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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Bill Bruce: The koan of the Earth
May 23, 20241 min read
In this teisho, Bill shares Susan Murphy Roshi's compelling, “Koan of the Earth.” Bill offers a quote from John Tarrant at the beginning of his talk, “Pessimism implies too much knowing.” In the 45 minutes it takes to read the koan we have the good fortune to consider the current precariousness of life/Earth, as well as our response to the current crisis. How might practice-realization or enlightenment help? Can we look deeply and see that...
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Carolyn Seburn: Shakyamuni holds up a flower
May 16, 20241 min read
In this teisho on Mumonkan case 6, “Shakyamuni Holds Up a Flower,” Carolyn Roshi notes that this koan is uniquely important as a record of the first transmission, the foundation moment of Buddhism. She notes that not a word is spoken at the key moment when Shakyamuni Buddha, on Vulture Peak, gave a teaching by simply holding up a flower. Among the many disciples in attendance, only Maha Kasyapa reacted, also wordlessly, by smiling. Recognizing...
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Sean Tetsudo Murphy: Creativity applied to Zen practice
May 9, 20241 min read
Remarking that along with structured activity in the zendo, Zen is also characterized by creativity and playfulness, especially in dokusan, Sean noted that this creativity can help keep zazen practice alive when we feel we are getting stuck and, without judging our zazen, discern that it is not working. Creative solutions include knowing when thoughts involve memories, future events, or judgments of the present, and instead recognize that the present moment, the reality of our...
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Billy Doyle: Our Real Nature
May 2, 20241 min read
In this dharma talk, Billy leads us gently along the path of non-duality. With words he asks us to remember that our real nature can’t be expressed by words. By feeling deeply into the body, the senses, the moment by moment conscious awareness, we can truly experience it. His introduction is followed by questions and answers and finally a short guided meditation.
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Maria Reis Habito: Coming Out of Exile
April 11, 20241 min read
With grace and deep compassion, Maria Habito offers us a beautiful story of deliverance from exile. Like the Israelites being in bondage in Egypt, we are all in some kind of prison, even if it is a palace. “For even a palace has walls,” she reminds us. Drawing on the story of Shakyamuni Buddha from the Transmission of Light, by Master Keizan, we can appreciate the consonance of the deliverance from bondage with the Buddha’s...
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David Loy: Changing our Story
March 28, 20241 min read
In his teisho, David Loy leads us through a consideration of the stories that many of the world’s religions tell. They are stories which give priority to a world separate from this one, held out as a reward for leading an ethical life and for following the commandments of religion. Unfortunately for this world, the stories often devalue our home planet and make its destruction and the continuation of life here of no ultimate concern....
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