in the Cloud

Opening with a reading of Mountain Cloud's Land Acknowledgment, this talk is framed by a tribute to Joanna Macy through poetry that helped to inspire her deep and abiding support for the earth and all forms of life.

Within this frame, Valerie turns to a koan about Prajnatara, teacher of Bodhidharma and an ancestor who may well have been a woman. Case 3 of the Shoyoroku or Book of Equanimity presents Prajnatara embodying the way by "always reciting the 'Such-as-this'-sutra" and opening our eyes to what that is.

Recorded on January 22nd, 2026

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Scott takes up Case 6 of the Blue Cliff Record, Unmon's "Every Day is a Good Day."

Recorded on January 15th, 2026

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In this first Dharma talk of the new year, Valerie reads from a recently published collection of poetry, Begin Where You Are, then turns to the question, 'Where Are You?' Issuing from our practice, this question is not a matter of geographical location but a pointer to the fundamental reality of who and what we truly are.

Centuries ago, Master Tosetsu Etsu famously addressed his monks with this fundamental question: Right in the midst of your seeking and searching, where is your self-nature at this very moment? Addressed to us, how will we respond – right now in 'this very moment,' exactly as it is?

Recorded on January 8th, 2026

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In the wake of the Rohatsu sesshin at Mountain Cloud and our deep dive into Hakuin's Song of Zazen, Valerie begins this talk with a painting by Hakuin, an image of three blind men crossing a precarious log bridge. What does Hakuin's vision of 'crossing over' say about our practice, about awakening, and about the leap or fall right into the heart of this broken open world?

By way of response, Valerie takes up case 62 in the Hekiganroku or Blue Cliff Record, "Unmon's 'One Treasure.'" In the case, Master Unmon/Yunmen quotes a famous passage about the one treasure that is always right in our midst and offers a teaching about its manifold activity.

Recorded on December 18th, 2025

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On the occasion of the last full moon of this calendar year, Valerie turns to case 100 in the Blue Cliff Record or Hekiganroku. Speaking directly to our life and practice, Master Haryo (Baling), asks, "What is the sharpest sword? He himself answers, "Each branch of coral reflects the moon."

How does that sharpest sword function and what does it have to do with the light of the moon?

In the course of her talk, Valerie reflects on a recent sesshin in Germany then makes the turn toward Rohatsu, the deepest ingathering of the year at Zen centers around the world. The talk also includes a poem by Maelna Mörling from her forthcoming collection, 'Lumina Station.'

Recorded on December 4th, 2025

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