Mountain Cloud Zen Podcasts

“... Focusing on the breath, we learn how to tame the delusive mind ...”

Description: Master Joshu features in several important koans in the Zen canon. He is often heard giving poignant clarification to bemused monks about how “the great way dislikes picking and choosing.” In this talk, Rollie del Rosario from the Manila Zen Center in the Philippines discusses how through sitting we may gradually learn to avoid the traps of dualistic thinking that we fall into when our minds form distinctions.

And, here’s a link to our YouTube video of this talk.

Also, check out our Upcoming Events:

Original Love Fall 2021 Program.

Circle of the Way: October 21-23 Three-day Retreat.

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“… how everyday experience is actually as vast and boundless as outer space ...”

“… By letting everything be, things have the intrinsic capacity to release themselves ...”

Description: Resuming the discussion about the koan that tells us “ordinary mind is the way,” this talk from the second day of a weekend retreat examines how everyday experience is actually as vast and boundless as outer space. Many of us who have come to Zen as spiritual seekers will be surprised one day when we find that the Way we have been seeking is right here in front of us. It is us, and has been all along.

And, here’s a link to our YouTube video of this talk.

Also, check out our Upcoming Events:

September 24-26: Three-day Virtual Retreat.

Oct 3: Original Love Fall 2021 Program.

Post & Featured Image (edited): Couple preparing dinner by ArturVerkhovetskiy, purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our website/social channels (this image is not permitted to be shared separately from this post).

“… Practice wears thin the veil between non-awakened and awakened experience ...”

Description: The questions raised after this Sunday sitting and lecture touch upon kensho, or Zen awakening, and what might be the causes and conditions for it. A practitioner asks about how the true self and the no-self are reconciled in Zen. The session closes with a look at what wisdom and love, both of which may result from kensho, may show us about our original nature.

And, here’s a link to our YouTube video of this talk.

Also, check out our Upcoming Event:

August 14-15 Original Love Weekend Retreat

This virtual weekend with Henry Shukman will bring together the zones of mindfulness, support and meditative absorption into a comprehensive approach to healing and awakening. We will also begin to explore the fourth “zone” of practice – awakening.

Post & Featured Image (edited): Light abstract background with airy mesh fabric by Muskoviya, purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our website/social channels (this image is not permitted to be shared separately from this post).

“… to learn to surrender to forces beyond our control ...”

“… From the Zen point of view, every moment is holy ...”

Description: In continuing the discussion about levels of Zen practice, tHenry looks at the level of tariki, “other power.” Whether we adhere to a religious outlook or not, it is easy to see how our existence depends on the functioning of many and various organisms and processes. Amidst the widespread uncertainty of the pandemic, we are faced with a rare opportunity to let go of our need for everything to be just so, and to learn to surrender to forces beyond our control.

And, here’s a link to our YouTube video of this talk.

Also, check out our Upcoming Events:

August 7 Saturday Morning Stillness: Learn to Meditate

The class with Valerie Forstman will include detailed meditation instruction, a talk by Valerie, an opportunity to ask questions and several periods of meditation. If you are brand new to meditating, want to hone your posture, or need support focusing your practice, this is a good class for you.

August 14-15 Original Love Weekend Retreat

This virtual weekend with Henry Shukman will bring together the zones of mindfulness, support and meditative absorption into a comprehensive approach to healing and awakening. We will also begin to explore the fourth “zone” of practice – awakening.

Post & Featured Image (edited): Colorful coral reef with many fishes and sea turtle by Vlad61, purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our website/social channels (this image is not permitted to be shared separately from this post).

“… join with human beings around the world in unravelling the great, global koan …”

“… Oneness is a property of all phenomena ...”

Description: This talk contains some practical advice for using mindfulness to deal with the global health crisis. Lockdown measures may afford us the opportunity to go deeper into our practice, where we may find the inflexion point between outer circumstances and our internal reactions to them. Once we shift our perspective from one of fear and aversion to acceptance and love, we may join with human beings around the world in unravelling the great, global koan that the crisis represents.

And, here’s a link to our YouTube video of this talk.

Post & Featured Image (edited): Different people walk the planet together by alina.ill.mail.ru, purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our website/social channels (this image is not permitted to be shared separately from this post).