NOTE: This article was co-written by Georgette I. Magnin and Rev. Kathy Chatterton IOBT started its “satellite” pilot program in 2011 for Sangha members in Boise. We met  at the First Congregational Church on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 pm and connected with many  Treasure Valley Dharma friends at those in-person gatherings. Then the pandemic happened, and  in 2020, we had to end our in-person meetings and moved to Zoom meetings.  The new format allowed us to connect with new Dharma friends  from Seattle, Port Townsend, and Florida and stayed in contact with several of Boise folks  . At our December of 2024 we talked about a good cry,  the benefits of tears, and songs that were meaningful to us. Our Dharma friend, Georgette, shared  the following thoughts on songs and especially a song about the carousel of life that provides a  starting point for us as we begin a new year (and another ride on the carousel): Georgette writes:  “This is ano...

A guest message by Keith Hopper Novice Buddhist Meets Subtle Mechanical Teacher—Insights Delivered with a Wink  Buddhism, a vaguely mysterious element of my childhood, happily included Sansei friends.  Their parents were kind, there was a sense of order in their homes and cool machine shops,  and an atmosphere of gentle welcome. Fresh pillowcases when I slept over; waves and smiles  from the fields, always in the fields in rubber boots. As I considered the IOBT online sangha, I parted with a precious Inspiration Yellow Thunderbird  named "Tweety." Well-kept and hard-driven, it was time. Getting in and out became a challenge  and a spectacle. In Tweety’s absence, my heart longed for one thing—a Japanese kei (small)  truck. My son "diplomatically" conveyed concern and asked about my meds; my daughter was  relieved I didn’t buy the hearse (lovely, elegant, with good cargo capacity). Why? Just look. When I park in a row of Corvettes, Mustangs, and mas...

New Year's Bingo will help you focus on what is most important as you move into a new year.  Print off more than one card and play with friends and relatives! Say "Goodbye" to 2024 and say "Hello" to 2025  in style!

  NOTE from Rev. Anne Spencer: We always enjoy sharing insights and experiences from our diverse IOBT community. This month we are happy to share a reflection from Keith Hopper. Although Keith now lives in Florida, his early years were spent in Vale, Ontario, and parts of western Idaho. He graduated from Ontario High School. In 2022 he received a tip from a friend about our twice-monthly Tuesday evening online discussion groups and he decided to join us.  He has been a regular at our meeting ever since. Let us know if you would like to join us too! "The medium is the message" was a familiar twentieth century adage. Enigmatic, separated from its context and author (1960s Canadian communication theorist Marshall McLuhan), it was claimed by academics, promoters of all sorts, and also politicians, television preachers and other dubious sages. It has a ring to it and seemed to apply to our world, likely did, but as something of a koan . The exact meaning is fuzzy. On advic...

   My mother, Chistine (AKA "Aunt Chris" or “Ma”), died in January of 2022 at the age of 90. We were finally able to hold memorial service for her last month at the Presbyterian church in Washington that she had been a part of for more than 50 years. Ma was a kind and accepting person and, although she raised me Christian, she supported and encouraged me on my path to Buddhist ministry.   She attended the Buddhist temple with me whenever she had a chance and also came to several NW District Conventions. Ma loved meeting and talking with everyone .   One of my happy memories of one convention was how much she enjoyed listening to, and getting to chat with, Taitesu Unno—she never forgot him.   For my message this month I wanted to share the reflection I delivered at my mother’s memorial service. Photo: Ma loved to go camping!  This picture was taken on a camping trip to celebrate her 88th birthday A Remembrance of Ma Ma was born in 1931 in Petersburg Alask...

  NOTE:   In this is a special guest article by temple member and friend, Linda Tanaka who lives  in North Idaho, reflects on interconnection and all the relationships, causes, and conditions that make life in the country possible. Greetings from North Idaho or as my brother, David, calls it ‘the wilderness’.   Our fall season was short lived.   Snow arrived before Thanksgiving and didn’t let up until Christmas.   We were doing snow management for days in a row.   Toss in having to buy a new snow blower before Christmas and a low of -24 degrees [that’s “minus”] with frozen pipes, Winter 2022 will be one to be remembered. Are you wondering how a person born and raised in the Eastern Oregon desert then 30+ years in Northern California could end up about 6 miles from the Canadian border?   That’s a long story but I will give you the condensed version.   My husband, Vic Cherven, is a geologist with extensive knowledge of California geology ...

A special guest article by temple member and friend Melody Smit During November’s BWA memorial service (which I was able to attend remotely by Zoom from my new home in South Carolina) I was reminded of so many wonderful memories and ladies that I love in the temple and the many Nisei ladies that were so wonderful to me.   They took me under their wing, showed the ins & outs of temple life, and made it possible for me to be a true member of IOBT. Photo: Several of our Buddhist Women's Association Members with Rev. Dennis taken in 2016 During the BWA memorial service, when our guest speaker, Rev. Melissa Opel  of the Spokane Buddhist Temple   spoke of the importance of sharing and keeping alive the memories and connections we have with one another, it prompted me to think of my early days in the temple when I was new to the tradition, coming to services and meeting new people. And I wanted to share a few of these memories with you.   I have such fond memories of S...