Editor's Note:   In this guest blog Melody Smit, a long-time resident of Idaho and member of IOBT, shares her thoughts on Buddhism and her recent move to South Carolina I am so pleased to be writing to you but I do not come to you as a minister's assistant or a scholar of Shin Buddhist teachings, but as a fellow member of Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple (IOBT) who would like to share with you some of my thoughts and experiences.  Some of you may know that I recently moved from Southwestern Idaho--where I enjoyed membership at IOBT--to South Carolina.   I know what you must be thinking, “why?”.  Well it has to do with long term retirement plans that would not work out in the cold winters of SW Idaho, and as beautiful as the Treasure Valley is, the Midlands of South Carolina are just at beautiful, albeit very different.  I can ride my horses all year long in relative comfort, that is a big plus, I don’t have to deal with dust and mud, and I still can’t get used ...

Registration Q&A 1) How do I register for the Convention Email mikeiseri@fmtc.com   or  info@iobt.org  with name.  Payment can be made at  iobt.org  with the donate button on the right, noting that it's for convention.  2) What do remote registrants need to provide us in order to receive the link to the convention website?   Is there a deadline for online participants?  Best to  register at least 2-3 days prior.  Last minute may work  but I don't want to depend on it. 3) Is there a deadline for meal orders?   7 days ahead is best.  Any less and there may be problems ordering more of some ingredients.  If you prefer vegetarian, please note that when you email Mike 4) Do I need to register for Rev. Jerry Hirano's Intro to Buddhism talk and the Sunday closing service?  The plan will be to have these available from a link on our website--no need to register 5) Anything else? Not really.  ...

               Thanks for your consideration in attending the 75th Northwest Buddhist Convention September 16-18,  whether you are in person or virtual. This hybrid event brings the ability to attend not only in person, but  virtually, with the ability for two way communication when appropriate and ability to move from one session  to another at will. We'll be at Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario, Oregon. We are pleased to have Bishop Marvin Harada as our keynote speaker. And, Stuart Hirai, native of IOBT  and expert on 442nd/100th will be on hand for one of the sessions. The covid protocols we plan to be following encourage wearing a mask indoors except while actively eating  or drinking. For those who choose not to mask, social distancing will be required. We want to give our guests every opportunity to come, and to cancel if the need arises. Convention  registration will be refundable if cancelled by Sept...

  “The first time I ever heard that word [Gaman] was when I was standing in line, waiting to use the latrine. As a child, this was sheer torture. But my mother looked down at me and said, ‘George, gaman.’ She wanted me to endure, with fortitude and dignity, the injustice of having to wait in the cold even to go to the bathroom. Throughout our time in the camp, the spirit of gaman is what buoyed us, even in the darkest of hours. By holding our heads up high, and carrying on, they could not take from our basic humanity.” --George Takei (History Channel Interview, Feb. 10, 2017) As I reflect on the July 8 th fire in our temple basement, the Japanese word “ gaman ”, referred to by George Takei in the opening quote, comes to my mind.  Photo:  Three refrigerators in the IOBT temple basement after the July 8th fire.  The fire was started by a bad electrical outlet in this area.  This word  “ gaman ”  means to patiently persevere in tough times. When t...

This year’s celebration of the 75 th anniversary of IOBT coincides with our hosting the NW District Buddhist convention and it also marks 20 years since my first visit to IOBT.  These milestones, along with the recent fire that destroyed most of our temple basement, have me thinking more deeply about our convention theme: “Reflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future.”   Photo: Fire trucks outside Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple on 7/10/2022. This incident reminds us of the Buddhist teachings or impermanence and also our gratitude for the compassion of the first responders and generosity of our community.  Here are a few things that have been on my mind: Reflecting on the Past:   Summer is Obon season!   Every July, we take time to honor the people who have come before us. We have our annual Obon service at the temple and we travel to cemeteries throughout the region to visit the graves of our ancestors, relatives, and friends.   As we hold these ser...