Many of us are feeling stress from the current political situation. This stress includes feelings of frustration, anger and even hatred toward people with political views different from our own.  These frustrations and conflicts are a totally normal part of human life--the result of the 3 poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance.   Over 2000 years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha offered this observation to help people respond to conflicts in their lives:  “Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hate alone is hatred appeased. This is a law...

May and June are typically graduation season here in America.  We talk about “high school graduations” or “college graduations.” Recently there has been the addition of  middle school and kindergarten graduations.  In a few weeks I will participate in a graduation ceremony for the genetic counseling graduate students that I have been teaching at Boise State University for the last two years.  I have heard the word “graduation” my whole life. But I never stopped to wonder where this word comes from. >     So this year I looked it...

My husband and I have a birdfeeder hung on our garage just outside our back door.  The feeder has a big clear plastic cannister that holds a gallon of birdseed. There are four metal perches for birds to stand on while they peck seeds out through holes at the bottom of the feeder. The birds enjoy our feeder all year, but they especially appreciate it when it snows because the snow makes it hard for them to get to the seeds and bugs that they usually eat.  After a snowstorm I like to stand at our back window and watch all the action as the birds—mostly juncos and...

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...

Play by yourself or ask family and friends to join you!  Have FUN!!

Buddhism is, and has always been, deeply rooted in community. From the very beginning of Buddhism, monks and nuns have relied on the communities around them for food and support. In return, the monks and nuns offered teachings and blessings for the community, sharing the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha’s teaching to help communities find happiness and meaning in their lives. Image: Two volunteers help unload a truck of napa cabbages that were donated to our temple's bazaar.  In Buddhism, one of the most basic practices is to express one’s faith through the 3 Treasures by...