Northern Lights
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
Hello all,
Some may, on reading this post, believe that it belongs somewhere in the Buddhism DIR thread but actually, I am and have been a seeker as long as I can remember, and although I've been aligned closer to Buddhism than anything else over the last 15 years at least - I'm still a seeker more than a Buddhist.
In the last 3 months alone I have flitted around from various Buddhist practices and schools, including a month spent practicing Pure Land (Amida) and even going along to a local Sangha. But Pure Land (or at least Amida Pure Land) told me that I am a useless human, beyond reproach and that my only chance of being 'saved' was through faith in Amida. Nah, I had to walk away from that one.
I've constantly persisted with more mainstream Buddhist practice. Again I've been to local Sanghas, in secular and recently the Dhammakaya tradition here in the UK. But an issue I have had for 16 years now is that sitting meditation practices just don't seem to work for me, or don't seem suited to be at least. I've just never felt I've progressed in any way; no inner peace, no stillness, no greater sense of compassion, no increased perspective, etc. Sitting Meditations are quite physically relaxing while I practice, but 10 minutes after I could be getting angry and worked up by someone's bad driving habits on the way home from the meditation class!
Anyway three days ago, I stumbled across some Nichiren stuff on YouTube. I'd always dismissed it as 'not real Buddhism' (a little like I'd learned to feel about Amida Pure Land), and also had read some alarming things about the SGI organisation. But I came across this website, from this guy in the US who practices Nichiren-Shu sincerely and wholehearedly, but completely independently. I really liked what I saw. I decided to practice for a couple of days. I printed off the Gongyo (2nd and 16th verses of the Lotus Sutra, in Japanese), and with the help of a YouTube pronounciation vid, chanting it each morning and evening, along with some Daimoku chanting ("Namu Myoho Renge Kyo"). I did not really go into this with an open heart but as I am a musical and aural type person (I run a sound engineering business) it seemed fun.
Now 3 days in, my cynicism is really starting to crumble........ after each Gongyo chant I feel fantastic. Revitalized. Fresh. Positive. I feel exactly how I always wanted to feel after sitting meditation, but didn't.
The mild to moderate depression that I've had for 3 months seems lighter, less prevalent. Psychological effects ? Maybe? .... Hey, maybe Nichiren chanting has absolutely no substance whatsoever other than as a distraction meditation ..... but I don't care - it's working. For me, anyway.
I decided to post this here, so that it puts a "mark in the sand" and records this event. If in 3 days time I have moved on to some other flash in the pan practice, then we'll know that the Nichiren practice was just co-inciding with some 'good feelings' that we all inevitably have, even when depressed.
But I have a good feeling. At the end of the day, the reason why in the past I have fallen out of practice habits, is because they've not seemed to benefit me. We all do things that give us some benefit. And we all lose interest things that don't give us any benefit. I feel a strong urge and happiness about my twice or three times daily Nichiren practice - because I feel really great after it. Like the sun is shining inside my body.
WATCH THIS SPACE!
Some may, on reading this post, believe that it belongs somewhere in the Buddhism DIR thread but actually, I am and have been a seeker as long as I can remember, and although I've been aligned closer to Buddhism than anything else over the last 15 years at least - I'm still a seeker more than a Buddhist.
In the last 3 months alone I have flitted around from various Buddhist practices and schools, including a month spent practicing Pure Land (Amida) and even going along to a local Sangha. But Pure Land (or at least Amida Pure Land) told me that I am a useless human, beyond reproach and that my only chance of being 'saved' was through faith in Amida. Nah, I had to walk away from that one.
I've constantly persisted with more mainstream Buddhist practice. Again I've been to local Sanghas, in secular and recently the Dhammakaya tradition here in the UK. But an issue I have had for 16 years now is that sitting meditation practices just don't seem to work for me, or don't seem suited to be at least. I've just never felt I've progressed in any way; no inner peace, no stillness, no greater sense of compassion, no increased perspective, etc. Sitting Meditations are quite physically relaxing while I practice, but 10 minutes after I could be getting angry and worked up by someone's bad driving habits on the way home from the meditation class!
Anyway three days ago, I stumbled across some Nichiren stuff on YouTube. I'd always dismissed it as 'not real Buddhism' (a little like I'd learned to feel about Amida Pure Land), and also had read some alarming things about the SGI organisation. But I came across this website, from this guy in the US who practices Nichiren-Shu sincerely and wholehearedly, but completely independently. I really liked what I saw. I decided to practice for a couple of days. I printed off the Gongyo (2nd and 16th verses of the Lotus Sutra, in Japanese), and with the help of a YouTube pronounciation vid, chanting it each morning and evening, along with some Daimoku chanting ("Namu Myoho Renge Kyo"). I did not really go into this with an open heart but as I am a musical and aural type person (I run a sound engineering business) it seemed fun.
Now 3 days in, my cynicism is really starting to crumble........ after each Gongyo chant I feel fantastic. Revitalized. Fresh. Positive. I feel exactly how I always wanted to feel after sitting meditation, but didn't.
The mild to moderate depression that I've had for 3 months seems lighter, less prevalent. Psychological effects ? Maybe? .... Hey, maybe Nichiren chanting has absolutely no substance whatsoever other than as a distraction meditation ..... but I don't care - it's working. For me, anyway.
I decided to post this here, so that it puts a "mark in the sand" and records this event. If in 3 days time I have moved on to some other flash in the pan practice, then we'll know that the Nichiren practice was just co-inciding with some 'good feelings' that we all inevitably have, even when depressed.
But I have a good feeling. At the end of the day, the reason why in the past I have fallen out of practice habits, is because they've not seemed to benefit me. We all do things that give us some benefit. And we all lose interest things that don't give us any benefit. I feel a strong urge and happiness about my twice or three times daily Nichiren practice - because I feel really great after it. Like the sun is shining inside my body.
WATCH THIS SPACE!
Last edited: