Mountain Cloud Zen Podcasts Dharma Talk: “The humanity of our life in a borderless now” with Valerie Forstman
Jul 29, 2025
Valerie Forstman delves into the poetry of love and loss, revealing insights from 9th-century Zen master Joshu about the nature of time. She challenges listeners to reflect on how we perceive existence in the present moment. The discussion emphasizes mindfulness and compassion while navigating global suffering. The importance of stillness in reshaping our understanding of time is explored, inviting a deeper connection with the collective human experience and the profound interplay between individual moments and shared reality.
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Student's Honest Cry From Practice
- A long-term student described sitting for starving children in Palestine and asked whether sitting is prayer or delusion.
- Valerie shared the message to open a conversation about refuge, compassion, and the limits of sitting amid suffering.
Zazen As Universal Participation
- Riyan Roshi teaches that when you sit, the whole universe is sitting and the merits extend everywhere.
- Valerie uses this to suggest zazen can be a refuge that participates in the world's suffering and healing.
Poem That Stops Time
- Valerie reads James Wright's poem ending with 'I have wasted my life' to probe whether momentary seeing is regret or gratitude.
- She contrasts that line with finding extraordinary presence in ordinary perception.
