BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Mountain Cloud Zen Center - ECPv6.16.5.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Mountain Cloud Zen Center
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.mountaincloud.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Mountain Cloud Zen Center
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Denver
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0600
TZNAME:MDT
DTSTART:20240310T090000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0600
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:MST
DTSTART:20241103T080000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0600
TZNAME:MDT
DTSTART:20250309T090000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0600
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:MST
DTSTART:20251102T080000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0600
TZNAME:MDT
DTSTART:20260308T090000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0600
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:MST
DTSTART:20261101T080000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250410T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250410T190000
DTSTAMP:20250410T160252Z
CREATED:20250316T233406Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250410T160252Z
UID:45254-1744306200-1744311600@www.mountaincloud.org
SUMMARY:Dharma Talk: The Benevolence of Awakening with Valerie Forstman
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, April 10th |  5:30–7:00 PM\nMeditation begins at 5:30 pm MT\, followed by the Dharma Talk (teisho) at 6:00 pm MT. \nYou are invited to join us for an evening with Valerie Forstman at Mountain Cloud Zen Center’s zendo\, where she will be leading the Dharma Talk titled\, “The Benevolence of Awakening: On the way and already so.” In this early spring talk\, Valerie turns to the way of awakening\, discovered and explored as this world – in the midst – just as it is. Not-two. \nThe talk weaves together a cross-section of experiences of homecoming with case 100 of the Book of Equanimity (Shoyoroku). In the case\, Master Kaku of Roya receives the student’s question and responds in kind: “The essential state is pure and clear; how are mountains\, rivers\, and the great earth produced at once?” \nHow\, indeed. Can we enter the wonder and embody it to the full? \nThis hybrid event is free and registration is not required. Please arrive five to ten minutes ahead of the scheduled time. \nTo participate online\, please click on the zoom link below.\n \nsit.mountaincloud.org\nPasscode: mountain22 \nTrouble logging on to our online sits? Click here for guidance. Need help with time zone conversion? Use the World Time Buddy . \nIf you miss a dharma talk\, you can find it on our YouTube channel within one to two weeks. \nKindly consider contributing dana (a traditional Buddhist offering) to express financial gratitude to our visiting teacher. Dana can be made through PayPal: paypal.me/vforstman  \n∞ \nValerie Forstman is an Associate Zen Master of the Sanbozen lineage and our Guiding Teacher here at Mountain Cloud. Her first teacher\, with whom she continues to work\, was Ruben Habito Roshi. Since 2003\, she has also trained under the guidance of Yamada Ryoun Roshi\, current abbot of Sanbozen. \nValerie came to Mountain Cloud with a shared vision of the core of the Zen path\, a way of coming home to who we truly are. In keeping with the Sanbozen tradition\, this path or ‘way’ may include koan training\, “just sitting” practice\, or simple breath awareness practice\, all of which funnel into what it means to undergo the immense change of heart implied by the term “awakening.” What a joy and what a rich process it can be\, not just to taste this\, but to embody it and live it out in lives of compassionate service. \nA first-career classical musician\, Valerie holds degrees from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Stony Brook University in NY. She has taught and performed in the U.S.\, Canada\, and around Europe. After discovering Zen\, Valerie went on to earn a Masters of Theological Studies and Ph.D. from Brite Divinity School. \nAs Guiding Teacher\, Valerie is responsible for the quality and integrity of Zen offerings at Mountain Cloud. She offers dokusan to over 50 students a week and runs our sesshin and zazenkai. Alongside her guiding work at Mountain Cloud\, Valerie leads sesshin (intensive Zen retreats) annually at two Zen centers in Germany. \n∞ \nDharma Talk often referred to as a “teisho” in Zen Buddhism\, is a discourse or lecture given by a teacher to convey teachings on Buddhist philosophy\, principles\, and practice. During a Dharma talk\, the teacher may explore various aspects of Buddhist doctrine\, share insights from personal experience\, and offer guidance to the audience on how to apply these teachings in their lives. The purpose is to deepen understanding\, inspire contemplation\, and support the development of mindfulness and wisdom among the practitioners.
URL:https://www.mountaincloud.org/event/dharma-talk-valerie-forstman-04-10-2025/
LOCATION:Mountain Cloud Zen Center and Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Dharma,Talks & Workshops
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.mountaincloud.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Valerie.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR