Mountain Rain Zen Dharma Podcast

 Dai-i Flo Rublee continues exploring the Xin Xin Ming poem, and how a sense of equanimity supports our practice in these deeply troubled times.  _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporting our work at mountainrainzen.org/donate . A full...

The Xin Xin Ming , sometimes translated as Faith in Mind , is a poem attributed to the 3rd Zen Patriarch Seng-t’san. It stresses having a sense of equanimity when experiencing both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.  Dai-i Flo Rublee shares an exploration of this text and how it can support our practice in these deeply troubled times.  ____________________________________________________________...

Myosen River Shannon continues the dharma seminar on The Old Way, talks on texts from the Pali Canon, with a deep dive into the different kinds of minds we carry. What tools do we have for adjusting our behaviours when things are not going our way? _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you fi...

Toshin Patrick Griffin offers a Way-seeking mind talk as an invitation to remember, with gratitude, the events that weave themselves into the thresholds of our life. A Way-seeking mind talk tells how the speaker came to Zen practice and how it has guided their life. _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide co...

Joko Claire Talbot explores what metta mean.  Rather than evaluating or judging self and others against culturally ingrained standards, can we pay attention to self and others based on awareness of the human need to be safe, healthy, and happy? _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find v...

Myosen River Shannon asks in what way we can encourage each other in our practice. If spiritual friendship is an antidote to isolation and fragmentation, how do we achieve these wise relationships? _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider suppor...

Nin-en Susan Elbe explores the story of Angulimala, a serial murderer from the time of the Buddha.  Even those with the darkest hearts share a common  humanity that just needs to be seen and accepted. _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider sup...

Jikai Vicki Turay offers a talk in honour of World Water day and the first day of Spring.  "Can we walk the fine line of the eight fold path between the urgency of present relative reality and the universal truth of impermanence?"  _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find valu...

Dai-i Flo Rublee gives the first dharma seminar on The Old Way, talks on texts from the Pali Canon.   Can you see the importance of recognizing wholesome and unwholesome thoughts and their effect on others? _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consid...

Shinmon Michael Newton offers a talk about David Chadwick, a Soto Zen priest, author, archivist, and one of the earliest disciples of Shunryu Suzuki (February 9, 1945 - February 23, 2026).    “I don't know anything about consciousness. I just try to teach my students how to hear the birds sing.” _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks...

Myoshin Kate McCandless acknowledges that our deeper wounds need to be given protection and healing care. The darts and arrows of a human life can be sharp and painful - the body and mind are supported by practicing the dharma.  _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these te...

Shinmon Michael Newton affirms that our practice is complete in each moment -- each moment of thought transcends all time. As Dogen would say: there is nothing to add or take away. _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporting our work at...

Myoshin Kate McCandless encourages the perspective that even though we are very far away in time from Dogen, we are part of the movement and transmission of dharma. _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporting our work at mountainrainzen....

Myoshin Kate McCandless looks at how poets before and after Dogen have used blossoms in their writing. From a smile, to dynamic interrelationship, to a burning house - all is real, all is unreal. _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporti...

Shuso Heito Lee Lourdeaux explores how anger can transmute into compassion. "Understanding is love's other name." _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporting our work at mountainrainzen.org/donate . A full archive of recor...

Shinmon Michael Newton reinforces that for us, reality is continuously expressing itself as this moment - and your life and practice is not separate from that expression. _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporting our work at mountainra...

The continuous and subtle movement of our senses as they function naturally means that delusion is part of the human experience. Shinmon Michael Newton offers the last talk on the fascicle: Flowers in the Sky. _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please con...

Myoshin Kate McCandless continues the Genzo-e with an exploration of our capacity for agency. “ Even those who attempt to create or measure do so in accordance to dharma blossoms. ” (Dogen) _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporting our...

Myoshin Kate McCandless celebrates the historic buddha’s final enlightenment by sharing images and teachings from Dogen’s Flowers in the Sky .  _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporting our work at mountainrainzen.org/donate . A full a...

Shinmon Michael Newton affirms that beyond recitation and intellectual understanding of the sutras, our practice is full of heart. All is mutually interdependent and dynamic, and all activities are expressions of dharma blossoms.  “If thinking and beyond thinking do not divide the mind you can steer the white ox cart endlessly.” (Zen master Hui-neng) _______________________________________________...

Shinmon Michael Newton continues the Genzo-e by reflecting on Dogen’s “Buddhas and ancestors of old were as we - we in the future shall be buddhas and ancestors.” _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporting our work at mountainrainzen.or...

Myoshin Kate McCandless emphasizes that co-awakening is the nature of our experience- it is only in relationship with the world around us that enlightenment happens. “When your mind is deluded, you are turned by the dharma blossoms. When your mind is enlightened, you turn the dharma blossoms” (Dogen) _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks...

Hotei Lee Lourdeaux talks about the importance of having a supportive religious community or sangha.  _________________________ A way-seeking mind talk tells how the speaker came to Zen practice and how it has guided their life. _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these te...

Myoshin Kate McCandless offers that through entrusting and upholding, each is an extraordinary expression of the blossoming of the Udumbara flower.   _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider supporting our work at mountainrainzen.org/donate . A...

Shinmon Michael Newton opens our annual Dogen study intensive by exploring the Udumbara Blossom text and introducing this year’s theme.  “Holding up a flower means a flower is holding up a flower.” _____________________________________________________________ These talks are made possible thanks to donations from our worldwide community. If you find value in these teachings, please consider suppor...