"Stepping Forward," the theme of this Mountain Record, explores our human responses to the suffering and injustice we encounter. How do we act with urgency, but stay true to the heartbeat of spiritual practice running beneath? In practice, stepping forward opens up the potential to be direct and unhindered, as Shugen Sensei explores in the koan of the person stepping off a hundred-foot pole. This is the great challenge, as he says, meeting reality with "our eyes open, our hearts open, our mind open, our courage present, our faith strong, our patience deep." Includes writing by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, Eve Ensler, Susan Sontag, and interview with Ruby Sales and more.