SGI Activities outline for 2011

1. Sharing our philosophy with our friends
2.Promoting and developing discussion meetings
3.Enhancing publications and expanding readership
4.Fostering capable successors

Jazz Solo Series for Trombone- get help learning how to improvise.

The Jazz Solo Series for Trombone by Mark Vega is a great instructional tool for musicians and music students to learn or improve their improvisational abilities in the jazz - swing idiom. There are 66 examples in the book, starting at a somewhat easy level and gradually increasing in difficulty throughout the book. This book is divided into four sections: Section one, tracks 1 through 36 cover all twelve keys using 11-V-1 and 11-V-111-V1-11-V-1 chord progressions. Section two, tracks 37 through 60 cover all twelve keys using 1-V1-11-V-111-b111-11-V-1 chord progressions. Section three, tracks 61 through 66 are complete worked out solos over the chord changes to the popular Jazz standards “Stella By Starlight”, “Take the A Train” and “There Will Never Be Another You.” There are two solos for each of these three examples, an easy version followed by a more difficult one. The first version being a prime example of how to approach medium swing Jazz and the second version covering the more complex and demanding style of Bebop Jazz with its faster tempos and more difficult melodic and harmonic note choices. Section four, tracks 67, 68 and 69 are repeated choruses of the chord progressions to the above mentioned songs for extended practice. Please refer to the end of the book for a selected discography of Mark's favorite Jazz albums featuring great soloists.

Exerpt from " Discussions on Youth-For the Leaders of the Future "

This took place between President Ikeda and Soka Gakkai youth leaders in Japan in the mid 1990's.
Question .When we recite the sutra twice daily, a strong life force comes welling forth. But why is this so ?.
President Ikeda " Reciting the sutra is a ceremony in which our lives commune with the universe. As we recite the sutra and chant Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo, through our faith in the Gohonzon, we vigorously infuse the microcosm of our individual existence with the life force of the macrocosm, of the entire universe. If we do this regularly each morning and evening,our life force--or engine--is strengthened. "

Can chanting "Nam myo ho renge kyo " really change your life.

The answer is that yes it can .There is a but ;--you will get what you chant for but it probably won't be exactly what you expected .Positive and negative are human constructs which the mystic law of cause and effect does not recognise.

President Ikeda's directive that it is time to pass on the torch to our SGI Youth group should be a wake up call to us to encourage all young people to find their spiritual path.

Quote from President Toda

" I am Josei Toda ! I am a Soka Gakkai member ! I don't care what anyone says I'm proud of what I am "

2011

It's a new year and time to apply some ,or as much as possible , of what we've learned as followers of Nichiren and the SGI..Personal responsibility is what I'm working on. Accepting my responsibility for my circumstances and changing those things that no longer work for me. I have a tendency to get sidetracked by what's going on in my own little world so I'll also be working on changing that so that I can be part of the bigger picture.If you haven't checked out this site yet I suggest you do today a buddhistpod cast