From SGI USA, I'm Cassidy Bradford, and this is bootability.

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.

Whether you've been chanting for 15 years or haven't even tried it yet, we all have a unique

story to tell about how we first heard Namyo Hōden Ge Kyo. Some of us learned about

Buddhism through a family member or friend. Others sought it out through books or podcasts like Butability.

A few weeks ago, we asked you, our listeners, to share why you first started chanting

Namyo Hōren Gai Kiao. I've got to say, listening to everyone's voicemails was really fun.

We heard from folks from all across the U.S. and even some internationally.

Some of you tried chanting to address your unhappiness or anxiety. Others were seeking a more

fulfilling life. If you're listening today and considering whether you should give it a try,

hopefully these listener stories will give you a sense of what it's like to start, because it can sometimes be intimidating to explore Buddhist practice.

You might not know what to expect or have questions about chanting.

One of the common themes throughout all of the calls

was that folks decided to just give it a shot and see what happened.

But they can tell you their own story

way better than I can. So here are a handful of stories we received. Hi, my name is Debbie. I live

in Lewiston, Idaho. I started practicing in 2015, thanks to my son, who introduced me to this practice.

I started practicing because I was really, really miserable in my life.

Everything was out of control.

And this practice helped me put things back into perspective and find myself again.

Hello there. My name is Christopher and I reside in Honolulu, Hawaii.

I started chanting years ago before I actually became a Buddhist.

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