Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast

Dōgen’s Uji: Stop Waiting to Practice

In this episode of Awakening Streams, Sensei Michael Brunner takes up Eihei Dōgen’s Uji (“Being-Time”) and asks what the teaching actually demands of us in practice. Rath

Stop Trying to Fix Yourself | A Zen Teaching on Not Knowing | Book of Equanimity 45

Stop Trying to Fix Yourself: Zen and the Freedom of Not Knowing In this episode of Awakening Streams, Sensei Michael Brunner takes up Case 45 of the Book of Equanimity, “

Enter Zen from There | Book of Equanimity Case 81

Enter Zen from There What if grief, uncertainty, longing, and doubt are not obstacles to Zen practice, but the very places where practice begins? In this episode, Sensei

David Hume’s Zen: Escaping the "Faint Copies" of Reality | Mumonkan Case 19

Episode Notes: David Hume’s Zen Series: Awakening Streams Teacher: Sensei Michael Brunner (Sōen) Location: One River Zen | Ottawa, Illinois Title: Escaping the "Faint

Right and Wrong — The Zen Koan of Mayoku Thumping His Staff (Book of Equanimity Case 16)

Right and Wrong — The Zen Koan of Mayoku Thumping His Staff Book of Equanimity (Shōyōroku), Case 16 With Sensei Michael Brunner — One River Zen In this episode of Aw

Book of Equanimity Case 21 — Ungan Sweeps the Ground

Ungan Sweeps the Ground — The Second Moon and the Problem of Effort Book of Equanimity (Shoyoroku), Case 21 With Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner Recorded at One River Zen (Ot

Daitsu Chishō — Mumonkan Case 9

Daitsu Chishō — Mumonkan Case 9In this episode of Awakening Streams, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner offers a Zen teishō on Mumonkan Case 9, “Daitsu Chishō.” The koan present

Keichū Makes Carts — Mumonkan Case 8

Keichū Makes Carts — Mumonkan Case 8In this episode of Awakening Streams, Sensei Soen Michael Brunner offers a Zen teishō on Mumonkan Case 8, “Ketshū Makes Carts.” This k

The 200-Millisecond Gap: Free Will, Karma, and Zen

The 200-Millisecond Gap: Free Will, Karma, and Zen with Sensei Michael Brunner (One River Zen) In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores how ancient Zen practice

You Don’t Become Free — You Stop Pretending | A Zen Teaching from Shōyōroku 97

Episode NotesPrimary Text: Emperor Dōkō’s Cap — Shōyōroku, Case 97 Core Theme: Awakening is not achieved through improvement or performance, but revealed when self-serio

The Garuda Trap: How to Master Karmic Momentum and Sustain Presence

🎧 Episode Notes: The Garuda TrapTitle: The Garuda Trap: How to Master Karmic Momentum and Sustain Presence Speaker: Sensei Michael Brunner (Founder, One River Zen, Ottaw

The Stream of Unhindered Life: Compassion, Koans, and the Unstoppable Function

🎧 Awakening Streams Episode Notes Title: ZEN KOAN: The 2 Secrets of True Compassion | Sensei Michael Brunner Teacher: Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner, Sōtō Zen Buddhist Pri

Shōyōroku Case 19 | Ummon’s Mount Sumeru — A Zen Koan on Meeting the Obstacles of Mind

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner of One River Zen Center in Ottawa, Illinois explores Shōyōroku Case 19 — Ummon’s Mount Sumeru, a profound Zen koan on how we meet

Zen Kōan on Ego and Original Nature — Mountains, Rivers, and the True Will

Zen Kōan on Ego and Original Nature — Mountains, Rivers, and the True Will with Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner, Abbot of One River Zen (Ottawa, Illinois) When every movemen

Hōgen's Hair's-Breadth: Shōyōroku Case 17

In this talk Sensei Michael Brunner turns to Case 17 of the Shōyōroku — Hōren’s Hair’s-Breadth. The koan pivots on a single line from the Shin Jin Mei: “If there’s even a

Song of the Grass Roof Hermitage | Part Four

In the final talk of this four-part series, Sensei Michael Brunner concludes his exploration of Sekitō Kisen’s Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage — the poem that traces the

Song of the Grass Roof Hermitage | Part Three

In the third talk of this four-part series, Sensei Michael Brunner turns to the stillness at the heart of Sekitō Kisen’s Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage. Having built t

Song of the Grass Roof Hermitage | Part Two

In the second talk of this four-part series, Sensei Michael Brunner continues his exploration of Sekitō Kisen’s Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage, turning to the widening

Song of the Grass Roof Hermitage | Part One

In the opening talk of this four-part series, Sensei Michael Brunner introduces Sekitō Kisen’s Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage — a timeless Zen poem about dwelling freel

Hyakujo's Fox | Mumonkan Case 2

In this opening talk for the Ango Practice Period, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner explores Hyakujo’s Fox (Mumonkan Case 2), one of Zen’s most mysterious and instructive koan