What Would Mountain Do? - Kisei Costenbader, Sensei

In this closing talk from sesshin, Kisei invokes Dōgen’s Mountains and Rivers Sutra and guides us into the practice of “mountain mind,” the spacious, steady awareness that has been the abode of sages from timeless past to timeless present. Through meditation instructions and vivid imagery, she shows how we can rest in awareness beyond self-identification, seeing our body, thoughts, and life from the perspective of mountain’s stillness. From this ground, she explores how uniqueness and interdependence naturally shine through, how sangha mirrors Buddha-nature, and how bodhisattvas like Jizō express the fearless, compassionate qualities of mountain mind. Ultimately, we are invited to live from this stability in every moment—walking, washing, speaking, and meeting our lives with freedom and presence.
This talk was given during the 2025 Grasses and Trees Sesshin at Great Vow.