Maria turns to Mumonkan Case 7, Joshu’s “Wash your Bowl”, his advice to a newcomer who earnestly asked him for instruction about the way. How does this simple instruction reflect

How do we reconcile the wondrous and borderless reality of the essence with the messiness of our everyday lives? Are changing diapers, checking a phone or driving to work really

In this talk, Scott takes up Case 10 of the Mumonkon, “Seizei the Poor.” Recorded on November 6th, 2025 Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud with a donation or becoming a

For this talk, Valerie is joined by friend, author, artist, and dharma teacher, Natalie Goldberg. Together, Natalie and Valerie take up case 25 in the Book of Equanimity or Shoyoroku

This talk begins with the question, ‘What is it to be human?’ When Siddhartha Gautama was 29 years old, he leapt beyond the palace walls of his rarified life in search of an answer to this question. One of Shakyamuni Buddha’s earliest teachings points the way towards what he discovered: Stop and see. Stop the conditioned activity of our discursive minds, our habitual ways of framing the world, our fixed concepts about who and what we are. Put down the artifice of that narrow flashlight. Turn off the projector and see. See what remains. In effect, see in the dark.

In response to this invitation, Valerie turns to case 89 in the Hekiganroku or Blue Cliff Record, ‘Unmon’s Bright Light.’ Addressing the assembly, Unmon says, “Everyone has their own bright light. When you look at it, you can’t see it; it is complete darkness. Now, what is the bright light of you all?” Unmon’s own reply is a pointer to who we truly are and to how that matters in our lives.

This talk takes up case 34 in the Blue Cliff Record or Hekiganroku, “Kyozan’s ‘Not Wandering,’” as a guide to that exploration. Kyozan (Yangshan) asks a monk, “Where have you

In this talk, Valerie returns to the basics of Zen practice beginning with a beloved verse by the renowned 8th century Chinese poet, Li Po. The poem is both a practice

In this talk, Valerie begins with the poetry of love and loss as a portal to a saying from the eminent 9th century Chan/Zen master Joshu (Zhaozhou) about the timelessness

Scott’s talked is based on one of Joshu’s sayings. When asked “What is meditation?” he responded, “Non-meditation.” When asked how that could be, he said, “It’s alive! It’s alive!” Recorded

Fresh home from a memorial service for a beloved mentor and on the heels of the flooding in Texas, Valerie turns to case 41 of the Hekiganroku or Blue Cliff