Teachings
You can find all of our weekly Dharma talks for free right here on this page, as well as on our YouTube channel and podcast. Live talks take place every Thursday from 5:30–7:00pm MT, both in-person and on Zoom (sit.mountaincloud.org — password: mountain22). Members receive access to some special archival materials.
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Complete Exposure of the Golden Wind: Teshin Matt Sweger
November 16, 20221 min read
On this first day of Fall, Teshin takes up case 27 of the Blue Cliff Record, Unmon’s Complete Exposure. The Case reads as follows: A monk asked Unmon, "What is it when the tree withers and the leaves fall?" Unmon answered, "Complete exposure of the golden wind”. Teshin Matt Sweger is the resident teacher at the North Carolina Zen Center. He began his Zen practice in 1993 at the Rochester Zen Center in the lineage...
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Dharmatalk: Complete Exposure of the Golden Wind with Matt Sweger
November 15, 20221 min read
On this first day of Fall, Teshin takes up case 27 of the Blue Cliff Record, Unmon’s Complete Exposure. The Case reads as follows: A monk asked Unmon, "What is it when the tree withers and the leaves fall?" Unmon answered, "Complete exposure of the golden wind”. And,
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Amoda Maa with Henry Shukman
November 13, 20222 min read
Two Different Paths, One Awakening In this episode, Amoda Maa is in conversation with Zen teacher Henry Shukman. The conversation is facilitated by Kavi who asks questions about the profound awakening experienced by both of these teachers, Henry within the path of Zen and Amoda without any tradition or teacher. Were these experiences the same or different? And what impact did these experiences have on how life was lived since that time? These questions and...
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Dharmatalk: Each is All, All is One with Valerie Forstman
November 8, 20221 min read
Upon being welcomed home from Germany, Valerie describes briefly what it's like being thrown immediately into the chaotic activity of moving from her home in Dallas to Santa Fe: "Constant activity... we are moving, all this activity and at the same time, so still." While taking a walk with co-teacher John Gaynor in Sonnenhoff, John offers Valerie this rather cerebral quote from Master Ummon, "The manifestation of the great function, knows no laws." The great...
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Meditative Story Podcasts
November 5, 20223 min read
A conversation and reading with Henry Shukman and Meditative Story host Rohan Gunatillake Meditative Story is a first-of-its-kind podcast listening experience that combines the emotional pull of immersive storytelling with the immediate, science-backed benefits of mindfulness practice. Meditative Story is a WaitWhat original series — created by the team who built and led TED’s media organization, and supported by its members. The Format Invention of the Meditative StoryIn each episode of Meditative Story, a different...
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Dharmatalk: Coming Home, I am Already That with Valerie Forstman
November 1, 20221 min read
In this talk – an offering of gratitude for the life of a beloved sangha member, Valerie turns to Case 41 in the Transmission of Light or Denkoroko. A monk who has put to rest love of worldly attachments asks, “What, master, do you love?” The master’s response is an invitation to us to realize love beyond any measure. And,
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Dharmatalk: The World Honored One, Just Sat Still with Scott Thornton
October 25, 20221 min read
Scott explores Case 32 from the Gateless Gate, A non-buddhist questions the Buddha. The non-buddhist says, in all earnestness to the Buddha: I do not ask about words, I do not ask about no-words. The world honored one, just sat still. The non-buddhist experiences a great opening as he witnesses the Buddha’s stillness and says, The world-honored one on his great benevolence and great mercy has opened the clouds of my delusion and enabled me...
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Coming Home – I am Already That
October 23, 20221 min read
In this talk – an offering of gratitude for the life of a beloved sangha member, Valerie turns to Case 41 in the Transmission of Light or Denkoroko. A monk who has put to rest love of worldly attachments asks, “What, master, do you love?” The master’s response is an invitation to us to realize love beyond any measure. Photo by Mark Paul Petrick
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