TagCreating Hope Amid COVID-19

by Swati Basu San Francisco When I lost my job in June 2020, I was forced to think outside the box amid the COVID-19 situation. I always had the dream of opening my own small business that would allow me to apply my skills and creativity. In the pandemic, I had rekindled my passion for

During the COVID-19 pandemic, SGI-USA members have been courageously sharing their Buddhist practice. And while in-person meetings have not occurred since early March, many friends of members have been joining our virtual gatherings, subscribing to SGI-USA publications and beginning to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo consistently. The following are interviews with individuals who have recently started their journey

by Lylette Primell RussellGrenada DistrictUnit Women’s LeaderNonpareil, Grenada I run a 13-acre farm on the island of Grenada, making organic cocoa together with my husband, Kim. Living in the Caribbean, we are used to natural disasters, so when we heard about COVID-19, we started preparing right away. We had to practice self-sufficiency to ensure the future of our

by Olivia Saito, Maya Gunaseharan and Ryo KurokiSGI-USA Youth Leaders At the beginning of this significant year of 2020, we, the youth of the SGI-USA, made a call to action—a cry from the depths of our beings to call forth and raise a new generation of peacemakers, who have both the philosophy and means to transform our

In light of the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the following are Ikeda Sensei’s excerpted quotes emphasizing the importance of never giving up and upholding a fighting spirit. If you win in the end, you will have won in everything! Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda would often say to me: “An impasse

This Is a Teachable Moment As a hospital care investigator, I ensure that each person who comes to our hospital can be admitted without hindrances due to insurance or payment issues. The hospital climate, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, is mixed. Some days people operate with fear, and other days they are more cheerful. Because

by Naoko LeslieSGI-USA Women’s Leader With the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, our lives as parents have drastically changed—kids have no school, and they are home! In my household, pillow fights have become a daily routine between our teenage daughter, Miki, and second-grade son, Nobuki. Playdates with friends take place via FaceTime, and their teachers began online

by Minoru HaradaSOKA GAKKAI PRESIDENT TOKYO, April 10—Japan, where until recently we hoped that we would contain the spread of COVID-19, has now entered into a state of emergency, facing a surge in the number of confirmed cases and redoubling its efforts to save precious lives. In these most difficult times, on behalf of the Soka

by Vernard Sharif FennellNEW ORLEANS “As long as we look at our situation with only ordinary reason, there won’t be the slightest chance for us to win. But [Nichiren] Daishonin tells us plainly that the Gohonzon has infinite power. The only question is whether or not we believe him. If we think that we are really

by Joey ToroTreasured Islands Region Men’s Leader Maui, Hawaii About a month ago, we suspended operations at our family reupholstery business in Maui, Hawaii, due to the spread of COVID-19. In light of the situation, my mom, sisters and co-workers decided to use our equipment to make face masks for our family and neighbors. My

by Larry SingerHudson Heights District Men’s Leader New York When I was a youth, I heard so much encouragement from SGI President Ikeda about Nichiren Daishonin’s treatise “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land”—a key point being that it’s not the land that is impure but rather the hearts and minds of the

Zoom-Fie from SGI-USA on Vimeo.

In a 2013 TV interview, Fred Rogers, the creator and host of the iconic preschool television series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, shared that when he was a boy and a tragic event occurred, his mother would say, “Look for the helpers.” It’s important to do so, he said, “because if you look for the helpers, you’ll

The World Tribune spoke with SGI-USA members who are medical professionals involved in the front-line response to the COVID-19 crisis to learn about their work and how they’re using their Buddhist practice to navigate through this critical time. Awakening the Bodhisattva Life Condition by Victoria Smith SGI-USA Doctors’ Division Women’s Leader Associate Medical DirectorKenner, La.

by Adin Strauss SGI-USA General Director Many SGI members, especially those of us who’ve been practicing Buddhism for many years, have studied about the “protective forces” that we can summon through our practice. The “forces” we speak of are nothing other than the power of the Buddha and the Law that exist within our lives

SGI President sent the following encouragement as part the essay, “Winter Always Turns to Spring,” published in the March 11, 2020, Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper. Leer en Español The medical profession and society as a whole in Japan and around the world are making great efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus

In consideration of the health and well-being of SGI-USA members amid the continued spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), all organizational meetings and home visitations are suspended until further notice. Furthermore, all conferences from March 13 to June 1 at the SGI-USA Florida Nature and Culture Center are cancelled. Members are encouraged to use this