Buddhability

Today we’re speaking with Asia Harvey-Wright, who goes by Harvey, about their first steps practicing Buddhism after encountering the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in 2020, during one of the darkest periods of their life. This episode is all about the courage it takes to be open to one's Buddhability. Harvey shares how, in the face of  addiction and mental health challenges, they unearth...

Today we’re talking with journalist Melissa Hirsch about how her Buddhist practice helped her navigate her career journey. This episode is especially relevant for anyone who may have a dream they are pursuing but is finding the path to get there a bit more winding than they expected. Melissa explains how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped her transform her childhood dream of becoming a journalist...

Today we’re talking about the startup journey, though this episode is filled with lessons for anyone starting anything, be it a company, a project or just a fresh path in life. Creating something new, especially together with other people, requires tremendous wisdom, courage and compassion, which are the very qualities of our Buddhability. Tushar Dadlani, of Dublin, California, shares his journey...

Today we’re talking about how to persevere on a career path when the odds are stacked against you. Mardi Tan, of Long Beach, California, shares her incredible journey to pursue a career in aviation, an industry in which less than 5% of pilots are women. Her Buddhist practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped her navigate being a woman, being out, and overcoming every obstacle that came her wa...

Today we’re talking how to move on after experiencing loss. Our guest is Hannah Jones, of Ohio, who shares how she encountered SGI Nichiren Buddhism while in high school, and how it helped her navigate the loss of her best friend—her older brother—and ultimately find her way back to her dreams. CHEAT SHEET 1:03 How Hannah started practicing Buddhism as a teenager 5:05 Her first experience chanting...

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 diffic...

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 podcast@sgi-usa.org 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 ques...

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 thro...

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 h...

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-...

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 i...

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 dec...

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 over...

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...

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/

Today we’re talking about self-love and relationships, and, specifically, how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can empower you to become the protagonist in all your relationships, whether they are romantic or family-oriented, or you just want to better how you interact with other people. Marilena Ward, of Queens, New York, shares her story today, which begins with one of the toughest periods of her li...

Consider any situation you’ve found yourself in where you felt like you couldn’t truly be yourself. Have you ever changed your behavior to fit in or impress others? On this episode, we’re talking with Brandon Poythress, of Dallas, who struggled with exactly that from a young age. When he started practicing SGI Nichiren Buddhism, he quickly discovered he was seeking approval from other people, whic...

Today we are addressing a topic that’s universally challenging in close human relationships: How do you care for someone who struggles to care for themself? What if your belief in them is greater than their belief in themself? To address these questions, we are speaking with Katie Thornber, of Los Angeles, who bravely shares a very personal journey she went through with her late father, and how sh...

Today we're tackling social anxiety, which feels like it has become ubiquitous since the pandemic began. Social interactions seem to take more energy after being physically distanced for so long. The world feels more polarized and therefore, a bit more intimidating. And then there's the real fear of social interaction.  Given all of this, the approaching holiday season and the fact that many Ameri...

Today we speak with Los Angeles-based actor Luca Manganaro, who shares his intertwined journey with acting and Buddhism and the lessons he learned along the way.  Key takeaway: what you do, especially if you’re currently pursuing a big dream or goal that seems far away, isn’t who you are. Who you are is based on what you practice every day, how you show up in relationships, how you treat the peopl...

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses trauma and attempted suicide. Today’s episode is about mental health. Our guest is Tanushree Salvi of Boise, Idaho, who started her practice of SGI Nichiren Buddhism when she came to the U.S. for school and was introduced to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo by a college roommate.  Tanushree shares the story of how she was able to take the steps to take care of h...

Today we’re talking about college: how hard it can be to decide where to go and what to pursue, and how to find your purpose while there. Our guest is Josef Gaudiesus, a football coach and high school teacher in Texas, who shares his own journey of getting into college and how beginning his Buddhist practice while there helped him find confidence, a winning attitude and a sense of purpose.  CHEAT...

Today we’re talking about family and what to do if you just can’t reconcile differences with them. Our guests are sisters Lauren and Molly Leebove from Michigan, whose intertwined stories of beginning their Buddhist practice and transforming their relationship with their parents are rich with lessons on what Buddhability looks like in a family setting. CHEAT SHEET 1:22 Quote from Daisaku Ikeda in...

Today we have a trailer for a new video that we just released: Oneness of Life and Environment Explained .  Can I actually influence what’s happening around me for the better? Do I really have control over my circumstances? At times it may seem like we don’t have much say in how our lives will go. But Buddhism teaches that people and their surroundings are interconnected. This is a key concept to...

To celebrate our 40th episode and one year since we launched Buddhability, we’re looking back at highlights from past episodes.  Reflecting on the feelings described by social psychologist Amy Cuddy and writer JillEllyn Riley in their recent article about “pandemic flux syndrome ” we consider 4 tips on how to refresh yourself if you’re feeling worn out or anxious. Episodes referenced: Episode 7: W...