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PODCAST

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast

Sensei Michael Brunner, One River Zen

Awakening Streams features Dharma talks and Zen reflections from Sensei Michael Brunner of One River Zen Center in Ottawa, Illinois. Each episode explores the living practice of Zen Buddhism through classic Zen koans, teachings from the Shōyōroku and Mumonkan, and direct encounters with everyday life. Discover how awakening flows through every obstacle, every act of compassion, and every moment of wonder. 🌐 Learn more: https://www.oneriverzen.org

religion & spirituality buddhism

All Episodes

00:12:33

The Taste of the Ordinary: Beyond Buddhas and...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/06/26

Title: The Taste of the Ordinary: Beyond Buddhas and AncestorsTeacher: Sensei Michael BrunnerKoan Source: Case 78 of the Shōyōroku (Book of Equanimity) – “Umon’s Farm Rice Cake”In this Dharma talk delivered during a Zen retreat, Sensei Michael Brunner reflects on the deeply ordinary yet radically transformative nature of awakening.A monk asks Master Umon, “What is the speech that transcends the Buddhas and goes beyond the ancestors?” Umon answers with stunning simplicity: “Farm rice cake.”What

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00:11:27

Stop Trying to Understand, and See | Shōyōroku Case...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/06/12

🎧 Ryūge Passes the Chin Rest: When Even "No Meaning" Becomes a TrapSeries: Dharma Talks from One River ZenSpeaker: Sensei Michael BrunnerKoan Source: Book of Equanimity, Case 80🪷 Episode Summary:Ryūge asks the same question twice and gets struck twice. His response? “There’s still no meaning in the Patriarch’s coming from the West.” But what if even that response is still part of the trap?In this talk, Sensei Michael explores how we turn realization into a fixed stance—how we cling to the language

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00:13:38

Walking in Daylight | Hekiganroku Case 41

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/05/19

In this talk, Sensei Michael Brunner works with Case 41 from the Blue Cliff Record, where Joshu asks: “When one who has experienced the great death comes back to life, then what?” The reply—“It is not permitted to go at night”—opens the gate to a teaching on vulnerability, presence, and the courage to meet life without pretense.This episode explores:The “great death” as the dropping away of the constructed selfWhy patching the old narrative keeps us boundDōgen’s teaching: “When you encounter

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00:15:13

Right Here. Now What? | Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner |...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/03/29

🧘 Episode Notes – Right Here. Now What?Sensei Sōen Michael BrunnerHekigan-roku – Case 23: Hofuku’s Summit of Mystic PeakIn this talk, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner guides us into the subtle terrain of Blue Cliff Record Case 23, where a seemingly simple exchange—“Right here is the summit of Mystic Peak” / “What a pity”—opens the entire question of realization, intention, and embodiment.Drawing from the rich imagery of Hofuku, Chōkei, and Setchō’s commentary, this episode explores:How conceptualizing

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00:19:54

Taming the Monkey Mind: Shōyōroku Case 72 – Chuyu’s...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/03/17

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Shōyōroku Case 72 – Chuyu’s Monkey, a Zen kōan that reveals how our grasping mind—like a restless monkey—constantly reacts, interprets, and shapes our experience. But what happens when the monkey is asleep? Who are we beyond the endless mental commentary?Through humor, direct insight, and Zen practice, we examine:The six windows and the monkey—what they represent in Yogācāra thoughtHow the mind constructs narratives and why we get caught in themWhat

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00:15:56

Go Straight On: Seeing Through Illusion | Mumonkan...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/03/04

In this episode, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner explores Mumonkan Case 31, where a monk asks an old woman for directions to Mount Tai. She tells him, “Go straight on.” But as he walks away, she remarks, “This good honest priest goes off that way too.” When Jōshū investigates, he simply says, “I’ve seen through the old woman for you.”What did the monk miss? What was the old woman revealing? And why does seeking so often blind us to what’s already here?This teisho dives into how our grasping for

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00:15:48

Seeking Meaning and the Empty Search | Blue Cliff...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/02/16

We spend so much of our lives searching for meaning—trying to fit our struggles into a grand narrative, hoping for an explanation that will make sense of it all. But what if the search itself is what keeps us trapped?In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Hekiganroku Case 20: Ryūge Asks Suibi and Rinzai, where a monk asks the age-old question, "What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West?" Instead of receiving an answer, he is struck. Why? Because Zen does not deal in

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00:20:21

The True Person of No Rank: Breaking Free from the...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/02/15

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 identitiesWhy our self-image is an illusion reinforced by othersRinzai’s direct

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00:17:07

Chanting the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo: A Path to...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/02/08

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 understandingHow Kanzeon embodies both deep listening and actionThe role of rhythm, breath, and resonance in dissolving the small selfWhy compassion is not something we do—but something we becomeThe transformative impact of chanting in Zen practiceEnmei Jukku

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00:14:01

Seeing Through the Eyes of the Universe | Mumonkan...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/02/02

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

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00:11:51

The Hand That Moves: Zen and the Nature of True...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/02/01

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

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00:12:26

The Gateway of Mu | Mumonkan 1

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/01/26

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

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00:13:49

Sweeping out the Dust, Finding the Buddha | Shōyōroku 68

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/01/26

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 realizationThe dynamic balance of relative and absolute truthsMoving beyond dualistic thinking to embody the DharmaThe transformative power of cutting through illusionsActualizing wisdom and compassion in the present

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00:13:59

Joshu meets Wittgenstein: Beyond Knowing, Into Being...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/01/11

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

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00:14:19

Timeless Abundance: The Wine of This Moment

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2025/01/04

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

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00:14:17

Seeds of Sorrow–Harvest of Joy

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/12/28

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

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00:18:27

Carl Jung Meets Master Zuigan: The Dialogue Within

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/12/09

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

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00:20:38

Sozan Shows Heidegger the Way

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/12/09

In this episode of Awakening Streams, Sensei Michael Brunner examines Shoyoroku Case 87, "Sozan's With or Without," through the lens of Zen and Martin Heidegger’s existential philosophy. Sensei explores how both traditions challenge our reliance on conceptual clinging and habitual ways of knowing, urging us to step into a direct and authentic encounter with reality.Key Points Discussed:The Gravity of Knowing: How our questions about existence often become tangled in conceptual clinging, keeping us

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00:12:02

Obedience to Reality: Letting Go of Ego and Resistance

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/11/23

In this episode of Awakening Streams, Sensei Michael Brunner reflects on Case 4 of the Sanshekishu, "Obedience," featuring the timeless teachings of Master Bankei. This case tells the story of a proud Nichiren priest who challenges Bankei, only to have his resistance gently unraveled through simple instructions.Sensei dives deep into the heart of this story, exploring:The nature of ego and how it binds us to repetitive patterns.Why true freedom lies not in control but in letting go of judgments and

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00:11:59

Embracing Every (Mis)step

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/11/16

In this episode of Awakening Streams, Sensei Michael explores the transformative power of missteps on the spiritual path. Far from being obstacles, our mistakes are opportunities to deepen our practice, embrace humility, and awaken to the present moment.Sensei shares insights from Zen teachings, including Dōgen's concept of uji (being-time), reminding us that every moment—including those we might label as failures—is a complete and perfect expression of our path. Through stories, reflections, and

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