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Janice D'Amore's discussions
Building a Breakthrough Practice
Dear Seleus, Thank you for this post. I remember reading the pagoda analogy (I think in Living Buddhism) sometime before our WD meetings. We also read it at a discussion meeting. I happen to be o...
Replied Apr 7
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- Location
- Medford, MA
- About Me:
- It's complicated. Considering this is a Buddhist site I'll begin there, sort of. I grew up in Winthrop, Massachusetts, a small seashore town just about twenty minutes from downtown Boston. Great place to grow up if you like the ocean, shoreline and boats...not so great if you don't like the booming noise of an airplane engine as it begins its take-off or landing. Fortunately, we lived far from the runways but were, on occassion, part of the alternate flight patterns into Logan International.
My sister tells me, as I have no recollection of this event, that one summer evening, my brother, who is the oldest and most cantankerous sibling announced at the dinner table that a casual friend had told him he could have anything he wanted, anything if he just chanted Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo...we all had a good laugh over that one(except my sister who later read Sidartha and burned incese for the hell of it) and then about three years later in 1970 my sister was 'geshued', basically, introduced on the
streets of Boston and taken to a meeting on Charles Street. She encouraged me to chant but I was having none of it...I was in college, had a boyfriend, who would eventually become my husband and did not need help to set my life on the right path (yeah right). She, my sister, did not give up and in 1976 I received my Gohonzon. I practiced off and on for much of my married life but never made any real committment as my husband did not want to practice and well he came first. Eventually, having hit rock bottom with the dissolution of my marriage, I decided it was time to chant...I was amazed at how much I remembered from having practiced sporadically as I had...I started chanting an hour in the morning along with doing 'full' gongyo then attending meetings and often chanting another hour....I was moved from an evening supervisory position to daytime, my boss, who I later introduced to Buddhism and who received Gohonzon, worked it so I did not loose any differential
pay and even got an increase. A few years later I went back to school for Interior Design and spent 18 years in the field working for commercial enterprises. I now have a two-family house, two beautiful nieces, one of whom practices consistently and does lots of shakabuku. My boyfriend is also a long time member. We are both struggling financially and I have not worked full time since April of 2002. This does not discourage me. I was in school once again and was able to devote time and effort to supporting my parents while my Mother was in a nursing home. We eventually got her home after two long years and although there still are problems (as anyone with aging parents knows) I have grown closer to them both and feel grateful for the opportunity to have bridged a long standing divide. Life does not seem to get any easier but I now believe it is my benefit to struggle for what I want, it helps me keep hope and dreams alive.
I hope this encourages you!
About SGIBuddhism.org
SGIBuddhism.org is a privately owned site run and funded by SGI Member, Chris Tinney.
The views and ideas expressed by members here may or may not be representative of the Soka Gakkai organization. .
SGI members participating here agree to conduct themselves with a respecful and warm attitude towards others in the same way we strive to conduct our discussion meetings and activities within the SGI community.
Your participation is appreciated.
Peace,
Chris Tinney
The views and ideas expressed by members here may or may not be representative of the Soka Gakkai organization. .
SGI members participating here agree to conduct themselves with a respecful and warm attitude towards others in the same way we strive to conduct our discussion meetings and activities within the SGI community.
Your participation is appreciated.
Peace,
Chris Tinney
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Actually I was in great pain when this photo was taken due to a recurring back pain, I sure was chanting under my breath. However, it has since gone as I took the necessary measures, daimoku and physical therapy! The photo possibly reflects me changing 'poison into medicine' while I was in the midst of it! :-)
thank you so much for warm welcome!
Be blessed,
Budog. (Roger)
first of all sorry about my English, I need to improve it! Well you have to visit Naples and to meet SGI members...and I hope to chant with you one day! At the moment I am having so many wonderful experience thanks to the buddism...it's three years I am a member...I want to tell my experience one day
The rice pudding is called kheer in Hindi.
Take Care,
Saahil
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