Episode 7 - Changing Family Karma
This episode is an interview with Dona Levis who recently moved from Long Beach, CA back to her hometown of Toronto, Canada. Dona shares her experience with the long term and generational effects of war and violence, and changing the dynamics of family karma/relationships.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Episode 7 was so powerful and moving. I am so encouraged. Good luck Dona! And, thank you Buddhainthehood.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:08 am
It’s amazing how long you can know someone for so long and not know certain details of his or her life. I’m so happy that I was able to hear Dona’s powerful story and it gives me a better insight into why she is such a strong woman. Thank you Dona and Buddhainthehood for sharing that story and I’m sure that at least one if not many others have been moved by this story.
July 26th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Very happy that Dona is coming back to Toronto, I am an SGI member in Toronto, maybe one day I can meet Dona.
I am listening to the podcast as I type this comment, but I believe this podcast with dona will answer my questions about my current relationship.
Dona if your in town and want help getting to SGI toronto feel free to email me.
July 26th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Hey, it is great to hear you from Japan and it was great to see you at my concert at Soka University of America. I’m back now in the intense heat and humidity of Japan and it good to hear my friends from California and see the comments from my old SUA alumni and a McKenzie, wow I used to drive to Junior Pioneers with Brandon’s parents back in the 70s.
It’s a small cyberspace world!
Peace, Timothy Harada (formerly VanCampen-Gianakos)
September 8th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Thank you, Buddhainthehood, for capturing Dona’s evolution and determination before she went to Toronto. I know she wants to encourage family revolution (and does beautifully), but the aspect of her determination that captivates me is how she grew her courage to say “no” to someone who is dangerous and trusted that by doing so she was her own best “shoten zenjin” (the protective functions of the universe, AKA the Buddhist gods). Her Buddha nature is her power to say “no” and survive. Her experience is the reason I continue to reach out to women whose pattern is to feel and be out of control of their own lives. Her survival of an attack on her life is a pure example of the kind of protection I have witnessed once a woman begins to chant and especially does so during an attack. It’s slow work to continue to support women while they change their environment so they can begin to perceive the choices they make and their reasoning, but it’s how we reach world peace, one person at a time. I appreciate so much hearing one more experience that chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the single sure key for women who seek to get control of their lives and be safe and protected. Additionally, I’m extremely grateful that you raised the issue of post traumatic stress, particularly for returning war survivors, for their minds are trapped in the world of hell. I would like to hear from one of them who has used their Buddhist practice once they return home to expiate symptoms. I wish Dona all the best in her new life and hope she weighs in here to tell us how she’s doing.