Simplicity Zen Podcast Simplicity Zen Podcast Episode 39 - An Interview with Valerie Forstman (The Zen Lamp Series)
Sep 9, 2022
Valerie Forstman, an Associate Zen Master and Guiding Teacher at Mountain Cloud Zen Center, shares her unique insights on the intersection of Zen practice and personal relationships. She discusses her transformative journey from classical music to Zen, exploring the power of music in spiritual practices. Valerie also delves into the importance of Zen precepts in daily life and reflects on navigating diverse Zen traditions, emphasizing inclusivity and emotional connection in a chaotic world. Her experiences offer a rich tapestry of wisdom for spiritual seekers.
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Music As A Spiritual Door
- Valerie describes the flute as a "lightning rod between heaven and earth" that opened her to spiritual experience.
- Her two-track experience of playing and self-judgment pushed her toward Zen practice.
Teenage Unbidden Awakening
- At 16 Valerie had an unexpected classroom experience of oneness that left her walking in wonder for days.
- She had no framework then to integrate it, which later motivated her toward practice.
Zen Found During Career Crisis
- As auditions consumed her life, Valerie lost love for playing and felt a chasm between past and future.
- A friend invited her to Ruben Habito Roshi's Zen center and she arrived the Monday after an important audition and never left.
