In this talk, Valerie begins with a look into Dogen's phrase, "mountain-still sitting," asking how this practice of divesting ourselves – "dropping away body and mind" – is, at the same time, an invitation to realize the inexhaustible abundance that runs through all things. The talk then turns to a koan that embodies this realization: case 10 of the Gateless Gate, "Seizei the Poor." In the case, a seasoned monk presents himself to a renowned master: "I am solitary and poor." This is no lament but the meeting ground for an exchange that freely illumines the awake world and invites us to taste and see.

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So nice to chat with Sarah Giffin, the Executive Director of Mountain Cloud Zen Center. Sarah's had an interesting pathless path to her current role at the Center, and has such a gift for storytelling.

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Returning to the zendo after co-leading a monthlong 'mini-ango' at a beautiful Zen center in the Black Forest region of Germany, Valerie reflects on travel and long sitting and Zen's ever-present invitation to come home to what we truly are. The talk then turns to case 9 in the Gateless Gate or Mumonkan, "Daitsu Chisho," another name for the essential wisdom that pervades all places. This koan hinges on the question, can you - or can anyone - "attain Buddhahood"? More to the point, can you become anything? If not, what is awakening? What liberating wisdom is it that is ours to discover without ever leaving home?

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Scott explores Case 53 of the Blue Cliff Record or Hekiganroku: "Hyakujo and the Wild Ducks."

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Really enjoyed this conversation with Eric Zimmer. Eric was in Santa Fe while touring in support of his latest book, How A Little Becomes A Lot. Also check out his incredibly popular podcast, The One You Feed.

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When the Buddha touched the Earth (bhumisparsha), was the Earth touching him? What does our nonduality with the Earth really mean?

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Such a pleasure to sit down with Elena Brower in the Study at Mountain Cloud for a beautiful conversation around the pathless path of practice and life.

Please check out Elena's latest book, Hold Nothing, as well as her Substack, where she writes on practice, study, and listening. Elena also hosts a wonderful podcast called Practice You.

If you're enjoying these conversations, please consider supporting Mountain Cloud through donation and membership. Your contribution is a meaningful way for us to continue offering these programs freely.

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Reach out to [email protected] with any comments or suggestions.

Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud with a donation or becoming a member, so we can continue to offer these programs freely.

Donations: https://www.mountaincloud.org/donate/

Membership: https://www.mountaincloud.org/about/membership/

Reach out to [email protected] with any comments or suggestions.

Such a joy to sit down with Tias Little (during a break from writing his latest book) on the beautiful grounds of Prajna Yoga. Tias and Surya offer amazing courses and classes, both in their temple in Santa Fe, as well as online.

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In this talk, Valerie begins with an Earth Day reflection, acknowledging and honoring what Hakuin Zenji calls "this earth where we stand." The talk then turns to case 8 in the Gateless Gate or Mumonkan, "Keichu Makes Carts." The koan asks: What happens to the cart when all the moving parts are removed? And what about us? When all our concepts and assumptions fall away, what remains? In his verse to the case, Mumon calls this fundamental reality "the active wheel" – the wheel that is always functioning freely no matter the circumstances.

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