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PODCAST

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast

Sensei Michael Brunner, One River Zen

"Welcome to "Awakening Streams," the One River Zen Podcast, nestled in the serene beauty of Ottawa, IL, near the iconic Starved Rock State Park and just an hour"s drive from Chicago. Here, we invite you to embark on a journey of mindfulness, self-discovery, and spiritual awakening. Join us as we share insightful talks delivered at the One River Zen, where the tranquil ambiance of our region serves as the perfect backdrop for meditation, contemplation, and the exploration of timeless Zen and Dharma

religion & spirituality buddhism

All Episodes

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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00:13:12

Put It Down: Embracing Compassion Beyond Judgment

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/11/09

In this teisho titled "Put It Down: Embracing Compassion Beyond Judgment," Sensei Michael Brunner explores Shasekishu Case 14, "Muddy Road." This Zen case brings us face-to-face with the challenges of releasing guilt, shame, and the stories we cling to about ourselves and others. Sensei Brunner encourages us to examine how judgments and labels often obscure the reality of the present moment, keeping us bound to suffering.Through the lens of "Muddy Road," we learn how to soften these boundaries,

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00:10:27

Responding to the Call: Finding Freedom in Discipline

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/11/05

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner delivers a powerful teisho from our Zen of Recovery Retreat, examining Shōyōroku Case 16, "The Sound of the Bell and the Seven-Piece Robe." Sensei discusses how discipline and freedom come together in Zen practice, emphasizing the importance of being fully present and responding to life as it unfolds—without the interference of our judgments or the habitual stories we tell ourselves.This talk explores how labels and judgments shape our experience, often

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00:23:30

Awakening the Master Within: Breaking Free and...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/11/03

In this teisho from our Zen of Recovery retreat, Sensei Michael Brunner dives into the teachings of Sansheki-shu, Case 2: "Finding a Diamond on a Muddy Road." The story of Zen master Gudo and a gambler in desperate need of transformation serves as the foundation for a profound exploration of awakening. Sensei emphasizes that the master we seek is already within us and that our true nature can only be revealed by letting go of the small self, with its limitations and judgments.Through the virtues of

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00:11:45

Seeing Beyond Concepts: Embracing Life’s Boundless...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/10/26

In today’s teisho, Sensei Michael Brunner examines Shōyōroku Case 91, Nansen’s Peony, a classic koan that questions the nature of reality and our habitual tendencies to divide and categorize our experience. Through Nansen’s response to Riko Taifu’s statement about the unity of all things, Sensei illuminates how our minds draw boundaries between “real” and “unreal,” and “self” and “other,” creating a fragmented view of life.Rather than getting caught up in the endless cycle of judgment and labeling,

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00:15:38

Knock Down the Flagpole: Letting Go of Expectations...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/10/21

In this teisho, Sensei Michael Brunner draws on Case 22 from the Mumonkan, Kashyapa’s Knock Down the Flagpole, to explore the nature of awakening and the importance of letting go of our deeply held expectations and self-concepts. Through the dialogue between Ananda and Mahakashyapa, we’re invited to reflect on what it means to release the notion of who we think we are, to drop our ego, and to meet life as it truly is.Sensei shares the deeper meaning behind Mahakashyapa’s instruction to “knock down

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00:21:17

Wandering in the Mountains: Living Fully

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/10/19

"Wandering in the Mountains: Living Fully with Positive Samadhi"In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner reflects on the kōan from the Hekiganroku (Blue Cliff Record), Case 36: Chōsha Wandering in the Mountains. Through this powerful teaching, Sensei explains the difference between positive samadhi—the experience of fully living in the present—and absolute samadhi, which signifies the dissolution of the self in death.Sensei discusses how Zen practice is about embracing life as it unfolds, without

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00:12:42

Embracing the Present: Letting Go of Stories and...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/10/12

"Embracing the Present: Letting Go of Stories and Finding Compassion"In today’s episode, Sensei Michael Brunner offers a powerful teisho based on Shoyoroku Case 14, "Attendant Kaku Serves Tea." Through this ancient Zen encounter, Sensei explores the core teaching of letting go of our habitual stories, judgments, and expectations to embrace the clarity of the present moment.Key insights include:The practice of bearing witness to our lives without the filters of the small selfThe dynamic exchange

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00:13:27

Practice as if Your Life Depends on It | Shōyorōku...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/10/11

In this episode, Sensei Michael shares reflections from the closing of a September 2024 sesshin at One River Zen. As the retreat draws to a close, he explores the powerful insights that arise when we step out of the stories we've created about ourselves and engage with the present moment. Drawing from Shōyōroku Case 32, "Kyōzan’s State of Mind," Sensei Michael invites us to observe our thoughts and experience life directly, without being swept away by mental constructs.The episode also weaves in the

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00:14:36

Surrender | Shōyorōku Case #59 | Seirin’s Deadly Snake

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/03/11

Case #59 of the Shoyoroku – Seirin’s Deadly Snake:Attention! A monk asked Master Seirin, “How about when a student proceeds on the trail?” Seirin replied, “The dead snake hits the great road. I advise you not to bump into it.” The monk said, “When it’s bumped into, then what?” Seirin answered, “You lose your life!” The monk continued, “When it’s not bumped into, then what?” And Seirin said, “There’s no place to dodge to.” The monk said, “At that very moment, then what?” Seirin replied, “It has been

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00:26:35

Daring Greatly | Mumonkan Case #46 | Stepping from...

Awakening Streams: The One River Zen Podcast ·

2024/02/28

CASE 46: Stepping Forward From the Top of a PoleCase:Master Sekiso said, “How will you step forward from the top of a hundred-foot pole?”Another eminent master of old said, “Even though one who is sitting on the top of ahundred-foot pole has entered realization, it is not yet real. He must step forward from thetop of the pole and manifest his whole body throughout the world in ten directions.”Learn more, study with us, and meditate online at oneriverzen.org.

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