I attended the Youth Division meeting this last weekend at our Community Center in Santa Clara California. As I no longer live in “the Valley” I don’t often get to attend meetings there. It was wonderful. In true YD style the energy was high, the experiences were incredible, and even the food was decent.
I was able to reconnect with many old friends and leaders I haven’t seen in a long time, including our Area Chief who was present at the first Shakabuku meeting I attended.
Standing back in the crowd I looked around and could clearly see the YD leaders, the YD members who were “invested” and the wide-eyed guests who were cared for and talked to by their guests as the meeting progressed.
I am always wondering what guests think of SGI meetings. We’re not what the public would expect “real Buddhists” to be like. Much of Buddhism in America seems very “fashionable” to me. When I was at my first NSA Shakabuku meeting (Nichiren Shoshu of America, our old name) I remember thinking how strange it was that there was so many different people - people from such difference walks of life.
I remember really being drawn to the life condition of the two women who gave experiences. Mostly I remember being utterly drawn to the Gohonzon. I knew nothing of Japan, Chinese writing, Buddhism or anything related to anything I saw that night, but the Gohonzon was really seriously cool. I knew right away I wanted one of my own, and I wanted to chant to it. In 20 years I have never stopped.
The first Gohonzon I ever saw was the little Omamori, or traveling Gohonzon that was issued by Nikken at the time. This was my first and strange as it is I can still taste the flavor of the night when I saw it held in the hand of the Young Men’s Division who Shakabuku’d me. It seems different from any other in my memories, a tangle and web of interlacing kanji forming a sort of matrix. I thought to myself “when I join I’m buying one of those!”.
I think the Youth Division meeting was a good first experience for the guests I saw and watched. If you practice in SGI you know that introduction meetings don’t always go well. I have come to understand that every member and every guest still has their own karma and they get what they need. I hope.
At moments during the meeting my negativity arose and I would become cynical of all the mindless smiling and laughing. I quickly reminded myself that there’s enough anger and negativity in the world to counter-balance ALL of the mindless positivism SGI creates so it all comes out in the end, hopefully in some state of balance.
SGI Youth Division meetings - a good time. Go to one in YOUR neighborhood right away!
Hi, Don - now at least I know where you live! Sounds like you had a fabulous meeting - here in the San Fernando Valley, we had a sort of "graduation ceremony" a couple of weeks ago for the YD who were moving into the OFD (old fogies' division).
One of my co-group leaders is very, very into raising the youth division - do you have a lot of younger people in your Chapter,and if so, what kinds of special activities do you have with them? Here in LA, I know that they have an annual study-type weekend at the end of the summer - usually held on a local campus before the regular students come back in the fall.
Since young people are already so "Study oriented" what with school and all, sometimes it's hard to advance a study program - what is your experience?
Thanks for the blog, Best, Byrd in LA
"I quickly reminded myself that there's enough anger and negativity in the world to counter-balance all the mindless positivism SGI creates..."
In your quote above, you are rationalizing what is truly brainwashed behavior. Your initial cyncicism from these dynamics was not negative at all - it was a healthy, valid response that you did not need to talk yourself out of.
I, and many others, would rather see mindFUL positivism and authenticity at such gatherings.
Gabrielle
Posted by: Gabrielle Wise at March 29, 2006 08:47 PMI've heard this brand of perspective before Gabrielle. I mostly understand, and don't truly disagree with you. Problam is, I and many in SGI want something, we want hope, and positivity, and a community of others who want that same thing.
I've been in SGI for a relatively long time and I usually do provide mindFUL positivism. This is what I see from the other senior leaders. Newer members come in wide-eyed often not knowing exactly how to act. In this way, and in this time in their lives, mindless positivity isn't a negative thing I believe.
I had a friend many years ago who had cancer. He attended laugh therapy classes. At first he couldn't laugh and didn't find ANYTHING they said or did funny (they even showed Three Stooges movies). He shared with me how he was encouraged to FAKE laugh, regardless of how he felt. He did, and soon he was laughing for real.
Was that brainwashing? Heck yeah. Same here.
Every so often I get a cynical negative guest in a meeting whom I have to deal with. It's ok, I'm glad they're there. Sometimes though I feel like saying, "look pal, if you don't like it - leave. I'm WORKING here". I'm working for my own happiness as well as the others in the meeting.
Brainwashing? Maybe. I think in that vain maybe Nichiren Daishonin did something of his own brainwashing of his followers, brainwashing faith in the Lotus Sutra.
Ah, that was over the top. Doesn't seem like the same thing I know, but - maybe something to think about...
Posted by: Donald Shimoda at March 29, 2006 09:36 PM"SGI Youth Division meetings - a good time. Go to one in YOUR neighborhood right away!"
Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. What's next? B^)
Sorry, couldn't resist. SGI and I came to a mutual agreement a number of years ago: I would stop trying to make SGI change into what I felt it should be, and SGI would let me practice exactly as I liked (although not with SGI). It's working out great; everybody's happy with the decision (at least as far as I know).
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at March 30, 2006 03:40 PMHi Donald.
I am glad you are doing this. I am a chapter leader in Phoenix and have been practicing about as long as you have. I thought about volunteering to to a blog here on FWP but I get too argumentative online, take disagreements too personally to allow for consistent dialog. It sounds like you have the right temperament for this.
I want to bounce something off of you. Where I practice there are a good number of district and up Women's leaders who never practiced in the youth division. But when it comes to Men's Division, there are almost no leaders above the group level who did not practice (get training) as YMD. Wondering if you see that as well where you are and what your thoughts might be.
Thanks, Michael
Posted by: Mich at April 5, 2006 09:39 AMHi Michael! Good to hear from the leadership in Phoenix! Great conflict you have, ne? I thought about your question for awhile and frankly I'm not sure how much YD training our WD has! We have a disproportionate number of pioneer WD here who have been practicing 30-plus years. Makes for an interesting powerbase! B^)
I know our Chapter WD leader was very high up in Soka Gakkai YD in Japan, and you know what? It shows!
I'm with you on the Youth training issue, I think it was invaluable. I mean, looking back alot of it seems a little silly to the way things are now, but I live by the motto, "that was then, this is now". My NSA days are something I wouldn't trade.
I was at a meeting last year in Santa Clara with Mr. Yoshimachi whom I deeply appreciate and respect. A YMD leader got up and began to give his "vow" for this and that. Surpringly, Mr. Yoshimachi proceeded to scold him and the YD for running around making vows they would never keep. It was very interesting. Yoshimachi sensei was very strict about what he felt was the "questionable" trustworthyness of the Youth Division.
Back "in the day" we certainly had the spirit, but I am feeling like there needs to be more connectivity between MD/WD and YD, at least in my area. We all want Kosen Rufu in the end.... Right?
Write back often Michael!
Donald
Posted by: Donald Shimoda at April 6, 2006 08:56 AM