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Today we’re talking about what it takes to tear down your walls if you have trouble showing up as your authentic self. Jermira Trapp, of Chicago, shares how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo has enabled her to transform painful family dynamics into fuel to show up as her most authentic self. This shift has impacted every aspect of her life, especially her work in law enforcement, where it can be difficult to be vulnerable and transcend differences. Still, she has learned to do both.

CHEAT SHEET

0:55 Introduction to Jermira

2:24 Why she wanted to join the police force

3:28 What happened when she started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

12:33 Her dream to create a harmonious family

17:13 How Jermira healed from the loss of her mother 

24:20 How she learned to be vulnerable

27:47 The impact this inner transformation has had on her work in law enforcement

32:13 Jermira’s favorite Buddhist concepts

35:48 How she sees her purpose

41:39 How she defines her own Buddhability

42:41 Advice for anyone who struggles to show up authentically in a challenging environment 

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Congratulations to everyone who completed the 31-day chanting challenge on Friday! We'd love to hear how it went, especially if you are new to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. To submit, just send a voice memo of no more than 2 minutes to [email protected] sharing your name, where you’re located, and what you feel you learned or changed through the chanting challenge. We're also always open to questions about Buddhism, which we'll try to address on future episodes. Selected voice memos might be included on future episodes, so please only submit if you are comfortable having it shared on the podcast.

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On this episode, we’re speaking with Nikolas Spayne, of Chicago, who started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo just last year, when he remembered having heard about Buddhism and decided to look it up. Like many of us, the stress of the pandemic, the constant stream of negative news and big questions about his own life and future had him seeking a fresh path forward. 

Today he walks us step-by-step through his first year of Buddhist practice. 

CHEAT SHEET

00:54 How Nikolas encountered Buddhism
8:02 Why he decided to start chanting on his own
10:41 How his mornings transformed when he started chanting
15:13 His approach to goal-setting
17:37 When he decided to reach out to the Buddhist community
21:18 What his first Buddhist meeting was like
29:39 How bringing all three elements of Buddhist practice together impacted his life
34:38 The biggest change he has experienced
38:12 His favorite Buddhist concepts
42:20 How he developed a sense of mission
47:57 How he defines his Buddhability
50:19 Advice for anyone new to chanting

References:

• You Were Born to Win, pp. 10-12

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Today we’re speaking with two friends and scientists, Tee Ponsukcharoen and Siraput Jongaramrungruang, about their intertwined journeys from studying science to practicing Buddhism together. 

Originally from Thailand, they both came to California to complete their doctorates, but along the way, they discovered a far greater sense of purpose than they could have imagined.

We cover everything from how and why they were attracted to Buddhism, how they navigated their own attachments to logic, and how concepts from physics, like relativity and string theory, connect to Buddhism.

CHEAT SHEET

1:00 Introduction to Tee and Siraput

2:34 Why Siraput started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

5:23 How he introduced Tee to chanting

10:31 The dilemma Tee faced after completing his Ph.D.

18:11 Siraput’s experience encouraging his friend

20:58 What changed after Tee started practicing Buddhism

27:16 How Buddhism enables us to see ourselves clearly

32:17 Two concepts that Buddhism and science have in common

42:25 Siraput’s favorite Buddhist quote

46:53 Tee’s favorite Buddhist quote

49:31 How Tee views his work as a scientist now

52:08 Advice for anyone who values logic over spirituality

56:35 Key takeaways from today’s episode

References Mentioned:

• The Third Stage of Life: Aging in Contemporary Society by Daisaku Ikeda
• Discussions on Youth,  p. 16
• The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 1, p. 23

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Today we’re talking about the battle with our own inner negativity, whatever form it may take: self-doubt, self-hatred, regret, worry or anything else.

Jimmy Anicet, of Boston, shares about the significant personal journey he went on during 2019. Jimmy decided to tackle his own sense of regret and self-doubt once and for all by digging deeply into his Buddhist practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Then, just a month after he arrived at a significant epiphany and things started looking up, he experienced a profound family tragedy. But this time, he decided he would use it as a catalyst for his truest happiness.

CHEAT SHEET

• 1:14 Why Jimmy started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo 
• 5:56 What changed for him and his comedy work
• 7:15 His turning point in 2019
• 11:51 How he decided to tackle his inner negativity for once and for all
• 17:18 How his Buddhist practice helped him cope with the loss of his brother
• 22:37 Jimmy’s favorite Buddhist quote
• 27:51 What his transformation allowed him to tackle next
• 29:46 How he gained the courage to be a leader
• 32:26 How he sees comedy now
• 33:45 Advice for anyone struggling with their own self-doubt or inner negativity 

References Mentioned:

• On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime: SGI President Ikeda’s Lecture Series, pp. 30-31
• Discussions on Youth,  p. 327

To join this month’s chanting journey, sign up for our newsletter here.

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Today we are talking about how to open a new path if you’re feeling stuck where you are, whether at work or in any other situation.

Our guest is Fernanda Kelly, actress, entrepreneur and TV and radio host. While her career in media has been successful, Fernanda’s childhood dream was always to be an actress. Today, she opens up about what it took for her to grapple with that dream not coming true in the way she hoped, and how she used her Buddhist practice to deepen her faith in herself and become a person of action.

CHEAT SHEET

0:57 How and why Fernanda starting chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

3:13 The first benefits she saw from her practice

6:39 The internal shift she began to experience naturally

10:24 Where her dream of acting was born

12:29 How she dealt with the struggle of achieving this dream

18:36 What steps she took to open a new path for herself

21:45 What winning means

23:54 Her favorite Buddhist concept

25:20 What she’s working on now

27:00 Her “why”

28:49 Advice for anyone who might be feeling stuck right now

29:53 How having a sense of purpose helps us unlock our Buddhability

References mentioned:

• Discussions on Youth,  p. 10

To join this month’s chanting journey, sign up for our newsletter here.

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Today we’re talking about the amazing difference that a month of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can make in your life, told through the story of Alex McClintock, of Hawaii. 

Alex is currently a diver in the Coast Guard, one of the hardest careers to train for, but his story starts in his early 20s when he felt completely stagnant. After dropping out of college and feeling increasingly lost, Alex decided to try chanting for one month, just to see what happened. He quickly realized that he didn’t value his own life, and as he took the steps to build his confidence, he changed everything.

Note: To join our 31-day chanting journey beginning January 18, 2022, sign up here.

CHEAT SHEET

1:13 Introduction to Alex

1:24 Why Alex decided to try chanting for a month

5:08 Two things that changed right away

10:04 How he decided to join the Coast Guard

12:46 What the struggle to value his life looked like

17:00 Alex’s journey through dive school

23:25 How his Buddhist practice turned him into a person of action

29:23 The struggle to pass exams after dive school

34:37 The role of the Buddhist community in his transformation

38:27 His favorite Buddhist quote

40:34 Advice for anyone who wants to value their life more greatly

References:

• “On Rebuking Slander of the Law,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 444
• The New Human Revolution, vol. 16, p. 28

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As we kick off our 31-day chanting Journey on January 18, today we are discussing how and why to make chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo a daily habit. 

Celize Christy, of Iowa, shares her own process of recommitting to her daily Buddhist practice over the last two years, as well as tips for chanting every day and what happens when you do.

Here’s the key point: In a world that can feel increasingly overwhelming and negative, it’s important to have ways we can refresh our spirit. That’s precisely what chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which Celiz calls the ultimate self-care, is for. It allows us to tap into the boundless reserves of courage, compassion and wisdom that we all have within us (in other words, Buddhability) to navigate life with confidence and self-belief. This, in turn, allows us to show up for other people as our best self. And in community, we can build a more hopeful world. 

Note: To join our 31-day chanting journey beginning January 18, 2022, sign up here.

CHEAT SHEET

1:50 Introduction to Celize

5:25 Why she decided to recommit to her Buddhist practice

10:49 What chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo does

14:15 Why she decided to make it a daily habit

24:25 What an average morning chanting routine looks like

30:05 What sustainable happiness looks like

33:36 The importance of feeling worthy and capable

41:03 What it takes to be the protagonist of your own life

44:39 Celize's favorite Buddhist quote

46:02 Practical tips for making chanting a habit

References

• Hope Is a Decision, pp. 3–5

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Today we’re exploring what the power of a daily practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can really do for you, specifically if you struggle with feelings of helplessness, anxiety or a need to control things. 

Will Moody, of New Orleans, shares his story of what Buddhism calls “human revolution,” or inner transformation, the process of tapping into your Buddhability on a daily basis to change your life and environment. After struggling with anxiety and a tendency to micromanage everyone in his environment, including himself, Will learned to replace his fear with belief in himself. Step by step, he saw his environment change profoundly.

CHEAT SHEET

1:31 Introduction to Will

1:56 How he was introduced to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and why he started

3:56 The early experiences that contributed to his anxiety

9:28 What changed when he started chanting

13:32 How he feels now

16:25 What his anxiety and need for control used to look like

22:57 How Buddhist study helped him transform his tendency

32:52 What change looked like for him

38:56 On setting intentions for relationships

45:02 What an average day looks like when you chant

50:46 Advice for anyone who is struggling with anxiety or feeling out of control

References Will mentioned:

• “Strategy of the Lotus Sutra,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 1000
• Learning From the Writings: The Hope-Filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 141
• A Foundation for Your Life, p. 65

To hear about this month's chanting journey, sign up for our newsletter here. 

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A short message to thank all of our amazing listeners and guests for a fantastic year! We’re taking a break for the holidays and will be back with a new episode on Monday, January 3. In the meantime, to sign-up for our weekly newsletter visit: https://buddhability.org/connect/