From SGIUSA, I'm Cassidy Bradford and this is Budability.

The weekly series where I talk with Buddhists from all walks of life about the power we each have to change our lives and the world around us.

It's not whether you get knocked down, but whether you get up.

You've probably heard that saying or some version of it many times.

But what if you've been knocked down five times?

You might start to wonder whether getting back up is even worth it.

How many times is too many times to fall?

That fierce determination you once had has now all but vanished. You might feel like you've

given it all you've got. Chanting Namyo Hōden-Ga-Kyo can serve as the fuel we need to pick

ourselves back up again.

There have been so many times that I start out chanting, feeling like something is impossible.

But as I chant, this hope starts to well up in me.

I feel more confident in myself.

I think if I can get back up the last five falls, I can get up again for the next five more,

or hopefully just one more.

Today's guest, Ayumi Sasaki of Detroit, deepened her conviction in her life through getting up after many painful falls.

We talk about how our Buddhist practice and community were the two things

that helped her finally achieve a goal two years in the making. Welcome to Budability, Ayumi.

I'm very happy to have you here. Just to get things started, I always have guests

introduce themselves so you can just share a little bit about who you are and your life growing up.

Okay, yeah, thank you for having me. So hi, everyone. My name is Ayumi Sasaki. I am 26 years old,

and I currently live in Detroit, Michigan.

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