Teachings
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Talking about Zen Koans: Deconstructing Yourself Podcast
August 19, 20211 min read
Henry Shukman talks with host Michael Taft about Mountain Cloud Zen Center, Henry’s series on the Waking Up app, meditation for awakening vs. meditation as a “band aid,” the role of psychotherapy in spiritual practice, the power of working in the “old way,” the path of working with Zen koans as the journey of a lifetime. Click here to listen to this engaging conversation with Henry and Michael. Michael Taft was a guest speaker in our virtual...
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Dharmatalk: The Silent Way
August 17, 20211 min read
"... Sitting is the vehicle for discovering innate “awakened-ness.” ..." Description: Case 1 of the Book of Equanimity offers a beautiful example of how an awakened person might expound the dharma from the Zen perspective. We cannot hope to understand it through verbal teachings, rational guidelines or instructions. It has to come through experience, and can be demonstrated in even the most simple, mundane action. The lecture is followed by questions from sangha members about awakening through...
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On-Site sits in our Zendo – Details and Schedule Here
August 15, 20211 min read
Mountain Cloud has re-opened our zendo doors for selected in person daily sits. We ask that all who attend our weekday sits, inside our zendo, be fully vaccinated, two weeks past their final Covid-19 vaccine. Please show your vaccine card the first time you come to sit with us and we will record your name. In keeping with current New Mexico Health Department and CDC guidelines, masks are required inside the zendo. Monday 7:00-8:00am Meditation 5:30-6:30pm Meditation Tuesday 7:00-8:00am Meditation 5:30-6:30pm Meditation Wednesday 7:00-8:00am Meditation 5:30–6:30pm...
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Falling in a Boundless World: Valerie Forstman (Video)
August 15, 20211 min read
In this talk, Valerie takes up Gateless Gate, case 5, “Kyogen’s Person Up a Tree,” continuing to explore the theme of suffering, beauty, and the great opening this practice invites. From the Suffering and Beauty: How the Heart Opens Retreat. [embed]https://youtu.be/pPE9VE0ZPiw[/embed]
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Guru Viking Podcast Features Henry Shukman – Zen’s True Miracle
August 13, 20211 min read
Steve James (the Guru Viking) is joined by Henry Shukman for a second interview. Click here for the first interview. In this interview Henry reveals what he calls Zen’s true miracle, and shares his own personal journey of healing childhood trauma in the context of spiritual awakening and integration of enlightenment. Henry also explores the two purposes of Zen koan training, contrasts different models of enlightenment, and explains how to awaken in the midst of intense suffering...
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Dharma Transmission: Henry Shukman (Video)
August 13, 20211 min read
This talk continues the exploration of the koan of "Buddha and the Flower." It examines how koan practice can help us in our lives, and what "dharma transmission" might really mean. From the Suffering and Beauty: How the Heart Opens Retreat. [embed]https://youtu.be/epBsbn_wTww[/embed]
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Dharmatalk: Being Open to Help – Q&A
August 10, 20211 min read
"... Practice wears thin the veil between non-awakened and awakened experience ..." Description: The questions raised after this Sunday sitting and lecture touch upon kensho, or Zen awakening, and what might be the causes and conditions for it. A practitioner asks about how the true self and the no-self are reconciled in Zen. The session closes with a look at what wisdom and love, both of which may result from kensho, may show us about our original...
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Buddha Holds up a Flower: Henry Shukman (Video)
August 8, 20211 min read
This talk examines the koan, "Buddha holds up a flower" from the Gateless Gate collection. Henry takes a turn through the strange world of spin-bowling in the English game of cricket, in order to shed light on the weird world of Zen koans. From the Suffering and Beauty: How the Heart Opens Retreat. [embed]https://youtu.be/8qNuVam2Leo[/embed]
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Ocular Distortion: Dharma Talk by Michael Taft (Video)
August 7, 20211 min read
Podcaster, writer and eclectic meditation teacher Michael Taft explores ocular distortion and awareness. What's the view we see the world through, and how does it distort reality? Our everyday view of the world is invisible to us in that we don't realize that we see through a distorted view. To see the distortions, we have to look at our own mind and ask; what thoughts, feelings and beliefs are forming our everyday view? And even...
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Coming Home to Mu: Valerie Forstman (Video)
August 6, 20211 min read
Valerie takes up Mu as a way of exploring the matrix of suffering and beauty, and the fulcrum, the zero point that opens the heart beyond any boundary. From the Suffering and Beauty: How the Heart Opens Retreat. [embed]https://youtu.be/qiD5yWC48r8[/embed]
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Dharmatalk: Being Open to Help
August 1, 20212 min read
"... to learn to surrender to forces beyond our control ..." "... From the Zen point of view, every moment is holy ..." Description: In continuing the discussion about levels of Zen practice, tHenry looks at the level of tariki, “other power.” Whether we adhere to a religious outlook or not, it is easy to see how our existence depends on the functioning of many and various organisms and processes. Amidst the widespread uncertainty of the pandemic, we are...
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