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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Dharma Talk: “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and the ABC’s of Zen” with Shana Smith
March 13, 20251 min read
In this teisho, Shana uses Ruben Habito Roshi’s “ABC’s of Zen” as parallels for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She then explores Case 43 of the Shoyoroku as a pointer into finding our own unique ways to support the healing of a seemingly divided world. Shana will be leading a weekend retreat at Mountain Cloud in April - for more visit https://www.mountaincloud.org/event/intro-retreat-april-2025/ Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud with a donation or becoming a member so we...
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Dharma Talk: “Waking up to this threshold moment” with Valerie Forstman
March 11, 20251 min read
In this talk, Valerie begins with poetry as a portal to the language of koans, a language that uses words to go beyond words. Koans don’t just describe or express the reality of who we truly are. They offer a turning word – a seed of awakening – that can open our eyes to that fundamental reality right in our midst. The talk will turn to case 12 in the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate), a single...
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Dharma Talk: “Waking up to this threshold moment” with Valerie Forstman
March 11, 20251 min read
In this talk, Valerie begins with poetry as a portal to the language of koans, a language that uses words to go beyond words. Koans don’t just describe or express the reality of who we truly are. They offer a turning word – a seed of awakening – that can open our eyes to that fundamental reality right in our midst. The talk will turn to case 12 in the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate), a single...
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Dharma Talk: “What Moves?” with Valerie Forstman
March 6, 20251 min read
In the Gateless Gate (Mumonkan) case 29, two monks watch a temple flag flapping in the wind. They argue back and forth: is it the flag that moves or the wind that moves? Seeing this, the 6th Chinese ancestor, Huineng, intervenes: “It is not the wind that moves. It is not the flag that moves. It is your mind that moves.” Centuries of Zen students have taken up this case. What is mind? What is...
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Dharma Talk: “What Moves?” with Valerie Forstman
March 6, 20252 min read
In the Gateless Gate (Mumonkan) case 29, two monks watch a temple flag flapping in the wind. They argue back and forth: is it the flag that moves or the wind that moves? Seeing this, the 6th Chinese ancestor, Huineng, intervenes: “It is not the wind that moves. It is not the flag that moves. It is your mind that moves.” Centuries of Zen students have taken up this case. What is mind? What is...
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Dharma Talk: Love and Loss in a Seamless World with Valerie Forstman
February 25, 20251 min read
This talk is offered in gratitude for the life of Johanna Sindelar, a long-time sangha member who dedicated over a decade of service to Mountain Cloud. As a tribute to Johanna, Valerie begins with a look at the Heart Sutra in a rendering by Thich Nhat Hahn that was set to music in harmonies Johanna loved. The talk then turns to case 18 in the Blue Cliff Record, a koan that asks a renowned national...
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Dharma Talk: “Meeting Challenge with Equanimity” with Scott Thornton
February 19, 20251 min read
In this talk, Scott draws from the Gateless Gate case 13, “Tokusan Carries His Bowls” as a case study for how we can meet mistakes, challenges, and misunderstandings with equanimity. Recorded on February 13th, 2025 _______ Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud with a donation or becoming a member so we can continue to provide online programs such as this. Donations: https://www.mountaincloud.org/donate/ Become a member: https://www.mountaincloud.org/about/memembership/ Check out our website: https://www.mountaincloud.org/ All are welcome to join...
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Dharma Talk: “Listen to the Heart of Things” with Maria Reis Habito
February 11, 20251 min read
In this talk, Maria sheds light on how listening to the voice of a bird or the sound of rain can bring us fully back home to our true nature. In this context, Maria takes the experience of Fr. Shigeto Oshida as a spring board for Koan No. 46 in the Blue Cliff Record: Kyôsei’s “Voice of the raindrops.” Recorded on February 7th, 2025 _______ Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud with a donation or becoming...
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Dharma Talk: “Listen to the Heart of Things” with Maria Reis Habito
February 11, 20251 min read
In this talk, Maria sheds light on how listening to the voice of a bird or the sound of rain can bring us fully back home to our true nature. In this context, Maria takes the experience of Fr. Shigeto Oshida as a spring board for Koan No. 46 in the Blue Cliff Record: Kyôsei’s “Voice of the raindrops.” Recorded on February 7th, 2025 _______ Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud with a donation or becoming...
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Dharma Talk: “The Year of the Snake” with Valerie Forstman
February 5, 20251 min read
On this first day of the Lunar New Year with the world in turmoil, Valerie turns to case 22 of the Blue Cliff Record, “Seppo’s ‘Poisonous Snake.’” What life-giving poison is the koan presenting? What happens if you encounter the snake? The turning word in Seppo’s own awakening story offers a pointer: If you want to expound a great teaching, it must flow forth from your own breast to cover heaven and earth. The dharma...
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Dharma Talk: “The Year of the Snake” with Valerie Forstman
February 5, 20251 min read
On this first day of the Lunar New Year with the world in turmoil, Valerie turns to case 22 of the Blue Cliff Record, “Seppo’s ‘Poisonous Snake.’” What life-giving poison is the koan presenting? What happens if you encounter the snake? The turning word in Seppo’s own awakening story offers a pointer: If you want to expound a great teaching, it must flow forth from your own breast to cover heaven and earth. The dharma...
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Dharma Talk: “What Meets the Eye” with Valerie Forstman
January 28, 20251 min read
This talk begins with a look at Zen’s parable of the second arrow. What does the story say to us now when we may find ourselves despairing about despair? In response, Valerie turns to the teaching of two root masters who lived during a particularly precarious time in China. Asked “What is the essential meaning of Chan?” Baso (Mazu) replied, “What is the meaning of this moment?” Baso’s counterpart, Sekito (Shitou), taught, “What meets the...
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Dharma Talk: “What Meets the Eye” with Valerie Forstman
January 28, 20251 min read
This talk begins with a look at Zen’s parable of the second arrow. What does the story say to us now when we may find ourselves despairing about despair? In response, Valerie turns to the teaching of two root masters who lived during a particularly precarious time in China. Asked “What is the essential meaning of Chan?” Baso (Mazu) replied, “What is the meaning of this moment?” Baso’s counterpart, Sekito (Shitou), taught, “What meets the...
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Dharma Talk: “The Path to Discernment” with Carolyn Seburn
January 22, 20251 min read
Carolyn discusses Mumonkan case 11: Jôshû Examines the Hermits as an invitation to examine and trust our own discernment.
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