My Journey to Enlightenment

As I've said before, I have been on a quest for enlightenment for over 5 years. I have been drawn to buddhism because I see it as a way of life more than a religion. We are all buddhas within. I've been living and learning how to encompass everything that I've learned over the years. My life has been transformed in such a beautiful way. I have a deeper appreciation for so many things in my life. I've always been grateful for everything in my life, but I, like many others never loved myself and gave all my love away. I realized that I was missing out on so much happiness. I now take time for myself, and above all recognize when that "me time" is needed. Now my life is whole in so many ways. I wish I could bottle up this feeling of overwhelming happiness that I have and sell it! I'd be rich lol. I was very lucky to have found my new family with SGI. They have surrounded me with love and light. I'm sharing all this with you today, because tomorrow I will receive my Gohonzon. This is a goal I set for myself for August and have attained this goal a month early and am elated! Here's a simple explanation of what a Gohonzon is for those of you who are not familiar with the practice. The Gohonzon is the stimulus that helps us draw forth this most enlightened state of life, perceive the Buddha state as the true nature of our life, and live in harmony with our environment. The Gohonzon takes the form of a scroll inscribed with Chinese and Sanskrit characters. The significance of the Gohonzon lies not in the literal meaning of the characters, but in the fact that it is was created by Nichiren as the physical embodiment, in the form of a mandala, of the eternal and intrinsic law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The phrase "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Nichiren" is written in bold characters down the center of the scroll. We chant "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" to connect with the Universe, with the vibration that we give out as we chant. Nam derives from the Sanskrit word namu, meaning "to devote oneself." Myoho literally means the Mystic Law--the underlying truth or principle which governs the mysterious workings of the universe and our life from moment to moment Renge means lotus flower. The lotus blooms and produces seeds at the same time, and thus represents the simultaneity of cause and effect. Kyo literally means sutra, the voice or teaching of a Buddha. In this sense, it also means sound, rhythm or vibration. For me putting what I've practiced throughout the years along with chanting, has added so much more awareness to my life. I feel so connected with the universe and everything in it. I have always been a lover of nature, but now I have a deeper admiration for it everywhere I go. I see beauty in people that I meet that I may have overlooked before. I'm so excited to continue my journey.

The Buddhist view of life is a profoundly holistic one that sees no essential separation between our lives and the life of the universe. When we draw forth the power of wisdom and compassion through prayer, we are drawing forth and directing the same universal wisdom and creative compassion that manifests in everything from the intelligent bonding of molecules to the symbiotic evolution of species, to the decay and formation of galaxies.Ultimately it is belief in their own potential that enables human beings to develop and to advance in the face of difficulties Human RevolutionInterconnectednessTreasuring DiversityCreating ValueWisdom Compassion~ NAMASTE'