Posted inValerie's Messages, Videos

Valerie Forstman: Dew Drops Shaken from a Crane’s Bill

July 25, 2024

We enter just now into the vast, limitless oneness of the practice of Zen. Flowing but at the same time perfectly still. Valerie picks up a thread from another of her recent dharma talks about Bodhidharma. Recall the challenge Bodhidharma presented to his disciples to demonstrate their understanding. This talk highlights the third disciple to speak, Dao Yu. He said, “The four elements are all empty. The five skandhas are without actual existence. Not a single dharma can be grasped.” Bhodidharma responded, “You have attained my bones.” From this framework, Valerie, with her signature style, graces us with poetry by Li Po, Jennifer Elise Foerster and Dogen, and with her beautiful understanding of Dogen and the bare bones simplicity of Zen. “How do you share the sky?”

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