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My 29th Year of Life!
Nov. 29th, 2009 | 08:50 am
"Human ambitions are like Japanese carp; they grow proportional to the size of their environment. Our achievements grow according to the size of our dreams and the degree to which we are in touch with our mission." ~ Keith Ferrazzi
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Interview
Oct. 1st, 2009 | 10:05 am
Q&A: 'Closer Now to a Nuke-Free World'
Ramesh Jaura interviews DAISAKU IKEDA, president of Soka Gakkai International
Daisaku Ikeda
Credit:Seikyo Shimbun
BERLIN, Sep 29 (IPS) - A world free of nuclear weapons is no longer utopia - it is a concrete possibility, says Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Buddhist association Soka Gokkai International (SGI).
"In recent years, we have seen important, groundbreaking examples of humanitarian ideals surmounting military logic and narrowly defined national interests to bring new disarmament accords into existence," says Ikeda. "Rather than asking ourselves whether nuclear abolition is possible, we need to ask ourselves what we can do to make this a reality in our time."
Ikeda formulated a five-point plan early September aimed at nuclear abolition.
"Through my proposal, I want to encourage the leaders not only of the nuclear-weapon states but also of those countries that rely on the nuclear weapons of others for their security to consider the present and future danger presented by nuclear weapons," the SGI president says in a joint interview with IPS and IDN-InDepthNews.
Following are excerpts from the interview conducted by email after the UN Security Council session on nuclear abolition Sep. 24 chaired by U.S. President Barack Obama.
IPS: President Obama spelt out his vision of a world free of nuclear weapons last April in Prague. However, the U.S. President expressed doubts in his speech in Prague that a nuke-free world would be ushered in in "our lifetime". Would you share that view? In your proposal you ask "the world's people to clearly manifest their will for the outlawing of nuclear weapons and to establish, by the year 2015, the international norm that will serve as the foundation for a Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC)."
DAISAKU IKEDA: We stand today at a critical juncture, one that will determine whether or not humankind can make genuine progress towards a world free of nuclear weapons. Rather than asking ourselves whether nuclear abolition is possible, we need to ask ourselves what we can do to make this a reality in our time.
Through my proposal, I want to encourage the leaders not only of the nuclear-weapon states but also those countries that rely on the nuclear weapons of others for their security to consider the present and future danger presented by nuclear weapons. At the same time, I urge that we all understand that the real "enemy" is not nuclear weapons, nor the states that possess or would develop them.
The real enemy is the way of thinking that justifies nuclear weapons. It is our readiness to see others eliminated when they stand in the way of the fulfilment of our desires and ambitions. This was the underlying message of the declaration, issued some 52 years ago by my predecessor and mentor, second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
As you note, President Obama has expressed his determination to work for a world without nuclear weapons. At the same time, he has questioned whether this goal will be realised in our lifetime. If the leaders of the nuclear-weapon states and of all countries take concrete action on the basis of a shared sense of responsibility and - most importantly - if there is consistent pressure from the world's people acting in solidarity, what might seem impossible now can certainly be made possible.
The five-year period to 2015, and in particular the eight-month period to next year's NPT (non-proliferation treaty) review conference, will be decisive. To establish a solid beachhead for a world without nuclear weapons, we need to expand global popular commitment towards this goal.
IPS: The document released Sep. 8 - 'Building Global Solidarity Toward Nuclear Abolition' - points out that the path to the adoption of an NWC is likely to be a difficult one, not least because the entrenched perceptions of military security stand in the way. Do you see any realistic possibility of "humanitarian" ideals taking an upper hand over military and money-making ideologies?
DI: In recent years, we have seen important, groundbreaking examples of humanitarian ideals surmounting military logic and narrowly defined national interests to bring new disarmament accords into existence. I am referring of course to the treaties banning landmines and cluster weapons. Both were realised through international campaigns based on the collaborative efforts of NGOs working together with governments seriously committed to disarmament.
I am calling for the establishment of a clear international norm condemning nuclear weapons. This will provide the basis for a Nuclear Weapons Convention prohibiting these most inhumane of all weapons. It is clear that the way forward to an NWC will not be easy. But there are signs of new awareness among the world's political leaders that are cause for hope.
The first is that we now hear more voices calling for nuclear abolition from a realistic assessment of the dangers they pose. These include former high- level officials of the nuclear-weapon states. I think the confluence of this "realist" approach with more traditional peace and humanitarian antinuclear perspectives presents an important opportunity to make progress towards a world free of nuclear weapons.
The second is the fact that, in the 64 years since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons have never been used. This points to the steadily solidifying awareness that nuclear weapons are essentially unusable for military purposes, even if we include the implicit threat underlying deterrence as a form of "use".
I think this understanding is shared to a greater or lesser degree by the political leaders of the nuclear-weapon states. In order to outlaw nuclear weapons, we will need to raise the visibility of the issue internationally to a far higher degree than was the case even for the movements to ban landmines and cluster weapons. Civil society needs to come together to create a popular groundswell for nuclear abolition.
IPS: The document calls upon the five declared nuclear-weapon states to announce their commitment to "a shared vision of a world without nuclear weapons." What would you expect such a shared vision to look like? And what distinct outcome would you expect from the NPT review conference next May?
DI: Vision gives birth to action. This is why it is epoch-making that the United States has offered a vision of nuclear abolition. What is important now is for all the nuclear-weapon states to earnestly debate the significance of this vision and to find ways of sharing it. A shared vision provides the common foundation for taking the next concrete steps forward.
In this regard, there are signs of progress. A few days ago, on Sep.24, the UN Security Council meeting on non-proliferation and disarmament adopted a resolution expressing the resolve to realise a world without nuclear weapons. In light of the fact that all five of the nuclear-weapon states participated as permanent members of the Security Council and that Security Council resolutions are legally binding, this is extremely important.
If this resolution can serve as an impetus to the nuclear-weapon states to start taking concrete and concerted action, they will be taking the lead towards the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. Exercising this kind of leadership is their solemn obligation under the NPT. At the same time, it is clearly the only way to encourage the countries presently outside the NPT regime to move towards nuclear arms reduction and elimination. The solidarity that arises from this kind of responsible action will also accelerate efforts to respond to such global challenges as poverty and climate change.
Perhaps the greatest single reason to expect the nuclear-weapon states to play this kind of role is the emergence in recent years of the realistic possibility of terrorism using nuclear weapons. Needless to say, deterrence is not possible - meaningless in fact - against this type of threat. The greatest and indeed only defence against the threat of nuclear terror is the strictly verified abolition of nuclear weapons. Only this will obviate the danger that nuclear weapons will be stolen or nuclear weapons technologies leaked.
In my proposal, I urge the five nuclear-weapon states to undertake the following three commitments at next year's NPT review conference: 1) a nuclear weapons moratorium; 2) substantively enhanced transparency regarding their nuclear capabilities; and 3) deliberations on the absolute minimum number of nuclear weapons on the path to abolition. Of course, there is no need to wait until next year to commit to this path.
A moratorium on further development or modernisation of their nuclear arsenals in particular would be a critical step towards nuclear abolition. From the perspective of the world's citizens, there is no possible justification for maintaining the capacity to destroy the world dozens of times over, much less for further refining of this capability through technological development. Agreement to this would certainly have an important positive impact on the discourse surrounding the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT).
IPS: The document also calls upon the UN to establish a panel of experts on nuclear abolition, strengthening collaborative relations with civil society in the disarmament process. How would you evaluate UN's present relations with the civil society in the field of nuclear disarmament? What role do you envisage for SGI in particular and the civil society in general in achieving a world free of nuclear weapons?
DI: The world has changed greatly since the United Nations was established in 1945. In recent years, there has been an increased appreciation of the need to heed the voices of the world's citizens. Disarmament involves issues that are of central concern to states. If the specialised knowledge and communicative capacities of civil society can be fully utilised in this field, it would greatly advance the cause of disarmament. I think the fact that the annual conference of NGOs affiliated with the UN's Department of Public Information, convened earlier this month in Mexico City, for the first time ever took up disarmament as its theme symbolises this trend.
Nor can we overlook the increasing importance that has been accorded to the concept of "human security" in recent years. As civil society has been clearly pointing out, there are critical gaps in traditional conceptualisations of national security - namely, adequate consideration of the impact of political decisions in the lives of people. There are signs that governments are starting to look to civil society as partners in developing and implementing new modalities of security. The same can be said for the United Nations.
In my proposal, I stressed the importance of establishing a clear international norm for nuclear abolition, and bringing together the power of ordinary citizens to this end. I think civil society has a special role to play in resolving issues that involve the complex interplay of national interests and are therefore not amenable to solution solely through state or government initiatives. It is crucial that civil society provide opportunities for people to become more aware and awakened to their capacity to be agents of change. People who share the common aspiration for a world free of nuclear weapons need to come together and coordinate their efforts based on a deepened sense of solidarity.
Drawing from a tradition of antinuclear activism reaching back more than five decades, the SGI will continue to work to promote this kind of empowerment within and through civil society. We will collaborate with other NGOs to facilitate the development of a broad-based network for nuclear abolition.
(*This interview jointly with IDN-InDepthNews is part of an IPS-Soka Gakkai International (SGI) project on nuclear abolition.) (END/2009)
Ramesh Jaura interviews DAISAKU IKEDA, president of Soka Gakkai International
Daisaku Ikeda
Credit:Seikyo Shimbun
BERLIN, Sep 29 (IPS) - A world free of nuclear weapons is no longer utopia - it is a concrete possibility, says Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Buddhist association Soka Gokkai International (SGI).
"In recent years, we have seen important, groundbreaking examples of humanitarian ideals surmounting military logic and narrowly defined national interests to bring new disarmament accords into existence," says Ikeda. "Rather than asking ourselves whether nuclear abolition is possible, we need to ask ourselves what we can do to make this a reality in our time."
Ikeda formulated a five-point plan early September aimed at nuclear abolition.
"Through my proposal, I want to encourage the leaders not only of the nuclear-weapon states but also of those countries that rely on the nuclear weapons of others for their security to consider the present and future danger presented by nuclear weapons," the SGI president says in a joint interview with IPS and IDN-InDepthNews.
Following are excerpts from the interview conducted by email after the UN Security Council session on nuclear abolition Sep. 24 chaired by U.S. President Barack Obama.
IPS: President Obama spelt out his vision of a world free of nuclear weapons last April in Prague. However, the U.S. President expressed doubts in his speech in Prague that a nuke-free world would be ushered in in "our lifetime". Would you share that view? In your proposal you ask "the world's people to clearly manifest their will for the outlawing of nuclear weapons and to establish, by the year 2015, the international norm that will serve as the foundation for a Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC)."
DAISAKU IKEDA: We stand today at a critical juncture, one that will determine whether or not humankind can make genuine progress towards a world free of nuclear weapons. Rather than asking ourselves whether nuclear abolition is possible, we need to ask ourselves what we can do to make this a reality in our time.
Through my proposal, I want to encourage the leaders not only of the nuclear-weapon states but also those countries that rely on the nuclear weapons of others for their security to consider the present and future danger presented by nuclear weapons. At the same time, I urge that we all understand that the real "enemy" is not nuclear weapons, nor the states that possess or would develop them.
The real enemy is the way of thinking that justifies nuclear weapons. It is our readiness to see others eliminated when they stand in the way of the fulfilment of our desires and ambitions. This was the underlying message of the declaration, issued some 52 years ago by my predecessor and mentor, second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
As you note, President Obama has expressed his determination to work for a world without nuclear weapons. At the same time, he has questioned whether this goal will be realised in our lifetime. If the leaders of the nuclear-weapon states and of all countries take concrete action on the basis of a shared sense of responsibility and - most importantly - if there is consistent pressure from the world's people acting in solidarity, what might seem impossible now can certainly be made possible.
The five-year period to 2015, and in particular the eight-month period to next year's NPT (non-proliferation treaty) review conference, will be decisive. To establish a solid beachhead for a world without nuclear weapons, we need to expand global popular commitment towards this goal.
IPS: The document released Sep. 8 - 'Building Global Solidarity Toward Nuclear Abolition' - points out that the path to the adoption of an NWC is likely to be a difficult one, not least because the entrenched perceptions of military security stand in the way. Do you see any realistic possibility of "humanitarian" ideals taking an upper hand over military and money-making ideologies?
DI: In recent years, we have seen important, groundbreaking examples of humanitarian ideals surmounting military logic and narrowly defined national interests to bring new disarmament accords into existence. I am referring of course to the treaties banning landmines and cluster weapons. Both were realised through international campaigns based on the collaborative efforts of NGOs working together with governments seriously committed to disarmament.
I am calling for the establishment of a clear international norm condemning nuclear weapons. This will provide the basis for a Nuclear Weapons Convention prohibiting these most inhumane of all weapons. It is clear that the way forward to an NWC will not be easy. But there are signs of new awareness among the world's political leaders that are cause for hope.
The first is that we now hear more voices calling for nuclear abolition from a realistic assessment of the dangers they pose. These include former high- level officials of the nuclear-weapon states. I think the confluence of this "realist" approach with more traditional peace and humanitarian antinuclear perspectives presents an important opportunity to make progress towards a world free of nuclear weapons.
The second is the fact that, in the 64 years since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons have never been used. This points to the steadily solidifying awareness that nuclear weapons are essentially unusable for military purposes, even if we include the implicit threat underlying deterrence as a form of "use".
I think this understanding is shared to a greater or lesser degree by the political leaders of the nuclear-weapon states. In order to outlaw nuclear weapons, we will need to raise the visibility of the issue internationally to a far higher degree than was the case even for the movements to ban landmines and cluster weapons. Civil society needs to come together to create a popular groundswell for nuclear abolition.
IPS: The document calls upon the five declared nuclear-weapon states to announce their commitment to "a shared vision of a world without nuclear weapons." What would you expect such a shared vision to look like? And what distinct outcome would you expect from the NPT review conference next May?
DI: Vision gives birth to action. This is why it is epoch-making that the United States has offered a vision of nuclear abolition. What is important now is for all the nuclear-weapon states to earnestly debate the significance of this vision and to find ways of sharing it. A shared vision provides the common foundation for taking the next concrete steps forward.
In this regard, there are signs of progress. A few days ago, on Sep.24, the UN Security Council meeting on non-proliferation and disarmament adopted a resolution expressing the resolve to realise a world without nuclear weapons. In light of the fact that all five of the nuclear-weapon states participated as permanent members of the Security Council and that Security Council resolutions are legally binding, this is extremely important.
If this resolution can serve as an impetus to the nuclear-weapon states to start taking concrete and concerted action, they will be taking the lead towards the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. Exercising this kind of leadership is their solemn obligation under the NPT. At the same time, it is clearly the only way to encourage the countries presently outside the NPT regime to move towards nuclear arms reduction and elimination. The solidarity that arises from this kind of responsible action will also accelerate efforts to respond to such global challenges as poverty and climate change.
Perhaps the greatest single reason to expect the nuclear-weapon states to play this kind of role is the emergence in recent years of the realistic possibility of terrorism using nuclear weapons. Needless to say, deterrence is not possible - meaningless in fact - against this type of threat. The greatest and indeed only defence against the threat of nuclear terror is the strictly verified abolition of nuclear weapons. Only this will obviate the danger that nuclear weapons will be stolen or nuclear weapons technologies leaked.
In my proposal, I urge the five nuclear-weapon states to undertake the following three commitments at next year's NPT review conference: 1) a nuclear weapons moratorium; 2) substantively enhanced transparency regarding their nuclear capabilities; and 3) deliberations on the absolute minimum number of nuclear weapons on the path to abolition. Of course, there is no need to wait until next year to commit to this path.
A moratorium on further development or modernisation of their nuclear arsenals in particular would be a critical step towards nuclear abolition. From the perspective of the world's citizens, there is no possible justification for maintaining the capacity to destroy the world dozens of times over, much less for further refining of this capability through technological development. Agreement to this would certainly have an important positive impact on the discourse surrounding the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT).
IPS: The document also calls upon the UN to establish a panel of experts on nuclear abolition, strengthening collaborative relations with civil society in the disarmament process. How would you evaluate UN's present relations with the civil society in the field of nuclear disarmament? What role do you envisage for SGI in particular and the civil society in general in achieving a world free of nuclear weapons?
DI: The world has changed greatly since the United Nations was established in 1945. In recent years, there has been an increased appreciation of the need to heed the voices of the world's citizens. Disarmament involves issues that are of central concern to states. If the specialised knowledge and communicative capacities of civil society can be fully utilised in this field, it would greatly advance the cause of disarmament. I think the fact that the annual conference of NGOs affiliated with the UN's Department of Public Information, convened earlier this month in Mexico City, for the first time ever took up disarmament as its theme symbolises this trend.
Nor can we overlook the increasing importance that has been accorded to the concept of "human security" in recent years. As civil society has been clearly pointing out, there are critical gaps in traditional conceptualisations of national security - namely, adequate consideration of the impact of political decisions in the lives of people. There are signs that governments are starting to look to civil society as partners in developing and implementing new modalities of security. The same can be said for the United Nations.
In my proposal, I stressed the importance of establishing a clear international norm for nuclear abolition, and bringing together the power of ordinary citizens to this end. I think civil society has a special role to play in resolving issues that involve the complex interplay of national interests and are therefore not amenable to solution solely through state or government initiatives. It is crucial that civil society provide opportunities for people to become more aware and awakened to their capacity to be agents of change. People who share the common aspiration for a world free of nuclear weapons need to come together and coordinate their efforts based on a deepened sense of solidarity.
Drawing from a tradition of antinuclear activism reaching back more than five decades, the SGI will continue to work to promote this kind of empowerment within and through civil society. We will collaborate with other NGOs to facilitate the development of a broad-based network for nuclear abolition.
(*This interview jointly with IDN-InDepthNews is part of an IPS-Soka Gakkai International (SGI) project on nuclear abolition.) (END/2009)
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Interesting...
Aug. 3rd, 2009 | 04:15 pm
How does one manufacture scarcity of human consciousness? What you are talking about is not human consciousness.
Yes, I can understand your acquaintance in Belize saying he can't find anyone to communicate with. Not many people know how to communicate. They either drop you a few lines every month or two via e-mail, or they keep you constantly informed of all the ongoing trivia of every day.
There was a time when getting to know someone meant sharing ideas. Now you might be deluged with details of someone's sex-life or why he/she prefers one cafe over another, yet never learn what he/she thinks about life, about the human condition.
I watched with dismay the trend toward bigger, brighter, faster, louder. Movies, music, art: novelty and the "outrageous." Not more meaning, better messages - just more spectacle. And only meaningless spectacle. I remember when a nation was glued to their television sets, waiting breathlessly for Neil Armstrong to take those first steps on the moon. Not a decade and a half later, the nation sat glued to their television sets watching the marriage of "Charles and Diana."
Yes, I can understand your acquaintance in Belize saying he can't find anyone to communicate with. Not many people know how to communicate. They either drop you a few lines every month or two via e-mail, or they keep you constantly informed of all the ongoing trivia of every day.
There was a time when getting to know someone meant sharing ideas. Now you might be deluged with details of someone's sex-life or why he/she prefers one cafe over another, yet never learn what he/she thinks about life, about the human condition.
I watched with dismay the trend toward bigger, brighter, faster, louder. Movies, music, art: novelty and the "outrageous." Not more meaning, better messages - just more spectacle. And only meaningless spectacle. I remember when a nation was glued to their television sets, waiting breathlessly for Neil Armstrong to take those first steps on the moon. Not a decade and a half later, the nation sat glued to their television sets watching the marriage of "Charles and Diana."
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Gloom and Doom
Feb. 5th, 2009 | 04:11 am
“My greatest fear is that the Obama administration will achieve relatively little in terms of structural change,” he added. “They may at best keep the system going. But there is a growing pessimism. Every day we hear how much longer the recession will continue. They are already talking about beyond next year. The economic difficulties are more profound than we had guessed and because of globalization more difficult to deal with. I wish the political establishment, the parties and leadership, would become more aware of the depths of the problem. They can’t keep throwing money at this. They have to begin structural changes that involve a very different approach from a market economy. I don’t think this will happen.”
“I keep asking why and how and when this country became so conservative,” he went on. “This country once prided itself on its experimentation and flexibility. It has become rigid. It is probably the most conservative of all the advanced countries.”
The American left, he said, has crumbled. It sold out to a bankrupt Democratic Party, abandoned the working class and has no ability to organize. Unions are a spent force. The universities are mills for corporate employees. The press churns out info-entertainment or fatuous pundits. The left, he said, no longer has the capacity to be a counterweight to the corporate state. He said that if an extreme right gains momentum there will probably be very little organized resistance.
“The left is amorphous,” he said. “I despair over the left. Left parties may be small in number in Europe but they are a coherent organization that keeps going. Here, except for Nader’s efforts, we don’t have that. We have a few voices here, a magazine there, and that’s about it. It goes nowhere.”
“I keep asking why and how and when this country became so conservative,” he went on. “This country once prided itself on its experimentation and flexibility. It has become rigid. It is probably the most conservative of all the advanced countries.”
The American left, he said, has crumbled. It sold out to a bankrupt Democratic Party, abandoned the working class and has no ability to organize. Unions are a spent force. The universities are mills for corporate employees. The press churns out info-entertainment or fatuous pundits. The left, he said, no longer has the capacity to be a counterweight to the corporate state. He said that if an extreme right gains momentum there will probably be very little organized resistance.
“The left is amorphous,” he said. “I despair over the left. Left parties may be small in number in Europe but they are a coherent organization that keeps going. Here, except for Nader’s efforts, we don’t have that. We have a few voices here, a magazine there, and that’s about it. It goes nowhere.”
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Rabindranath Tagore
Dec. 30th, 2008 | 11:46 am
"In the words of the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941): 'To seek
new paths in a constant renewal of strength--that has always been the secret
of progress.'"
new paths in a constant renewal of strength--that has always been the secret
of progress.'"
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I am a lucky man.
Oct. 19th, 2008 | 03:47 am
I have so much fortune... and I have nothing but appreciation.
Some qoutes:
"True love should be transformative, a process that amplifies our capacity to cherish not just one person but all people. It can make us stronger, lift us higher and deepen us as individuals. Only to the extent that one polishes oneself now can one hope to develop wonderful bonds of the heart in the future."
"The heart of one person moves another's. ... If one's own heart is closed, then the doors of other people's hearts will also shut tight. On the other hand, someone who makes all those around him or her into allies, bathing them in the sunlight of spring, will be treasured by all."
"To commiserate with, to feel pity for, another falls short of genuine compassion. Understanding is key. People manage to draw the strength to carry on simply knowing that there is someone out there that understands them unconditionally. "
"You cannot judge the quality of another's friendship by superficial appearances, especially when things are going smoothly. It is only when we have experienced the worst, most crushing of times—when we have plumbed the depths of life—that we can experience the joys of genuine friendship. Only a man of principle, a woman of resolve—a person who stays true to their chosen path—can be a trusted and true friend, and have real friends in turn."
"No matter how much suffering or joy, you may be experiencing, our heart . . . the size of our heart is not defined by those circumstances. We can go either way. It’s our inner state of mind, our heart, that is important. The key is how rich our heart is, and daimoku is the basis for enriching our heart. Our heart determines everything.”
"When you make a promise, always keep it, no matter what."
Quoted fom my eternal mentor in life - Daisaku Ikeda
Some qoutes:
"True love should be transformative, a process that amplifies our capacity to cherish not just one person but all people. It can make us stronger, lift us higher and deepen us as individuals. Only to the extent that one polishes oneself now can one hope to develop wonderful bonds of the heart in the future."
"The heart of one person moves another's. ... If one's own heart is closed, then the doors of other people's hearts will also shut tight. On the other hand, someone who makes all those around him or her into allies, bathing them in the sunlight of spring, will be treasured by all."
"To commiserate with, to feel pity for, another falls short of genuine compassion. Understanding is key. People manage to draw the strength to carry on simply knowing that there is someone out there that understands them unconditionally. "
"You cannot judge the quality of another's friendship by superficial appearances, especially when things are going smoothly. It is only when we have experienced the worst, most crushing of times—when we have plumbed the depths of life—that we can experience the joys of genuine friendship. Only a man of principle, a woman of resolve—a person who stays true to their chosen path—can be a trusted and true friend, and have real friends in turn."
"No matter how much suffering or joy, you may be experiencing, our heart . . . the size of our heart is not defined by those circumstances. We can go either way. It’s our inner state of mind, our heart, that is important. The key is how rich our heart is, and daimoku is the basis for enriching our heart. Our heart determines everything.”
"When you make a promise, always keep it, no matter what."
Quoted fom my eternal mentor in life - Daisaku Ikeda
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From Sensei
Oct. 11th, 2008 | 12:18 am
Friday, October 10th, 2008
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
It is very important that we sincerely praise what is good
(in regards to people and society) but relentlessly denounce what is
wrong.
It is only when voices of justice and truth are clearly and
widely heard that society will dramatically change.
Friday, October 10th, 2008
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"Be resolved to summon forth the great power of faith, and
chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the prayer that your faith
will be steadfast and correct at the moment of death."
(The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life - The Writings
of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 218) Selection source:
Soka Gakkai President Harada's encouragement, Seikyo
Shimbun, October 10th, 2008
Saturday, October 11th, 2008
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
"When the times are dark and gloomy--indeed, precisely at such times--we
should advance with dynamism and good cheer. We should strive to brighten
and lift the spirits of those around us. Soka Gakkai meetings should be the
most energetic, inspiring, and vibrant gatherings in the world. If the
meetings are filled with people who are tired and listless, thinking 'Not
another meeting,' 'Not another activity,' even their applause will sound
weary. [Laughter.] Meetings in the early days of our movement were
incredibly lively, and the applause, too, was always enthusiastic and
powerful. Such meetings are energizing, and that's good for our health, too.
"Being half-hearted is such a waste. If we go around as if we're half-asleep
all the time, we can't hope to savour a life that is free of regret. Let's
forge ahead with enthusiasm and vigour!"
-- TO MY FRIENDS --
It is very important that we sincerely praise what is good
(in regards to people and society) but relentlessly denounce what is
wrong.
It is only when voices of justice and truth are clearly and
widely heard that society will dramatically change.
Friday, October 10th, 2008
--- DAILY GOSHO ---
"Be resolved to summon forth the great power of faith, and
chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the prayer that your faith
will be steadfast and correct at the moment of death."
(The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life - The Writings
of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 218) Selection source:
Soka Gakkai President Harada's encouragement, Seikyo
Shimbun, October 10th, 2008
Saturday, October 11th, 2008
---- DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT ----
"When the times are dark and gloomy--indeed, precisely at such times--we
should advance with dynamism and good cheer. We should strive to brighten
and lift the spirits of those around us. Soka Gakkai meetings should be the
most energetic, inspiring, and vibrant gatherings in the world. If the
meetings are filled with people who are tired and listless, thinking 'Not
another meeting,' 'Not another activity,' even their applause will sound
weary. [Laughter.] Meetings in the early days of our movement were
incredibly lively, and the applause, too, was always enthusiastic and
powerful. Such meetings are energizing, and that's good for our health, too.
"Being half-hearted is such a waste. If we go around as if we're half-asleep
all the time, we can't hope to savour a life that is free of regret. Let's
forge ahead with enthusiasm and vigour!"
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DK6
Aug. 15th, 2008 | 09:30 am
"The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around. What do you see?
Business people, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system, and that makes them our enemy.
You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it."
Business people, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system, and that makes them our enemy.
You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it."
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...
Jul. 23rd, 2008 | 12:30 pm
Truly practicing Buddhism isn't for the weak at heart.
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(no subject)
Jun. 14th, 2008 | 10:44 pm
Understanding this all mentally is one thing. Action is another.
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Alone
Jun. 14th, 2008 | 10:13 pm
Sitting here alone. I feel so much pain. My heart and mind ache at once. It's unbearable at some points.... And it's all a lie. It's a lie. Suffering is a lie. Why do I believe it for even a moment. It is a LIE! My mind tries to trap me. It is fundamental darkness. Arrogence. Selfishness. There is only one life. There is only one thing that matters. This life will be over in an instant and all the worries and cares we had contained in this flesh will be nothing more than a dream. What matters is our eternal unchanging self. The Buddha. That is who we really are. But I am so caught up being "Jason" and worrying about "Jason." That is not who I really am. Jason is temporary. Jason is a flash of but an instant in an eternity. I am a Buddha. This body, this mind, this heart... they all exist for Kosen-rufu. When I forget that I suffer. When I remember and act upon it, I feel joy beyond measure.
Betrayal hurts more than almost anything. Especially when what you gave in return for such betrayal was only love. How could you lie to people to make yourself look good. How could you cause disunity and put someone down who cares about you just to perpetuate your own diluded ideas. Don't you realize everyone can see right through you? And for those that don't...when they do figure out your a lier, they will be hurt even more. And for what? You know what is sad though. I know exactly why you did it. We are just alike. This is the universe showing me in you. You are my mirror. How grateful I am to the law. How grateful I am to you. Eventhough others now don't trust you and look down on you, I still believe in you. I remember when I lied too. I knew I was a good person and I saw myself doing this wrong, but I couldn't stop. I changed though and I know you will too. I am chanting for you my friend.
"Jason" let it go. Let this lesser self go. Your true self, a buddha since time without beginning is waiting for you to act with all your might for the happiness of all humanity. The only thing in the way is you. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. FIGHT!
Betrayal hurts more than almost anything. Especially when what you gave in return for such betrayal was only love. How could you lie to people to make yourself look good. How could you cause disunity and put someone down who cares about you just to perpetuate your own diluded ideas. Don't you realize everyone can see right through you? And for those that don't...when they do figure out your a lier, they will be hurt even more. And for what? You know what is sad though. I know exactly why you did it. We are just alike. This is the universe showing me in you. You are my mirror. How grateful I am to the law. How grateful I am to you. Eventhough others now don't trust you and look down on you, I still believe in you. I remember when I lied too. I knew I was a good person and I saw myself doing this wrong, but I couldn't stop. I changed though and I know you will too. I am chanting for you my friend.
"Jason" let it go. Let this lesser self go. Your true self, a buddha since time without beginning is waiting for you to act with all your might for the happiness of all humanity. The only thing in the way is you. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. FIGHT!
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I dreamed a dream
May. 31st, 2008 | 12:26 pm
I dreamed a dream...
I saw in each person I gazed upon a beauty more radiant than all the stars of the universe gathered together.
But it wasn't only me that saw it...
Everyone did.
I dreamed a dream...
That no one acted out of ego, violence, hate, mistrust, foolishness, and fear
I dreamed a dream...
That the world over people enjoyed a happiness beyond measure. That they could fully strive to fulfill their missions and dedicate themselves to something great.
I dreamed a dream...
That I gave my life without hesitation to uncover the fundamental nature of the universe... compassion
I dreamed a dream...
That my family, my friends, and everyone around me trancended all of their suffering.
I dreamed a dream...
That dreams become reality.
I woke up... and went to work...realizing that my purpose in life is to make this dream an absolute reality.
I saw in each person I gazed upon a beauty more radiant than all the stars of the universe gathered together.
But it wasn't only me that saw it...
Everyone did.
I dreamed a dream...
That no one acted out of ego, violence, hate, mistrust, foolishness, and fear
I dreamed a dream...
That the world over people enjoyed a happiness beyond measure. That they could fully strive to fulfill their missions and dedicate themselves to something great.
I dreamed a dream...
That I gave my life without hesitation to uncover the fundamental nature of the universe... compassion
I dreamed a dream...
That my family, my friends, and everyone around me trancended all of their suffering.
I dreamed a dream...
That dreams become reality.
I woke up... and went to work...realizing that my purpose in life is to make this dream an absolute reality.
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Thoughts
May. 31st, 2008 | 11:59 am
Some people go through their whole lives without ever even knowing real love. Some people never even realize that they actually don't truly love anyone. Because they can't. At least not at the moment. They are terriffied of it. I say some people, but really it's most people. It is lamentable.
Once you give your life to something, nothing can hold you back. No one can tell you to give your life to something you have to choose to. But the reality is everyone gives their life to something but only a few make a concious choice of what they give it too. Most people just do so unknowingly. As we definitely will give our lives to something...doesn't it make sense to make it our choice...and doesn't it make sense to give our lives to the highest ideal. If we don't choose then our life will be a wondering misery. We will become self-centered and wrap ourselves in the painful blanket of our own petty concerns.
I have nothing but compassion for people trapped in this cycle for it is what all human beings must go through. It is what I must go through.
Once you give your life to something, nothing can hold you back. No one can tell you to give your life to something you have to choose to. But the reality is everyone gives their life to something but only a few make a concious choice of what they give it too. Most people just do so unknowingly. As we definitely will give our lives to something...doesn't it make sense to make it our choice...and doesn't it make sense to give our lives to the highest ideal. If we don't choose then our life will be a wondering misery. We will become self-centered and wrap ourselves in the painful blanket of our own petty concerns.
I have nothing but compassion for people trapped in this cycle for it is what all human beings must go through. It is what I must go through.
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How to Unleash Your Creativity
May. 29th, 2008 | 11:22 am
In a discussion with Scientific American Mind executive editor Mariette DiChristina, three noted experts on creativity, each with a very different perspective and background, reveal powerful ways to unleash your creative self.
John Houtz is a psychologist and professor at Fordham University. His most recent book is The Educational Psychology of Creativity (Hamptom Press, 2002).
Julia Cameron is an award-winning poet, playwright and filmmaker. Her book The Artist's Way (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 2002) has sold more than three million copies worldwide. Her latest book is The Writing Diet.
Robert Epstein is a visiting scholar at the University of California, San Diego. Contributing editors for Scientific American Mind and former editor in chief of Psychology Today, Epstein has written several books on creativity, including The Big Book of Creativity Games (McGraw-Hill, 2000).
Mariette DiChristina: Let’s start by talking about what has drawn each of you to the study of creativity. What’s so fascinating about it?
John Houtz: There’s so much power in a new idea taking shape and changing the way people live and act. Often the rest of us are in awe, or we are even afraid of a new idea, and sometimes our fears spur us to learn more about it. In addition to what some academics call Big Creativity or “Big C”—profound ideas that sometimes change the world—there is what we call the “little c” type of creativity: the everyday problem solving that we all do. The bottom line is that we’d all like to be more creative. We’d all like to be able to solve our problems in a better way. We don’t like being frustrated. We don’t like having obstacles in our path.
Julia Cameron: What drew me to working on my creativity was running into a couple of bumps. I had had a blessed decade in my 20s, and then when I got to my 30s I felt thwarted. I was writing movies and selling them to studios, but they weren’t getting made. I needed to find a way to maintain equilibrium and optimism in the face of creative despair. I fought my despair with what I call “morning pages”—three pages of longhand writing about anything: “I don’t like the way Fred talked to me at the office”; “I need to get the car checked”; “I forgot to buy kitty litter.” They don’t look like they have anything to do with creativity, but in fact, as we put these worries, which are sort of a daily soundtrack for most of us, down on the page, we are suddenly much more alert, aware, focused and available to the moment. And we begin to see that we have many creative choices. As I wrote those pages, new ideas began to walk in. Over time, I began to share the morning-pages technique with other people.
Robert Epstein: My interest in creativity started in a peculiar way—while I was working with pigeons at Harvard in the 1970s. I was intrigued by the fact that they always did things I hadn’t taught them, and I wanted to know where the new behavior was coming from. I began teaching them different things systematically and then placing them in new situations and watching new behavior emerge. There was an orderly relation between what I had taught and the new behavior, and eventually I discovered principles or laws that allowed me to predict the new behavior, literally moment to moment. Eventually I began similar research with children, and then with adult humans, and found that those laws, somewhat tweaked, were still helpful. I came to believe that the creative process in individuals is orderly and predictable every moment in time. At some point I developed tests to see whether people have the competencies they need for expressing creativity, and then I developed games and exercises to boost creativity. I think that the fact that creativity is orderly is good news, because it means we can all tap into this rich potential we all have.
Cameron: I, too, have found the creative process to be teachable and trackable. I teach people three simple tools, and anyone using those tools has what might be called an awakening. They become much more alert; they become much more friendly in interacting with people—much less threatened by change.
Houtz: I think that some of the techniques Julia teaches are similar to the competencies Robert has uncovered. Perhaps, Robert, you might explain what those competencies are.
Epstein: There are four different skill sets, or competencies, that I’ve found are essential for creative expression. The first and most important competency is “capturing”—preserving new ideas as they occur to you and doing so without judging them. Your morning pages, Julia, are a perfect example of a capturing technique. There are many ways to capture new ideas. Otto Loewi won a Nobel Prize for work based on an idea about cell biology that he almost failed to capture. He had the idea in his sleep, woke up and scribbled the idea on a pad but found the next morning that he couldn’t read his notes or remember the idea. When the idea turned up in his dreams the following night, he used a better capturing technique: he put on his pants and went straight to his lab!
The second competency is called “challenging”—giving ourselves tough problems to solve. In tough situations, multiple behaviors compete with one another, and their interconnections create new behaviors and ideas. The third area is “broadening.” The more diverse your knowledge, the more interesting the interconnections—so you can boost your creativity simply by learning interesting new things. And the last competency is “surrounding,” which has to do with how you manage your physical and social environments. The more interesting and diverse the things and the people around you, the more interesting your own ideas become.
Cameron: I’ve mentioned the morning pages, which sounds like your capturing, and the second technique I teach everybody—the artist “date” or “outing,” I call it—is to take an adventure once a week, which probably involves both broadening and challenging. The third tool is to walk out the door for 20 minutes or so and see what happens to your thinking. When people walk, they often begin to integrate the insights and intuitions that they have had through morning pages and outings.
Houtz: I think if we want everyone to have a way to be more creative, we have to convey the message that they have to work at it; creativity isn’t necessarily going to come naturally. And what strikes me about Julia is her high productivity. Creative people are productive. They may have lots of ideas that don’t work, but the point is that they have lots of ideas. So if people want to be more creative—and to be effective problem solvers—they’re going to have to be disciplined like Julia is.
DiChristina: I was talking with a couple of attorneys about creativity, and one of them said, “Well, some people just have more than others, don’t they?” Could we talk about why so few people express creativity?
Epstein: When children are very young, they all express creativity, but by the end of the first grade, very few do so. This is because of socialization. They learn in school to stay on task and to stop daydreaming and asking silly questions. As a result, the expression of new ideas is largely shut down. We end up leaving creative expression to the misfits—the people who can’t be socialized. It’s a tragedy.
Cameron: I sometimes ask people to list 10 traits they think artists have. They say things like “artists are broke,” “artists are crazy,” “artists are drug-addicted” and “artists are drunk.” Doesn’t this make you want to rush right out and become an artist? We have a mythology in America around creativity that’s very, very negative. As a result, when young people tell their parents, “I’d love to be a writer,” their parents respond, “Oh, darling, don’t you think you might need something to fall back on?” We’re also trained to believe that some people are born knowing they’re artists and that they are the “real” artists, the ones who give us the Big C creativity. In other words, we have a mythology about artistry that tends to be very daunting.
Houtz: I think that comes from some of the studies of Big C creativity. When we look at individuals who have had a tremendous impact on some field, for whatever reason, they often turn out to be unstable or living a wild life—the misfits, as Robert said. That’s very unfortunate. But there also are real obstacles for creative people. Julia, you mentioned that many of your creative projects were failing at one point. People who want to be more creative have to realize that many new ideas will at first meet great obstacles. When Robert talked about “challenge,” you could read that word “challenge” in two ways. You need to challenge yourself, that’s true, but you also have to realize that the world out there—society, the audience for your new idea—will perhaps need a lot of time to get used to it and may initially not want to reward you. It’s important not to become discouraged. You have to keep at it!
Cameron: When I first gave the manuscript for The Artist’s Way to my literary agent at William Morris, she said, “Oh, Julia, no one is going to be interested in this.” So Mark Bryan and I self-published the book by photocopying it at a little communist bookstore and selling a few copies at a time. Emma Lively and I have been working for eight years on a musical that is only now getting its lucky break.
You have to put up with dry spells and keep creating in the face of them.
Epstein: When I do seminars on creativity, I teach stress-management techniques to help people cope with the rejection that goes hand in hand with creativity. You have to learn not to fear failure and even to rejoice in it. When I’m failing, I say to myself, “I’m in good company. I’m in the company of some of the most creative and productive people in the world.”
Houtz: The creative individual thinks of failure as a new opportunity: “Okay, why did I fail? What was wrong? Let me try to do something else. Let me go forward with it.”
Epstein: In the laboratory, failure also produces a phenomenon called resurgence—the emergence of behaviors that used to be effective in that situation—that leads to a competition among behaviors and to new interconnections. In other words, failure actually stimulates creativity directly. It really is valuable.
Cameron: You also need to be able to take criticism. When I write a novel, I send it to about 10 people whom I consider very trusted readers. They come back to me with their criticisms, and I write another draft. Sometimes I write as many as seven drafts of a work before it goes forward into the world.
Houtz: There’s also a stereotype that creativity is just involved in the generation of ideas. But after the ideas are generated, you then have to evaluate them, sift through them, embellish them, repair them, revise them and get them tested, which all means that the creative process is actually quite complex.
Epstein: But you’ve got to capture now and evaluate later. A big mistake people make is to start visualizing the criticism or the feedback while they’re still generating. That can shut you right down.
Cameron: Morning pages allow you to bypass the censor, because there’s no wrong way to do the pages. You just keep writing. They allow you to take risks freely with your ideas.
DiChristina: There’s another dynamic here, too, John, which I’m hoping you can speak to: the group dynamic of creativity. People often play different roles in the creative process, don’t they?
Houtz: A key factor here is personality, which has been researched extensively. Some personality characteristics seem to close off the expression of new ideas. Other personality characteristics encourage that expression.
Epstein: I’ve found that no matter what their personality, people can learn skills that boost creative output. I also doubt that there’s any real difference between the little c and the Big C types of creativity. If you write enough morning pages, now and then some Big C items have a chance of creeping into the little c list—no matter what your personality.
Houtz: We may all have the same potential or at least the potential to be better, but if we know about our strengths and weaknesses, then we can better capitalize on our strengths, and we also know what we need to work on.
Epstein: No question about that. Getting back to Mariette’s question about groups, let me give you an example of an exercise I do with people that boosts group creativity. It’s called “the shifting game.” In this exercise, half of my teams stay together for 15 minutes to generate names for a new cola. The other teams work together for five minutes, then shift out of the group to work on the problem individually, then come together for the last five minutes. Even with all the moving around, the shifting teams produce twice as many ideas as the nonshifting ones. This happens, I think, because groups inhibit a lot of creative expression. Dominant people tend to do most of the talking, for one thing. But when people shift, everyone ends up working on the problem.
DiChristina: Don’t many people believe they’re not creative at all? What can you do about that?
Epstein: Sometimes that’s a permission issue. Many of us feel like we need permission to be creative, maybe because of a teacher who shut us down when we were young—like my eighth grade English teacher! One thing I like to do with people is to give them permission to have a daydream. We all just close our eyes and daydream together. It can be quite a liberating experience. Virtually everyone has amazing daydreams and dreams, and those can be used to boost creative output. In fact, when you really start letting yourself go, you can end up with too many ideas. Your own output can overwhelm you, and you can get stuck!
Houtz: What might be some tools to help people that have the problem Robert just described?
Cameron: I have a tool that’s called “blasting through blocks.” It’s very simply sitting down with a piece of paper and writing down all of your angers and fears related to finishing a project. Sometimes they’re very petty: I’m afraid I’ll finish it, and no one will think it’s any good; I’m afraid I’ll finish it, and I won’t think it’s any good; I’m afraid I’ll finish it, and it will be good, but no one will recognize that. Just getting those reservations on a sheet of paper and maybe sharing them with someone can give you the freedom to go back to work on the project.
DiChristina: How about the idea of taking breaks to promote creativity? There’s the old adage about sleeping on something. Isn’t a lot of creativity about being mindful of those times and paying attention?
Epstein: Absolutely, but you can also be strategic about how you’re going to use those breaks. Salvador Dalí made deliberate use of his naps to get ideas for his art, for example. While relaxing on a sofa, he’d hold a spoon out over the edge and place a plate on the floor beneath the spoon. Just as he’d drift off to sleep, his hand would relax and the spoon would fall. The sound of the spoon hitting the plate would awaken him, at which point he’d grab a pad and sketch out interesting images he might have seen in the semisleep state. Thomas Edison used a similar technique to get ideas for his inventions. And the good news here is that we all experience this state—the so-called hypnagogic state. Think about how deliberate Dalí and Edison were or about how deliberate Julia’s techniques are. You don’t need to leave creativity to chance.
DiChristina: I think many people make the mistake of believing that there’s just no time to be creative, even to do something simple like paying attention to your thoughts and capturing them.
Epstein: Well, high tech is making this easier, fortunately. These days all you have to do to capture an idea is to pick up your PDA or memo recorder or even just to leave a message for yourself on your voice mail. You can even capture new melodies that way.
Houtz: This is where one’s style or various personality traits might come into play. If I’m an internal person, I might enjoy the reflectivity and the quiet time and the incubation time. If I’m an external person, I might take my strength from interactions with others in a dynamic group that’s giving and taking and making lots of noise.
DiChristina: How about fostering creativity and maintaining it in children? What tips do you have for educators and parents?
Epstein: Well, all four of the basic creativity competencies can be taught to children. But when I’ve suggested to teachers that they set aside a few minutes each week for creativity training, these days they tell me that’s impossible. This is an area where I see our society moving in the wrong direction—toward an obsession with raising scores on standardized tests.
Cameron: I think that creativity is contagious and that the best thing we can do for children is to model for them what it’s like to be a creative individual.
Houtz: There is no legitimate reason why we can’t develop more creative problem solvers from nursery school on up. There are many techniques that could be introduced into the curriculum alongside the content domains. But, as Robert said, the emphasis right now is more political than educational.
DiChristina: How might we be able to challenge our children in small ways so that we’re at least keeping creativity alive at home?
Epstein: One thing I like to do is make all problems open-ended. Never say, give me three ideas for this; always say, give me at least three. When tasks are open-ended, a lot more ideas are generated. I also like to use what I call “ultimate” problems with kids. Those are problems that have no real solutions. Children have great fun with problems like those. Ask them questions like “How could you get a dog to fly?” or “How could you make the sky a different color?” You can also supply your kids with idea boxes and folders—special places for putting drawings and poems and scraps of anything new. That encourages capturing on an ongoing basis and tells children that their new ideas have value.
Houtz: It’s also important to give children permission to make decisions rather than always making decisions for them.
DiChristina: When my children have a question that I might be able to answer, I sometimes instead say, “Why don’t we find out?” Then I guide them through a process of discovering the answer for themselves. They sometimes find amazing ways to get there. Are we leaving anything out?
Epstein: Maybe just that there’s something both humbling and exhilarating about generating a new idea. I’m looking at Julia Cameron’s eyes right now, trying to imagine the extraordinary things she’s put on paper that have never been seen before by anyone in human history. I believe everyone has that kind of potential. Imagine that.
This article was originally published with the title, "Let Your Creativity Soar".
John Houtz is a psychologist and professor at Fordham University. His most recent book is The Educational Psychology of Creativity (Hamptom Press, 2002).
Julia Cameron is an award-winning poet, playwright and filmmaker. Her book The Artist's Way (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 2002) has sold more than three million copies worldwide. Her latest book is The Writing Diet.
Robert Epstein is a visiting scholar at the University of California, San Diego. Contributing editors for Scientific American Mind and former editor in chief of Psychology Today, Epstein has written several books on creativity, including The Big Book of Creativity Games (McGraw-Hill, 2000).
Mariette DiChristina: Let’s start by talking about what has drawn each of you to the study of creativity. What’s so fascinating about it?
John Houtz: There’s so much power in a new idea taking shape and changing the way people live and act. Often the rest of us are in awe, or we are even afraid of a new idea, and sometimes our fears spur us to learn more about it. In addition to what some academics call Big Creativity or “Big C”—profound ideas that sometimes change the world—there is what we call the “little c” type of creativity: the everyday problem solving that we all do. The bottom line is that we’d all like to be more creative. We’d all like to be able to solve our problems in a better way. We don’t like being frustrated. We don’t like having obstacles in our path.
Julia Cameron: What drew me to working on my creativity was running into a couple of bumps. I had had a blessed decade in my 20s, and then when I got to my 30s I felt thwarted. I was writing movies and selling them to studios, but they weren’t getting made. I needed to find a way to maintain equilibrium and optimism in the face of creative despair. I fought my despair with what I call “morning pages”—three pages of longhand writing about anything: “I don’t like the way Fred talked to me at the office”; “I need to get the car checked”; “I forgot to buy kitty litter.” They don’t look like they have anything to do with creativity, but in fact, as we put these worries, which are sort of a daily soundtrack for most of us, down on the page, we are suddenly much more alert, aware, focused and available to the moment. And we begin to see that we have many creative choices. As I wrote those pages, new ideas began to walk in. Over time, I began to share the morning-pages technique with other people.
Robert Epstein: My interest in creativity started in a peculiar way—while I was working with pigeons at Harvard in the 1970s. I was intrigued by the fact that they always did things I hadn’t taught them, and I wanted to know where the new behavior was coming from. I began teaching them different things systematically and then placing them in new situations and watching new behavior emerge. There was an orderly relation between what I had taught and the new behavior, and eventually I discovered principles or laws that allowed me to predict the new behavior, literally moment to moment. Eventually I began similar research with children, and then with adult humans, and found that those laws, somewhat tweaked, were still helpful. I came to believe that the creative process in individuals is orderly and predictable every moment in time. At some point I developed tests to see whether people have the competencies they need for expressing creativity, and then I developed games and exercises to boost creativity. I think that the fact that creativity is orderly is good news, because it means we can all tap into this rich potential we all have.
Cameron: I, too, have found the creative process to be teachable and trackable. I teach people three simple tools, and anyone using those tools has what might be called an awakening. They become much more alert; they become much more friendly in interacting with people—much less threatened by change.
Houtz: I think that some of the techniques Julia teaches are similar to the competencies Robert has uncovered. Perhaps, Robert, you might explain what those competencies are.
Epstein: There are four different skill sets, or competencies, that I’ve found are essential for creative expression. The first and most important competency is “capturing”—preserving new ideas as they occur to you and doing so without judging them. Your morning pages, Julia, are a perfect example of a capturing technique. There are many ways to capture new ideas. Otto Loewi won a Nobel Prize for work based on an idea about cell biology that he almost failed to capture. He had the idea in his sleep, woke up and scribbled the idea on a pad but found the next morning that he couldn’t read his notes or remember the idea. When the idea turned up in his dreams the following night, he used a better capturing technique: he put on his pants and went straight to his lab!
The second competency is called “challenging”—giving ourselves tough problems to solve. In tough situations, multiple behaviors compete with one another, and their interconnections create new behaviors and ideas. The third area is “broadening.” The more diverse your knowledge, the more interesting the interconnections—so you can boost your creativity simply by learning interesting new things. And the last competency is “surrounding,” which has to do with how you manage your physical and social environments. The more interesting and diverse the things and the people around you, the more interesting your own ideas become.
Cameron: I’ve mentioned the morning pages, which sounds like your capturing, and the second technique I teach everybody—the artist “date” or “outing,” I call it—is to take an adventure once a week, which probably involves both broadening and challenging. The third tool is to walk out the door for 20 minutes or so and see what happens to your thinking. When people walk, they often begin to integrate the insights and intuitions that they have had through morning pages and outings.
Houtz: I think if we want everyone to have a way to be more creative, we have to convey the message that they have to work at it; creativity isn’t necessarily going to come naturally. And what strikes me about Julia is her high productivity. Creative people are productive. They may have lots of ideas that don’t work, but the point is that they have lots of ideas. So if people want to be more creative—and to be effective problem solvers—they’re going to have to be disciplined like Julia is.
DiChristina: I was talking with a couple of attorneys about creativity, and one of them said, “Well, some people just have more than others, don’t they?” Could we talk about why so few people express creativity?
Epstein: When children are very young, they all express creativity, but by the end of the first grade, very few do so. This is because of socialization. They learn in school to stay on task and to stop daydreaming and asking silly questions. As a result, the expression of new ideas is largely shut down. We end up leaving creative expression to the misfits—the people who can’t be socialized. It’s a tragedy.
Cameron: I sometimes ask people to list 10 traits they think artists have. They say things like “artists are broke,” “artists are crazy,” “artists are drug-addicted” and “artists are drunk.” Doesn’t this make you want to rush right out and become an artist? We have a mythology in America around creativity that’s very, very negative. As a result, when young people tell their parents, “I’d love to be a writer,” their parents respond, “Oh, darling, don’t you think you might need something to fall back on?” We’re also trained to believe that some people are born knowing they’re artists and that they are the “real” artists, the ones who give us the Big C creativity. In other words, we have a mythology about artistry that tends to be very daunting.
Houtz: I think that comes from some of the studies of Big C creativity. When we look at individuals who have had a tremendous impact on some field, for whatever reason, they often turn out to be unstable or living a wild life—the misfits, as Robert said. That’s very unfortunate. But there also are real obstacles for creative people. Julia, you mentioned that many of your creative projects were failing at one point. People who want to be more creative have to realize that many new ideas will at first meet great obstacles. When Robert talked about “challenge,” you could read that word “challenge” in two ways. You need to challenge yourself, that’s true, but you also have to realize that the world out there—society, the audience for your new idea—will perhaps need a lot of time to get used to it and may initially not want to reward you. It’s important not to become discouraged. You have to keep at it!
Cameron: When I first gave the manuscript for The Artist’s Way to my literary agent at William Morris, she said, “Oh, Julia, no one is going to be interested in this.” So Mark Bryan and I self-published the book by photocopying it at a little communist bookstore and selling a few copies at a time. Emma Lively and I have been working for eight years on a musical that is only now getting its lucky break.
You have to put up with dry spells and keep creating in the face of them.
Epstein: When I do seminars on creativity, I teach stress-management techniques to help people cope with the rejection that goes hand in hand with creativity. You have to learn not to fear failure and even to rejoice in it. When I’m failing, I say to myself, “I’m in good company. I’m in the company of some of the most creative and productive people in the world.”
Houtz: The creative individual thinks of failure as a new opportunity: “Okay, why did I fail? What was wrong? Let me try to do something else. Let me go forward with it.”
Epstein: In the laboratory, failure also produces a phenomenon called resurgence—the emergence of behaviors that used to be effective in that situation—that leads to a competition among behaviors and to new interconnections. In other words, failure actually stimulates creativity directly. It really is valuable.
Cameron: You also need to be able to take criticism. When I write a novel, I send it to about 10 people whom I consider very trusted readers. They come back to me with their criticisms, and I write another draft. Sometimes I write as many as seven drafts of a work before it goes forward into the world.
Houtz: There’s also a stereotype that creativity is just involved in the generation of ideas. But after the ideas are generated, you then have to evaluate them, sift through them, embellish them, repair them, revise them and get them tested, which all means that the creative process is actually quite complex.
Epstein: But you’ve got to capture now and evaluate later. A big mistake people make is to start visualizing the criticism or the feedback while they’re still generating. That can shut you right down.
Cameron: Morning pages allow you to bypass the censor, because there’s no wrong way to do the pages. You just keep writing. They allow you to take risks freely with your ideas.
DiChristina: There’s another dynamic here, too, John, which I’m hoping you can speak to: the group dynamic of creativity. People often play different roles in the creative process, don’t they?
Houtz: A key factor here is personality, which has been researched extensively. Some personality characteristics seem to close off the expression of new ideas. Other personality characteristics encourage that expression.
Epstein: I’ve found that no matter what their personality, people can learn skills that boost creative output. I also doubt that there’s any real difference between the little c and the Big C types of creativity. If you write enough morning pages, now and then some Big C items have a chance of creeping into the little c list—no matter what your personality.
Houtz: We may all have the same potential or at least the potential to be better, but if we know about our strengths and weaknesses, then we can better capitalize on our strengths, and we also know what we need to work on.
Epstein: No question about that. Getting back to Mariette’s question about groups, let me give you an example of an exercise I do with people that boosts group creativity. It’s called “the shifting game.” In this exercise, half of my teams stay together for 15 minutes to generate names for a new cola. The other teams work together for five minutes, then shift out of the group to work on the problem individually, then come together for the last five minutes. Even with all the moving around, the shifting teams produce twice as many ideas as the nonshifting ones. This happens, I think, because groups inhibit a lot of creative expression. Dominant people tend to do most of the talking, for one thing. But when people shift, everyone ends up working on the problem.
DiChristina: Don’t many people believe they’re not creative at all? What can you do about that?
Epstein: Sometimes that’s a permission issue. Many of us feel like we need permission to be creative, maybe because of a teacher who shut us down when we were young—like my eighth grade English teacher! One thing I like to do with people is to give them permission to have a daydream. We all just close our eyes and daydream together. It can be quite a liberating experience. Virtually everyone has amazing daydreams and dreams, and those can be used to boost creative output. In fact, when you really start letting yourself go, you can end up with too many ideas. Your own output can overwhelm you, and you can get stuck!
Houtz: What might be some tools to help people that have the problem Robert just described?
Cameron: I have a tool that’s called “blasting through blocks.” It’s very simply sitting down with a piece of paper and writing down all of your angers and fears related to finishing a project. Sometimes they’re very petty: I’m afraid I’ll finish it, and no one will think it’s any good; I’m afraid I’ll finish it, and I won’t think it’s any good; I’m afraid I’ll finish it, and it will be good, but no one will recognize that. Just getting those reservations on a sheet of paper and maybe sharing them with someone can give you the freedom to go back to work on the project.
DiChristina: How about the idea of taking breaks to promote creativity? There’s the old adage about sleeping on something. Isn’t a lot of creativity about being mindful of those times and paying attention?
Epstein: Absolutely, but you can also be strategic about how you’re going to use those breaks. Salvador Dalí made deliberate use of his naps to get ideas for his art, for example. While relaxing on a sofa, he’d hold a spoon out over the edge and place a plate on the floor beneath the spoon. Just as he’d drift off to sleep, his hand would relax and the spoon would fall. The sound of the spoon hitting the plate would awaken him, at which point he’d grab a pad and sketch out interesting images he might have seen in the semisleep state. Thomas Edison used a similar technique to get ideas for his inventions. And the good news here is that we all experience this state—the so-called hypnagogic state. Think about how deliberate Dalí and Edison were or about how deliberate Julia’s techniques are. You don’t need to leave creativity to chance.
DiChristina: I think many people make the mistake of believing that there’s just no time to be creative, even to do something simple like paying attention to your thoughts and capturing them.
Epstein: Well, high tech is making this easier, fortunately. These days all you have to do to capture an idea is to pick up your PDA or memo recorder or even just to leave a message for yourself on your voice mail. You can even capture new melodies that way.
Houtz: This is where one’s style or various personality traits might come into play. If I’m an internal person, I might enjoy the reflectivity and the quiet time and the incubation time. If I’m an external person, I might take my strength from interactions with others in a dynamic group that’s giving and taking and making lots of noise.
DiChristina: How about fostering creativity and maintaining it in children? What tips do you have for educators and parents?
Epstein: Well, all four of the basic creativity competencies can be taught to children. But when I’ve suggested to teachers that they set aside a few minutes each week for creativity training, these days they tell me that’s impossible. This is an area where I see our society moving in the wrong direction—toward an obsession with raising scores on standardized tests.
Cameron: I think that creativity is contagious and that the best thing we can do for children is to model for them what it’s like to be a creative individual.
Houtz: There is no legitimate reason why we can’t develop more creative problem solvers from nursery school on up. There are many techniques that could be introduced into the curriculum alongside the content domains. But, as Robert said, the emphasis right now is more political than educational.
DiChristina: How might we be able to challenge our children in small ways so that we’re at least keeping creativity alive at home?
Epstein: One thing I like to do is make all problems open-ended. Never say, give me three ideas for this; always say, give me at least three. When tasks are open-ended, a lot more ideas are generated. I also like to use what I call “ultimate” problems with kids. Those are problems that have no real solutions. Children have great fun with problems like those. Ask them questions like “How could you get a dog to fly?” or “How could you make the sky a different color?” You can also supply your kids with idea boxes and folders—special places for putting drawings and poems and scraps of anything new. That encourages capturing on an ongoing basis and tells children that their new ideas have value.
Houtz: It’s also important to give children permission to make decisions rather than always making decisions for them.
DiChristina: When my children have a question that I might be able to answer, I sometimes instead say, “Why don’t we find out?” Then I guide them through a process of discovering the answer for themselves. They sometimes find amazing ways to get there. Are we leaving anything out?
Epstein: Maybe just that there’s something both humbling and exhilarating about generating a new idea. I’m looking at Julia Cameron’s eyes right now, trying to imagine the extraordinary things she’s put on paper that have never been seen before by anyone in human history. I believe everyone has that kind of potential. Imagine that.
This article was originally published with the title, "Let Your Creativity Soar".
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The Greatest School in the Universe!
May. 24th, 2008 | 12:24 am
SUA. That is where I spent my day. That is where beautiful memories were made. That is where Sensei's heart lies. That is where my heart lies. That is where old friends gather to encourage one another. That is where I was inspired to an extreme. Beautiful...
I got to see so many people ... too many to name. I was so surprized that so many came from VA. Three of my wonderful mothers where there. It made me feel like home for a bit. I needed that. I got to encourage Kerry and Jesse too. I poured my life out to them. I hope I was able to make a deep imprint in their lives.
I got to ride Back with Jo Reid. Amazing. Two things she shared. First, one time Sensei is about to lead daimoku and he comes into the room and before he sits down to lead he looks back at the audience and says, "you think you have to chant a long time to change your life but you can change your life with one daimoku."
The other thing is guidance from an SGI leader. He said when you chant to the gohonzon... take your head off and pray straight from your heart. Then you will grow a new head of wisdom. Don't try to figure it out. Just chant with your hearts desire and determination.
WOW.
My friend isn't speaking to me. But it will change. I have nothing but appreciation for her.
My life is transforming and I am so grateful for it.
51 days.
Do it!
I got to see so many people ... too many to name. I was so surprized that so many came from VA. Three of my wonderful mothers where there. It made me feel like home for a bit. I needed that. I got to encourage Kerry and Jesse too. I poured my life out to them. I hope I was able to make a deep imprint in their lives.
I got to ride Back with Jo Reid. Amazing. Two things she shared. First, one time Sensei is about to lead daimoku and he comes into the room and before he sits down to lead he looks back at the audience and says, "you think you have to chant a long time to change your life but you can change your life with one daimoku."
The other thing is guidance from an SGI leader. He said when you chant to the gohonzon... take your head off and pray straight from your heart. Then you will grow a new head of wisdom. Don't try to figure it out. Just chant with your hearts desire and determination.
WOW.
My friend isn't speaking to me. But it will change. I have nothing but appreciation for her.
My life is transforming and I am so grateful for it.
51 days.
Do it!
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Change
May. 22nd, 2008 | 01:52 pm
I will transform myself and have nothing but appreciation for others. Time to let go of negativity and dedicate my life 100% to kosen-rufu.
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SGI President Daisaku Ikeda's Lecture Series
May. 22nd, 2008 | 01:51 pm
Translated from the May 29, 2004 issue of the Seikyo Shimbun,
the Soka Gakkai (Japan) daily newspaper, this article appears in the October 2004 issue of Living Buddhism magazine.
Life Is Wonderful
Dr. Salvador Santiago-Negrón, Puerto Rican Psychologist
When I met with Puerto Rican psychologist Dr. Salvador Santiago-Negrón, we agreed on the growing importance of psychology in our world, with the many things it has to teach us about human relations.
The interaction between a mother and child affords a clear example of the value of applying psychological principles in everyday life. Imagine a conversation between a mother and her three-year-old son, who is trying to cut an apple with a sharp knife.
“Put that knife down!” says the mother. “You’re going to cut your finger.”
“No, I won’t cut myself!” retorts the child.
“Yes, you will!” responds the mother angrily.
This only makes the child more determined. “No, I’m not!”
“You are, too!” shouts the mother, even angrier. “Give me the knife!”
“NO!!” shouts the child.
Then the mother suddenly remembers something she had studied in psychology—that every accusatory “you” message can be turned into a non-blaming “I” message. She pauses a moment, and then, in a tone of voice free from anger, says: “When I see you holding that sharp knife, I feel scared. I worry that you might cut yourself.”
The child looks calmly at his mother and, after she reiterates her concern, relinquishes the knife to her, without anger or argument. His mother had found a way of speaking to him that didn’t hurt his pride, that respected him as an individual, and he had responded in kind.[1]
Of course, simply finding the right way of addressing others won’t always solve life’s problems. People aren’t machines, and there is no single answer that will always work. Cultural differences also play a role, and the best methods may differ from culture to culture.
But a “you” message almost always forces its recipient into a defensive mode, shuts down the possibilities for real communication, and stirs a desire to win out over one’s opponent. Feeling that responding positively to the other person’s demand would be capitulating, we refuse to comply. That seems to be a universal tendency.
In contrast, an “I” message respects the other person. It is not an attempt to criticize and force compliance. Instead, it is descriptive: “When you do that, I feel this way. I want you to know that. How you respond to it is your decision.” Communication framed in this mode does not accuse other people of anything or try to force them to obey your wishes. It is respectful of others’ autonomy. This, I believe, is an important key to positive interactions not only with other adults, but with children as well.
The Mysterious Working of the Human Mind
When we get angry, however, we are quick to start our sentences with “you”—“You did this” or “You always do that.” At a question-and-answer session, a woman once asked my mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda, how to deal with a problem she was experiencing with her husband. He was coming home later and later from work each day, until eventually he started not coming home at all.
Mr. Toda replied to her in a kindly fashion: “Are you always picking on him and complaining when he comes home? Do you angrily demand, ‘Where were you yesterday? How about the day before?’ That is certain to make him feel bad. Instead, try welcoming him home warmly. Make him a nice home-cooked meal and, when he walks through the door, say: ‘Have some dinner. Here’s a special treat I made for you.’
“If you do that, he’ll want to come home. It may be that he doesn’t like to come home now because of how you treat him when he does. If my wife was always grilling me, ‘Where were you? Why didn’t you come home?’ I wouldn’t want to come home either.
“Tomorrow, when your husband returns from work, cook him that dinner. If you don’t have enough money, it doesn’t have to be an expensive meal, but make him some home cooking and offer it to him, with genuine warmth. Just trust me; this will work. You try it from tomorrow. When you complain and fuss and criticize, you are only driving him farther and farther away.”
I want to make it clear that President Toda wasn’t saying that the husband’s behavior should be condoned. But he knew that the woman’s real goal was not to defeat her husband. Even if she got the last word in an argument, it wouldn’t necessarily make her husband treat her any better.
Of course, the same applies when husbands have a point of contention with their wives.
Most people expend an incredible amount of energy trying to change others. We think, “If only he would change,” “If only she would stop being that way!” But in fact, trying to change others often only makes them resent us more, and it is rarely effective. Taking it one step further and criticizing or attacking others as being unscrupulous, unfair or insensitive very often makes them respond with even more of the same behavior we are criticizing.
This is true of children as well. If a mother is always shouting at her child to hurry up, the child ends up seeing himself as a slow person who can’t do things quickly enough. Once that self-impression takes root in his heart, he actually becomes slow, in a perversely self-fulfilling prophecy. This has been identified as an actual psychological phenomenon.
The best way to encourage a child to do things more quickly is just that: to encourage. Praise the child when he has completed a task more quickly than usual, and nurture the self-image in his mind of someone who can accomplish things quickly. If we tell children that they are good and kind, they will actually become good and kind.
the Soka Gakkai (Japan) daily newspaper, this article appears in the October 2004 issue of Living Buddhism magazine.
Life Is Wonderful
Dr. Salvador Santiago-Negrón, Puerto Rican Psychologist
When I met with Puerto Rican psychologist Dr. Salvador Santiago-Negrón, we agreed on the growing importance of psychology in our world, with the many things it has to teach us about human relations.
The interaction between a mother and child affords a clear example of the value of applying psychological principles in everyday life. Imagine a conversation between a mother and her three-year-old son, who is trying to cut an apple with a sharp knife.
“Put that knife down!” says the mother. “You’re going to cut your finger.”
“No, I won’t cut myself!” retorts the child.
“Yes, you will!” responds the mother angrily.
This only makes the child more determined. “No, I’m not!”
“You are, too!” shouts the mother, even angrier. “Give me the knife!”
“NO!!” shouts the child.
Then the mother suddenly remembers something she had studied in psychology—that every accusatory “you” message can be turned into a non-blaming “I” message. She pauses a moment, and then, in a tone of voice free from anger, says: “When I see you holding that sharp knife, I feel scared. I worry that you might cut yourself.”
The child looks calmly at his mother and, after she reiterates her concern, relinquishes the knife to her, without anger or argument. His mother had found a way of speaking to him that didn’t hurt his pride, that respected him as an individual, and he had responded in kind.[1]
Of course, simply finding the right way of addressing others won’t always solve life’s problems. People aren’t machines, and there is no single answer that will always work. Cultural differences also play a role, and the best methods may differ from culture to culture.
But a “you” message almost always forces its recipient into a defensive mode, shuts down the possibilities for real communication, and stirs a desire to win out over one’s opponent. Feeling that responding positively to the other person’s demand would be capitulating, we refuse to comply. That seems to be a universal tendency.
In contrast, an “I” message respects the other person. It is not an attempt to criticize and force compliance. Instead, it is descriptive: “When you do that, I feel this way. I want you to know that. How you respond to it is your decision.” Communication framed in this mode does not accuse other people of anything or try to force them to obey your wishes. It is respectful of others’ autonomy. This, I believe, is an important key to positive interactions not only with other adults, but with children as well.
The Mysterious Working of the Human Mind
When we get angry, however, we are quick to start our sentences with “you”—“You did this” or “You always do that.” At a question-and-answer session, a woman once asked my mentor, second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda, how to deal with a problem she was experiencing with her husband. He was coming home later and later from work each day, until eventually he started not coming home at all.
Mr. Toda replied to her in a kindly fashion: “Are you always picking on him and complaining when he comes home? Do you angrily demand, ‘Where were you yesterday? How about the day before?’ That is certain to make him feel bad. Instead, try welcoming him home warmly. Make him a nice home-cooked meal and, when he walks through the door, say: ‘Have some dinner. Here’s a special treat I made for you.’
“If you do that, he’ll want to come home. It may be that he doesn’t like to come home now because of how you treat him when he does. If my wife was always grilling me, ‘Where were you? Why didn’t you come home?’ I wouldn’t want to come home either.
“Tomorrow, when your husband returns from work, cook him that dinner. If you don’t have enough money, it doesn’t have to be an expensive meal, but make him some home cooking and offer it to him, with genuine warmth. Just trust me; this will work. You try it from tomorrow. When you complain and fuss and criticize, you are only driving him farther and farther away.”
I want to make it clear that President Toda wasn’t saying that the husband’s behavior should be condoned. But he knew that the woman’s real goal was not to defeat her husband. Even if she got the last word in an argument, it wouldn’t necessarily make her husband treat her any better.
Of course, the same applies when husbands have a point of contention with their wives.
Most people expend an incredible amount of energy trying to change others. We think, “If only he would change,” “If only she would stop being that way!” But in fact, trying to change others often only makes them resent us more, and it is rarely effective. Taking it one step further and criticizing or attacking others as being unscrupulous, unfair or insensitive very often makes them respond with even more of the same behavior we are criticizing.
This is true of children as well. If a mother is always shouting at her child to hurry up, the child ends up seeing himself as a slow person who can’t do things quickly enough. Once that self-impression takes root in his heart, he actually becomes slow, in a perversely self-fulfilling prophecy. This has been identified as an actual psychological phenomenon.
The best way to encourage a child to do things more quickly is just that: to encourage. Praise the child when he has completed a task more quickly than usual, and nurture the self-image in his mind of someone who can accomplish things quickly. If we tell children that they are good and kind, they will actually become good and kind.
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Notes from Sensei's Lecture Book -On Attaining Buddhahood
May. 20th, 2008 | 11:29 pm
To deny the buddhahood of others and only acknowledge their lesser self is to seek the gohonzon outside of life, outside of one's self. This is not Buddhism but a lesser teaching.
As LJ said, it does not take a Buddha or a wise person to see the weaknesses of others - any fool can do that, but it definitely takes a Buddha to bring Buddhahood (or the great strengths) of others to light and let them shine.
We can attain enlightenment in every moment or fundamental darkness in a moment it is a battle of the moments not some drawn out struggle to reach some distant place
fight for kr with the same effort and spirit as fighting to uncover own buddhahood
chant with a fighting spirit in times of suffering and with a spirit of appreciation in times of joy.
Sensei's motto: If in a single moment we exhaust the pains and trials of millions of kalpas, then instant after instant there will arise in us the three buddha bodies which we are eternally endowed. NMHRK is just such a diligent practice.
Without courage and energy...there is no true exertion. Toda: Buddhism means taking action: it means constantly striving. Youth who wish for the happiness of all humanity should first themselves seek the essence of this lofty philosophy of human revolution and exert themselves bravely and vigorously to fight and triumph over all manifestations of the three powerful enemies and the three obstacles and four devils.
The above is senseis wish. That such youth appear. -exerting oneself bravely and vigorously is truly the hallmark of the soka mentor-disciple spirit.
Daimoku is the driving force for progress, the driving force for victory. Every challenge should begin with prayer. No one is a match for those who steadfastly chant daimoku.
no matter what difficult circumstances we may face, we can break through them without fail as long as our faith does not waver. Faith is a battle against our own inner weakness. The daishonin teaches that to win in this battle, we must base our lives wholeheartedly on the Lotus Sutra, without being swayed by our own weak heartedness.
Through chanting daimoku, the causality of buddhahood comes to supplant the causality of negativity that has existed in our lives. And when we forge truly strong faith that is impervious to any attack of fundamental darkness or devilish functions, the causality for attaining buddhahood takes root in the very core of our beings.
without a solid focus on how the Daishonin actually propagated the Mystic law, any discussion of attaining buddhahood in this life time will just be empty intellectualizing. We should carefully ponder the Daishonin's words: "From the time that I was born until today, I have never known a moment's ease. I have thought only of propagating the Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra"
Toda: Attaining Buddhahood means achieving a state of being that allows us always to be reborn overflowing with a powerful life force, to fulfill our mission to our hearts content, to achieve all our goals, and possess good fortune that NO ONE can destroy."
Toda: Buddhahood means absolute happiness. Absolute happiness is to experience a state of irrepressable joy in one's life every day, in one's life at each moment.
without a challenging or fighting spirit, we cannot attain buddhahood. It is through this spirit that the causality of attaining buddhahood becomes established as a solid and shining pillar of our lives. The term fighting spirit can also be expressed in various other ways such as: the spirit of true cause, of always starting from now. The resolve to never regress in faith, the heart of a lion king, the refusal to be defeated, faith that grows stronger day by day. Thus the daimoku of NMHRK chanted with this spirit is none of than a source of infinite advance. No painful difficulty or karma is an obstacle for the daimoku of lion kings.
The daimoku of SG members struggling for KR is the same as the mentors-to achieve the great desire of the happiness of all mankind. If we forget this fighting daimoku of courageous lion kings, our daimoku will deviate from that of our mentors.
Irrespective of the obstacles we may encounter in the course of our practice, we must not retreat a single step. We must not be alarmed or startled by them. The power of the mystic law can triumph over anything. It is important to be deeply confident of this.
Fearing hardships and bemoaning and resenting our environment is to live with the belief that the law is outside our life. So is losing confidence in our ability to overcome our circumstances and turning to others in the hope they will save us, blaming others for our problems, or giving in to hoplessness and resignation.
When difficulties beset us, no matter how trying they may be, we must clearly see them for the obstacles and devilish functions they are and battle against them without retreating. This is the way of life of those who chant NMHRK and dedicate their lives to the mystic law.
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Soka Spirit
May. 20th, 2008 | 04:46 pm
It is interesting that arrogance is so easily mistaken for confidence and confidence is so easily mistaken for arrogance. The arrogant fear the confident because their very presence reminds the arrogant of their falsehood. I am learning this lesson well in dealing with Soka Spirit issues. In the end it is easy to see though who is arrogant and who is confident. The arrogant person's words do not match their actions, but the condfident person's words are completely in accord with their actions. Youth who stand up against injustice, who call it out when they see it in others also fight against it in their own lives. Their actions may seem arrogent but they are based on deep confidence in the truth of life. The arrogant however seek to put down others as a means to promote their own sense of self. They do not practice in any sense what they preach.
I realize now that in some circumstances it is important to focus on bringing out the buddhahood of others as opposed to calling them on percieved faults while at other times it is important to directly attack negativity with a great sense of compassion. This is such a challenge to do and understand when to do. I think the only way to navigate this challenge is by summoning up great wisdom through faith, practice and study.
I realize now that in some circumstances it is important to focus on bringing out the buddhahood of others as opposed to calling them on percieved faults while at other times it is important to directly attack negativity with a great sense of compassion. This is such a challenge to do and understand when to do. I think the only way to navigate this challenge is by summoning up great wisdom through faith, practice and study.
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Ok WOW!
May. 19th, 2008 | 12:23 am
This weekend is definitely in the running for one of the most life changing weekends ever. Have I mentioned I love this unbeatable practice.
First I had the most life changing breakthrough imaginable. In a moment I felt so healed, so whole, and so determined. I literally felt my life embrace the universe and the universe embrace me in turn. I felt the truth of my life. The beauty of it. And then I saw it in everyone and in everything. My ego melted away. I felt nothing but compassion for everyone in my life. I realized that all of my dreams are going to come true beyond what I even thought possible. All of them. It is only a matter of advancing along my path with faith. The impossilbe is becoming possible.
The way we grow is by doing. In New York we had a soka spirit turning point. We literally refuted the priest. This is a man who claims to follow this law... who expects others to follow him... yet he beats his wife and has been caught with prostitutes on more than a few occassions. Of course he thought he was going to get away with it. The youth of NY had other plans. We called him out. We talked to all the temple members about this injustice. We made him face it. We showed injustice that the just will not stand by silently. Consider it a warning for the future. Starting within our own lives we will stamp out injustice. History was created this weekend. No words can describe it.
I also got 3 amazing job offers. I mean it is hard to choose now. I start the first one tomorrow. Within a month I will be caught up. Within two I will have my own place. Within three I will have the capitol to get my first book out there, start my business and begin my first major pieces for my reniassance works. Within four months I will be back in school headed towards a masters and PHD. By the end of the year I will have the money to start an SUA scholarship fund. Done.
I also got some AMAZING guidance from a woman who went through the things I went through as a child. It was so amazing to hear her experience, as a woman who won in every aspect of her life through faith, and her insights into my own situation. Without a doubt enlightening and something that filled me with compassion, determination, reality, and a great confidence in the future.
As far as SGI goes. I can't even talk about the life changing things going on there. For one there are big things coming up and two more and more I see things coming to fruition. There are 15 million people in the L.A. Metro Area. How many of those people can I touch this summer?
I am getting tired so I am going to end this, but I must say most important is that I feel a total conviction that everything is going to happen without fail. It is happening. I feel so connected to the gohonzon and I see it in my prayer. For example. On three different occasions I chanted about someone this weekend and right as I was chanting about them they called or sent a message. Amazing. Anyway, I am starting to ramble. Time to study and sleep.
4 am son....
First I had the most life changing breakthrough imaginable. In a moment I felt so healed, so whole, and so determined. I literally felt my life embrace the universe and the universe embrace me in turn. I felt the truth of my life. The beauty of it. And then I saw it in everyone and in everything. My ego melted away. I felt nothing but compassion for everyone in my life. I realized that all of my dreams are going to come true beyond what I even thought possible. All of them. It is only a matter of advancing along my path with faith. The impossilbe is becoming possible.
The way we grow is by doing. In New York we had a soka spirit turning point. We literally refuted the priest. This is a man who claims to follow this law... who expects others to follow him... yet he beats his wife and has been caught with prostitutes on more than a few occassions. Of course he thought he was going to get away with it. The youth of NY had other plans. We called him out. We talked to all the temple members about this injustice. We made him face it. We showed injustice that the just will not stand by silently. Consider it a warning for the future. Starting within our own lives we will stamp out injustice. History was created this weekend. No words can describe it.
I also got 3 amazing job offers. I mean it is hard to choose now. I start the first one tomorrow. Within a month I will be caught up. Within two I will have my own place. Within three I will have the capitol to get my first book out there, start my business and begin my first major pieces for my reniassance works. Within four months I will be back in school headed towards a masters and PHD. By the end of the year I will have the money to start an SUA scholarship fund. Done.
I also got some AMAZING guidance from a woman who went through the things I went through as a child. It was so amazing to hear her experience, as a woman who won in every aspect of her life through faith, and her insights into my own situation. Without a doubt enlightening and something that filled me with compassion, determination, reality, and a great confidence in the future.
As far as SGI goes. I can't even talk about the life changing things going on there. For one there are big things coming up and two more and more I see things coming to fruition. There are 15 million people in the L.A. Metro Area. How many of those people can I touch this summer?
I am getting tired so I am going to end this, but I must say most important is that I feel a total conviction that everything is going to happen without fail. It is happening. I feel so connected to the gohonzon and I see it in my prayer. For example. On three different occasions I chanted about someone this weekend and right as I was chanting about them they called or sent a message. Amazing. Anyway, I am starting to ramble. Time to study and sleep.
4 am son....