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.

  • Message from Henry: ICONS

    MCZCOctober 29, 20193 min read

    These archetypal figures loom from the great reality, from the magnum mysterium, to...encourage, spur and fortify us on our way At the Ikon Museum, Frankfurt, on my way south to the Black Forest. I happened upon the museum while walking off a long flight. Actually I thought it was the “Kon Museum” when I first saw the sign, and wondered what kind of collection it had. Then understood that I had missed the initial “I”. ...

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  • Dharmatalk: Open Wide The Door: 2018 Rohatsu Sesshin (Part 1 of 6)

    MCZCOctober 24, 20191 min read

    "… for patience joins time to eternity." ~ Wendell Berry Description: This is the first talk of the 2018 Rohatsu sesshin. The focus is on how to practice and why we practice. It begins with a poem by Wendell Berry, “How to Be a Poet,” which introduces powerful advice for practitioners, particularly during a sesshin. The word “sesshin” means encountering the heart. What does the word “heart” mean in the Zen tradition? Various levels of meaning...

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  • Message from Henry: Beyond the World’s Dust

    MCZCOctober 22, 20191 min read

    ...beyond what we know, far, far beyond it. Beyond the world’s dust -- this famous old Zen phrase can mean various things. Beyond the city and court where intrigues, jealousies, betrayals were common-place in Tang-era China. Beyond worldly concerns in general. Beyond busy-ness and commotion and trouble. It can also mean beyond all human knowledge and understanding. That’s where practice would like to lead us: beyond what we know, far, far beyond it. Message from...

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  • Minutes – Sangha Meeting October 12, 2019

    MCZCOctober 20, 201912 min read

    Thank you to all who attended the October sangha meeting. We had nearly 30 attendees.  Gassho! Approve agenda and minutes of last meeting: both approved Teacher's Report  (See below)   Please remember on October 29 at Garcia Street Books, Henry will be reading from his new book, One Blade of Grass. Site Manager's Report  Sarah reports that our vibrant garden flourished this year though we had fewer volunteer gardeners than last year. The summer residents/visitors...

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  • He Who Works

    MCZCOctober 19, 20191 min read

    He who works with his hands is a laborer.  He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.  He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist. ~ St.Francis of Assisi    Photo and design by Rosa Bellino

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  • Dharmatalk: The Sound of One Hand

    MCZCOctober 17, 20191 min read

    Unpack the gift Description: Beginning with a discussion of concentration practice, this talk focuses on the famous koan “The Sound of One Hand” and its origins. Just as we sit, Hakuin took these words from Setcho into his body: “The single hand doesn’t sound without reason.” This process is life-changing, allowing a radical change in our experience of this moment. Post & Featured image: Wedding ring tied to a white pillow with a purple ribbon...

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  • Message from Henry: A Glimpse

    MCZCOctober 15, 20191 min read

    It’s quite simple: sit with a koan until it blows your mind.  Only then will we be beginning to glimpse a little of what it really is. But a little is often plenty. Sit diligently, durably, stably. Keep coming back to it. Message from Henry is from our October 14 Newsletter Image: Snow Winter (edited) by sorbyphotos, Public Domain, Pixabay.com

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  • Message from Henry: Pausing (part 2)

    MCZCOctober 12, 20191 min read

    Sometimes people say: I can’t meditate, my mind is too busy. Or: I’ve got so many thoughts in my head, I’m not cut out for meditation. That’s like saying: I can’t go to the gym, I’m not fit enough. They’re describing the very condition or problem that meditation can help us with. Message from Henry is from our October 7, 2019 Newsletter Image by Rosa Bellino

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  • Dharmatalk: Points of Practice

    MCZCOctober 10, 20191 min read

    We are giving ourselves to this moment  Description: This talk is about general points of practice with a focus on five areas: relaxing the body; general mindfulness; concentration (samadhi); awakening; returning to the world—to help. The common denominator to all of these elements is Love. In beautiful excerpts from Bruce Springsteen’s memoir, we can catch a few small echoes of the world of the masters and taste something of the same passion experienced in Zen...

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  • Message from Henry: Pausing (part 1)

    MCZCOctober 8, 20191 min read

    Samu -- work practice -- is basically loving things. Do it at a pace where you can love what you touch. Pause. Take a breath. Give love time. Message from Henry is from our October 7, 2019 Newsletter Image by Rosa Bellino

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  • Dharmatalk: Living Our Deepest Nature

    MCZCOctober 3, 20191 min read

    Description: This talk recounts a recent teacher’s retreat in Germany with the Abbot of Sanbo Zen, Yamada Ryoun Roshi. It begins with the story of Father Lassalle, a Jesuit priest and Zen teacher who built the zendo in Germany where the retreat took place. Practice does not end; there is no I’ve-got-this moment. Or we might say there are many such moments. This is demonstrated in the ongoing training of teachers, even those who have been...

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  • Message from Henry: Heart Opening

    MCZCOctober 1, 20191 min read

    Sit and be still, be silent, and let your heart open. It doesn’t matter what your spiritual practice is as long as it teaches you to love this world. Not “teach” in the sense of telling you to. Rather, that it makes love open up in your heart. All the philosophy, theology, practices, methods and techniques, awakenings and realizations -- they’re all pointless if they don’t lead to that. That’s why Zen says: no words....

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  • Dharmatalk: Case 7, The Gateless Gate: Joshu’s “Wash Your Bowls”

    MCZCSeptember 26, 20191 min read

    The world is nothing but metamorphosis and life is nothing but an opinion. ~Marcus Aurelius Everybody’s got a hungry heart. ~Bruce Springsteen  Description: In The Gateless Gate, the last line of this koan reads, “The monk attained some realization.” What did the monk realize? Why is this seemingly ordinary dialogue between the great master Jôshô and a monk worthy of our attention? These questions encapsulate the central theme of this inspiring talk. Post & Featured...

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  • Message from Henry: Purpose of Life

    MCZCSeptember 24, 20191 min read

    Which one of these statements is true? The purpose of life is to help others through it. The purpose of life is to experience love. The purpose of life is to love ourselves. The purpose of life is to awaken. Which one of these statements is true? Which one is untrue? (These are trick questions.) The answer, naturally, is that all of them can be true, depending on where we are on the path. And...

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