One of the first things that caught my attention when I visited IOBT in 2002 was the  Buddhist teaching of interconnection, the insight that none of us is ever really alone. My life today is only possible because of those who came before me. And what I do  today makes a difference. My choices affect my life, the lives of people around me, and  the people who come after me. Obon season is a great time to reflect on this interconnection. Our annual Obon rituals  matter because help us see first-hand that our community does really include people  from the past, present, and even future. Visiting cemeteries reminds me that my life is  the way that it is because of all these people. People buried in these graves, both  marked and unmarked, made my life possible. They created the communities, the  churches, the schools, the railroads, the parks, the farms and the businesses that  nurtured us as we were growing up, that continue to support us now, a...

In Appreciation for My Right Hand (or What Else Have I Taken for Granted?) by Rev. Kathy Chatterton “We don't appreciate what we have until it's gone. Freedom is like that. It's like air.  When you have it, you don't notice it.” --Boris Yeltsin (President of Russia) This quote from Boris Yeltsin applies to my situation with my right hand. I  am right-hand dominant, and I didn’t appreciate that right hand until I was "attacked"  by an uneven sidewalk, sending me to the concrete in October 2025.  Image:     Broken Sidewalk to illustrate the dangers of walking (but not the actual sidewalk that Rev. Kathy fell on...)  Photo credit: Emilio Garcia  @piensaenpixel  Two months passed before an MRI revealed that the problem with my right-  hand pinkie finger was an ulnar dislocation in the wrist. Since I was going back-  and-forth from Phoenix to Boise, it was difficult to coordinate medical attention. My Boise provider was reluctant to reco...

  Assistant Ministers Message: “Learning from our Sangha/Buddhist Community”   By Rev. Anne Spencer        Buddhism emphasizes the importance of the “3 Treasures” that support Buddhists on our spiritual path.   The 3 Treasures are 1) “Buddha,” a fully enlightened being dedicated to helping others become enlightened,   2)   “Dharma,” the fundamental nature of reality, and 3) “Sangha,” people who share the Buddhist path with us.        In many Buddhist traditions “Sangha” refers specifically to ordained monks/nuns who follow very strict rules (including not marrying or eating meat).   But in Jodo Shinshu (the form a Buddhism that we follow at IOBT) we use the word “sangha” to refer to pretty much anyone—near or far--who participates in temple services and activities with us.        So to us the Buddha is fully enlightened , and the Dharma is ultimate truth , while ...

       Most of you are aware that I am currently recovering from surgery to repair  a dislocation of a bone that connects my pinkie finger to a wrist bone. I initially  (and mistakenly) thought my pinkie finger was turning the wrong way because of  swelling in my hand, but the pinkie continued to look odd after several weeks had  passed. There were shooting pains down the side of my hand, too, so I thought  there might be something else going on. The dislocation was not detected until I  had an MRI in December. Almost 5 months had passed since the dislocation, so the  fix required more than putting the bone in place. Scar tissue needed to be cleaned  up, and the bone needed two pins to hold it secure in the correct position. I had the  surgery done in Arizona since that is where my caregiver, my husband Bob, would  be. I knew I would need help since my right hand was affected. The first two  weeks after surgery I...

Lovingkindness By Rev. Anne Spencer You may be familiar with the Metta Meditation, which expresses our loving kindness toward all living beings. When we held our pet memorial service at the temple in February, we included a version of the Metta meditation as the final slide of our pet appreciation slide show: May all beings be well May all beings be happy May all beings be loved May all beings prosper Metta reflects the Buddhist understanding that all beings regardless of size, shape, lifespan, or intelligence should be treated with kindness and respect. Buddhist teachings grow out of Hinduism. Both traditions share an understanding of the world that involves rebirth or “reincarnation.” In this view, when any being dies it is reborn in another form. The form it is reborn in depends on the karma (the positive or negative energy) it has created by its actions in past lives. If it has lived a good live—being kind, patient, and generous—it will be reborn as a “higher” animal. But if it has...

November brings thoughts of Thanksgiving. What are we grateful for? It’s easy to say family, friends, our home, having food on the table. What happens when we change our view and look at the things we might not consider as something to be grateful for?  For example, we had a fire at our temple in 2022. The fire wiped out our basement and its contents. Smoke damage permeated the main floor rooms, hondo and onaijin. Such an event doesn’t seem like anything to be grateful for. However, as we look around our temple today, we see upgrades andrenovations that have made this temple a building to be proud of. These projects were needed, but would have been put off for the future. We can be grateful for the disaster clean-up crews, contractors, donors, volunteers, and Mike Iseri. Out of the disaster rises a reinvigorated temple. Another example is that I had a series of unfortunate events during the last month. I am going to try to find something to be grateful for amidst the chaos. Hopeful...