Buddhability

With college decisions trickling in, we're airing a rerun of a May 2024 episode about college rejections. When Ashley Park didn’t get into her first choice colleges, she was stuck in New York City balancing a jam-packed schedule. Buddhism teaches that everything moves in the direction of our happiness when we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. With that in mind, Ashley knew there must be a reason and used...

Chip Grossman, of Santa Monica, always thought spirituality and business were opposing goals. It wasn’t until he encountered SGI Nichiren Buddhism that he realized their deep ties. Today, Chip shares how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped him develop the courage and strength to go after his goals and build unshakable happiness. View today's episode on YouTube . Resources: The New Human Revolution...

Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Today, we’re talking about life milestones and feeling left behind.   To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at connect@buddhability.org     Episode Mentioned: How I Beat Burnout Seeing Beyond My Complaints and Problems   Resources: Discussions...

Life can’t always go according to plan. So, what do we do when things change? Buddhist practice helps us to be flexible and turn everything into an opportunity for deeper happiness.    Today’s guest, Camryn Snowden, of Oklahoma, navigated a big life change that helped her see that she could expand her capacity rather than compromising her dreams.   Resources: The New Human Revolution, vol. 20, p....

Daily life throws a lot at us. When our state of life is low, it can be easy to get wrapped up in complaint. Buddhism teaches that caring for others helps us see beyond our problems, having a more expansive view of our lives with deeper appreciation and happiness.   Today’s guest, Daeseon Kim, of Queens, N.Y., shares how tying his dreams to a deeper purpose helped him move to the U.S. and advance...

What happens when you’ve failed at your goal… more than once? Today’s guest, Ayumi Sasaki, of Detroit, had a big career goal that took two years and many attempts to accomplish. We discuss how her Buddhist practice and community helped her develop the ability to pick herself back up and keep going until she reached the finish line.   Resources: Discussions on Youth, p. 24.  The Wisdom for Creating...

Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Today, we’re learning how Buddhism can help us in relationships and love.   To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at connect@buddhability.org     Episode Mentioned: On Self-Love and Relationships   References: Discussions on Youth, pp. 60–67.

When we want others to change, we’re at the whim of our environment. One moment we’re happy with their actions and another we’re upset with something they said. Buddhism teaches us that when we work on our inner transformation our environment, including people, reflect that. Today’s guest, Emma Grover, of Oakland, shares how developing herself helped her believe in her family. Resources: Living Bu...

Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Today, we’re talking why SGI Nichiren Buddhists chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo every day.   To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at connect@buddhability.org     Episodes Mentioned: How Connecting with People Enhanced by Self Care Mastering Your Da...

We might have a laundry list of regrets but we don’t have to let them determine our lives today or tomorrow. Today’s guest, Jesse Thompson of Columbus, Indiana, shares how he used his Buddhist practice to overcome shame and create the future he’d always dreamed of. You can also watch the video version of today's episode on our YouTube Channel .    Resources: The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol...

Buddhist practice empowers us to positively impact our environment. Amber Owens, of Anniston, Alabama, uncovered a deep sense of purpose in revitalizing her hometown’s art culture. Today we’re talking about how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helps her continuously return to her “why” when the path to her dream gets rocky. Today’s episode is also available in video format on our YouTube Channel .   R...

In today’s Short, we talk about how to do the thing we’ve said we would do for days, months or years. Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Resources: Discussions on Youth , pp. 98, 262, 395. The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace , part 2, revised edition, pp. 5, 103. The Writings of Nichiren Daishoni...

We all have narratives we tell ourselves about what is possible for our lives. Today’s guest, Jackie Alexander, of Chicago, shares how she overcame limiting beliefs about the kind of student and person she was. We discuss how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo about everything from housing, to money, to graduate school led to Jackie’s newfound self-confidence. Today’s episode is also available in video...

Thank you for an incredible year! Today we’re reflecting back on Buddhability’s 2024 guests and some things we’ve learned from them. We can’t wait to show you what we have planned for 2025.   Reach out to us any time at connect@buddhability.org to get connected to a local Buddhist community or ask questions.

With so much to learn about Buddhist history, it can be hard to know where to start! This month, we’re doing a short series covering Buddhist history. Today’s episode is about how the Lotus Sutra and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are practiced today. Online Articles: About Our Community Living The Lotus Sutra Engaged Buddhism Books: Waking The Buddha The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Series Reach out to us at c...

With so much to learn about Buddhist history, it can be hard to know where to start! This month, we’re doing a short series covering Buddhist history. Today’s episode focuses on the origins of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhist philosophy and the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Online Articles: Buddhism Reaches the Shores of Japan The Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin Daishonin’s Life and Legac...

With so much to learn about Buddhist history, it can be hard to know where to start! This month, we’re doing a short series covering Buddhist history. Today’s episode covers the early history of SGI Nichiren Buddhism. Online Articles: The Humanism of The Lotus Sutra Buddhist Lineage Books: The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras The Living Buddha The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Series The...

Today’s guest, Bora Colak, is a psychiatrist in Brooklyn who struggled with depression for years after graduating from Harvard. When he started to practice Buddhism, something changed deep in his life. Bora shares the story of how he navigated depression, became a psychiatrist, and now uses Buddhism as the foundation for everything in his life.   Today’s episode is also available in video format o...

Self-worth is tough to cultivate when we look to others for validation. One moment we’re flying high, then one harsh word sends us spiraling. Today’s guest, Nikki Gonzalez, of Oakland, shares how her Buddhist practice helped her shift from a life consumed by the opinions of others to one based on a deeply held belief in her infinite worth. We talk about how Buddhist concepts helped her change the...

Do you feel overwhelmed and exhausted? In today’s Short, we talk about how to refresh yourself when you feel pulled in too many directions. Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Resources: Sept. 13, 2024, World Tribune, p. 10. May 21, 2021, World Tribune , p. 3. The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace ,...

What does it look like to have a fulfilling career? While no one can tell us the best life path for us, Buddhism offers a clear framework for understanding how to live with meaning and purpose. Today’s guest,  Paige Asawa of Los Angeles, shares her story of becoming an art therapist and how Buddhism helped her understand how to find a fulfilling career.   oday’s episode is also available in video...

Sometimes we may wish the people around us were different. Today’s guest, Brigid Perry of Boston, shares how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo honestly about her feelings toward her family helped her make a fundamental shift in the way she views them.    Today’s episode is also available in video format here .   References: The New Human Revolution, vol 1, pp. 173-4. Living Buddhism , June 2024, p. 5....

We have a very special episode of Buddhability! You can listen as usual or watch the video on YouTube .   Today’s guest, Orlando Bloom, sits down to discuss how his Buddhist practice has informed everything from his breakout role as Legolas in the Lord of the Rings to how he confronts his limitations in his new show To The Edge.   Orlando shares insights he’s gathered throughout his life since enc...

Ariana Jaramillo, of Santa Cruz, started experiencing panic attacks in high school. Right around that time, she started to regularly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Today, she shares how practicing SGI Nichiren Buddhism has helped her remain undefeated by anxiety and depression. We talk about what it looks like to chant daily, study Buddhism and apply it to your life.    References: The New Human Revol...

In today’s Short, we’re breaking down the Buddhist mantra Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and explaining how to chant it step-by-step. By the end of the episode, you should feel confident trying it out yourself!   Helpful Resources for Chanting: How to Start Your Buddhist Practice Learn How to Chant (Video) Ways to Enhance Your Chanting Reach out to us at connect@buddhability.org to get connected with a Buddh...