Legacy MC Podcast
Mountain Cloud Zen Center
Welcome to the MCZC Podcast. Here, we’ll be sharing our weekly Teisho’s exploring classical Zen Koans, offered by Mountain Cloud teachers, and some guest teachers. Additionally, we’ll be releasing a conversation series, titled Path(less), which will explore the “pathless path” of practice and life.Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud Zen Center through donation and membership, both of which allow us to offer these and other programs. Visit mountaincloud.org for our daily meditation schedule, weekly talks, upcoming retreats, and more.Reach out to grant@mountaincloud.org with any comments/suggestions.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 24, 2026 • 30min
Dharma Talk: “The Oak Tree of Life” with Maria Habito
A poetic exploration of the Tree of Life and its contrast with the Tree of Knowledge. Stories from Guan Yin, Jesuits, and Lourdes illustrate nondual insight. Reflections connect Zen practice to clarity, compassion, and letting go. A tree-planting Bodhisattva story ties spiritual awakening to everyday action.
Feb 17, 2026 • 37min
Dharma Talk: “Taking Care of the One Who is Not Ill” Valerie Forstman
A talk about sitting fully with suffering and the practice of being present amid worldly ills. A teaching woven with a classic koan about Tozan, his life, and approaches to illness and attention. Reflections on emptiness and form, caring without clinging, and staying available in the face of grief, death, and ecological crisis.
Feb 10, 2026 • 40min
Dharma Talk: “Opening the Floodgates” with Shana Smith
Shana Smith, a Zen teacher and Dharma presenter, offers a concise mini bio before guiding listeners. She explores koans like Joshu's Four Gates and Case 15c, ties zazen to oneness and cause and effect, and frames practice amid the polycrisis. Short, evocative reflections on grief, belonging, broken-hearted compassion, and entering practice as a way to respond.
Feb 4, 2026 • 38min
Dharma Talk: “Sun-faced Buddha, Moon-faced Buddha” with Valerie Forstman
A contemplative talk about staying present and compassionate while facing collective suffering. Stories and lineage anecdotes explore taking up practice amid anxiety and societal harm. Ancient koans and sutras are used to consider mortality, attention, and the meaning of this moment. The idea that awakening grows from affliction is threaded throughout.
Jan 27, 2026 • 34min
Dharma Talk: “The ‘Such-as-this’ Sutra” with Valerie Forstman
Opening with a reading of Mountain Cloud’s Land Acknowledgment, this talk is framed by a tribute to Joanna Macy through poetry that helped to inspire her deep and abiding support
Jan 20, 2026 • 30min
Dharma Talk: “Sitting in the Midst of Tragedy” with Scott Thornton
Scott takes up Case 6 of the Blue Cliff Record, Unmon’s “Every Day is a Good Day.” Recorded on January 15th, 2026 Please consider supporting Mountain Cloud with a donation
Jan 13, 2026 • 36min
Dharma Talk: “Begin Again: The timeless gift of a new day” with Valerie Forstman
Valerie explores the concept of interconnectedness through Indra's net, illustrating the uniqueness of every being. She shares a Zuni snow prayer and reflects on the beauty of the new year. The discourse dives into transformative poetry, turning grief into beauty, and emphasizes the importance of recognizing one’s self-nature in the present moment. Discussions on emptiness and the ancient wisdom of Zen invite listeners to embody awareness now. With a nod to the notion that 'this very body is Buddha,' the talk encourages embracing the journey from the start.
Dec 23, 2025 • 34min
Dharma Talk: “One Treasure – Endlessly Functioning” with Valerie Forstman
In the wake of the Rohatsu sesshin at Mountain Cloud and our deep dive into Hakuin’s Song of Zazen, Valerie begins this talk with a painting by Hakuin, an image
Dec 9, 2025 • 38min
Dharma Talk – Illumined; Illumining: The Full Moon of Our Lives
A moonlit meditation on a classic koan and its image of coral reflecting the moon. Stories of travel and being fully present set the scene. The talk traces a sword metaphor that both cuts delusion and reveals life. Poetry and accounts of sudden rapture illustrate how any single thing can intimate the whole.
9 snips
Nov 25, 2025 • 26min
Dharma Talk: “The Boundless Way” with Maria Habito
Maria Habito, an experienced Zen teacher in the Mountain Cloud tradition, explores profound Zen teachings in this discussion. She delves into Jōshū's advice to 'Wash your Bowl,' highlighting how this simple act serves as a gateway to understanding the true self. Maria emphasizes the importance of trust in practice and sees everyday actions as reflections of ultimate reality. Through stories of awakening and simple compassion, she illustrates how engaging fully with life transforms the heart-mind and cultivates openness in each moment.
