Have you ever noticed that when you start or amp up your chanting, the shit hits the fan?
What is it with that?
“Chanting brings out your karma,” they tell me.
You better watch out, you better not cry…”
I’m not a disciplined chanter. I don’t do it with any type of regularity. But when I do, stuff happens.
“Congratulations!” they say, “Your karma is up! Keep chanting and you will change it forever!”
Is it really the chanting that does it? Is daimoku some kind of spiritual laxative?
“Keep chanting to turn this poison into medicine!” they say.
Do not exceed daily recommended dose. May cause complete upheaval of life as you’ve known it…
Question: Is it really the chanting that got the shit to take aim and FIRE?
Question: Is it really “karma” that’s coming up?
When you think about it, the reason I amp up the daimoku is that I’m feeling stuck. Or feeling uneasy. Or feeling downright miserable. Maybe any change in daily routine or thought pattern would allow the space for the chaos to begin. Maybe it’s not the chanting. Maybe doing the hokey pokey twice a day would move things along just as well.
And maybe it’s not karma that’s surfacing. Maybe it’s just dumb old emotional baggage that we all drag around till death do us part. Sometimes we see it, and sometimes we don’t.
I don’t know the answer to any of these questions. But I suppose it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that when I’m feeling stuck and I increase my chanting, things change. They usually get worse. And yes, I say that like it’s a good thing.
Turmoil may not feel cozy at the time, but it’s sure seems to a necessary ingredient in personal growth, at least for me. And especially when things haven’t been working too well for a very long time, but I’ve been holding on for dear life. That’s when it takes a cosmic whack on the side of my head to force me to open my clutched fists and JUST DROP IT.
Surrender Dorothy!
You see, my personal human revolution isn’t about digging in my heels and winning the battle. I’ve never related to the “fighting spirit” encouraged by President Ikeda. I don't view life as a battle. (Is that a difference between women and men?)
What works for me is to notice when I’m stuck, do a little chanting, pay attention to what comes along, and then trust myself to act on the right opportunities.
It feels more like a letting go than a feeling of feisty determination. But it’s not a “giving up” kind of thing. It’s reconnecting to my faith in the cosmic forces and to life itself. It’s like climbing to the top of a very beautiful, high cliff, opening my arms wide, and feeling completely safe because I’ve already fallen and survived.
It's not about winning any war. It's about aligning with what's right and true for me.
Posted by at December 8, 2005 02:28 PMGlad to see you are blogging again. In esoteric Buddhism, the "Wrathful Deities" appear both as messengers and guardians. In the latter sense, they scare off those who are not ready. That is one of several ways to look at WTSHTF.
Another way is that we are noticing and confronting things that were there all along.
Either way, IIRC, Nichiren suggested that we should not be frightened of or influenced by Sansho Shima in the least. In Esoteric Buddhism, I think the initial idea is to get past the "Wrathful Deities" and the "Benevolent Deities" will arise.
I had an experience several years ago of being in a rather hellish state. Benevolent forces seemed to arise outside of me of their own accord. That changed my views on "self power" versus "other power."
Still, I think "WTSHTF" is the time to ignore what is out there and chant to tap into the "inner power" of the Amala Consciousness.
"This I will state. Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still I will give my life for the sake of the Dharma." -- Nichiren
r
Posted by: robin at December 9, 2005 02:23 PMHi Robin, Thanks for your insightful comments. I think the "shit" that "hits the fan" should actually be paid attention to, because it's an obvious way to notice what's going on in those other levels of consciousness.
For instance, the other day I had a series of small events, one after another, that all had to do with miscommunication. It actually got a bit comical. An error on a credit card statement, a mistake on something I ordered through the mail, something else and then something else again... bam! bam! bam! All in a row so I couldn't help but stop and take note. Since I do believe we "co-create" our realities through our thoughts, beliefs, and actions, I took a deep breath and consciously shifted my energies toward TRUST, CLEAR COMMUNICATION, and POSITIVE OUTCOME. Sure enough, it all resolved quickly and without any upset. I took it as the outer manifestation of my own inner environment, which are one and the same, no?
Posted by: Queen Lolo at December 10, 2005 10:25 AMMe: "Still, I think "WTSHTF" is the time to ignore what is out there and chant to tap into the "inner power" of the Amala Consciousness."
QL: "I took it as the outer manifestation of my own inner environment, which are one and the same, no?"
I think that was a perfect example of what I meant to say. By "ignore" I meant not be swayed by events we can not control, and take care of what we can.
My experience is that matters like you mention are often easy to resolve if we:
"consciously [shift our] energies toward TRUST, CLEAR COMMUNICATION, and POSITIVE OUTCOME."
For me, there is a temptation to unload on the person [idiot] who answers the phone, or who is behind the desk. That puts them on the defensive. Being clear, cheerful, pleasent, and understanding sort of throws them off their feet and makes them want to help?
r
Posted by: robin at December 10, 2005 03:40 PMAlthough sometimes it seems true that deciding to practice hard brings out the resistance, I think it's more like how a room never looks so dirty until you start cleaning it.
clown hidden
Posted by: clownhidden at December 12, 2005 03:52 PMClownhidden (what does that mean?),
So then do you think even doing the hokey pokey would work? (I'm being serious here.)
Queenie
Posted by: Queen Lolo at December 15, 2005 08:24 AMHi QL,
I really got a chuckle out of your "spiritual laxitive remark." Brilliant.
Someone at our temple has been asking about karma and rebirth, so I just found a wonderful little book about it called "Exploring Karma and Rebirth" by Nagpriya. Nagapriya is actually an Anglo in Britain and a member of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order. I really like his take on karma and rebirt, he takes the traditional teachings seriously but is not afraid to be critical. He points out that not everything happens due to our personal karma according to the Buddha himself, as opposed to what some later Buddhists have taught.
I also really agree that approaching life as some big battle is not very helpful. In reading the Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra series wherein Daisaku Ikeda and his cronies converse on the sutra I found that while there were many insightful and illuminating things said, this attitude of constant fighting and winning did tend to spoil things.
I really think you are right when you say to pay attention to what comes along, and then trust yourself to act on the right opportunities. I agree that this is the way our practice works, and is very much in line with Buddha Dharma as opposed to some modern ego-driven testosterone fueled self-help philosophy. Also, you refer to this as "letting go" rather than "feisty determination" and I think that is also much more in line with what the Buddha himself taught. Again, less ego-driven and more selfless, but also about being conscious and aware and not afraid to deal skillfully with what arises.
I too am really glad that you are blogging again.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei
Thank you, Ryuei! And nice to hear from you too. Appreciate the feedback MUCHO!