The Power of Chanting - Martin’s Experience
Martin Mercer
I was first introduced to this practice in 2006 by my wife. In a way though, I was ready for it many years before as I had no belief in other religious concepts - indeed organized religion as a whole was not my cup of tea. After attending a friend of my wife’s Buddhist meeting and going to the temple as a guest, though at first uncomfortable, I started chanting the words Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
The idea of chanting appealed to me and the discipline of practice I personally found rewarding. As we practiced together, the bond between my wife and I grew stronger. After a while of practicing, I made two choices, one to marry my then girlfriend, and two to become a member of Nichiren Shoshu.
“Chanting regularly, much like physical exercise, caused change.”
We decided to get married at Myohoji Temple in West Hollywood and had a lovely ceremony. The ceremony strengthened the bond of marriage and the cause and effect of one’s own behaviour within a partnership. Chanting regularly, much like physical exercise, caused change. To take action by chanting, to make the sound, cause and effected change within and without. This is what I found difficult at first, to open and release the chant out loud! As an Englishman, it was quite traumatic.
I’m glad I overcame my reluctance because this practice is powerful. For example, when I told my Dad, in the UK, that Sal and I would be marrying in our Temple, Dad and Mum were not happy as my family is of a Jewish background and I was the only son. My father, in particular, found it difficult to accept but we continued to chant. In the end, we managed to get my parents to see how happy Buddhism made us, all without a single argument or ill feelings. We had our temple ceremony and also a simple one in the UK. Both went splendidly and everyone was happy.
Fortuitously, we managed to pay for both weddings as work appeared just in time before the wedding. I went on location to do film work for 5 months and was even able to bring my fiancé up to Montreal for a break during the time she was back in the US prepping and arranging things. Over time, I even noticed a change in my career as the film world opened up and I found my place within it. Although I’ve been in “the business” for over 30 years, I finally found a comfort and appreciation, and an attitude change within myself.
While I have experienced many benefits from chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, an amazing experience that certainly solidified my dedication to continued practice, and illustrates the power of chanting is the birth of our son. It was tough, my wife had caught the flu in her eighth month of pregnancy and whilst coughing so badly had apparently torn the amniotic sac, which we found out on a routine checkup at the hospital. We expected to leave and go to a café for a coffee; however, the doctor informed us that my wife would be having an emergency C-section in two hours’ time!
“Again the power of chanting I believe brought us through.”
I raced back home, got stuff for her and got our prayer beads. Back at the hospital and in scrubs, I followed my wife into surgery and holding her hand and our beads, we started chanting. Yes, it was in a Catholic hospital, but we chanted all through the "beep beep ...oh we are losing her...beep beep" until finally a sharp waa! Waa! And there a tiny 4 1⁄4 pound baby boy, bright red, was presented to us. He’d had a steroid shot to get his lungs going. Again the power of chanting I believe brought us through. Our son could have died, and my wife could have had serious complications, but we were in an excellent hospital, our baby had superb care and fortunately I had health insurance coverage. With our son, opportunity has come our way such as finding a good pre-school, then finding a good public school with teachers that have helped him.
As we continued to practice, we were able to go to Japan for our first Tozan, where you stay at the Head Temple and chant to the Dai Gohonzon, the actual inscribed object of worship (Nichiren Daishonin’s enlightened life and the embodiment of the original infinite Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo). All these experiences have allowed us to see the power of consistently chanting, not to focus on the invisible, but to see within ourselves the causes and effects that can change not only our lives but all our lives on this earth.