A SHIFT IN YOUR HEART CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

A  SHIFT IN YOUR HEART CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

Importance of transforming resentment into compassion and complaints into gratitude. 

"Appreciation and gratitude increase good fortune. Complaint and negativity erase it." 

- President Ikeda 

"Complaints erase good fortune. Grateful prayer builds happiness for all eternity" 

- Kaneko Ikeda

There was a wonderful experience of a practitioner who was "working very hard" and doing everything right, BUT there was an underlying feeling of resentment and she was constantly begrudging her life . She was angry that her work was not being acknowledged and appreciated by the people around her. She kind of reminded me of a bird who charges ahead with all her might but bumps into a window each time.

We see many people who work very hard in terms of doing their duties, crazy hours of daimoku, and umpteen Gakkai activities. They have got a lot to show for it ofcourse. However, due to some stubborn cause, the relationships in their lives remain unchanged, while the bulk of the work continues to come to them, with no appreciation and people around them making their life only tougher and not easier. While this stubborn cause could very well be karma or mission, it could also have a lot to do with their attitude which had more than a whiff of resentment/arrogance/anger. 

To transform the tendency to be resentful appears to be very important. otherwise, we too could practice all our lives looking the wrong way. 

We should thus pray to:

1. Have compassion. This is key. When you bow to the image in the mirror. the image bows back to you. If you hate others, they too will revile you and detest you. You could be doing all the right things, but if your heart is not in the right place, people will respond to that negativity. Pray to transform all resentment into compassion. Pray that all positive, protective forces may enter your life and the lives of those around you as well all members. 

2. Have Gratitude. When you have gratitude for the things you have, and express gratitude frequently to those who support your life, your good fortune increases manifold.