In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Shōyōroku Case 38, where Rinzai challenges us to see the true person of no rank—the one who moves freely, unbound by illusion.

We spend our lives constructing a self, reinforcing it with experiences, roles, and beliefs. But what happens when that self collapses? What remains when there’s nothing left to defend?

🔹 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How pain and fear shape our identities
• Why our self-image is an illusion reinforced by others
• Rinzai’s direct teaching on cutting through the construct of self
• Why awakening is not an attainment but a constant practice
• The danger of clinging to spiritual accomplishments

This talk is a confrontation with the illusion of self and an invitation to step into the freedom that has always been here.

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo, a ten-phrase sutra dedicated to Kanzeon (Avalokiteśvara), the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

🔹 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• The power of chanting beyond intellectual understanding
• How Kanzeon embodies both deep listening and action
• The role of rhythm, breath, and resonance in dissolving the small self
• Why compassion is not something we do—but something we become
• The transformative impact of chanting in Zen practice

Kanzeon
Namu Butsu
Yo Butsu U In
Yo Butsu U En
Bu Po So En
Jo Raku Ga Jo
Cho Nen Kanzeon
Bo Nen Kanzeon
Nen Nen Ju Shin Ki
Nen Nen Fu Ri Shin

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

In this talk, Sensei Michael Brunner examines the Three Pure Precepts as a practice of seeing beyond the limitations of self and other. Rather than moral commandments, these precepts serve as a dynamic way of engaging with the world, allowing us to break free from conditioned narratives and step into direct experience.

The talk explores how our judgments shape perception, how the gap between self and other is self-imposed, and how true compassion arises naturally when separation dissolves. Using Mumonkan Case 36, Sensei Michael challenges us: If we meet a fully awakened being, how do we greet them? More importantly, how do we meet this very moment?

🔹 Cease from Evil – Not about moral judgment, but releasing attachment to narratives that distort direct experience.
🔹 Practice Good – A call to bear witness rather than impose labels and categories.
🔹 Practice Good for Others – Stepping beyond self/other duality to act from unity.
🔹 Perception Shapes Reality – Our judgments are not distant objects, they are our experience.
🔹 Compassion Beyond Calculation – Action arises freely when we no longer hesitate.
🔹 Mumonkan Case 36 – A koan that forces us to drop the idea of a "right" response and instead fully meet reality.

00:00 – Introduction: The precepts as a process, not rules
05:10 – How our judgments shape perception
12:30 – The Three Pure Precepts in daily life
18:45 – Self and other: Seeing through the same eyes
24:15 – Mumonkan Case 36: How do you greet an awakened being?
32:00 – Letting go of the constructed self and showing up fully

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

In this talk, Sensei Michael Brunner explores the nature of true compassion through the lens of Shōyōroku Case 54. Ungan asks Dōgo about the function of Avalokiteśvara’s thousand hands and eyes, and Dōgo responds with a powerful image: “It’s like a man reaching for his pillow in the dark.” No hesitation. No calculation. Just movement.

But what does this mean for our daily lives? How do we move beyond conceptual thinking and into the uncontrived, effortless action of compassion? Sensei Michael unpacks this koan with insights from Dōgen’s Tenzo Kyōkun, showing us how our practice isn’t about accumulating knowledge—it’s about being actualized by the moment itself.

🔹 Compassion is not something we do—it is what we are.
🔹 The small self limits our response; letting go allows us to move freely.
🔹 Like reaching for a pillow in the dark, true compassion arises without calculation.
🔹 Dōgo’s final response shifts the perspective: “Throughout the body are hands and eyes.” There is no longer a self at the center—only action and awareness as one.

00:00 – Introduction to the talk
02:30 – Shōyōroku Case 54: Ungan & Dōgo
07:15 – The legend of Avalokiteśvara’s thousand hands and eyes
12:40 – Moving beyond conceptual thinking into embodied practice
18:10 – How karmic conditioning shapes our response to suffering
22:45 – Letting go of the small self to allow compassion to move
27:30 – Dōgen’s Tenzo Kyōkun and the seamless unity of practice and action
32:00 – Closing reflections

📖 The Book of Serenity (Thomas Cleary)
📖 Genjōkōan by Dōgen – “That myriad things come forth and illuminate the self is awakening.”

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💬 What resonated most with you in this episode? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner of One River Zen takes us into the heart of Zen practice with the first case of the Mumonkan (Gateless Gate), Joshu’s “Mu.” This foundational koan isn’t just a barrier to be overcome—it’s an invitation to go beyond concepts, labels, and fears to discover the boundless clarity and freedom that lies at the core of our lives.

Sensei Michael shares how we fence ourselves in with judgments, create barriers with our thoughts, and how “Mu” clears the way for us to reconnect with the wonder and curiosity we were born with. Through vivid examples, he illustrates how working with this koan can help us embody wisdom and compassion, allowing us to meet life’s challenges with courage and presence.

Whether you’re new to Zen or deep in your practice, this teisho offers an inspiring perspective on how to live fully and freely through the practice of Mu.

Key Themes Addressed:

• The significance of Joshu’s “Mu” and its place in Zen training.
• How we create and reinforce barriers with thoughts, fears, and labels.
• Moving beyond concepts to experience true clarity and freedom.
• The balance between surrender and active engagement in Zen practice.
• How the practice of Mu transforms our relationship with suffering and invites us to respond with wisdom and compassion.

🌟 Join Us for Meditation at One River Zen 🌟
🧘‍♀️ Morning Meditation: Monday–Friday, 6:30–7:15 AM
🧘 Evening Meditation: Wednesdays, 6:00–6:45 PM
🧘‍♂️ Weekend Meditation: Saturdays, 9:00–10:00 AM

Come in-person or join online to deepen your practice, connect with our sangha, and explore the path of Zen.

Resources Mentioned:

• Mumonkan (Gateless Gate)
• Joshu’s “Mu” (Case 1)

#ZenBuddhism #JoshuMu #Mumonkan #ZenPractice #KoanTraining #DharmaTalk #OneRiverZen #MindfulnessJourney #WisdomAndCompassion

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner of One River Zen explores Case 68 from the Shōyōroku (Book of Equanimity), “Kasan’s Slashing Sword.” Through the contrasting teachings of Kasan and Sekisō, this teisho examines key Zen concepts such as:

• The interplay between practice and realization
• The dynamic balance of relative and absolute truths
• Moving beyond dualistic thinking to embody the Dharma
• The transformative power of cutting through illusions
• Actualizing wisdom and compassion in the present moment

Sensei Michael also reflects on the nature of karmic momentum, the importance of embracing life's challenges, and how true practice allows us to meet life fully. This talk invites us to see the Buddha not as a distant idea but as a living, moving force that manifests through us when we step beyond concepts and into direct experience.

This talk was recorded live at One River Zen, where mindfulness, community, and awakening come together.

🌟 Join Us for Meditation at One River Zen 🌟
🧘‍♀️ Morning Meditation: Monday–Friday, 6:30–7:15 AM
🧘 Evening Meditation: Wednesdays, 6:00–6:45 PM
🧘‍♂️ Weekend Meditation: Saturdays, 9:00–10:00 AM

Come in-person or join online to sit in stillness, connect with our sangha, and deepen your practice.

Key Themes Addressed:

• The paradox of emptiness and form: How Zen teaches us to hold both perspectives without clinging to either.
• Kasan’s directive to “slash with a sword”: Cutting through attachments and delusions.
• Sekisō’s response: “He has no country. Where could he be met?”: The boundlessness of absolute reality.
• The inseparability of relative and absolute truths: Why both must manifest together.
• How practice transforms karmic patterns and helps us engage with life skillfully.

Resources Mentioned:

• Shōyōroku (Book of Equanimity)
• The teachings of Kasan and Sekisō

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

In this episode of Awakening Streams, Sensei Michael Brunner explores the profound intersection of Zen wisdom and Western philosophy, focusing on the teachings of Zen master Joshu and philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein.

Drawing from Joshu’s koan in the Shoyoroku (Case 57), “Genyo’s One Thing,” and Wittgenstein’s insights in the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and Philosophical Investigations, Sensei Michael examines the limits of language, the pitfalls of clinging to concepts, and the liberating power of letting go. Through stories, teachings, and even a nod to Tom Petty’s song “I Need to Know,” this episode highlights how our attachment to knowing obscures the direct experience of life.

Key themes explored in this episode include:

• Wittgenstein’s idea that the limits of language define the limits of our world.
• Joshu’s razor-sharp responses, pointing beyond conceptual thinking to direct experience.
• Dōgen’s reminder that “a picture of a rice cake cannot nourish us.”
• The connection between clinging to ideas and missing the fullness of the present moment.

Sensei Michael invites listeners to reflect on their own dependence on knowing and consider what it means to throw away preconceived notions and truly be the One. This episode is both a philosophical and practical guide to stepping beyond the confines of the conceptual mind and embracing life as it is.

Join us for daily meditation at One River Zen:

• Monday to Friday: 6:30–7:15 AM
• Wednesday: 6:00–6:45 PM
• Saturday: 9:00–10:00 AM

Visit www.oneriverzen.org for more information on upcoming events, meditation sessions, and teachings.

✨ Subscribe for more episodes exploring Zen practice, philosophy, and mindful living! ✨

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

In this episode of Awakening Streams, we dive into Mumonkan Case 10: Seizei the Poor, a profound koan that challenges our narratives of scarcity and reveals the abundance already present in our lives.

Seizei’s plea to Master Sōzan, "I am solitary and poor. Help me become prosperous," opens a powerful teaching on the nature of time, the stories we tell ourselves, and how stepping beyond dualistic thinking transforms our experience.

Key topics explored in this talk:

• The role of contradiction in shaping ideas and concepts (self/other, up/down, rich/poor).
• How practice transforms time into something boundless and malleable.
• Recognizing the “Hakka wine” of life—savoring the richness of this moment.
• Why saying, "I don’t have time to practice," is no different from saying, "I don’t have time to live."

This episode invites you to let go of judgments, conjectures, and refutations and step fully into the gap where life becomes whole, complete, and free.

Join Us for Practice
Meditation sessions:

• Monday-Friday: 6:30 AM CST
• Saturday: 9:00 AM CST

Visit oneriverzen.org to learn more about One River Zen and the teachings we offer.

Connect & Support

• Subscribe to Awakening Streams for more Dharma talks and meditative reflections.
• Share this episode to bring these teachings to others.

#AwakeningStreams #ZenBuddhism #Mumonkan #Meditation

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

In this heartfelt episode, Sensei Michael Brunner delivers a teisho exploring the transformative power of Zen practice in the face of personal challenges. Sharing openly about his affair and its impact on his family, Sangha, and practice, Sensei illustrates how mistakes are not deviations from the path but integral to it. Guided by Roshi Diane Martin, supported by Hoshi Vanessa, and embraced by the Sangha, this journey through suffering became a profound opportunity for growth and awakening.

Key topics discussed in this episode include:

• Dōgen’s teachings on mistakes: How even a “false step” is part of being-time (uji) and an opportunity for transformation.
• Joshu’s “Wash Your Bowls” koan: The profound simplicity of practice and finding awakening in everyday actions.
• The role of Sangha: How witnessing one another falter strengthens community and deepens practice.
• Facing suffering directly: How moving through, rather than avoiding, challenges reveals the compassionate Way.

This talk also includes reflections on the photos from Sensei’s trip to Paris, highlighting the care of Roshi Diane, the strength of Vanessa, and the resilience of the Sangha. Through this lens, Sensei shares how practice unfolds in all aspects of life, transforming even deep sorrow into joy, compassion, and wisdom.

Connect with One River Zen:

• Join our open meditation sessions:
  • Monday to Friday: 6:30-7:15 AM
  • Wednesday: 6:00-6:45 PM
  • Saturday: 9:00-10:00 AM
• Explore Zen teachings and practice resources at One River Zen.

If this talk resonates with you, share it with others, and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Together, we walk the path of awakening.

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

In this episode, Sensei Michael takes us on a journey into Mumonkan Case 12: Zuigan Calls Himself Master, weaving the timeless wisdom of Zen with the psychological insights of Carl Jung. Through Zuigan’s unusual practice of calling out to himself and Jung’s exploration of the shadow and individuation, we uncover the deeper truth of our fragmented selves and the path to integration.

With the holiday season as a backdrop, Sensei Michael explores how karmic grooves, old patterns, and unresolved dynamics can dominate our lives—and how to find the Master within to navigate these challenges with clarity and compassion.

• How Zuigan’s daily practice mirrors Jung’s transcendent function.
• The power of integrating our fragmented selves, from the wounded child to the estranged partner.
• Practical ways to engage with introspection, navigate karmic patterns, and awaken to the present moment.

Sensei Michael also shares personal stories and actionable tools for reconnecting with your true nature, reminding us that the wisdom we seek is always here, waiting for us to call on it.

🎧 Tune in now to explore the dialogue within and discover the path to wholeness.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Gateless Gate (Mumonkan) – Case 12: Zuigan Calls Himself Master
• Carl Jung’s Red Book
• Shunryu Suzuki’s Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to Awakening Streams for more Dharma talks and teachings. Share this episode with friends and loved ones who are walking their own path of self-discovery.

Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.