 10/11
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Hearing The Voices Of The Divine Spirit
Spiritual Story by Hope Bradford CHt
Indeed, the story of The Living Word of Kuan Yin may have begun when Lena Lees prayed to a beautiful stone visage of Kuan Yin. During the third trimester of her pregnancy, Lena and her family traveled from California to visit with family and friends in Philadelphia. Her delivery date swiftly approaching, Lena knew this would be the last time for a while that she'd be able to visit the East Coast.
Placing a visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art on her family's vacation itinerary, Lena had no idea of the importance of her decision, how it would later profoundly transform her life. At the museum with her husband and children by her side, she suddenly gravitated to a room boasting an impressive display of Asian shrines and statuary. Drawn to a particularly striking sculpture of Kuan Yin, Lena believed the statue was comforting her, speaking to her.
Praying to Kuan Yin, she and her family asked for assistance with the many challenges they faced ahead. Weeks later, with the safe birth of her daughter, Lena believed her prayers had been answered. Nowadays, upon entering Lena's house, one is greeted by a small menagerie, a beautiful assemblage of female deity figurines and images: Guadalupe, Mother Mary, as well as an extensive array of Kuan Yin images and statuettes grace her walls and mantle.
A librarian, student and mother of three, Lena had originally scheduled an appointment with me early in March 2004, to discuss and troubleshoot her college graduation project. Not knowing much about hypnosis, she was anxious to discover if she could go into trance.
To satisfy my Client-Centered Hypnosis internship practitioner hour requirements, I agreed to hypnotize Lena. I explained that I had several years of prior therapy experience and that I was still immersed in my client-centered studies. I told Lena her session with me would fulfill my weekly homework requirement. Describing the process, I also delineated another countdown technique our class was presently focused upon called transpersonal hypnosis. Informing Lena that she had the option of either a traditional or transpersonal countdown, we set the appointment date.
Transpersonal hypnosis employs a ten to zero countdown similar to a traditional countdown protocol. Once, however, one has established her safe place, a resource fallback position if, for any reason, one feels unsafe during trance, she is directed to her sacred place. One's sacred place is whatever the client experiences, once the directive is made. Sacred places vary greatly from one individual to the next but very often represent one's deepest sense of the divine.
Agreeing to meet with me for her first trance induction, Lena mentioned during our phone intake together, that her goal for her first trance experience was to receive guidance on how to refine her college graduation thesis, to get a better idea of how her final project would take shape:
Utilizing the client-centered approach, I conducted the standard interview, completing a custom intake sheet for Lena. Understanding that Lena had initially come to trouble-shoot the particulars for her college field study project, I explained that my homework project had to do specifically with transpersonal hypnosis. Detailing further, I relayed that even a very pragmatic question, such as hers, could still be addressed in one's potentially more spiritual, transpersonal trance. Choosing the transpersonal countdown instead of the traditional countdown, Lena then laid back and got comfortable.
Conducting the countdown (utilizing Lena's own intentions and vocabulary), I spoke the words that would direct Lena to her safe place. Acknowledging her arrival, Lena described the beautiful Pennsylvania woods of her childhood. Her safe place was a cornfield near the backyard of her home. Lingering in the field, she experienced the blazing colors of a fall sunset: the east coast crisp, autumn air.
Asked if she would like to now experience her sacred place, Lena agreed, finding herself in a beautiful bamboo forest. Traveling a bit further, she found herself in a beautiful garden with a waterfall. I asked Lena if she was ready to invite in her spirit-guide. What transpired next was a phenomenon I never would have imagined.
To my amazement, I heard Lena speak, while in trance, powerful phrases and metaphor that were utterly foreign to her. Incredibly, upon waking from her trance, she remembered nothing. Believing Lena's first encounter with the Goddess Kuan Yin was a chance one-time event, I listened attentively (but with a healthy skepticism) during our second session together. By the third episode, I knew that something incredible had occurred.
From her first hypnosis induction, forward, Lena realized she had a personal "channel," some mysterious and lingering association with the Eastern Deity, Kuan Yin. From the onset, it appeared Lena had a natural affinity with the Goddess. I, on the other hand, had difficulty (at least in the beginning) accepting Kuan Yin as my muse. Maybe it was because my lineage dated back to the Mayflower and the Puritans that I found it curious, even ironic that, over time, I became enchanted with this legendary Asian Goddess.
Further into this channeling phenomenon, it was revealed that Lena had worshipped Kuan Yin throughout many lifetimes, that because of their former relationship Lena's personage is compatible for bearing Kuan Yin's compassionate message. When transcribing the Kuan Yin material, I often wondered if she somehow knew Lena would always ask selfless questions, that because of her love for humanity, Lena had true compassion.
A hypnotist for over twenty years, I could detect (during Lena's and Kuan Yin's exchanges together) no interference from her persona. I recognized her absolute transparency, realizing I was witness to true mediumship, one who transmits communications from the spirit world.
Though Lena was in full trance during the sessions, the format of The Living Word of Kuan Yin manifested as timely and sometimes intense questions and answers between her and Kuan Yin. Impressed by Lena's polyphonism, I could only marvel at her ability to precisely detail her and Kuan Yin's deeply spiritual and thought-provoking dialogue. Indeed, Kuan Yin concedes: "it is difficult for some to hear the voices of the Divine Spirit."
To conduct a comprehendible alpha conversation is challenging, at best. However, Lena's verbal adroitness made Kuan Yin's often-challenging precepts approachable for the common reader. Possessing an uncanny ability for relaying complex phrases and concepts of not only Kuan Yin, but those who no longer dwell in the physical world, Lena accurately relayed discussions with other spirits who could, quite unexpectedly, voice their opinions during the Kuan Yin sessions.
In parting, I now share with you the powerful words Lena spoke to me during her first trance:
"Yes, I see my spirit guide. Today, she looks older than I've always believed her to be. She has aged beautifully. She is kneeling down beside me. She is so wise. I hear her now speak to me:"
"You've known me. I am no stranger."
"I am straining, confused. I'm trying to remember other times, places where I might have known Kuan Yin. In this trance, however, I'm only focused on the now," explained Lena.
"Look beyond what this world offers." Kuan Yin instructed.
"Laid out before Kuan Yin is a beautiful oriental carpet with intricate design," described Lena: "Watching her suddenly lift the carpet, I hear Kuan Yin say, 'Seek out another place beyond this earth. Be in the now. Where you are right now is what is important. Slow down. Everything is too chaotic. Lay down everything you need to do.'
"She is holding a beautiful vial. I know it holds a liquid that reminds people of their Oneness, and makes them feel lighter and aligned with spirit. It is a stress-relieving ointment."
Kuan Yin then concluded for the day: "You love confections as they remind you of the sweetness of life. Take caution, however, not to overindulge. Too much of any substance can create an imbalance. You're not just your bodies, you know. Keep your spirit connection. Gravity and chemicals are more influential upon the body when one is not connected with spirit. Connection with spirit can help overcome even genetic and hormonal limits."
In the weeks and months to come, I believed this was no accident; that somehow Lena was able to bring from her hypnotic trance to waking reality, highly relevant information; wisdom to live by. Witness and scribe to this sage discussion between Lena and her muse, Kuan Yin, I knew that something spiritually monumental was unfolding before my very eyes.
Indeed, the story of The Living Word of Kuan Yin may have begun when Lena Lees prayed to a beautiful stone visage of Kuan Yin. During the third trimester of her pregnancy, Lena and her family traveled from California to visit with family and friends in Philadelphia. Her delivery date swiftly approaching, Lena knew this would be the last time for a while that she'd be able to visit the East Coast.
Placing a visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art on her family's vacation itinerary, Lena had no idea of the importance of her decision, how it would later profoundly transform her life. At the museum with her husband and children by her side, she suddenly gravitated to a room boasting an impressive display of Asian shrines and statuary. Drawn to a particularly striking sculpture of Kuan Yin, Lena believed the statue was comforting her, speaking to her.
Praying to Kuan Yin, she and her family asked for assistance with the many challenges they faced ahead. Weeks later, with the safe birth of her daughter, Lena believed her prayers had been answered. Nowadays, upon entering Lena's house, one is greeted by a small menagerie, a beautiful assemblage of female deity figurines and images: Guadalupe, Mother Mary, as well as an extensive array of Kuan Yin images and statuettes grace her walls and mantle.
A librarian, student and mother of three, Lena had originally scheduled an appointment with me early in March 2004, to discuss and troubleshoot her college graduation project. Not knowing much about hypnosis, she was anxious to discover if she could go into trance.
To satisfy my Client-Centered Hypnosis internship practitioner hour requirements, I agreed to hypnotize Lena. I explained that I had several years of prior therapy experience and that I was still immersed in my client-centered studies. I told Lena her session with me would fulfill my weekly homework requirement. Describing the process, I also delineated another countdown technique our class was presently focused upon called transpersonal hypnosis. Informing Lena that she had the option of either a traditional or transpersonal countdown, we set the appointment date.
Transpersonal hypnosis employs a ten to zero countdown similar to a traditional countdown protocol. Once, however, one has established her safe place, a resource fallback position if, for any reason, one feels unsafe during trance, she is directed to her sacred place. One's sacred place is whatever the client experiences, once the directive is made. Sacred places vary greatly from one individual to the next but very often represent one's deepest sense of the divine.
Agreeing to meet with me for her first trance induction, Lena mentioned during our phone intake together, that her goal for her first trance experience was to receive guidance on how to refine her college graduation thesis, to get a better idea of how her final project would take shape:
Utilizing the client-centered approach, I conducted the standard interview, completing a custom intake sheet for Lena. Understanding that Lena had initially come to trouble-shoot the particulars for her college field study project, I explained that my homework project had to do specifically with transpersonal hypnosis. Detailing further, I relayed that even a very pragmatic question, such as hers, could still be addressed in one's potentially more spiritual, transpersonal trance. Choosing the transpersonal countdown instead of the traditional countdown, Lena then laid back and got comfortable.
Conducting the countdown (utilizing Lena's own intentions and vocabulary), I spoke the words that would direct Lena to her safe place. Acknowledging her arrival, Lena described the beautiful Pennsylvania woods of her childhood. Her safe place was a cornfield near the backyard of her home. Lingering in the field, she experienced the blazing colors of a fall sunset: the east coast crisp, autumn air.
Asked if she would like to now experience her sacred place, Lena agreed, finding herself in a beautiful bamboo forest. Traveling a bit further, she found herself in a beautiful garden with a waterfall. I asked Lena if she was ready to invite in her spirit-guide. What transpired next was a phenomenon I never would have imagined.
To my amazement, I heard Lena speak, while in trance, powerful phrases and metaphor that were utterly foreign to her. Incredibly, upon waking from her trance, she remembered nothing. Believing Lena's first encounter with the Goddess Kuan Yin was a chance one-time event, I listened attentively (but with a healthy skepticism) during our second session together. By the third episode, I knew that something incredible had occurred.
From her first hypnosis induction, forward, Lena realized she had a personal "channel," some mysterious and lingering association with the Eastern Deity, Kuan Yin. From the onset, it appeared Lena had a natural affinity with the Goddess. I, on the other hand, had difficulty (at least in the beginning) accepting Kuan Yin as my muse. Maybe it was because my lineage dated back to the Mayflower and the Puritans that I found it curious, even ironic that, over time, I became enchanted with this legendary Asian Goddess.
Further into this channeling phenomenon, it was revealed that Lena had worshipped Kuan Yin throughout many lifetimes, that because of their former relationship Lena's personage is compatible for bearing Kuan Yin's compassionate message. When transcribing the Kuan Yin material, I often wondered if she somehow knew Lena would always ask selfless questions, that because of her love for humanity, Lena had true compassion.
A hypnotist for over twenty years, I could detect (during Lena's and Kuan Yin's exchanges together) no interference from her persona. I recognized her absolute transparency, realizing I was witness to true mediumship, one who transmits communications from the spirit world.
Though Lena was in full trance during the sessions, the format of The Living Word of Kuan Yin manifested as timely and sometimes intense questions and answers between her and Kuan Yin. Impressed by Lena's polyphonism, I could only marvel at her ability to precisely detail her and Kuan Yin's deeply spiritual and thought-provoking dialogue. Indeed, Kuan Yin concedes: "it is difficult for some to hear the voices of the Divine Spirit."
To conduct a comprehendible alpha conversation is challenging, at best. However, Lena's verbal adroitness made Kuan Yin's often-challenging precepts approachable for the common reader. Possessing an uncanny ability for relaying complex phrases and concepts of not only Kuan Yin, but those who no longer dwell in the physical world, Lena accurately relayed discussions with other spirits who could, quite unexpectedly, voice their opinions during the Kuan Yin sessions.
In parting, I now share with you the powerful words Lena spoke to me during her first trance:
"Yes, I see my spirit guide. Today, she looks older than I've always believed her to be. She has aged beautifully. She is kneeling down beside me. She is so wise. I hear her now speak to me:"
"You've known me. I am no stranger."
"I am straining, confused. I'm trying to remember other times, places where I might have known Kuan Yin. In this trance, however, I'm only focused on the now," explained Lena.
"Look beyond what this world offers." Kuan Yin instructed.
"Laid out before Kuan Yin is a beautiful oriental carpet with intricate design," described Lena: "Watching her suddenly lift the carpet, I hear Kuan Yin say, 'Seek out another place beyond this earth. Be in the now. Where you are right now is what is important. Slow down. Everything is too chaotic. Lay down everything you need to do.'
"She is holding a beautiful vial. I know it holds a liquid that reminds people of their Oneness, and makes them feel lighter and aligned with spirit. It is a stress-relieving ointment."
Kuan Yin then concluded for the day: "You love confections as they remind you of the sweetness of life. Take caution, however, not to overindulge. Too much of any substance can create an imbalance. You're not just your bodies, you know. Keep your spirit connection. Gravity and chemicals are more influential upon the body when one is not connected with spirit. Connection with spirit can help overcome even genetic and hormonal limits."
In the weeks and months to come, I believed this was no accident; that somehow Lena was able to bring from her hypnotic trance to waking reality, highly relevant information; wisdom to live by. Witness and scribe to this sage discussion between Lena and her muse, Kuan Yin, I knew that something spiritually monumental was unfolding before my very eyes.
Whai is cause and effect?
The Daishonin explains the significance of cause and effect: All sutras other than the Lotus Sutra expound that Buddhahood (effect), can be attained only after having made good causes, that is, practicing their teachings (causes), over a length of time. With the Lotus Sutra, however, the very act of embracing it (cause) enables one simultaneously to become a Buddha (effect).
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 9/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 9/11
What is the meaning of to attain in Buddhism?
In the "Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings," Nichiren Daishonin says with reference to attaining Buddhahood, "'To attain' means 'to open'" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 753). Attaining Buddhahood means opening our lives to their fullest potential and revealing our innate Buddhahood. This is the purpose of Buddhism.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 8/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 8/11
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
He Put Me In Jail to Save Me
Spiritual Story by John M Lukamto
When my wife lost her job in 2002. She lost her confidence to find new job and stayed with me in Batam. Since then, our family relied on my salary alone. At this time, with whatever money can buy in a vice place like Batam, I and my wife went deeper into drug addictions; I resorted to drugs in order to find peace. We started with ecstasy-pills where I found I could talk in peace and empathy with my wife, but it was only temporary, as we continued and upgraded to a more dangerous drug like ICE, where we were heavily addicted. Drugs made the situation worse. I lived in an unreal world, and when the drug's effects subdued, the violence intensified.
Consumed by drugs for about 3 years, I ignored the parental responsibility to our 5 children. They lived in poverty and obtain help from social welfare organization, CDC, relatives and in laws. Our maid had to work to take care of our children without being paid for about 3 years. Under the influence of drugs and in the circle of wicked friends, I was also involved in manslaughters in Batam. I felt no remorse then, because the blood belonged to the dark society anyway. But, remained deep in my heart was the guilt for the victims and the innocent family left behind.
To feed by drug addiction I sold everything I had and became officially bankrupt in 2005. I lost my job and planned to smuggle drugs into Singapore. I purchased 3 packs at 7grams or total of 21 grams of ICE Cristal in Batam, and carried with me by ferry to Singapore together with my wife. However, through a betrayal of some friends in the drug circle, I was caught by the Singapore authorities at the Tanah Merah ferry terminal in Singapore on my way back from Batam. While under detention, my father died in Surabaya, and I had no chance to pay my last respect.
My life seemed to have collapsed when I was detained at Queenstown Remand prison (QRP) in Nov 2006. My 2nd son got me an affordable lawyer whom was his own lecturer (my son studied law diploma at an external university with the help a catholic church's fund). The lawyer told me my minimum sentence by law will be 5 years and 5 strokes of rotan, because the drug in my possession had been weighed by HSA (Singapore Health Science Authority) to be 18grams of class A drugs, and worse still I was considered trafficking the drugs from Batam (Indonesia) to Singapore. The Law states death penalty for trafficking in 20grams or more of class A drugs, and I was only short of 2 grams to the death penalty. The best sentence he can bargain with the prosecutor would be 7 years with 5 strokes. That was the best he can do. I was really devastated, depressed and tried to commit suicide in QRP. Then, came the court order to put me in IMH mental hospital for evaluation. I was warded for 3 weeks in IMH (mental hospital) and released back under medication to QRP with a report.
It came the right time God made Himself known to me through a person by the name of Lim in QRP, He built faith and hope in me. He assured me that God loves me, and waiting for me to come back to Him through this hard way. He told me that it was not coincidence that I met him in Singapore prison, and it was not coincidence that drug was the only subject of my arrest lest other crimes I had committed, like murder, and it was not coincidence that I was caught by Singapore justice system and not Batam's which might be more unbearable. It was all God's Love, plan and work of mercy towards me.
Lim gave me my first Christian book called "healing your heart from the painful memory". I confessed all my sins through Lim without hesitation, because he assured me for what Jesus Christ has done, that no sin is so great that it cannot be forgiven, and he read to me the sinners prayer. Lim always prayed for me, my wife, and my children, and assured me to seek first the Kingdom of God and Its righteousness first and the rest just leave it to Him, as God will take care of my family at home, that I should not be worried now as God will provide all my family's needs through His blessing, and what I should do was only to surrender myself to Him, concentrate with God and be as close as possible with Him while I was in prison. Lim's most hopeful statement was: "with God, nothing is impossible, HE will show His miracle when we trust Him".
This was the first time I experienced some peace and Hope of miracle in my life. I started reading Bibles and Christian books. The most memorable verses that God touched me in QRPrison, was the story of Joseph. In which God assured me that "although they meant harmed to you, but I will make it work for the good of you". Since, then I always looked forward to prison's yard time just to be able to listen to Lim's preaching of Parables in Bible together with a group of 4-6 inmates, the same people always together, and always ended the gathering when the yard time was over, with some prayers together, and Lim always prayed specifically for me and my family every time. Coincidentally, every time the prison changed cell-rooms for me, somehow I always had a good Christian inmate to accompany me, and shared God's word with me.
I remembered vividly the following event, which has been the anchor of my faith to God, was that one very day, which was about a week before my final hearing for sentence to be passed. I had one inmate in my cell-room, a very young man about 17years old but behaving like a 5years old child, and he had a disfigured face (like human-pig face). And I remember meeting him during my treatment in IMH, where I was told by the warden to bathe this boy and changed the diaper for him. Here, he was said to have committed a mild crime, charged with burning his neighbor's laundry and molested a girl by touching her. And he was pending a transfer to IMH (Mental Hospital) again for his mental treatment. He never talked to anyone but only mumbling to himself in hokkien dialect. I shared my ex-visit food rations from my wife with him because I pitied him for he had no one to visit him. I did not talk much with him for I knew it was useless to talk to him, as well as my fear from looking at his face that he may get violent.
That night he suddenly woke me up in the middle of night and said in English, (it may not be precisely words by words, but I am very certain this was exactly he said in a clear tone): "I want you to know and not to worry because your sentence would only be a while (and he mentioned the number of months), you are here because God wants you to discover your purpose in life" and then he hugged me, I cried like a child in his hug because I was happy touched by a hopeful news, the hope of a miracle from God, although I did not actually know what it meant with "the purpose". But I surely know that God has spoken to help me like a father through this young man, who would never have spoken any sensible words to anyone, not only because he was so young and seemed to speak only in hokkien dialect, but also at his mentally retarded condition!, yet, he could speak with me like this!, I kept saying thank you to him. And he was transferred out the next morning.
This experience gave me a stronger peace and faith in my prayer till the actual sentence day. I told my wife through glass-partition during her visit at QRP before the sentencing day that "God spoke to me through a young retarded man that my sentence would only be a while for 6 months". I saw her red-eyes, I didn't know if that meant she believed me or not, or thought I turned crazy, but I was certainly very cooled and confident when I sat at court room bench, when the sentence was read.
The young man told me 6 months, but the judge passed the sentence as 9 months and 3 weeks with no Rotan canning; I had some confusion for a while because I was so convinced of God's message to me was 6 months, but still I felt very happy and relieved because 9 months and 6 months both were quite close anyway, until my Lawyer approached me and said: "congratulation, you would only serve 6 months and 2 weeks after remission". That was the striking convincing moment for me of God's miracle and grace. God did not just make a miracle by passing an impossibly light sentence for my heavy crime, but he actually let me know in advance that it was He who did it!
After that I was transferred from QRP to non remand prisons (Admiralty prison about 2 months, and then KhalsaC Prison about 1 months), and since then I had been telling this testimony of God's miracle and grace to any Christian brothers I met, through out serving my prison's remaining sentence of 3 months plus, and I shared with many, the hope of a miracle and I believed it had given them more faith to be close to God. And truly, I found all drug offenders with similar cases like me in both prisons whomever I met, were all way high above 5 years sentence with permanent bruises on their buttock caused by rotan canning. They were all surprised by my short-sentence. Those who were non-believers reasoned out that it was my IMH report that worked out the miracle or some said: the new Chief Justice who was more lenient to offenders; but the truth which I know was God who worked things out. (It might be through my wife's hands of persistent fight on my case, it might be through the IMH report, it might be through the sudden compassion of the Judicial system when passing the sentence, etc). Whatever that happened; I know God had spoken to me that it was Him who did it!
At this moment in Admiralty prison serving almost halfway the total term, I was still having a lot of queries in my mind about what that young retarded boy said, about ‘finding my purpose in life'. In my thinking I had a great value and purpose as declared by God. And probably God wanted to use me greatly on planet earth like being a great preacher or pastor to transform a vast majority of people. Until I met an inmate by the name of Jabez, he was an Indian Christian who liked to have fellowship with other inmates during the yard time. He suddenly passed me a book by Rick Warren titled: ‘the purpose driven life', he asked me to read just one section a day for 40 days, and no rushing. Then only that I realized my purpose in life was to come back to the Father like the prodigal son in the bible. It may not be like that great imagination I had beforehand, but it is still the greatest thing I ever did in my life.
My wife was somehow made it on her own while I was in prison; she could live clean from drugs and had a good job that could support all the children needs. Even, she was able to move to a bigger 5-room HDB flat while I was in prison. And she was getting more job-offers with better pay then. She got a job interview in Shanghai – China. However, her preference to work in China disturbed my mind, as I thought she wanted to avoid me after my release, and lead a life on her own far from me. I felt depressed and hopeless.
Then, God again strengthen my faith as this Christian brother, Jabez passed me a letter quoting Jeremiah 29:11 "for I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future". I believed it was the message from God, because I never told this brother about my marriage life, and my most recent intention to give up my marriage when released from prison, and yet he could write after that verse: "God wants you not to leave your wife, as your wife needs you, and your children needs you, God wants you to love them like Jesus Christ loves you". The letter also contained a HP number of Brother Francis Sim, and asked me to contact this brother upon my release. (Brother Francis has since become like my spiritual father after my release).
On 19 May 2007, I was released from KCprison after serving exactly 6 months and 2 weeks. It was the day I breathed freedom, the first time I appreciated life in my life. A life of knowing there is God who loves me so dearly.
To keep faith in the prison is much easier than outside prison, where the real world is. After the release from prison in May 2007, I had deep depression. The reality sucked: I could not have my passport as I was under Police Urine Supervision for the next 2 years, and I could not find jobs even lower level job than my last job because of my background record as an ex-convict as well as a bankrupt, and my relationship with my wife was still getting nowhere, although I had much stronger patience in me after prison, but still I felt a low self esteemed, suppressed emotion, as I could not communicate with my wife at all, I feel rejected by everyone, even my own mother and siblings still thought I was a drug addicts and my siblings put a cold shoulder on me with avoiding attitude, and my 1st son accused me of stealing my wife's money and expressed words like I am a useless person, banging table and chair at me. I resisted myself from anger instead I could only cry. I felt it was my own sin of dishonoring my parents and my violent acts against my wife in the past that I had to suffer the curse of a permanent prisoner now. A self pity's feeling, and I felt like committing suicide.
You see, I could only imagine the Love of God and Jesus. But I could not see nor feel it. And I felt God had distanced away from me and left me with a shattered life. So it is hard for me to sustain my faith in the real world, although I believe strongly and undoubtedly true that God has touched me in prison, but still my faith was shattered by the bitterness of life. I drowned my self in alcohol and cigarettes to forget the reality.
But my brother Francis Sim, in him I could feel Jesus' love again, because Brother Francis never gave up to show his persistence and perseverance to guide and advise me through his sharing of God's words, and showed me care and taught me to persevere with Jesus in my heart. He never gave up and spent his own time and money for me. And finally, he brought me to the Encounter weekend of FCBC (Community Baptist Church). To come to the Encounter itself had actually brought a heavy struggle inside me. I even had nightmares and uneasy feelings like my soul being pulled in 2 opposite directions in my dreams. I almost gave up the Encounter, and ask for the next session. But, Brother Francis still never gave me up.
I made it to the Encounter out of God's will. Because in there, I received a more complete healing. In the Encounter, Pastor Vincent Teo and Brother Francis have delivered me, they lifted out my emotional baggage caused by damaged soul and erased my guilt-ridden burden, I had full confessions and repentance, and I received the forgiveness from the Lord during the encounter. They also prayed for the deliverance of my alcohol and cigarettes addiction, and prayed for breaking all curses in my family line. I felt mentally light, felt the joy of forgiveness, and for the first time I felt no self pity anymore, I feel confident of my future life walking with Jesus in my heart.
Also, for the first time, I could feel confident to shower my wife with love and feel the joy of just expressing my love to her, without worry whether or not she would return me the same love. In the encounter, the words that touched me in regards to this was that "how are we going to fulfill God's greatest commandment, i.e. to love Him and Love one another, if we cannot even express our love to our wife who is just next to us. It has been wonderful to feel like I am a newly born person of confidence; my old self had completely died, put to death on the cross.
But, to tell the truth, Satan has and would try harder to pull me back after the encounter, as within the next week after the encounter, Satan disturbed me with the flashes of the past again to make me feel depressed. Satan whispered in my mind to touch cigarettes and alcohol again, to alleviate the sorrow. "The Bible never mentioned that you cannot smoke!, and even you smoke God will understand and forgive you" And "never mind you still have whisky; drink it, even Jesus requested to drink sour wine at the moment of His suffering on the cross".
I may stumble and I may fall, but I believe and know for sure that Jesus Christ will never let me go, because He is not done yet with me; and He will always hold my hands and bring me back to stand up every time I fall and ask for sincere forgiveness. My faith may be as small as a mustard seed, but I intend to plant that seed deep in my heart. I discovered myself that those things of the past which might have been enjoyable to be indulged with, are now so distasteful and remorseful, and this makes me more confident to avoid them. They will never bring me peace and happiness, only meditating on God's words and Jesus' unfailing love will bring peace and joy to me.
Currently, God has shown blessing to restore my life slowly but surely. Because, miraculously my Urine Supervision has been revoked within only 9 months after my prison release instead of 2 years, with the help of a letter of recommendation from a Church in Jakarta (Indonesia), this is certainly a very rare case, and then my passport has also been returned to me and I can now travel in and out of Singapore, and although I was still unable to find a permanent job, my wife has a substantial earning power that all my family's needs can be fully provided, and we can even put aside substantial savings every month now. And best of all, I can now communicate with my wife especially by sharing bible knowledge and reading to each other on Christian books. My relationship with her is somehow in the restoration process as we walk together in Christ, I thank and praise the Lord.
When my wife lost her job in 2002. She lost her confidence to find new job and stayed with me in Batam. Since then, our family relied on my salary alone. At this time, with whatever money can buy in a vice place like Batam, I and my wife went deeper into drug addictions; I resorted to drugs in order to find peace. We started with ecstasy-pills where I found I could talk in peace and empathy with my wife, but it was only temporary, as we continued and upgraded to a more dangerous drug like ICE, where we were heavily addicted. Drugs made the situation worse. I lived in an unreal world, and when the drug's effects subdued, the violence intensified.
Consumed by drugs for about 3 years, I ignored the parental responsibility to our 5 children. They lived in poverty and obtain help from social welfare organization, CDC, relatives and in laws. Our maid had to work to take care of our children without being paid for about 3 years. Under the influence of drugs and in the circle of wicked friends, I was also involved in manslaughters in Batam. I felt no remorse then, because the blood belonged to the dark society anyway. But, remained deep in my heart was the guilt for the victims and the innocent family left behind.
To feed by drug addiction I sold everything I had and became officially bankrupt in 2005. I lost my job and planned to smuggle drugs into Singapore. I purchased 3 packs at 7grams or total of 21 grams of ICE Cristal in Batam, and carried with me by ferry to Singapore together with my wife. However, through a betrayal of some friends in the drug circle, I was caught by the Singapore authorities at the Tanah Merah ferry terminal in Singapore on my way back from Batam. While under detention, my father died in Surabaya, and I had no chance to pay my last respect.
My life seemed to have collapsed when I was detained at Queenstown Remand prison (QRP) in Nov 2006. My 2nd son got me an affordable lawyer whom was his own lecturer (my son studied law diploma at an external university with the help a catholic church's fund). The lawyer told me my minimum sentence by law will be 5 years and 5 strokes of rotan, because the drug in my possession had been weighed by HSA (Singapore Health Science Authority) to be 18grams of class A drugs, and worse still I was considered trafficking the drugs from Batam (Indonesia) to Singapore. The Law states death penalty for trafficking in 20grams or more of class A drugs, and I was only short of 2 grams to the death penalty. The best sentence he can bargain with the prosecutor would be 7 years with 5 strokes. That was the best he can do. I was really devastated, depressed and tried to commit suicide in QRP. Then, came the court order to put me in IMH mental hospital for evaluation. I was warded for 3 weeks in IMH (mental hospital) and released back under medication to QRP with a report.
It came the right time God made Himself known to me through a person by the name of Lim in QRP, He built faith and hope in me. He assured me that God loves me, and waiting for me to come back to Him through this hard way. He told me that it was not coincidence that I met him in Singapore prison, and it was not coincidence that drug was the only subject of my arrest lest other crimes I had committed, like murder, and it was not coincidence that I was caught by Singapore justice system and not Batam's which might be more unbearable. It was all God's Love, plan and work of mercy towards me.
Lim gave me my first Christian book called "healing your heart from the painful memory". I confessed all my sins through Lim without hesitation, because he assured me for what Jesus Christ has done, that no sin is so great that it cannot be forgiven, and he read to me the sinners prayer. Lim always prayed for me, my wife, and my children, and assured me to seek first the Kingdom of God and Its righteousness first and the rest just leave it to Him, as God will take care of my family at home, that I should not be worried now as God will provide all my family's needs through His blessing, and what I should do was only to surrender myself to Him, concentrate with God and be as close as possible with Him while I was in prison. Lim's most hopeful statement was: "with God, nothing is impossible, HE will show His miracle when we trust Him".
This was the first time I experienced some peace and Hope of miracle in my life. I started reading Bibles and Christian books. The most memorable verses that God touched me in QRPrison, was the story of Joseph. In which God assured me that "although they meant harmed to you, but I will make it work for the good of you". Since, then I always looked forward to prison's yard time just to be able to listen to Lim's preaching of Parables in Bible together with a group of 4-6 inmates, the same people always together, and always ended the gathering when the yard time was over, with some prayers together, and Lim always prayed specifically for me and my family every time. Coincidentally, every time the prison changed cell-rooms for me, somehow I always had a good Christian inmate to accompany me, and shared God's word with me.
I remembered vividly the following event, which has been the anchor of my faith to God, was that one very day, which was about a week before my final hearing for sentence to be passed. I had one inmate in my cell-room, a very young man about 17years old but behaving like a 5years old child, and he had a disfigured face (like human-pig face). And I remember meeting him during my treatment in IMH, where I was told by the warden to bathe this boy and changed the diaper for him. Here, he was said to have committed a mild crime, charged with burning his neighbor's laundry and molested a girl by touching her. And he was pending a transfer to IMH (Mental Hospital) again for his mental treatment. He never talked to anyone but only mumbling to himself in hokkien dialect. I shared my ex-visit food rations from my wife with him because I pitied him for he had no one to visit him. I did not talk much with him for I knew it was useless to talk to him, as well as my fear from looking at his face that he may get violent.
That night he suddenly woke me up in the middle of night and said in English, (it may not be precisely words by words, but I am very certain this was exactly he said in a clear tone): "I want you to know and not to worry because your sentence would only be a while (and he mentioned the number of months), you are here because God wants you to discover your purpose in life" and then he hugged me, I cried like a child in his hug because I was happy touched by a hopeful news, the hope of a miracle from God, although I did not actually know what it meant with "the purpose". But I surely know that God has spoken to help me like a father through this young man, who would never have spoken any sensible words to anyone, not only because he was so young and seemed to speak only in hokkien dialect, but also at his mentally retarded condition!, yet, he could speak with me like this!, I kept saying thank you to him. And he was transferred out the next morning.
This experience gave me a stronger peace and faith in my prayer till the actual sentence day. I told my wife through glass-partition during her visit at QRP before the sentencing day that "God spoke to me through a young retarded man that my sentence would only be a while for 6 months". I saw her red-eyes, I didn't know if that meant she believed me or not, or thought I turned crazy, but I was certainly very cooled and confident when I sat at court room bench, when the sentence was read.
The young man told me 6 months, but the judge passed the sentence as 9 months and 3 weeks with no Rotan canning; I had some confusion for a while because I was so convinced of God's message to me was 6 months, but still I felt very happy and relieved because 9 months and 6 months both were quite close anyway, until my Lawyer approached me and said: "congratulation, you would only serve 6 months and 2 weeks after remission". That was the striking convincing moment for me of God's miracle and grace. God did not just make a miracle by passing an impossibly light sentence for my heavy crime, but he actually let me know in advance that it was He who did it!
After that I was transferred from QRP to non remand prisons (Admiralty prison about 2 months, and then KhalsaC Prison about 1 months), and since then I had been telling this testimony of God's miracle and grace to any Christian brothers I met, through out serving my prison's remaining sentence of 3 months plus, and I shared with many, the hope of a miracle and I believed it had given them more faith to be close to God. And truly, I found all drug offenders with similar cases like me in both prisons whomever I met, were all way high above 5 years sentence with permanent bruises on their buttock caused by rotan canning. They were all surprised by my short-sentence. Those who were non-believers reasoned out that it was my IMH report that worked out the miracle or some said: the new Chief Justice who was more lenient to offenders; but the truth which I know was God who worked things out. (It might be through my wife's hands of persistent fight on my case, it might be through the IMH report, it might be through the sudden compassion of the Judicial system when passing the sentence, etc). Whatever that happened; I know God had spoken to me that it was Him who did it!
At this moment in Admiralty prison serving almost halfway the total term, I was still having a lot of queries in my mind about what that young retarded boy said, about ‘finding my purpose in life'. In my thinking I had a great value and purpose as declared by God. And probably God wanted to use me greatly on planet earth like being a great preacher or pastor to transform a vast majority of people. Until I met an inmate by the name of Jabez, he was an Indian Christian who liked to have fellowship with other inmates during the yard time. He suddenly passed me a book by Rick Warren titled: ‘the purpose driven life', he asked me to read just one section a day for 40 days, and no rushing. Then only that I realized my purpose in life was to come back to the Father like the prodigal son in the bible. It may not be like that great imagination I had beforehand, but it is still the greatest thing I ever did in my life.
My wife was somehow made it on her own while I was in prison; she could live clean from drugs and had a good job that could support all the children needs. Even, she was able to move to a bigger 5-room HDB flat while I was in prison. And she was getting more job-offers with better pay then. She got a job interview in Shanghai – China. However, her preference to work in China disturbed my mind, as I thought she wanted to avoid me after my release, and lead a life on her own far from me. I felt depressed and hopeless.
Then, God again strengthen my faith as this Christian brother, Jabez passed me a letter quoting Jeremiah 29:11 "for I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future". I believed it was the message from God, because I never told this brother about my marriage life, and my most recent intention to give up my marriage when released from prison, and yet he could write after that verse: "God wants you not to leave your wife, as your wife needs you, and your children needs you, God wants you to love them like Jesus Christ loves you". The letter also contained a HP number of Brother Francis Sim, and asked me to contact this brother upon my release. (Brother Francis has since become like my spiritual father after my release).
On 19 May 2007, I was released from KCprison after serving exactly 6 months and 2 weeks. It was the day I breathed freedom, the first time I appreciated life in my life. A life of knowing there is God who loves me so dearly.
To keep faith in the prison is much easier than outside prison, where the real world is. After the release from prison in May 2007, I had deep depression. The reality sucked: I could not have my passport as I was under Police Urine Supervision for the next 2 years, and I could not find jobs even lower level job than my last job because of my background record as an ex-convict as well as a bankrupt, and my relationship with my wife was still getting nowhere, although I had much stronger patience in me after prison, but still I felt a low self esteemed, suppressed emotion, as I could not communicate with my wife at all, I feel rejected by everyone, even my own mother and siblings still thought I was a drug addicts and my siblings put a cold shoulder on me with avoiding attitude, and my 1st son accused me of stealing my wife's money and expressed words like I am a useless person, banging table and chair at me. I resisted myself from anger instead I could only cry. I felt it was my own sin of dishonoring my parents and my violent acts against my wife in the past that I had to suffer the curse of a permanent prisoner now. A self pity's feeling, and I felt like committing suicide.
You see, I could only imagine the Love of God and Jesus. But I could not see nor feel it. And I felt God had distanced away from me and left me with a shattered life. So it is hard for me to sustain my faith in the real world, although I believe strongly and undoubtedly true that God has touched me in prison, but still my faith was shattered by the bitterness of life. I drowned my self in alcohol and cigarettes to forget the reality.
But my brother Francis Sim, in him I could feel Jesus' love again, because Brother Francis never gave up to show his persistence and perseverance to guide and advise me through his sharing of God's words, and showed me care and taught me to persevere with Jesus in my heart. He never gave up and spent his own time and money for me. And finally, he brought me to the Encounter weekend of FCBC (Community Baptist Church). To come to the Encounter itself had actually brought a heavy struggle inside me. I even had nightmares and uneasy feelings like my soul being pulled in 2 opposite directions in my dreams. I almost gave up the Encounter, and ask for the next session. But, Brother Francis still never gave me up.
I made it to the Encounter out of God's will. Because in there, I received a more complete healing. In the Encounter, Pastor Vincent Teo and Brother Francis have delivered me, they lifted out my emotional baggage caused by damaged soul and erased my guilt-ridden burden, I had full confessions and repentance, and I received the forgiveness from the Lord during the encounter. They also prayed for the deliverance of my alcohol and cigarettes addiction, and prayed for breaking all curses in my family line. I felt mentally light, felt the joy of forgiveness, and for the first time I felt no self pity anymore, I feel confident of my future life walking with Jesus in my heart.
Also, for the first time, I could feel confident to shower my wife with love and feel the joy of just expressing my love to her, without worry whether or not she would return me the same love. In the encounter, the words that touched me in regards to this was that "how are we going to fulfill God's greatest commandment, i.e. to love Him and Love one another, if we cannot even express our love to our wife who is just next to us. It has been wonderful to feel like I am a newly born person of confidence; my old self had completely died, put to death on the cross.
But, to tell the truth, Satan has and would try harder to pull me back after the encounter, as within the next week after the encounter, Satan disturbed me with the flashes of the past again to make me feel depressed. Satan whispered in my mind to touch cigarettes and alcohol again, to alleviate the sorrow. "The Bible never mentioned that you cannot smoke!, and even you smoke God will understand and forgive you" And "never mind you still have whisky; drink it, even Jesus requested to drink sour wine at the moment of His suffering on the cross".
I may stumble and I may fall, but I believe and know for sure that Jesus Christ will never let me go, because He is not done yet with me; and He will always hold my hands and bring me back to stand up every time I fall and ask for sincere forgiveness. My faith may be as small as a mustard seed, but I intend to plant that seed deep in my heart. I discovered myself that those things of the past which might have been enjoyable to be indulged with, are now so distasteful and remorseful, and this makes me more confident to avoid them. They will never bring me peace and happiness, only meditating on God's words and Jesus' unfailing love will bring peace and joy to me.
Currently, God has shown blessing to restore my life slowly but surely. Because, miraculously my Urine Supervision has been revoked within only 9 months after my prison release instead of 2 years, with the help of a letter of recommendation from a Church in Jakarta (Indonesia), this is certainly a very rare case, and then my passport has also been returned to me and I can now travel in and out of Singapore, and although I was still unable to find a permanent job, my wife has a substantial earning power that all my family's needs can be fully provided, and we can even put aside substantial savings every month now. And best of all, I can now communicate with my wife especially by sharing bible knowledge and reading to each other on Christian books. My relationship with her is somehow in the restoration process as we walk together in Christ, I thank and praise the Lord.
Throughout his life, Shakyamuni encouraged people with his clear, sonorous voice.
Throughout his life, Shakyamuni encouraged people with his clear, sonorous voice. A Buddhist text describes how Shakyamuni warmheartedly welcomed everyone he met, expressing his joy at seeing them. He showed affection, joy and gentleness in all his interactions. He greeted everyone with courtesy and respect. He never scowled or grimaced. And to put others at ease and encourage them to speak up, Shakyamuni would always break the ice by initiating the conversation. It was the power of Shakyamuni's eloquence and sincerity that made it possible for Buddhism to gain wide acceptance among the people of his time.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 7/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 7/11
How to establish meaningful lives during your youth?
To establish meaningful lives, I hope that during your youth you will work hard to polish you intellect. Life, in a sense, is a battle of wisdom. It is the power of Buddhism that enables one to win this battle. True faith is characterized by a brilliance of intellect and depth of wisdom that result from devotion to practice.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 6/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 6/11
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Have Faith Will Travel
Spiritual Story by Elizabeth S. Lawrence
Three years ago, I was asked to give a talk about ATTITUDE at a business seminar in a hotel setting. When I went up to the front which was two minutes after I started my preliminary introduction, I felt a sharp pain in the middle of my back.
I stopped suddenly and excused myself. As I turned my back, I saw confusion from the faces of the audience through the back wall made up of mirrors.
As my topic was so appropriate to the way I reacted to the situation, I kept myself calmed, composed and collected.
At first I thought it was just an ordinary pain but as minutes went by, it got worst. The audience started panicking. I could not stand up anymore nor sit down so some of them came to hold me whatever or whichever way they thought would be comfortable for me.
They started praying together. I heard one lady praying in tongue and the rest were stunned and just sat there and didn't know what to do.
The pain was so intense that I could not even utter a word so somebody called the ambulance and when it came the pain on my back shot up to my chest.
At the emergency room, as much as the pain was so unbearable, I could still hear the doctor saying, "Oh, that is just anxiety. You women always suffer from anxiety."
I knew it wasn't anxiety. It felt like a whole elephant landed on my chest. I never ever had that kind of pain before. Multiple tests were carried out and while these procedures were being done I prayed to God and said, "God, please forgive me for my sins but if you are ready for me, I am ready." Then I added, "But God, I still have so much things to do for you."
Think about it. How many of those who died suddenly had the opportunity to repent and asked for forgiveness for their sins from the Lord? It would be more tragic if they didn't.
Then the nurses took me to have a CAT Scan and that was when they found out that I have Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm which is commonly called Triple A.
I was taken straight to ICU and very carefully monitored me. I didn't know at the time that my blood pressure was 290/210.
The doctors could not fly me over to another more equipped hospital as my condition would not take the flight and chances were I would die on the way with a 20% survival rate. They just continued with the necessary medical procedures keeping me alive and comfortable.
Two days after, the doctor asked me to sign a form which stated, NO RESUSCITATION just in case anything happened to me. He said to call my family or whoever I needed or wanted to call to discuss the matter.
When the doctor left, I prayed to God saying, "God, I know you gave these doctors a gift of healing and I don't care what they say because I know You are the greatest Healer of them all."
My family came, closest friends and had asked for the Bishop and the parish priest who came also. After praying and blessing me, the Bishop said to me that whatever my decision would be, they would respect it.
Little did I know that nobody believed that I would survive after two days but they did not know about the power of thoughts, words, belief and faith. I DID.
Then my father who is living on the other side of the world called me and said, "My child, you are healed." Right there and then I knew I was healed because I believed that. After almost a month at the ICU, I was transferred to the general ward and two more weeks I was discharged.
After five weeks, I was back to the hospital via ambulance and found out that the AAA was getting worst so I was flown away to Lahey Clinic in Boston via air ambulance. There, I stayed for few more weeks. I had all the unbelievable healings that anybody we encountered considered them miracles. I do too. I was able to go home escaping the bypass operation as well.
December 6th, 2006, I had a sharp pain on my chest. Again, I was taken to the hospital via ambulance. Examinations revealed that I was developing fluid in my right lung so again they took me straight to ICU. Two big tubes were inserted on my back to drain the fluid but in vain. I was not tolerating any food nor any liquid so I began to shed some weight off which was against all odds with my small frame already.
I was feeling worst and developing fever and still no drainage. Another x-ray was taken and showed that the fluids were filling up my lung very quickly so the doctor decided to fly me over again at Lahey Clinic in Boston for operation. Off I went via air ambulance.
More and more procedures were instituted. My arms were tattoed with IV's and injections everyday. More X-rays, ECG's, CAT Scan, MRI's, blood tests. The doctor scheduled me to have the operation the next day which was on Decmber 11, 2006 instead of the scheduled day.
It was a very long battle but I never gave up hope nor faith in God.
Christmas time, I was alone in a foreign land, in the hospital, sick in bed with no family, nor relative and not a single friend with me. But I knew that the Good Lord was always there for me and never left me and guiding me and protecting me all the way.
After a month, I went home.
Everybody went through something maybe even worst than what I have been through. We do hear a lot about that it's not what happened to us that matters. It's what we do with what happens to us that is more important.
Three chances I was given in life and very grateful that I am still being showered with many of God's blessings. My life has received miracles after miracles after miracles.
It has been more than three years since the first incident and I am still recovering. I am still under the doctor's supervision and still having frequent check-ups and maintenace. Although I am homebound, I owe it to God, big time, to me and to everybody to continue to get better so I can be an instrument for Him which is one of my passions.
I am very grateful for what had happened to me because even though I considered myself a devout Catholic, not until I stayed home and spent one on one with God that I realized I have so much catching up to do.
Three years ago, I was asked to give a talk about ATTITUDE at a business seminar in a hotel setting. When I went up to the front which was two minutes after I started my preliminary introduction, I felt a sharp pain in the middle of my back.
I stopped suddenly and excused myself. As I turned my back, I saw confusion from the faces of the audience through the back wall made up of mirrors.
As my topic was so appropriate to the way I reacted to the situation, I kept myself calmed, composed and collected.
At first I thought it was just an ordinary pain but as minutes went by, it got worst. The audience started panicking. I could not stand up anymore nor sit down so some of them came to hold me whatever or whichever way they thought would be comfortable for me.
They started praying together. I heard one lady praying in tongue and the rest were stunned and just sat there and didn't know what to do.
The pain was so intense that I could not even utter a word so somebody called the ambulance and when it came the pain on my back shot up to my chest.
At the emergency room, as much as the pain was so unbearable, I could still hear the doctor saying, "Oh, that is just anxiety. You women always suffer from anxiety."
I knew it wasn't anxiety. It felt like a whole elephant landed on my chest. I never ever had that kind of pain before. Multiple tests were carried out and while these procedures were being done I prayed to God and said, "God, please forgive me for my sins but if you are ready for me, I am ready." Then I added, "But God, I still have so much things to do for you."
Think about it. How many of those who died suddenly had the opportunity to repent and asked for forgiveness for their sins from the Lord? It would be more tragic if they didn't.
Then the nurses took me to have a CAT Scan and that was when they found out that I have Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm which is commonly called Triple A.
I was taken straight to ICU and very carefully monitored me. I didn't know at the time that my blood pressure was 290/210.
The doctors could not fly me over to another more equipped hospital as my condition would not take the flight and chances were I would die on the way with a 20% survival rate. They just continued with the necessary medical procedures keeping me alive and comfortable.
Two days after, the doctor asked me to sign a form which stated, NO RESUSCITATION just in case anything happened to me. He said to call my family or whoever I needed or wanted to call to discuss the matter.
When the doctor left, I prayed to God saying, "God, I know you gave these doctors a gift of healing and I don't care what they say because I know You are the greatest Healer of them all."
My family came, closest friends and had asked for the Bishop and the parish priest who came also. After praying and blessing me, the Bishop said to me that whatever my decision would be, they would respect it.
Little did I know that nobody believed that I would survive after two days but they did not know about the power of thoughts, words, belief and faith. I DID.
Then my father who is living on the other side of the world called me and said, "My child, you are healed." Right there and then I knew I was healed because I believed that. After almost a month at the ICU, I was transferred to the general ward and two more weeks I was discharged.
After five weeks, I was back to the hospital via ambulance and found out that the AAA was getting worst so I was flown away to Lahey Clinic in Boston via air ambulance. There, I stayed for few more weeks. I had all the unbelievable healings that anybody we encountered considered them miracles. I do too. I was able to go home escaping the bypass operation as well.
December 6th, 2006, I had a sharp pain on my chest. Again, I was taken to the hospital via ambulance. Examinations revealed that I was developing fluid in my right lung so again they took me straight to ICU. Two big tubes were inserted on my back to drain the fluid but in vain. I was not tolerating any food nor any liquid so I began to shed some weight off which was against all odds with my small frame already.
I was feeling worst and developing fever and still no drainage. Another x-ray was taken and showed that the fluids were filling up my lung very quickly so the doctor decided to fly me over again at Lahey Clinic in Boston for operation. Off I went via air ambulance.
More and more procedures were instituted. My arms were tattoed with IV's and injections everyday. More X-rays, ECG's, CAT Scan, MRI's, blood tests. The doctor scheduled me to have the operation the next day which was on Decmber 11, 2006 instead of the scheduled day.
It was a very long battle but I never gave up hope nor faith in God.
Christmas time, I was alone in a foreign land, in the hospital, sick in bed with no family, nor relative and not a single friend with me. But I knew that the Good Lord was always there for me and never left me and guiding me and protecting me all the way.
After a month, I went home.
Everybody went through something maybe even worst than what I have been through. We do hear a lot about that it's not what happened to us that matters. It's what we do with what happens to us that is more important.
Three chances I was given in life and very grateful that I am still being showered with many of God's blessings. My life has received miracles after miracles after miracles.
It has been more than three years since the first incident and I am still recovering. I am still under the doctor's supervision and still having frequent check-ups and maintenace. Although I am homebound, I owe it to God, big time, to me and to everybody to continue to get better so I can be an instrument for Him which is one of my passions.
I am very grateful for what had happened to me because even though I considered myself a devout Catholic, not until I stayed home and spent one on one with God that I realized I have so much catching up to do.
Why is it important that we live cheerfully?
It is important that we live cheerfully. With a strong spirit of optimism, we need to be able to continually direct our minds in a bright, positive and beneficial direction and help those around us do so, too. We should strive to develop a state of life where we feel a sense of joy no matter what happens.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 5/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 5/11
What is the purpose of faith?
The purpose of faith is to become happy. I hope all of you will take this sure path to happiness, never wandering onto byroads that lead to unhappiness. Please walk the great path of kosen-rufu with confidence and pride.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 4/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 4/11
What is the way of a truly capable person and a true leader?
Buddhism places the highest value on human rights and seeks to ensure that human rights are respected. In caring for just one person, one tries to thoroughly protect and do everything he can for that person. One who respects and embraces the children of the Buddha in this way is a truly capable person and a true leader.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 3/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 3/11
Monday, November 14, 2011
Why merit doesn't reveal itself in spite of our earnest and high degree of faith?
There are cases when we wonder why merit doesn't reveal itself in spite of our earnest and high degree of faith. At such times, rather than suspecting that you may entertain doubt about the Gohonzon, it is better to ask yourself whether you are guilty of a type of slander. Because a person who is contemptuous, hating, jealous or holds grudges will realize no benefits.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 2/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 2/11
The benefit of doing gongyo and chanting daimoku.
The Daishonin has taught us that through gongyo and chanting daimoku we can reach an elevated state in which, while engaged in our daily lives, we travel throughout the entire universe. When you worship the Gohonzon, the door to your microcosm is opened to the entire universe, the macrocosm, and you experience a great, boundless joy, as if you were looking out over the entire cosmos. You feel great satisfaction and rejoicing, a great wisdom, as if you held the entire universe in your palm.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 1/11
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 1/11
Guardian's Support Needed
Spiritual Story by BK Surat Singh Ayer
In the kite flying season of the year, there was a kite that flew very very high, all the way to the end of its thread. The kite noticed off in th distance that an eagle was flying even higher, and more freely without the thread tying it down.
This gave the kite the idea that if he were free from the thread, then h too could go beyond the height of the sky... that he could even go higher than the eagle. The kite believed that if he could do this then he would b truly and deeply happy. He wanted more than anything to be free from his thread.
As it turns out, coincidentally another kite ran into him and cut his thread. Immediately, he was overcome with joy at his newfound freedom. "Oh," he thought, "now it is my luck to fly up even higher than the eagle!"
With great enthusiasm, he tried to fly up. However, instead of going upwards, the kite gradually flew lower and lower. No matter how hard he tried, the kit continued to stumble downwards until it not only fell to the earth, it also became trapped in a thick bush. To make matters worse, a bunch of kids came and severely damaged the bush and kite. The kite was nearly destroyed as a result of not having any support from his tying thread... his true nature was forever lost as a result of his overly ambitious thoughts.
In the kite flying season of the year, there was a kite that flew very very high, all the way to the end of its thread. The kite noticed off in th distance that an eagle was flying even higher, and more freely without the thread tying it down.
This gave the kite the idea that if he were free from the thread, then h too could go beyond the height of the sky... that he could even go higher than the eagle. The kite believed that if he could do this then he would b truly and deeply happy. He wanted more than anything to be free from his thread.
As it turns out, coincidentally another kite ran into him and cut his thread. Immediately, he was overcome with joy at his newfound freedom. "Oh," he thought, "now it is my luck to fly up even higher than the eagle!"
With great enthusiasm, he tried to fly up. However, instead of going upwards, the kite gradually flew lower and lower. No matter how hard he tried, the kit continued to stumble downwards until it not only fell to the earth, it also became trapped in a thick bush. To make matters worse, a bunch of kids came and severely damaged the bush and kite. The kite was nearly destroyed as a result of not having any support from his tying thread... his true nature was forever lost as a result of his overly ambitious thoughts.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Good Things Come In Large Packages
Spiritual Story by Brenda Barnhart
Jacob was a stoutly boy, with round features through and through, including his eyes which glowed almost neon blue from round granite spheres. He accepted his roundness, for after all, good things come in large packages, or so his mother always told him, with a funny grin on her lips. He never understood the grin, but took it to mean it was their little secret, that the world had yet to learn this, and Jacob was the one to teach them.
On this warm Sunday morning, he sits in the coffee shop awaiting his food. His platter, really, for Jacob was a boy with a ferocious appetite and he fed this appetite lovingly. �SEVEN egg omelet with half a pound of cheese�� said the waitress as she dropped the plate to the table, rolling her eyes in amazement at this boys order. �This poor boy�, she thought to herself, �what have his parents done to cause such low self esteem.� Jacob dug into his food immediately and rather seriously, as if feeding a hunger that never rested.
Jacob watched silently out the window after he finished his feast, lost in thoughts of his future, of becoming something special and showing the world what love really is. He didn�t know how he was going to do this, but he knew, from the depths of his soul, that this was his mission in life, and he looked forward to it with an excitement that made any Christmas morning celebration look like a Sunday at church.
But this morning, however, something was different. Jacob thought about his future with a new sense of melancholy that he could not explain. He felt as if something was going to happen very soon that would catapult him into his purpose, and he wasn�t sure he was ready. He was processing his thoughts, analyzing his feelings when a sudden bang brought him back to his seat at the booth, once again aware of his surroundings.
He looked around for the source of the interruption to his thoughts, and saw people gathered around something on the floor. At closer examination he saw it was a body, very pale and thin and had sores on his face. You could see his skeletal structure he was so thin. People were frantic, but no one wanted to assist the man lying on the floor. �He has AIDS!� someone yelled, �don�t touch him! You�ll surely catch it!�
Jacob got up and walked over to the man, knelt down and felt for a pulse. An older woman tried to stop him but he paid no attention. �He�s got a pulse!� he said, �He�s still alive. Call 9-1-1, NOW! Hurry!� he screamed as he began to perform CPR. People gasped in horror as they watched this large boy press his mouth against this sick man. He continued the CPR until the ambulance arrived, and he kept him alive.
As Jacob started his walk home, he heard whispers fading behind him as folks continued to talk about him with disbelief at what he�d done. �That wasn�t brave!� said one man, �it was purely idiotic!� Jacob just shook his head as he walked away, lost in his own thoughts of what had just occurred. He WAS a hero, regardless of what that man was ill from, but that didn�t matter. Jacob didn�t care about that. His melancholy had grown still without recognition as to its source, and this is what Jacob was deeply contemplating when the truck hit him. He never heard it coming. Total blackness ensued� and very soon after, death.
By this time news had gone around about what Jacob had done at the diner. The news reporters were at the diner the moment Jacob was hit a few miles down the road. The story of the year for this small town. The headlines the next morning read,
�TWISTED FATE: Cancer patient collapses at Mel�s Diner, and a young boy saves his life, only to die moments later�. The story ended noting that the cancer patient was in remission, and collapsed due to food lodged in his throat and no one noticed his struggles for breath. This man was a father of three young babies.
Three young babies, who will grow up with their father; their father, who will live to see his babies grow up. All because of the selfless love of a young boy. A young boy in a large package, with a heart bigger than life could contain.
Jacob was a stoutly boy, with round features through and through, including his eyes which glowed almost neon blue from round granite spheres. He accepted his roundness, for after all, good things come in large packages, or so his mother always told him, with a funny grin on her lips. He never understood the grin, but took it to mean it was their little secret, that the world had yet to learn this, and Jacob was the one to teach them.
On this warm Sunday morning, he sits in the coffee shop awaiting his food. His platter, really, for Jacob was a boy with a ferocious appetite and he fed this appetite lovingly. �SEVEN egg omelet with half a pound of cheese�� said the waitress as she dropped the plate to the table, rolling her eyes in amazement at this boys order. �This poor boy�, she thought to herself, �what have his parents done to cause such low self esteem.� Jacob dug into his food immediately and rather seriously, as if feeding a hunger that never rested.
Jacob watched silently out the window after he finished his feast, lost in thoughts of his future, of becoming something special and showing the world what love really is. He didn�t know how he was going to do this, but he knew, from the depths of his soul, that this was his mission in life, and he looked forward to it with an excitement that made any Christmas morning celebration look like a Sunday at church.
But this morning, however, something was different. Jacob thought about his future with a new sense of melancholy that he could not explain. He felt as if something was going to happen very soon that would catapult him into his purpose, and he wasn�t sure he was ready. He was processing his thoughts, analyzing his feelings when a sudden bang brought him back to his seat at the booth, once again aware of his surroundings.
He looked around for the source of the interruption to his thoughts, and saw people gathered around something on the floor. At closer examination he saw it was a body, very pale and thin and had sores on his face. You could see his skeletal structure he was so thin. People were frantic, but no one wanted to assist the man lying on the floor. �He has AIDS!� someone yelled, �don�t touch him! You�ll surely catch it!�
Jacob got up and walked over to the man, knelt down and felt for a pulse. An older woman tried to stop him but he paid no attention. �He�s got a pulse!� he said, �He�s still alive. Call 9-1-1, NOW! Hurry!� he screamed as he began to perform CPR. People gasped in horror as they watched this large boy press his mouth against this sick man. He continued the CPR until the ambulance arrived, and he kept him alive.
As Jacob started his walk home, he heard whispers fading behind him as folks continued to talk about him with disbelief at what he�d done. �That wasn�t brave!� said one man, �it was purely idiotic!� Jacob just shook his head as he walked away, lost in his own thoughts of what had just occurred. He WAS a hero, regardless of what that man was ill from, but that didn�t matter. Jacob didn�t care about that. His melancholy had grown still without recognition as to its source, and this is what Jacob was deeply contemplating when the truck hit him. He never heard it coming. Total blackness ensued� and very soon after, death.
By this time news had gone around about what Jacob had done at the diner. The news reporters were at the diner the moment Jacob was hit a few miles down the road. The story of the year for this small town. The headlines the next morning read,
�TWISTED FATE: Cancer patient collapses at Mel�s Diner, and a young boy saves his life, only to die moments later�. The story ended noting that the cancer patient was in remission, and collapsed due to food lodged in his throat and no one noticed his struggles for breath. This man was a father of three young babies.
Three young babies, who will grow up with their father; their father, who will live to see his babies grow up. All because of the selfless love of a young boy. A young boy in a large package, with a heart bigger than life could contain.
Overcoming sickness
It is only natural that sometimes we fall sick. But we must see that sickness as a sickness that originally exists in life, based on the principle of the Mystic Law. In other words, there is no reason to allow yourself to be controlled by illness, for it to fill your life with suffering and distress. From the standpoint of eternal life through the three existences, your fundamentally happy self is incontrovertibly established.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 31/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 31/10
Why must we take actions to achieve kosen-rufu?
The Gohonzon is the concrete manifestation of the very existence of Nichiren Daishonin, who taught kosen-rufu. Because of that, if you only practice gongyo and chant daimoku and don't take any other action for the sake of kosen-rufu or improving your own life, the Gohonzon will not have its true, full effect. If, however, you take actions to achieve kosen-rufu, they will serve as that extra push for your own life and help you leap to higher and higher states of mind in your gongyo and chanting as well.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 30/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 30/10
The power of doing Gongyo
Gongyo is a practice that calls forth and activates the infinite power that the microcosm inherently possesses. It transforms your fate, breaks through any apparent dead ends and converts sufferings into happiness. It creates a transformation, a revolution of the microcosm. It is a diagram in miniature of kosen-rufu in our lives.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 29/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 29/10
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Godwill
Spiritual Story by Jo Leonard
I've known God's love through its many manifestations: my husband, the myriad of other Souls who came and went in my life, even my cats. But it was never enough. I wanted to know God, up close and personal. Metaphorically-speaking, I'd shake my fists at the sky and cry for God-Realization. After one prolonged period of trying every technique I knew, I was given the following experience as I slept.
I awoke in the dream as Cencea. I was sitting in a tavern of huge proportions, the size being a sure sign that I was no longer in the physical world. Engaged in a lively philosophical debate, I huddled with three friends at the end of a long, roughly-hewn wood table.
The dream had my attention right away. One of my most favorite things to do in the waking world is to sit around with friends and talk the good God stuff while eating things like pasta and bits of bread dipped in seasoned olive oil.
The dream fare was a little different than that. Various bowls and eating utensils were scattered in front of us, the remains of our late evening supper. A creamy-colored ceramic bowl held hardened chunks of stonebread. I knew it to be sweet and soft and sensuous when freshly baked, but stone-like when left beyond the time it takes to consume a meal�hence its name. A slice of green pianti cheese, the edges petrifying with each passing moment, lay abandoned on a clay platter. A purplish fruit had stained, if only slightly, our lips and fingertips.
Once the sights had become familiar, I settled deeper into the dream and tuned into the sound.
Mica, moistening his finger and collecting stray bits of bread off the table with a stabbing motion, spoke in an impassioned whisper. "Finding the way to G-G-God, s-s-seeing the face of God, merging with God....I am being made m-mad with God fever." His pupils were black circles with no visible iris. "Have we t-t-tried every m-m-method? Every practice? W-w-what do we do next my g-good friends?"
In my waking world, I didn't know who these people were, but obviously in the world of dreams, we were tight, as they say, and plotting a means by which to storm the gates of heaven.
"Maybe it's a matter of worthiness," Bretha offered, nervously fingering her short blond hair. "Maybe we're not worthy, yet."
Toma, usually the quiet one, poured everyone tea from an oddly-shaped blue pot. Then he suddenly rose to his feet, took his cup in both hands and held it upward, arms fully outstretched. "Tell us, God, what more do we need to do?" he wailed without restraint. "What more do we need to be?"
I may have been embarrassed by his display in the waking world but in this dream world I didn't care. I wanted to know God as much as the others did. If it required running naked in the streets, I would have done it. As Cencea, I used hand gestures to encourage Toma to wail louder.
"What more, God, what more do you want?" he pleaded. He paid no heed to the still-hot tea that sloshed out of his cup and onto his hands. Droplets landed with an exaggerated plopping sound on the wooden table top.
Historically, God has always responded to madmen. I wondered if Toma was mad or merely mocking it up in hopes of tricking God into answering his call. Distracted from my thoughts, I turned and looked in the direction of a tiny voice belonging to a young woman, perhaps only fifteen years of age, who was now sitting at the far end of our table. Bretha, also noticing the girl, hushed our group and asked in a whisper, "What did she just say?"
The young woman had a perfectly round face, dark hair that fell straight to her shoulders, and the most innocent of light-filled eyes. She repeated her words, a little louder this time, "I have had a God-Realization experience."
I looked at my three fellow seekers whose eyes revealed their thoughts: That is simply not possible in one so young, simply not possible. She must be making it up.
Without further invitation from any of us, the girl spoke again. "Yes, I have had a God-Realization experience," she said, "but I have also learned an important lesson. Meeting God is not nearly so important as being in perfect alignment with the Godwill."
Mica, crumbs forgotten, spoke first. "D-did you hear? She said 'Godwill' as though it were a s-s-single word. Godwill."
The others nodded and took turns muttering the word to themselves. Godwill. Godwill.
"Godwill," I repeated in my turn.
I said the word aloud upon re-entering the waking world. "Godwill."
"What did you say, sweetie?" my semi-conscious husband asked, rolling over on his back. "Did the alarm go off?"
Not an alarm perhaps, but certainly a wake-up call.
I've known God's love through its many manifestations: my husband, the myriad of other Souls who came and went in my life, even my cats. But it was never enough. I wanted to know God, up close and personal. Metaphorically-speaking, I'd shake my fists at the sky and cry for God-Realization. After one prolonged period of trying every technique I knew, I was given the following experience as I slept.
I awoke in the dream as Cencea. I was sitting in a tavern of huge proportions, the size being a sure sign that I was no longer in the physical world. Engaged in a lively philosophical debate, I huddled with three friends at the end of a long, roughly-hewn wood table.
The dream had my attention right away. One of my most favorite things to do in the waking world is to sit around with friends and talk the good God stuff while eating things like pasta and bits of bread dipped in seasoned olive oil.
The dream fare was a little different than that. Various bowls and eating utensils were scattered in front of us, the remains of our late evening supper. A creamy-colored ceramic bowl held hardened chunks of stonebread. I knew it to be sweet and soft and sensuous when freshly baked, but stone-like when left beyond the time it takes to consume a meal�hence its name. A slice of green pianti cheese, the edges petrifying with each passing moment, lay abandoned on a clay platter. A purplish fruit had stained, if only slightly, our lips and fingertips.
Once the sights had become familiar, I settled deeper into the dream and tuned into the sound.
Mica, moistening his finger and collecting stray bits of bread off the table with a stabbing motion, spoke in an impassioned whisper. "Finding the way to G-G-God, s-s-seeing the face of God, merging with God....I am being made m-mad with God fever." His pupils were black circles with no visible iris. "Have we t-t-tried every m-m-method? Every practice? W-w-what do we do next my g-good friends?"
In my waking world, I didn't know who these people were, but obviously in the world of dreams, we were tight, as they say, and plotting a means by which to storm the gates of heaven.
"Maybe it's a matter of worthiness," Bretha offered, nervously fingering her short blond hair. "Maybe we're not worthy, yet."
Toma, usually the quiet one, poured everyone tea from an oddly-shaped blue pot. Then he suddenly rose to his feet, took his cup in both hands and held it upward, arms fully outstretched. "Tell us, God, what more do we need to do?" he wailed without restraint. "What more do we need to be?"
I may have been embarrassed by his display in the waking world but in this dream world I didn't care. I wanted to know God as much as the others did. If it required running naked in the streets, I would have done it. As Cencea, I used hand gestures to encourage Toma to wail louder.
"What more, God, what more do you want?" he pleaded. He paid no heed to the still-hot tea that sloshed out of his cup and onto his hands. Droplets landed with an exaggerated plopping sound on the wooden table top.
Historically, God has always responded to madmen. I wondered if Toma was mad or merely mocking it up in hopes of tricking God into answering his call. Distracted from my thoughts, I turned and looked in the direction of a tiny voice belonging to a young woman, perhaps only fifteen years of age, who was now sitting at the far end of our table. Bretha, also noticing the girl, hushed our group and asked in a whisper, "What did she just say?"
The young woman had a perfectly round face, dark hair that fell straight to her shoulders, and the most innocent of light-filled eyes. She repeated her words, a little louder this time, "I have had a God-Realization experience."
I looked at my three fellow seekers whose eyes revealed their thoughts: That is simply not possible in one so young, simply not possible. She must be making it up.
Without further invitation from any of us, the girl spoke again. "Yes, I have had a God-Realization experience," she said, "but I have also learned an important lesson. Meeting God is not nearly so important as being in perfect alignment with the Godwill."
Mica, crumbs forgotten, spoke first. "D-did you hear? She said 'Godwill' as though it were a s-s-single word. Godwill."
The others nodded and took turns muttering the word to themselves. Godwill. Godwill.
"Godwill," I repeated in my turn.
I said the word aloud upon re-entering the waking world. "Godwill."
"What did you say, sweetie?" my semi-conscious husband asked, rolling over on his back. "Did the alarm go off?"
Not an alarm perhaps, but certainly a wake-up call.
You should become the master of your mind, not let your mind master you.
It may seem perfectly all right to put ourselves and our own wishes first, to simply follow the dictates of our emotions and cravings, but the truth is that there is nothing more unreliable than our own mind. Life doesn't always go like clockwork and things will not necessarily turn out as we hope or plan. Consequently, Nichiren Daishonin frequently stressed: You should become the master of your mind, not let your mind master you. We mustn't allow ourselves to be ruled by a self-centered mind. Rather, we have to discipline our mind and gain mastery over it. This is the Daishonin's strict admonition.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 28/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 28/10
How do we regards difficulities and misfortune in life?
Whether we regard difficulties in life as misfortunes or whether we view them as good fortune depends entirely on how much we have forged our inner determination. It all depends on our attitude or inner state of life. With a dauntless spirit, we can lead a cheerful and thoroughly enjoyable life. We can develop a "self" of such fortitude that we can look forward to life's trials and tribulations with a sense of profound elation and joy: "Come on obstacles! I've been expecting you! This is the chance that I've been waiting for!"
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 27/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 27/10
Friday, November 11, 2011
Giving When It Counts
Spiritual Story by Unknown
Many years ago , when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'.
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her but he had chosen to save her anyway.
Many years ago , when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'.
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her but he had chosen to save her anyway.
Worldly success is not equivalent to true happiness
I hope that, basing yourself on faith, you will become wealthy people of virtue and influence who are widely respected. I would like to add, however, that worldly success is not equivalent to true happiness. Achieving this requires that we have a profound understanding of the nature of life. A person of success in the true sense is one who can enjoy a free and unrestrained state of life.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 26/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 26/10
The sharp sword of the Mystic Law and the great power of faith
It is the sharp sword of the Mystic Law and the great power of faith that enable us to completely sever the chains of suffering. Therefore, I wish to make it clear that to secure eternal freedom and happiness, you must absolutely not be cowardly, especially in faith.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 25/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 25/10
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Gandhi's Shoes
Spiritual Story by Unknown
As Gandhi stepped aboard a train one day, one of his shoes slipped off and landed on the track. He was unable to retrieve it as the train was moving. To the amazement of his companions, Gandhi calmly took off his other shoe and threw it back along the track to land close to the first.
Asked by a fellow passenger why he did so, Gandhi smiled. "The poor man who finds the shoes lying on the track," he replied, "will now have a pair he can use."
As Gandhi stepped aboard a train one day, one of his shoes slipped off and landed on the track. He was unable to retrieve it as the train was moving. To the amazement of his companions, Gandhi calmly took off his other shoe and threw it back along the track to land close to the first.
Asked by a fellow passenger why he did so, Gandhi smiled. "The poor man who finds the shoes lying on the track," he replied, "will now have a pair he can use."
How to succeed?
The only way to succeed is by first bringing to completion that which is most immediate. This principle applies in all affairs—in our daily lives, our work and our families as well as in the progress of kosen-rufu.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 24/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 24/10
The absolutely correctness of Gosho
As far as the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and the Gosho are concerned, I hope that, regarding them as absolutely correct, you will first and foremost strive to put them into practice. I urge you to do so because this is the shortest route to understanding the essence of Buddhism in the depths of your life.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 23/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 23/10
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Forgiveness of the King
Spiritual Story by BK Surat Singh Ayer
Once upon a time there was a King in a country who was on a tour with his Ministers, including his royal security and others. He was taking rest, under the shade of the mongo tree at the mango garden with his team when suddenly a stone hit him directly on the forehead. Immediately he started bleeding.
The king had no idea who threw the stone at him, but he did know that he was experiencing an intolerable pain. The royal securities left right away to find the person who threw the stone at the king. After searching they found only one old lady there, and they asked if she had thrown any stones recently.
"Yes," she replied. "I threw a stone at the mango tree."
They asked her, "Did you throw any stone at the king?" The woman's face showed how terrified she was, so the guard forcefully told her that she would be punished. The woman was arrested and presented before the King.
She trembled with immense fear and prayed that they would not kill her. After seeing the blood flow down the King’s face, she became more upset and felt hopeless. "What will happen to me?" she thought.
The king, very calmly asked her, "Did you throw the stone at me?"
She replied, "Your majesty, I threw the stone at the mango tree."
"Why?" the king asked.
She replied weeping, "Your majesty, my child has been starving for two days. I was collecting food for him but could not find any. I hoped that when I threw the stone at the mango tree, a mango would fall so that I could feet my son. Your majesty, by mistake the stone hit your forehead and that is my unknowing mistake."
The woman bowed down before the king begging pardon for her mistake. The king was a kind hearted one and understood the situation very clearly. He forgave her mistake and ordered his security personnel not punish her in any way. Instead of punishment he said to give her money, food, and return her safely to her home.
Once upon a time there was a King in a country who was on a tour with his Ministers, including his royal security and others. He was taking rest, under the shade of the mongo tree at the mango garden with his team when suddenly a stone hit him directly on the forehead. Immediately he started bleeding.
The king had no idea who threw the stone at him, but he did know that he was experiencing an intolerable pain. The royal securities left right away to find the person who threw the stone at the king. After searching they found only one old lady there, and they asked if she had thrown any stones recently.
"Yes," she replied. "I threw a stone at the mango tree."
They asked her, "Did you throw any stone at the king?" The woman's face showed how terrified she was, so the guard forcefully told her that she would be punished. The woman was arrested and presented before the King.
She trembled with immense fear and prayed that they would not kill her. After seeing the blood flow down the King’s face, she became more upset and felt hopeless. "What will happen to me?" she thought.
The king, very calmly asked her, "Did you throw the stone at me?"
She replied, "Your majesty, I threw the stone at the mango tree."
"Why?" the king asked.
She replied weeping, "Your majesty, my child has been starving for two days. I was collecting food for him but could not find any. I hoped that when I threw the stone at the mango tree, a mango would fall so that I could feet my son. Your majesty, by mistake the stone hit your forehead and that is my unknowing mistake."
The woman bowed down before the king begging pardon for her mistake. The king was a kind hearted one and understood the situation very clearly. He forgave her mistake and ordered his security personnel not punish her in any way. Instead of punishment he said to give her money, food, and return her safely to her home.
How is the doctrine of a life-moment possesses 3,000 realms applies to our practice?
The main point is to enable one member to stand up by imparting heartfelt assurance and understanding. It is the explosion of faith in the microcosm of an individual that causes the macrocosm of the organization—a gathering of many such individuals—to commence its revolution. This is how the doctrine of a life-moment possesses 3,000 realms applies to our practice.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 22/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 22/10
What is the spirit of taking on the hard work oneself?
The mentality of getting others to do the hard work while one sits back and takes it easy—that is bureaucratism at its worst; it is not faith. The spirit of taking on the hard work oneself—that is faith, that is humanism.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 21/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 21/10
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Finals
Spiritual Story by Running Fox
Both teams, lined up and stood facing each other as the greeting yells roared over the field and the over-crowded stands. The fans had gathered, radio and TV stations were present, the business seats were filled. Nobody wanted to miss anything of this annual top meeting between the two biggest rivalling hometown teams with both of them in their own town and each with their own support, their own "tribe" to represent themselves.
The field players were in position; the pitcher and the catcher were sharply focused, the first batter was geared up in his box, the referee yelled: "play ball", and the game was on. The pitcher wound up and threw the first ball over home plate without the batter responding. "Strike One", the referee observed.
~*~*~*~
Three months before Mike had been chosen for the first time to play with the standard team. He was young, seventeen, but because of his exceptional talent, willpower and many hours of training, he had succeeded at this young age to make it to the team. His rather considerable skills at bat, but most of all his fieldwork and his amazing proficiency at the short-stop position, had made all this happen.
Yet, his younger years were not promising at all. Right after birth, the pediatrician found a little "rush" in his heart and further research revealed only one functioning lung. An artery for the right lung was missing. So it seemed that his life ahead would be, physically speaking, not very active. Mike's school career passed on with ups and downs. During many years he had to miss almost one week each month of school and he lost track of the many visits to hospital which often extended to long periods of time. For that reason, he wasn't able to catch up at school and had to repeat classes a few times. Additionally, he was often bullied and beaten by classmates for no apparent reason.
Euphemistically, one could say he didn't get a very promising start. Yet, Mike always knew there would be a turning point one day. At the age of twelve he watched a baseball game during the Olympics and his heart was captured by it straight away. He had to and should play along with this game. That his physical condition probably interfered with this idea, was no obstacle to him. He signed up at the local baseball team and during his first trainings, two things became clear. In the first place it was obvious that he would be completely exhausted after every training, what up to here he was able to cover up quite well. Secondly, his coach was pleased to observe that Mike could deal with the complexities of the game quite well.
John, the American trainer who didn't know anything about Mike's limitations, soon approached the parents to determine if it was possible to improve his condition in the gym and suggesting to speed up his training to get him ready for the upcoming season.
~*~*~*~
If you really want to accomplish something, one of the criteria is that your family, all around you, stand strongly and unconditionally with you. This certainly was the case with Mike's parents, and more than that. They made it very clear to coach John that the ambitions of their son seemed impossible in the short run, but that they would do everything in their power to help him. That was their goal anyway. They intended to move heaven and earth to prepare their son for an ‘as good as it can get’ future and were very aware that his ambitions would only help in accomplishing that.
The cardiologists and internists at the hospital were not hopeful, though. They pointed out that in theory, a lung transplant and a simultaneous heart operation, would be possible. Yet, much depended on the availability of a donor lung, the commitment of a surgical team, the necessary finances and Mike's condition for surgery which to date wasn't optimal for the known reasons.
Mike's father surfed the internet to investigate all possibilities. He faltered at a vast amount of alternative healers who without exception, didn't see much light at the horizon. None of them considered themselves competent enough to further Mike's oxygen absorption and in that way lift up his constant oxygen debt or even slightly improve it, to brighten Mike's future.
And still, dad Wesley did not give up. Gradually he and his wife came to the conclusion that Mike's determination could be the key to his success. An acupuncture practitioner was brought in who, with his needles, created more breathing space in Mike's chest. Physical therapy enhanced the boy's muscle mass. His common predisposition was boosted by nutritional supplements and homeopathic medicine. Since barely any of the costs were covered by the insurance companies, his mom Melanie accepted a job as a desk receptionist at an insurance company to cover all the expenses.
Yet, all of this didn't seem to be enough. The big reversal came after a dream where Mike -although initially he found this rather weird- seemed to be in direct contact with his grandfather who had passed away two years earlier. During that dream, grandpa assured him that if he really wanted, he would play the great finale in the metropolis in four years time and that he should hang on to this thought.
Afterwards, Mike noticed that his condition kept improving and a massive check-up at the Academic Hospital two years later showed that the so called Ventricle Septum Defect; the hole between both the heart chambers through which oxygen-poor venous blood formerly flowed into the arterial oxygen-rich bloodstream, had closed itself spontaneously. Moreover, the lung tissue of the remaining lung had been significantly improved.
Both these measurable physical values and the incalculable values of the senses, together with baseball team training made sure Mike wasn't sick that often any more. By then he was playing top of the stars at the local team and besides all this, going to school wasn't a threat any more. He became more popular each year, making good grades.
~*~*~*~
Again, two years later, he was ‘scouted’ by the metropolitan baseball team. A nice contract was put before him which he, together with his brightly smiling and proud coach John, scrutinized thoroughly. They agreed that he and dad Wesley would take up negotiations with the ball players organization, so Mike could concentrate on his game. Until the day of the big match, he was lined up - to the great satisfaction of his field coach and other team players - as a short stop against lower opponents. And finally on the day of finale, against the huge competitor from H., he was again in the line up! For this occasion, placed in the outfield, with the possibility to move on to the short-stop position, if the weak arm of that player wouldn't make it to the end. The dream he once had about his grandfather, which Mike had not forgotten but always had taken with a grain of salt, had come true!
And the game itself? That reads itself as a young boy's book, with runs and home-runs for and against. During the first four innings the team from H. is ahead. Then Mike moves to the short stop position, where he throws a few fabulous double-plays whereby each time two opponents are out of the game. Eventually they win the championship. It is a victory for the entire team to which Mike has made a great contribution. On the way to the top, discipline is crucial. Even if this top is just a nice feeling. And you bet that with this championship, this tasted like more in a very extraordinary way.
Both teams, lined up and stood facing each other as the greeting yells roared over the field and the over-crowded stands. The fans had gathered, radio and TV stations were present, the business seats were filled. Nobody wanted to miss anything of this annual top meeting between the two biggest rivalling hometown teams with both of them in their own town and each with their own support, their own "tribe" to represent themselves.
The field players were in position; the pitcher and the catcher were sharply focused, the first batter was geared up in his box, the referee yelled: "play ball", and the game was on. The pitcher wound up and threw the first ball over home plate without the batter responding. "Strike One", the referee observed.
~*~*~*~
Three months before Mike had been chosen for the first time to play with the standard team. He was young, seventeen, but because of his exceptional talent, willpower and many hours of training, he had succeeded at this young age to make it to the team. His rather considerable skills at bat, but most of all his fieldwork and his amazing proficiency at the short-stop position, had made all this happen.
Yet, his younger years were not promising at all. Right after birth, the pediatrician found a little "rush" in his heart and further research revealed only one functioning lung. An artery for the right lung was missing. So it seemed that his life ahead would be, physically speaking, not very active. Mike's school career passed on with ups and downs. During many years he had to miss almost one week each month of school and he lost track of the many visits to hospital which often extended to long periods of time. For that reason, he wasn't able to catch up at school and had to repeat classes a few times. Additionally, he was often bullied and beaten by classmates for no apparent reason.
Euphemistically, one could say he didn't get a very promising start. Yet, Mike always knew there would be a turning point one day. At the age of twelve he watched a baseball game during the Olympics and his heart was captured by it straight away. He had to and should play along with this game. That his physical condition probably interfered with this idea, was no obstacle to him. He signed up at the local baseball team and during his first trainings, two things became clear. In the first place it was obvious that he would be completely exhausted after every training, what up to here he was able to cover up quite well. Secondly, his coach was pleased to observe that Mike could deal with the complexities of the game quite well.
John, the American trainer who didn't know anything about Mike's limitations, soon approached the parents to determine if it was possible to improve his condition in the gym and suggesting to speed up his training to get him ready for the upcoming season.
~*~*~*~
If you really want to accomplish something, one of the criteria is that your family, all around you, stand strongly and unconditionally with you. This certainly was the case with Mike's parents, and more than that. They made it very clear to coach John that the ambitions of their son seemed impossible in the short run, but that they would do everything in their power to help him. That was their goal anyway. They intended to move heaven and earth to prepare their son for an ‘as good as it can get’ future and were very aware that his ambitions would only help in accomplishing that.
The cardiologists and internists at the hospital were not hopeful, though. They pointed out that in theory, a lung transplant and a simultaneous heart operation, would be possible. Yet, much depended on the availability of a donor lung, the commitment of a surgical team, the necessary finances and Mike's condition for surgery which to date wasn't optimal for the known reasons.
Mike's father surfed the internet to investigate all possibilities. He faltered at a vast amount of alternative healers who without exception, didn't see much light at the horizon. None of them considered themselves competent enough to further Mike's oxygen absorption and in that way lift up his constant oxygen debt or even slightly improve it, to brighten Mike's future.
And still, dad Wesley did not give up. Gradually he and his wife came to the conclusion that Mike's determination could be the key to his success. An acupuncture practitioner was brought in who, with his needles, created more breathing space in Mike's chest. Physical therapy enhanced the boy's muscle mass. His common predisposition was boosted by nutritional supplements and homeopathic medicine. Since barely any of the costs were covered by the insurance companies, his mom Melanie accepted a job as a desk receptionist at an insurance company to cover all the expenses.
Yet, all of this didn't seem to be enough. The big reversal came after a dream where Mike -although initially he found this rather weird- seemed to be in direct contact with his grandfather who had passed away two years earlier. During that dream, grandpa assured him that if he really wanted, he would play the great finale in the metropolis in four years time and that he should hang on to this thought.
Afterwards, Mike noticed that his condition kept improving and a massive check-up at the Academic Hospital two years later showed that the so called Ventricle Septum Defect; the hole between both the heart chambers through which oxygen-poor venous blood formerly flowed into the arterial oxygen-rich bloodstream, had closed itself spontaneously. Moreover, the lung tissue of the remaining lung had been significantly improved.
Both these measurable physical values and the incalculable values of the senses, together with baseball team training made sure Mike wasn't sick that often any more. By then he was playing top of the stars at the local team and besides all this, going to school wasn't a threat any more. He became more popular each year, making good grades.
~*~*~*~
Again, two years later, he was ‘scouted’ by the metropolitan baseball team. A nice contract was put before him which he, together with his brightly smiling and proud coach John, scrutinized thoroughly. They agreed that he and dad Wesley would take up negotiations with the ball players organization, so Mike could concentrate on his game. Until the day of the big match, he was lined up - to the great satisfaction of his field coach and other team players - as a short stop against lower opponents. And finally on the day of finale, against the huge competitor from H., he was again in the line up! For this occasion, placed in the outfield, with the possibility to move on to the short-stop position, if the weak arm of that player wouldn't make it to the end. The dream he once had about his grandfather, which Mike had not forgotten but always had taken with a grain of salt, had come true!
And the game itself? That reads itself as a young boy's book, with runs and home-runs for and against. During the first four innings the team from H. is ahead. Then Mike moves to the short stop position, where he throws a few fabulous double-plays whereby each time two opponents are out of the game. Eventually they win the championship. It is a victory for the entire team to which Mike has made a great contribution. On the way to the top, discipline is crucial. Even if this top is just a nice feeling. And you bet that with this championship, this tasted like more in a very extraordinary way.
What is the difference between formalities and substance?
President Toda detested formality. And for this reason, as his disciple, I have tried to place foremost emphasis on substance. Formalities are important in certain cases, but mere formality without substance is evil. Formalities in and of themselves have no life; whereas substance is alive. Formality is provisional and substance essential. Formality is conventional and therefore conservative, but substance provides the impetus for progress and development.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 20/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 20/10
How to seize victory in your daily life and in society?
No matter what happens, please continue to chant daimoku—in both good times and bad, irrespective of joys or sorrows, happiness or suffering. Then you will be able to seize victory in your daily life and in society.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 19/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 19/10
Monday, November 7, 2011
Final Set: Wimbledon 2012
Spiritual Story by Keith Beasley
“Nine games all, final set”.
As Rodderer and Feddic made their way to their respective chairs their paths crossed at the net. As they got closer to each other their pace slowed and they looked at each other keenly. They stopped. The packed Centre Court crowd went quiet, suspecting a subtle psyching out of the combatants, not wanting to miss a thing. They were not disappointed. Surprised yes, shocked even, but not disappointed by the drama of what happened next . . .
The final two contenders for the greatest tennis prize of them all seemed to be grinning slightly . . . at each other. They then nodded wisely and offered a hand to the other, shaking it warmly. Before the stunned crowd could utter even a gasp of astonishment the two men, racquets dropped to the ground, were in a firm hug of such mutual respect and admiration that the audience were still too moved to react. Even John McEnroe in the BBC commentators box was at a loss for words.
It was, or at least seemed like, some minutes before any sound could be heard from the hushed grounds of London, SW19. Then, slowly at first, a warm, appreciative, applause began from one corner of the stands. The sound expanded in depth and breadth until the whole arena was resonating in a thunder of thanks. The players responded by holding each others hands aloft in a shared victory salute.
The next to move was the umpire. Quickly descending from his chair he rushed to meet the match referee who was dashing purposefully around the baseline. They gesticulated to each other then nodded, careful not to let slip any words the net mics might pick up. Ascended back into his position the umpire cleared his throat into his microphone:
“Ladies and gentlemen. Please.”
Reluctantly the noise of the throng died down and they waited with baited breath for the official verdict.
“Set, match and championship tied. The 2012 Wimbledon Mens Champions are Rodderer and Feddic”
The two players once again held each others arms aloft and smiled, as much with relief. At last the world of sport had been able to admit: there CAN be more than one winner.
“Nine games all, final set”.
As Rodderer and Feddic made their way to their respective chairs their paths crossed at the net. As they got closer to each other their pace slowed and they looked at each other keenly. They stopped. The packed Centre Court crowd went quiet, suspecting a subtle psyching out of the combatants, not wanting to miss a thing. They were not disappointed. Surprised yes, shocked even, but not disappointed by the drama of what happened next . . .
The final two contenders for the greatest tennis prize of them all seemed to be grinning slightly . . . at each other. They then nodded wisely and offered a hand to the other, shaking it warmly. Before the stunned crowd could utter even a gasp of astonishment the two men, racquets dropped to the ground, were in a firm hug of such mutual respect and admiration that the audience were still too moved to react. Even John McEnroe in the BBC commentators box was at a loss for words.
It was, or at least seemed like, some minutes before any sound could be heard from the hushed grounds of London, SW19. Then, slowly at first, a warm, appreciative, applause began from one corner of the stands. The sound expanded in depth and breadth until the whole arena was resonating in a thunder of thanks. The players responded by holding each others hands aloft in a shared victory salute.
The next to move was the umpire. Quickly descending from his chair he rushed to meet the match referee who was dashing purposefully around the baseline. They gesticulated to each other then nodded, careful not to let slip any words the net mics might pick up. Ascended back into his position the umpire cleared his throat into his microphone:
“Ladies and gentlemen. Please.”
Reluctantly the noise of the throng died down and they waited with baited breath for the official verdict.
“Set, match and championship tied. The 2012 Wimbledon Mens Champions are Rodderer and Feddic”
The two players once again held each others arms aloft and smiled, as much with relief. At last the world of sport had been able to admit: there CAN be more than one winner.
What gives sublime meaning and value to our lives?
A victor is one whose life shines with faith. Emerson, one of the favorite writers of my youth, once said, "That which befits us...is cheerfulness and courage, and the endeavor to realize our aspirations." To advance toward our dreams cheerfully, to courageously work toward achieving them—this is what gives sublime meaning and value to our lives.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 18/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 18/10
How to cultivate a rich state of life, or inner world, drawing forth profound wisdom and limitless leadership ability from the depths of your life?
I hope that each of you will study broadly and develop your understanding of life, society and the universe, based on your faith in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. This type of learning enables you to cultivate a rich state of life, or inner world, drawing forth profound wisdom and limitless leadership ability from the depths of your life.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 17/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 17/10
Sunday, November 6, 2011
What is intellect?
Intellect will play a very important role in the coming age. By intellect I mean refined wisdom, clear reasoning, profound philosophy and broad-ranging knowledge. We are entering an age when people will develop their intelligence and wisdom, infusing society with their new outlook.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 16/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 16/10
Why is it important to work slowly and surely?
There is no need to be impatient. Anything that is accomplished quickly and easily will not long endure. Now is the time to concentrate on the construction of a solid foundation. I hope you will complete this work slowly but surely, filled with hope and joy.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 15/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 15/10
Where is the greatest joy in life in SGI?
True joy is to be found in working for kosen-rufu, in practicing and taking action for the happiness of oneself and others. The greatest joy in life is to be found in SGI activities. Our activities for kosen-rufu become memories that shine ever more brilliantly in our lives as time goes by.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 14/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 14/10
What happens when we attained Buddhahood?
Once we have attained Buddhahood, we will be Buddhas in lifetime after lifetime. We will enjoy a state of absolute freedom throughout eternity. The Daishonin's golden words say so. This is the reason we practice faith.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 13/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 13/10
Feathers from Heaven
Spiritual Story by Joan Benson
In November of 2000, my brother was diagnosed with lung cancer in the final stages. My oldest sister, took on the responsibility of his care. Each weekend I would drive the 300 miles to give her a break by going to the grocery store and pharmacy and helped to take care of our brother.
One weekend, my sister in law told us that she would be fine with our brother for a few hours and for the three of us girls to go spend some time with each other.
We went to lunch and then to the store. On the way back to my brothers house, I asked my sisters to make a promise to me that which ever of us passed first, we would let the others know by giving us a sign. They agreed and we discussed what the "sign" should be.
The oldest, said how about turning on the lights but the middle sister said that would scare her. We laughed and finally decided on a white feather. It had to be some place that you would not expect to see it.
We arrived back at my brothers home, unloaded the car and settled down to listen to some music. I was sitting next to my brothers hospital bed on one side and my sister in law was on the other side, my two sisters were on the sofa talking to each other quietly.
All of a sudden out of the corner of my eye I see a WHITE feather floating from the ceiling. I thought that I was so stressed out that I was seeing things and I wanted desperately for my two sisters to quit talking and look my way so I could see if they saw it too! Keep in mind that my sister in law was not in the car with us so she did not know of our conversation. My sister in law must have seen the look on my face and she said "How odd, I wonder where that white feather came from"
Immediately, both my sisters stopped talking and started crying! I was too! We all hugged one another then told our sister in law what we had discussed and that we all knew that it was our mother sending us the sign, letting us know that she was with us.
In November of 2000, my brother was diagnosed with lung cancer in the final stages. My oldest sister, took on the responsibility of his care. Each weekend I would drive the 300 miles to give her a break by going to the grocery store and pharmacy and helped to take care of our brother.
One weekend, my sister in law told us that she would be fine with our brother for a few hours and for the three of us girls to go spend some time with each other.
We went to lunch and then to the store. On the way back to my brothers house, I asked my sisters to make a promise to me that which ever of us passed first, we would let the others know by giving us a sign. They agreed and we discussed what the "sign" should be.
The oldest, said how about turning on the lights but the middle sister said that would scare her. We laughed and finally decided on a white feather. It had to be some place that you would not expect to see it.
We arrived back at my brothers home, unloaded the car and settled down to listen to some music. I was sitting next to my brothers hospital bed on one side and my sister in law was on the other side, my two sisters were on the sofa talking to each other quietly.
All of a sudden out of the corner of my eye I see a WHITE feather floating from the ceiling. I thought that I was so stressed out that I was seeing things and I wanted desperately for my two sisters to quit talking and look my way so I could see if they saw it too! Keep in mind that my sister in law was not in the car with us so she did not know of our conversation. My sister in law must have seen the look on my face and she said "How odd, I wonder where that white feather came from"
Immediately, both my sisters stopped talking and started crying! I was too! We all hugged one another then told our sister in law what we had discussed and that we all knew that it was our mother sending us the sign, letting us know that she was with us.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Fault Box
Spiritual Story by Malladi Venkata Krishna Murthy
A couple that had been married for 15 years began having more than usual disagreements...
They wanted to make their marriage work and agreed on an idea the wife had. For one month they planned to drop a slip in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations.
The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: "leaving the jelly top off of the jar," "wet towels on the shower floor," "dirty socks not in hamper," on and on until the end of the month.
After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong.
Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They were all the same. The message on each slip was:
"I love you!"
A couple that had been married for 15 years began having more than usual disagreements...
They wanted to make their marriage work and agreed on an idea the wife had. For one month they planned to drop a slip in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations.
The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: "leaving the jelly top off of the jar," "wet towels on the shower floor," "dirty socks not in hamper," on and on until the end of the month.
After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong.
Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They were all the same. The message on each slip was:
"I love you!"
Friday, November 4, 2011
Exploring My Life Wearing Thongs
Spiritual Story by David Garrett
My journey began at the bottom of the hill. The slope was steep and a choice was to be made. Were I capable of walking up bare earthed ground with only my thongs on my feet. Sure the sign said �proper walking shoes should be worn�, but was that a choice I wanted to make. Stuff it! I choose to experience this walk wearing thongs. So I looked up, saw where I could place my feet, a step here, a step there, three, four, and few more thrown in and I was there. I was on the walking track and about to experience my journey.
There was a familiarity about this forest. What was it that I was feeling? I looked inside myself. Took it all in. Breathed it all in. The tears began to well up. Why was I being affected? This was only going to be a short walk to get some exercise but this experience was more than that. I was the forest, the forest was me. We are one. If I was able to experience this oneness by just walking through a forest, maybe I will experience other things that were said today.
The track slowly wound it�s way through. Sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, but always moving upwards. Much like the perceptions of our lives.
Before long I was experiencing more of the teachings in the form of choice. Do I choose to take that short cut which would be quicker and less strenuous or do I choose to stay on this path and see where it takes me. This time I chose to stay on the path and was able to experience a view of the surrounding fields that I would not otherwise have seen had I taken the short cut. Wow, I thought to myself. It is all unfolding right before my eyes. What more will I find before I return back for the next session of the workshop.
Sure enough another choice was to be made. Do I continue on this defined path which was safe, or do I take this short cut which was stepper and looser underfoot. This time I chose the �unsafe� route. Six large steps later I was up and back on the track. Gee that was easy, lucky I never gave in to fear.
The path continued on ducking and weaving it�s way through the forest. But it wasn�t long before I could see a clearing. It was a grassy hill that allowed me to look down at the village below. All those buildings, which when looked at from ground level, were all so separate, now appeared as one. The cars driving on the roadways like the blood passing through our veins. How beautiful it looked.
After observing this view for about 5 minutes, I decided to continue this walk of discovery. Walking across this section I realised it symbolised the workshop itself where we have all been stripped bare of everything. Leaving behind the me that is me.
As I walked through the grassy path I saw a couple walking with their children. The woman and I exchanged smiles as we passed each other. I then looked at the man to acknowledge his presence and noticed his eyes looking down in the direction of my thongs and I could see his mind ticking over, judging my choice of footwear. I smiled to myself, enjoying the freedom of my choice.
Ahead I see that the forest started again. I wonder what else I could discover? It wasn�t long before I was able to find out. Up to this point there had been a few bridges to cross during the first section of the forest walk which I likened to being a bridge to the various stages in my life. Now in this new section of forest I was nearing yet another bridge. I thought to myself, will I now see more symbols of this new me that is awakening within? It wasn�t long before I had the answer. No more than 15m away I came to another bend where I stood before a reflection of myself. No it wasn�t a mirror, but a tree. It was about 50cm in diameter, grey, dry, with no branches to be seen in the canopy. If this was all I looked at then I could have been forgiven for thinking that this was just the remains of a dead tree. My eyes followed down the trunk to the point where the roots secured themselves in the soil. But then I noticed a tree, about 5m tall growing out of this root. It was thin, green and with branches stretching out every which way. This for me was exactly how I felt about myself. The old me, with all of my life experiences, contained within the large trunk. Whilst the new me, the new young sapling, was exploring with greater confidence and freedom.
I spent about 5 minutes just staring at this tree. Taking in all that it represented to me. But was this the end of my journey? I figured that as the track continued on, that maybe it wouldn�t be. So I continued on to find out. As I walked a little further I could sense that the trees were wishing to speak to me. The branches rattled and some even broke off and fell near me. Still more leaves waved to me as I went by and others just remained themselves.
It wasn�t long before I had another choice to make. Should I take the left hand path or should I take the right. The left it was. Minutes passed as I just walked whilst contemplating what I was actually experiencing. I then raised my sight just a little and noticed a small clearway. I decided to take a look and before I knew it I was standing on a bitumen road. Here I had reached the top. The end. What else do we perceive as the end I pondered. Ah yes, death. But it felt like it too was just another choice. I chose to continue no my journey instead of remaining here.
The journey back was a lot quicker as it was all down hill. My life had been explored and the final piece of symbology was a walking track signpost. From where I stood you could not see where the track was but I knew that if I kept walking in the direction of the sign, the track would soon become evident. This is the way we live our life when we are consciously choosing with a particular outcome in mind. Though we may not know the exact route we may be taking, we do know that we will reach it if we keep choosing with the destination as the focus.
So I had just taken what I thought was going to be a leisurely walk amongst the trees in order to unwind. What I got instead was an exploration of my life. The way it was, and the way it is now and the way it will be. It has been an amazing journey, and I feel like I have been born again.
But instead of finding God, I have found myself.
My journey began at the bottom of the hill. The slope was steep and a choice was to be made. Were I capable of walking up bare earthed ground with only my thongs on my feet. Sure the sign said �proper walking shoes should be worn�, but was that a choice I wanted to make. Stuff it! I choose to experience this walk wearing thongs. So I looked up, saw where I could place my feet, a step here, a step there, three, four, and few more thrown in and I was there. I was on the walking track and about to experience my journey.
There was a familiarity about this forest. What was it that I was feeling? I looked inside myself. Took it all in. Breathed it all in. The tears began to well up. Why was I being affected? This was only going to be a short walk to get some exercise but this experience was more than that. I was the forest, the forest was me. We are one. If I was able to experience this oneness by just walking through a forest, maybe I will experience other things that were said today.
The track slowly wound it�s way through. Sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, but always moving upwards. Much like the perceptions of our lives.
Before long I was experiencing more of the teachings in the form of choice. Do I choose to take that short cut which would be quicker and less strenuous or do I choose to stay on this path and see where it takes me. This time I chose to stay on the path and was able to experience a view of the surrounding fields that I would not otherwise have seen had I taken the short cut. Wow, I thought to myself. It is all unfolding right before my eyes. What more will I find before I return back for the next session of the workshop.
Sure enough another choice was to be made. Do I continue on this defined path which was safe, or do I take this short cut which was stepper and looser underfoot. This time I chose the �unsafe� route. Six large steps later I was up and back on the track. Gee that was easy, lucky I never gave in to fear.
The path continued on ducking and weaving it�s way through the forest. But it wasn�t long before I could see a clearing. It was a grassy hill that allowed me to look down at the village below. All those buildings, which when looked at from ground level, were all so separate, now appeared as one. The cars driving on the roadways like the blood passing through our veins. How beautiful it looked.
After observing this view for about 5 minutes, I decided to continue this walk of discovery. Walking across this section I realised it symbolised the workshop itself where we have all been stripped bare of everything. Leaving behind the me that is me.
As I walked through the grassy path I saw a couple walking with their children. The woman and I exchanged smiles as we passed each other. I then looked at the man to acknowledge his presence and noticed his eyes looking down in the direction of my thongs and I could see his mind ticking over, judging my choice of footwear. I smiled to myself, enjoying the freedom of my choice.
Ahead I see that the forest started again. I wonder what else I could discover? It wasn�t long before I was able to find out. Up to this point there had been a few bridges to cross during the first section of the forest walk which I likened to being a bridge to the various stages in my life. Now in this new section of forest I was nearing yet another bridge. I thought to myself, will I now see more symbols of this new me that is awakening within? It wasn�t long before I had the answer. No more than 15m away I came to another bend where I stood before a reflection of myself. No it wasn�t a mirror, but a tree. It was about 50cm in diameter, grey, dry, with no branches to be seen in the canopy. If this was all I looked at then I could have been forgiven for thinking that this was just the remains of a dead tree. My eyes followed down the trunk to the point where the roots secured themselves in the soil. But then I noticed a tree, about 5m tall growing out of this root. It was thin, green and with branches stretching out every which way. This for me was exactly how I felt about myself. The old me, with all of my life experiences, contained within the large trunk. Whilst the new me, the new young sapling, was exploring with greater confidence and freedom.
I spent about 5 minutes just staring at this tree. Taking in all that it represented to me. But was this the end of my journey? I figured that as the track continued on, that maybe it wouldn�t be. So I continued on to find out. As I walked a little further I could sense that the trees were wishing to speak to me. The branches rattled and some even broke off and fell near me. Still more leaves waved to me as I went by and others just remained themselves.
It wasn�t long before I had another choice to make. Should I take the left hand path or should I take the right. The left it was. Minutes passed as I just walked whilst contemplating what I was actually experiencing. I then raised my sight just a little and noticed a small clearway. I decided to take a look and before I knew it I was standing on a bitumen road. Here I had reached the top. The end. What else do we perceive as the end I pondered. Ah yes, death. But it felt like it too was just another choice. I chose to continue no my journey instead of remaining here.
The journey back was a lot quicker as it was all down hill. My life had been explored and the final piece of symbology was a walking track signpost. From where I stood you could not see where the track was but I knew that if I kept walking in the direction of the sign, the track would soon become evident. This is the way we live our life when we are consciously choosing with a particular outcome in mind. Though we may not know the exact route we may be taking, we do know that we will reach it if we keep choosing with the destination as the focus.
So I had just taken what I thought was going to be a leisurely walk amongst the trees in order to unwind. What I got instead was an exploration of my life. The way it was, and the way it is now and the way it will be. It has been an amazing journey, and I feel like I have been born again.
But instead of finding God, I have found myself.
Why is it good to have strong faith in the Mystic Law?
The Gohonzon encompasses the entire universe. Therefore, we who believe in and chant daimoku to the Gohonzon can live out our lives with the greatest serenity and composure. Please be confident that through faith in the Mystic Law we can definitely lead a wonderful and unsurpassed existence.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 12/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 12/10
Elevated life-condition
It is important to have a sufficiently elevated life-condition so that you will be able to calmly accept whatever happens in life, striving to put problems into proper perspective and solving them with a positive attitude. Happiness blossoms forth from such a strong and all-encompassing life-condition.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 11/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 11/10
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Excellence Is A Drive From Within
Spiritual Story by kps bawa
A gentleman was once visiting a temple under construction. In the temple premises,
he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he saw, just a few meters away,
another identical idol was lying.
Surprised he asked the sculptor, "Do you need two statutes of the same idol?"
"No," said the sculptor. "We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage."
The gentleman examined the sculpture. No apparent damage was visible.
"Where is the damage," asked the gentleman.
"There is a scratch on the nose of the idol," was the response.
"Where are you going to keep the idol?"
The sculptor replied that it will be installed on a pillar 20 feet high.
"When the idol will be 20 feet away from the eyes of the beholder, who is going to
know that there is scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked.
The sculptor looked at the gentleman, smiled and said:
"God knows it and I know it."
A gentleman was once visiting a temple under construction. In the temple premises,
he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he saw, just a few meters away,
another identical idol was lying.
Surprised he asked the sculptor, "Do you need two statutes of the same idol?"
"No," said the sculptor. "We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage."
The gentleman examined the sculpture. No apparent damage was visible.
"Where is the damage," asked the gentleman.
"There is a scratch on the nose of the idol," was the response.
"Where are you going to keep the idol?"
The sculptor replied that it will be installed on a pillar 20 feet high.
"When the idol will be 20 feet away from the eyes of the beholder, who is going to
know that there is scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked.
The sculptor looked at the gentleman, smiled and said:
"God knows it and I know it."
The importance of changing in a positive way.
It doesn't matter in what area, just keep working on your personal revolution to transform and improve yourself in the way most natural for you. The important thing is that you change in some positive way. There is surely no more exhilarating a life than one in which we write our own unique history of human revolution each day. And the growth and transformation we achieve in this way can convince people of the greatness of the Daishonin's Buddhism more eloquently than anything else.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 10/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 10/10
Bothersome and want to be alone?
There may be times, certainly, when being a member of an organization seems bothersome and we just want to be alone. But how sad it is if we are left alone without any support and then lose our faith. True growth comes from striving together with our fellow members in the living realm of human beings, experiencing the rich gamut of human emotions.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 9/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 9/10
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Earthquake!
Spiritual Story by Larry McNeely
Did you ever experience a really strange feeling, but not know what that feeling was?
That very thing happened to me (and probably to thousands or millions of others) today at 4:37 a.m. At first, I thought it was a BIG gust of wind, or that my old house, built in the 1920's, was finally falling apart. However, after a few seconds, I pretty well knew that this was an earthquake. I had just begun my morning Bible study, and I felt very safe right where I was. This was definitely an "act of God", and knowing that He needed no help from me, I continued my Bible study.
I try not to get too "shook up" about things that I have no control over.
An earthquake happens without warning; lasts for only a few seconds; and we are unable to stop it. An earthquake can happen at any time of day, at any season, or in any type of weather. It can be a silent, deadly killer.
At the time of this writing, I have heard of no injuries or deaths associated with this quake. It was a 5.2 on the Richter scale- a "medium" earthquake. The quake's epicenter was in West Salem, Illinois, and this quake's magnitude was this region's highest, in 40 years. I was listening to the local TV reporters as they were interviewing people who lived close to the epicenter of the quake.
Several people talked about their animals' reactions BEFORE the earthquake. For whatever reason, it seems that God alerts our animals of imminent danger, before he alerts us humans.
The newscasters say this quake was felt as far north as Michigan, and as far south as Alabama. What if this earthquake had been a magnitude 8.2 or a 9.2? I probably would not be writing this story right now, and you probably wouldn't be doing whatever it is that you are doing right now. Most likely there would be injuries, deaths, and devastation.
Only by the grace of God were we spared... this time. May I suggest that all of us take this earthquake as a "wake-up call." May I further suggest that each and every one of us would conduct a spiritual inventory of our lives, and be 100% sure that we "count" every thing.
When death comes, will you be ready?
Did you ever experience a really strange feeling, but not know what that feeling was?
That very thing happened to me (and probably to thousands or millions of others) today at 4:37 a.m. At first, I thought it was a BIG gust of wind, or that my old house, built in the 1920's, was finally falling apart. However, after a few seconds, I pretty well knew that this was an earthquake. I had just begun my morning Bible study, and I felt very safe right where I was. This was definitely an "act of God", and knowing that He needed no help from me, I continued my Bible study.
I try not to get too "shook up" about things that I have no control over.
An earthquake happens without warning; lasts for only a few seconds; and we are unable to stop it. An earthquake can happen at any time of day, at any season, or in any type of weather. It can be a silent, deadly killer.
At the time of this writing, I have heard of no injuries or deaths associated with this quake. It was a 5.2 on the Richter scale- a "medium" earthquake. The quake's epicenter was in West Salem, Illinois, and this quake's magnitude was this region's highest, in 40 years. I was listening to the local TV reporters as they were interviewing people who lived close to the epicenter of the quake.
Several people talked about their animals' reactions BEFORE the earthquake. For whatever reason, it seems that God alerts our animals of imminent danger, before he alerts us humans.
The newscasters say this quake was felt as far north as Michigan, and as far south as Alabama. What if this earthquake had been a magnitude 8.2 or a 9.2? I probably would not be writing this story right now, and you probably wouldn't be doing whatever it is that you are doing right now. Most likely there would be injuries, deaths, and devastation.
Only by the grace of God were we spared... this time. May I suggest that all of us take this earthquake as a "wake-up call." May I further suggest that each and every one of us would conduct a spiritual inventory of our lives, and be 100% sure that we "count" every thing.
When death comes, will you be ready?
How to overcome problem?
When you encounter a wall, you should tell yourself, "Since there is a wall here, a wide, open expanse must lie on the other side." Rather than becoming discouraged, know that encountering a wall is proof of the progress that you have made so far. I hope that you will continually advance in your Buddhist practice with this conviction blazing ever more strongly in your heart.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 8/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 8/10
The future are all contained in the causes that are made in the present.
What will the future be like? No one knows the answer to that question. All we know is that the effects that will appear in the future are all contained in the causes that are made in the present. The important thing, therefore, is that we stand up and take action to achieve great objectives without allowing ourselves to be distracted or discouraged by immediate difficulties.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 7/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 7/10
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Dropping A Shoe
Spiritual Story by Serge Danilov
The caterpillar wasn't happy. The leaves on his tree were half-wilted, brownish, and tasted like brownish half-wilted leaves. The weather was cold and windy, and he didn't like it at all. And for whatever feathery reason, the neighborhood birds seemed to frequent his particular tree much more often than all the other trees combined, so even on a sunny day he could not stretch his forty fuzzy feet, turn his belly towards the sun, and get himself some dark-green tan. And the caterpillar wasn't happy at all. In fact, with all the nature against him, he felt miserable and sorry for himself.
But one day the caterpillar woke up with a vague but strangely pleasant feeling. Something wonderful stirred inside him, and as he grabbed onto that feeling, he decided that starting today he will not feel sorry for himself. No, sir, he will not. He will feel good about himself, no matter what the weather is, or how threatening the birds are, or how wilted the leaves.
The days went by and he realized that these things were not bothering him as much as they did before. And it felt good. No, no, scratch that, not just good. He felt exhilarated. He felt full of energy. He felt safe even when birds were flapping their wings just a couple of branches away. The leaves seemed a lot greener and juicier than usual, and the weather warmer than yesterday. He felt good about his body. He was neither too thin nor too fat � just perfect. He felt expansive. His vision became so incredibly clear, as if a muddy film came off his eyes. And he sensed some sort of electric-like buzzing in his flexible long body which, frankly, felt quite good.
At first he thought he was going nuts. You know, just a little bit. Maybe some hormonal imbalance or something. But somehow it all felt like it was supposed to be this way. There was just one teeny problem. There was a tiny anxiousness in the caterpillar's heart. Things were all just too good now � the abundant food, the newly found safety, the happiness which somehow felt natural � and the overall great way he felt about himself. Somewhere in the back of his tail there was a feeling that this paradise could not last forever. A shoe was going to drop. He didn't know which shoe, and where it was going to drop, but he positively felt that it will drop. And he was apprehensive. Just a little bit.
As he was dozing off in the sun after enjoying a plump leaf, a strange creature appeared right next to him, out of nowhere. She had a body similar to his, but much more shapely and adorned with colors, and there were two brilliant wings attached to that body. The creature was breathtaking. The caterpillar's jaw dropped and a small piece of the leaf fell out. The creature opened her perfectly shaped mouth and said, "How are you feeling, dear Caterpillar?" Her voice was so melodious that the caterpillar became positively enchanted. He pinched himself (gingerly) on the belly to snap out of it and said, "Ahh, uhmm, ehhh, well, I'm fine, thank you." He thought a bit and, for some reason feeling an affinity with this creature and that he could trust her, added, "But I have this feeling..." The creature somehow seemed to know his thoughts, as if she was a trained psychologist, because she immediately picked up his sentence, "...of anxiousness? You feel great, but there is some apprehension, like it's all just too good to be true, right? You feel like a shoe is going to drop. Don't you?" By now the caterpillar gave up on pulling his hanging jaw back up and just covered his mouth to prevent more bits of the leaf from falling out. He mumbled something like "yes", or perhaps it was "maybe", or even "what are you, a destiny's child?"; we can't tell, for it wasn't too clear. But he wanted to know. And finally, excited, in a very loud whisper he asked, letting all the half-chewed pieces of his green lunch fly out of his mouth, "Is it? Is it going to drop?!" The creature smiled kindly and said, "Yes. It is going to drop." "And then what?!" demanded the caterpillar loudly as if his life depended on the answer. "Oh, you'll see!" said the creature, suddenly lowering her beautiful wings, rising into the air, and flitting away so gracefully like no bird ever could.
He was still thinking about that "You'll see," when a clear liquid started coming out of his mouth, quickly hardening into a thin shiny thread, and he felt a sudden urge to spin it around himself. And as he did, one thought played over and over in his head, "The shoe is dropping! THE SHOE IS DROPPING!!" But then, all of a sudden, as he very soon found himself suspended in a cocoon, the anxiousness just evaporated. Somehow he knew that everything was going to be alright. "So that's what it was all about!" he thought, slipping into a well-deserved sleep. And as he did, a dream began to unfold. He dreamt of strange, beautiful creatures. Creatures with perfect bodies, brilliant wings, and melodious voices. Creatures with freedom to fly.
The caterpillar wasn't happy. The leaves on his tree were half-wilted, brownish, and tasted like brownish half-wilted leaves. The weather was cold and windy, and he didn't like it at all. And for whatever feathery reason, the neighborhood birds seemed to frequent his particular tree much more often than all the other trees combined, so even on a sunny day he could not stretch his forty fuzzy feet, turn his belly towards the sun, and get himself some dark-green tan. And the caterpillar wasn't happy at all. In fact, with all the nature against him, he felt miserable and sorry for himself.
But one day the caterpillar woke up with a vague but strangely pleasant feeling. Something wonderful stirred inside him, and as he grabbed onto that feeling, he decided that starting today he will not feel sorry for himself. No, sir, he will not. He will feel good about himself, no matter what the weather is, or how threatening the birds are, or how wilted the leaves.
The days went by and he realized that these things were not bothering him as much as they did before. And it felt good. No, no, scratch that, not just good. He felt exhilarated. He felt full of energy. He felt safe even when birds were flapping their wings just a couple of branches away. The leaves seemed a lot greener and juicier than usual, and the weather warmer than yesterday. He felt good about his body. He was neither too thin nor too fat � just perfect. He felt expansive. His vision became so incredibly clear, as if a muddy film came off his eyes. And he sensed some sort of electric-like buzzing in his flexible long body which, frankly, felt quite good.
At first he thought he was going nuts. You know, just a little bit. Maybe some hormonal imbalance or something. But somehow it all felt like it was supposed to be this way. There was just one teeny problem. There was a tiny anxiousness in the caterpillar's heart. Things were all just too good now � the abundant food, the newly found safety, the happiness which somehow felt natural � and the overall great way he felt about himself. Somewhere in the back of his tail there was a feeling that this paradise could not last forever. A shoe was going to drop. He didn't know which shoe, and where it was going to drop, but he positively felt that it will drop. And he was apprehensive. Just a little bit.
As he was dozing off in the sun after enjoying a plump leaf, a strange creature appeared right next to him, out of nowhere. She had a body similar to his, but much more shapely and adorned with colors, and there were two brilliant wings attached to that body. The creature was breathtaking. The caterpillar's jaw dropped and a small piece of the leaf fell out. The creature opened her perfectly shaped mouth and said, "How are you feeling, dear Caterpillar?" Her voice was so melodious that the caterpillar became positively enchanted. He pinched himself (gingerly) on the belly to snap out of it and said, "Ahh, uhmm, ehhh, well, I'm fine, thank you." He thought a bit and, for some reason feeling an affinity with this creature and that he could trust her, added, "But I have this feeling..." The creature somehow seemed to know his thoughts, as if she was a trained psychologist, because she immediately picked up his sentence, "...of anxiousness? You feel great, but there is some apprehension, like it's all just too good to be true, right? You feel like a shoe is going to drop. Don't you?" By now the caterpillar gave up on pulling his hanging jaw back up and just covered his mouth to prevent more bits of the leaf from falling out. He mumbled something like "yes", or perhaps it was "maybe", or even "what are you, a destiny's child?"; we can't tell, for it wasn't too clear. But he wanted to know. And finally, excited, in a very loud whisper he asked, letting all the half-chewed pieces of his green lunch fly out of his mouth, "Is it? Is it going to drop?!" The creature smiled kindly and said, "Yes. It is going to drop." "And then what?!" demanded the caterpillar loudly as if his life depended on the answer. "Oh, you'll see!" said the creature, suddenly lowering her beautiful wings, rising into the air, and flitting away so gracefully like no bird ever could.
He was still thinking about that "You'll see," when a clear liquid started coming out of his mouth, quickly hardening into a thin shiny thread, and he felt a sudden urge to spin it around himself. And as he did, one thought played over and over in his head, "The shoe is dropping! THE SHOE IS DROPPING!!" But then, all of a sudden, as he very soon found himself suspended in a cocoon, the anxiousness just evaporated. Somehow he knew that everything was going to be alright. "So that's what it was all about!" he thought, slipping into a well-deserved sleep. And as he did, a dream began to unfold. He dreamt of strange, beautiful creatures. Creatures with perfect bodies, brilliant wings, and melodious voices. Creatures with freedom to fly.
"You can make a defeat the cause for future victory. You can also make victory the cause for future defeat."
Mr. Toda once told me: "You can make a defeat the cause for future victory. You can also make victory the cause for future defeat." The Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin is the Buddhism of the True Cause, the Buddhism of the present and future. We don't dwell on the past. We are always challenging ourselves from the present toward the future. "The whole future lies ahead of us! We have only just begun!"—because we advance with this spirit, we will never be deadlocked.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 6/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 6/10
How to forge bonds of friendship and winning trust?
Nichiren Daishonin said to one of his lay followers: "I entrust you with the propagation of Buddhism in your province. Because the seeds of Buddhahood sprout in response to the proper influence, one expounds the teaching of the one vehicle" (MW-5, 151). Forming connections with other human beings is important. For each of us, everything starts with developing ties with others, forging bonds of friendship and winning trust.
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 5/10
For Today and Tomorrow
Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda 5/10
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