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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Dharmatalk: Just This: Original Love – Introduction (5 of 5)
June 8, 20211 min read
"... Here and now, this experience we are having right now, is it. "Just this" is original love ..." Description: Henry continues his Original Love exploration, beginning with "Everything is of a single piece" then turns to the fourth level of practice, which is expressed more explicitly in Mahayana Buddhism. It is the place where everything meets or the thing that makes everything one - If everything comes down to One, What does the One...
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Atomic Acorn: Talk Four of Zen Basics Retreat, Valerie Forstman and Henry Shukman
June 6, 20211 min read
Valerie recaps the last three talks of the Zen Basics retreat and says all leads to Bodhidharma. She looks at Case 1 from the Blue Cliff Record in which Emperor Bu asks Bodhidharma, What is most holy? Bodhidharma replies: Vast and void, no holiness. Valerie explores how this koan is a koan for a lifetime asking us, how can it penetrate, how can it seep into our practice? Where would you find anything like holiness...
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Deep Mind: Dharma Talk with Lewis Richmond
June 5, 20211 min read
Zen teacher, musician and author Lewis Richmond joins us in our virtual zendo as speaker. Lewis explores illness and the ensuing fear and suffering that occur. He also offers a short and powerful guided meditation which he calls, Deep Mind Reflection. [embed]
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Two Gates: Talk Three of Zen Basics Retreat with Henry Shukman
June 4, 20211 min read
In this third talk of the Zen Basics Retreat, Henry returns to Bodhidharma and looks into the two entrances or two gates of practice: Principle and Practice. 1. Principle - Acknowledges suffering and peers into "forgotten nooks and crannies of our being." 2. Practice - Examination - we look at the present moment and release unexamined assumptions to the "naked immensity of the moment." [embed] Dharma talk recorded on May 22 from the Zen Basics...
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Dharmatalk: Original Love & Inseparability: Original Love – Introduction (4 of 5)
June 1, 20211 min read
"... A quantum shift occurs that exposes the inseparability of all ..." Description: Henry continues looking at original love. We humans are made in such a way that we can directly know original love with our consciousness. True awakening is discovering boundless inseparability and allows us come to the origin point of our existence.... original love. Sitting with the questions who am I? or what am I?, or with Mu practice, is an exploration of...
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Whole Hearted Sitting: Talk Two of Zen Basics Retreat, Valerie Forstman
May 30, 20211 min read
There is so much more to what we commonly experience and know, and much less. ~ Henry Shukman Valerie picks up where Henry left off in Talk 1 of this retreat and focuses on meeting one's true nature, as shown in two back-top-back koans, Cases 14 and 15 from the Blue Cliff Record. Once you have really seen things as they are, there is no more moon and no more finger. No moon, no finger....
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Four Marks of Zen: Talk One of Zen Basics Retreat, Henry Shukman
May 28, 20211 min read
Henry explores Bodhidharma, the 6th century legendary Zen Master, who brought Buddhism/Zen to China from India. Specifically Henry talks about Bodhidharma's four marks of Zen. Zen is... 1. is special transmission outside scripture 2. does not rely on words or letters 3. points directly to our heart/mind 4. offers awakening by seeing the heart/mind clearly [embed] Dharma talk recorded on May 20 from the Zen Basics Retreat. Featured Photo by Joshua Woroniecki on Unsplash
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Dharmatalk: Support: Original Love – Introduction (3 of 5)
May 25, 20211 min read
"... By becoming still and quiet, Zen opens a channel that provides deep, nurturing support ..." Description: In this second talk from the June, 2020 retreat, Henry continues to explore allowing and why this practice is about original love. There is something originally utterly right with us and this world, but needs training to find clarity on both a collective and individual level. Henry talks about opening to pain and discomfort and finding, through practice,...
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Sangha Meeting Minutes, May 15, 2021
May 23, 202111 min read
Mountain Cloud Zen Center Sangha Meeting Notes May 15, 2021 Teacher’s Reports Teacher Reports prepared by Henry and Valerie are at the end of this post. Interim Executive Director’s Report - Rachel Belash Updates at Mountain Cloud There are currently three residents at the center. There has been some serious progress on the land conservation front. We have been able to better control our irrigation systems to limit unnecessary water use. It has been discovered...
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Dharmatalk: Allowing: Original Love – Introduction (2 of 5)
May 18, 20211 min read
"... well-being which is what brings many of us into meditation ..." Description: Henry introduces the concept Original Love in this first talk from our 2020 Summer Virtual Sesshin. Original Love is an experience (or many experiences) and is not a concept that can be simply defined. Henry talks about the four levels of Zen Practice focusing on the first level, well-being, the desire for which is what brings many of us into meditation. We...
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Original Love and the Path of Awakening, Henry Shukman
May 15, 20211 min read
On May 5 2021, Henry was the meditation leader and guest speaker at Dr. Rick Hanson's Wednesday Evening Meditation. The first video is the meditation. [embed] The next video is Henry's talk and discussion about Original Love and the Path of Awakening. [embed] For more info about Rick Hanson's Wednesday event click here. And here is the page on Rick's website with Henry's meditation and dharma talk.
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