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'

My daily affirmations

I am filled with light, ℒℴѵℯ & peace. I treat myself with kindness & respect.

I'm open to the flow of great abundance in all areas of my life & allow the universe to bless me in surprising & joyful ways.

Today I ℒℴѵℯ my body deeply & joyfully. I choose to see the divine perfection in every cell of my being.

Fear is only a feeling, it cannot hold me back. With a solid plan & a belief in myself there's nothing I can't do.

All is well, right here, right now. By becoming peace, I create peace in every experience.

Today I open my mind to the endless opportunities surrounding me. I boldly act on great opportunities when I see them.

Today nurturing myself is my highest priority, I open myself to the natural flow of wellness.

Today I am completely tuned in o my inner wisdom, my inner voice guides me in every moment.

The better I know myself, the clearer my purpose becomes. Today I present my ℒℴѵℯ, passion, talent & joy as a gift to the world.

I am ready for a healthy, loving relationship. I deserve a loving, healthy relationship. I deserve to be loved and I allow myself to be loved.

Awakening to my lifes purpose

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I recently took a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. I completely went out of my comfort zone in so many ways. I only had $100 for the entire week. I stayed with someone I barely knew. Whom I became very close to. I flew for the first time, and alone at that. I knew going on this vacation would be an eye opening experience, but I honestly had no idea just how much. I have been wanting to go out to Sedona to visit the vortex's and feel the energy they hold. I tried not to have any expectations of something powerful happening to me as I surrounded myself by them. I'm very glad I went into this with no expectations and allowing myself to enjoy every minute of everyday. My first full day there, I experienced the Las Vegas strip which was incredible. The people, the amazing architecture, the lights, the food, and the entire ambiance of the city. On friday, I picked up my teenage girls and headed out to Sedona. It was a four hour drive but was very entertaining with them in the backseat. They are full of energy and quite the characters. We got into Sedona late so I had no idea how beautiful it was until I woke up in the morning. When I walked outside I was awe struck!. The view was absolutely incredible. Deep Red Mountains surrounded us in the valley. The weather was perfect. We decided to go out to Cathedral Rock and hike. When we started our hike it said 2.5 miles..not sure if we took a wrong turn but it ended up being a 4 hour hike. Halfway through the canyon we ran into a hiker that was very familiar with the area and said if we kept going it would be well worth it. So we trudged on. It was very hot and dry in the desert heat but I had been waiting over 10 years to venture here and was not stopping. When we finally reached the top of the mountain the view was so amazing I'm at a loss for words. The colors of the mountains, different shades and the trees was surrounding us. I could have stayed up there forever..If only I had more water!! Needless to say we only brought one bottle each which later realized that was a HUGE mistake. By the time we reached the bottom of the canyon I was damn near crawling back to the car. My mouth had never been so dry in my entire life. My skin felt like an alligator. On our way back to the hotel I started to get a headache, and my 13 year old already had one throughout our hike. We stopped for Alot of water :) Soon as we got into the hotel I crashed on the bed and began to feel sick. I unfortunately got heat stroke and was very dehydrated. I think I lost another 5 pounds, which I so can't afford. My friend, went and bought me some fruit cause I couldn't keep any liquids down and I ate a full bag of grapes. I woke up feeling much better, thank god! I wasn't able to see a sunset in Sedona but I experienced a sunrise :) We walked around the city and went into one of the many Art Galleries Sedona has to offer. I was blown away with the beautiful artwork made out of recycled material. I met an interesting woman named Ritza there. She had a very interesting life story to tell, and took to me in an odd but very comforting way. She felt compelled to give me her address and information and said if I was ever on a journey and needed a place to stay to give her a call. I felt a connection with her that is hard to describe. I feel like we meet people for a reason and plan to stay in contact with her. Who knows, maybe someday I will find myself on a journey back to Arizona and need a place to crash. So we left around noon to head back to Vegas. I felt kinda sad to leave. I definitely could have spent more time there. I had a great weekend with a new friend and my little girls, that aren't so little anymore. I thoroughly enjoyed their company. Last night in Vegas we went to the other side of the strip and then headed to the old strip on Fremont St. My eyes were buggin outta my head there was so much to look at it was a virtual overload. We gambled a little in each Casino and I won a bit which was fun. The slots were so old in one place I got paid in nickles :) During my two visits to the strip I saw a lot of homeless people and felt compelled to take pictures of them. But I didnt just want to take their pictures I wanted to know their stories, of why they were there and what happened to them to put them in that predicament. I then realized that I wanna be a Photo Journalist. I enjoy writing and telling stories and photography. After taking many different classes in college and changing my major a few times I finally realize this is something that really moves me. On my plane ride home I thought I would sleep since it was a 4hr flight. Instead, I ended up having a conversation with the man next to me the entire flight. We talked about everything under the sun and it was very interesting. He lived an amazing life and actually said that I had inspired him to start doing yoga. He also said I should pursue my dream because my pictures were incredible. That made me feel good coming from a complete stranger. I had a 3 hour layover in Chicago then hopped back onto my flight home. I ended up meeting another interesting man who told me he was an engineer and had no degree. He said its about the drive you have. He also said that he was thinking of a career change and talking to me inspired him to go for it. Life is too short not to go after the things you want out of it. So all in all I got exactly what I was in search of through this trip. It was an inner journey where I  stepped out of my everyday life and experienced new things and figured out who I really was and not who everyone else thought I was or thinks I am. I got to know me again. When I came home, I felt unsettled. I didn't feel the inner calm that I felt when I was out there. I can't place it just yet. I am thankful for this experience and will carry the memories for the rest of my life. Not only did I have a handful of special people touch me in a way that helped me, but I also touched them in some way. That is what life is about. Inspiring others to look within their-selves and not holding them back or putting doubts in their heads about who they are or what they inspire to be. Now, my journey begins.....Follow @heather_pratt74