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.
-
Dharmatalk: Bearing Witness from Deep Realization of Inseparability
November 23, 20211 min read
Description: Henry talks about the corona-virus pandemic and endemic racism in America and what our practice offers as a solution to racism; bearing witness from deep realization of inseparability. And,
Listen to the talk -
Dharmatalk: Is Zen Buddhist?
November 16, 20211 min read
"... Zen is a mechanism for letting go ..." "... One fruit of wisdom is not being so caught up in having our desires met ..." Description: Zen draws its tradition from both Buddhism and Daoism. Many of the ancient masters rejected the notion that awakening could happen gradually. They insisted that the reality of shunyata (emptiness) must be realized in personal experience, encompassing everything in its scope. Regardless of how we classify it, Zen...
Listen to the talk -
St John of the Cross – To Reach Satisfaction in All
November 15, 20212 min read
Poem Maura Noone quoted in her talk on Thursday November 18, from John of the Cross. TO REACH SATISFACTION IN ALL To reach satisfaction in all, desire its possession in nothing. To come to the knowledge of all, desire the knowledge of nothing. To come to possess all, desire to possess nothing. To arrive at being all, desire to be nothing. To come to the pleasure you have not, you must go by a way...
Read more -
Gone with the wind – Valerie Forstman (Video)
November 15, 20211 min read
In this final talk of the Circle of the Way retreat, Valerie takes up case 31 of the Blue Cliff Record, “Mayoku Circles the Dais,” as a way of exploring the intrinsic wholeness of this world that Nansen calls “nothing but a whirling of the wind.” Our practice invites us to taste this with every breath, every step; nothing lacking, nothing extra. [embed]
Watch the video -
According to my capacity – Valerie Forstman (Video)
November 15, 20211 min read
This second Circle of the Way Retreat talk opens with images of circles, including the enso attributed to Kyozan, all pointers to the freedom and compassion of practice-awakening. Valerie then turns to case 77 in the Book of Equanimity, where Kyozan and a very adept monk are at play on our behalf, freely using the circle to illumine this empty and infinitely capacious world. [embed]
Watch the video -
Round, round, rounder than a mirror – Valerie Forstman (Video)
November 12, 20211 min read
In this first talk of the Circle of the Way retreat, Valerie takes up case 69 from the Blue Cliff Record, “Nansen Draws a Circle,” as an invitation to find our place in what Dogen calls “Continuous Practice” right where we are. [embed] Featured image: Photo by Heneli & Flower on Unsplash
Watch the video -
Sangha Meeting Minutes from October 30, 2021
November 9, 202116 min read
October 30, 2021 Sangha Meeting Minutes The meeting was held on zoom. 48 attendees were present. Agenda approved by those present Minutes from the May 15, 2021 sangha meeting were also approved. Teacher’s Reports Henry and Valerie’s reports are attached at the end of these minutes. Interim Executive Director’s Report Our new website is practically ready to launch. At the very latest it will launch in January, hopefully before. The new site is beautiful and...
Read more -
Dharmatalk: Sosan, Doshin and Mu
November 9, 20211 min read
"... The capacity to awaken is not something you have. It’s what you are ..." Description: In this talk given jointly by Valerie and Henry on the last day of Mountain Cloud’s May 2020 4-day retreat, we consider the experiences of two of the early Chinese Zen patriarchs, Sosan and Doshin, both of whom sought liberation from the sense of unease that is part of the human condition. Zen, and particularly Mu practice, offers us...
Listen to the talk -
Original Love Weekend: November 27-28
November 5, 20212 min read
Original Love Weekend Retreat November 27-28 10am - 3pm MT Online only Recordings available for people who can’t attend live This is a thrilling and potentially life changing weekend, where we’ll be immersing ourselves in practices and perspectives designed to help us get tastes of Original Love itself. We’ll be investigating our deeper nature in four different dimensions - the four different “zones” of the Original Love program: Mindfulness and Self-Love Finding Support Flow States,...
Read more -
Dharmatalk: The Sharpest Sword
November 2, 20211 min read
"... Mu cuts through our false sense of separation..." Description: A monk asked Haryo, “What is the sharpest sword?” He replied, “Each branch of corral reflects the moon.” Taking up the lens of this koan, Valerie invites us to see through the habitual grid of separateness and be illumined by the reality Haryo conveys: one single moon, reflected in many drops of dew. The sword that is so sharp it can cut even a hair...
Listen to the talk -
Brain Savvy Spaciousness and Contentment, Rick Hanson (Video)
November 1, 20211 min read
Dr. Rick Hanson was our guest speaker on October 14. He offered a guided meditation and dharma talk, Brain Savvy Spaciousness and Contentment. Enjoy! [embed]
Watch the video