Mountain Cloud Zen Podcasts Dharma Talk: “Homecoming: Not a single step taken” with Valerie Forstman
Jun 17, 2025
Valerie shares transformative experiences from a Zen retreat in Germany, emphasizing the power of community in meditation. The discussion explores the One Way koan, revealing themes of boundlessness and interconnectedness in our lives. Through reflections on emptiness and the Heart Sutra, listeners are invited to feel a deep connection with their surroundings. The talk culminates in the celebration of freedom found in the present moment, rich with gratitude and a sense of responsibility toward nature.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Pattern Of Deepening In Extended Practice
- Long sitting dissolves the sense of separate self and opens a radiant silence that feels like 'no floor, no walls, no ceiling.'
- Valerie observed this pattern across weeks: initial entry, struggle, then clearing into deep openness.
Listen To The Talk Without Overanalyzing
- Treat the dharma talk as a presentation to let wash over you rather than a lecture to dissect.
- Allow one resonant point to strike and let it resound instead of forcing comprehension.
The Gate Is Right Here
- Kempo points to the way with a single immediate gesture: "here it is," equating the gate with the ten directions and your whole body.
- Dogen and Valerie emphasize that the one path is inseparable from ordinary, intimate presence right here.
