In this episode of Awakening Streams, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Emperor Dōkō’s Cap (Shōyōroku, Case 97), a Zen koan that cuts directly through self-seriousness, spiritual performance, and the quiet exhaustion of pretending to be someone. An emperor claims to possess the ultimate treasure. A Zen master asks him to show it. What follows is not a display of power or insight, but a moment of unguarded humanity—ordinary, spontaneous, and free. This teaching examines why awakening in Zen is not something we acquire, improve, or perform, but what remains when the story of the self loosens its grip. Drawing connections to the Lotus Sutra’s parable of the hidden jewel, this episode invites listeners to notice how deeply we cling to identities of competence, worthiness, and lack—and how easily those fall away when we stop pretending. Rather than offering techniques or reassurance, this talk points to the living texture of practice: playful, human, and already complete.

What happens to your hard-won peace the moment you step off the cushion and back into your life? In this essential Zen talk, Sensei Michael Brunner (founder of One River Zen in Ottawa, IL) dives into the perennial struggle of maintaining clarity against the immediate pull of habit energy. Using the compelling imagery of Case 44 of the Shōyōroku (Kōyō’s Garuda Bird), Sensei Michael reveals the Garuda Trap: that instantaneous surge of karmic consciousness that seizes the Dragon (our true, calm nature) the moment it "leaves the ocean" of direct experience. Learn to distinguish between the "imperial order of presence" and the "general's order of strategy," and discover a powerful, non-avoidant method for working skillfully with your reactive patterns. This isn't about avoiding karma; it's about mastering it. Stop being the "blind turtle pinned under Mount Sumeru" and learn how to make friends with the inner scoundrel to sustain authentic presence in your everyday world. This talk is a practical guide for every practitioner facing the challenge of integrating deep insight into their fast-paced life. Key Takeaways You Will Master: The Balcony Test: Identifying the exact edge where your peaceful presence meets your old habits. Skillful Action: Why running from or fighting karmic momentum is useless, and how to work with it like a bullfighter. Sustaining Your Domain: The simple, physical practice for staying rooted in your original mind.

This episode, featuring Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner, explores the true nature of Zen practice through the lens of Ungan's Great Compassionate One koan (Case 54 of the Shōyōroku). The talk begins by challenging the notion that Zen is confined to meditation halls, explicitly linking spiritual practice to tangible action through One River Zen's community missions, Karuna Pantry and David's Clubhouse, in Ottawa, Illinois. Sensei Brunner asserts that real practice is about true being—showing up as your authentic self and letting go of the story of "I," echoing Dōgen's teaching: "To forget the self is to be actualized by the ten thousand things." The Koan and the Critical Difference The central teaching focuses on the exchange between Ungan and Dōgo concerning Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion. Dōgo compares compassion to the spontaneous, unthinking act of reaching behind you at night to search for your pillow. The entire talk pivots on the subtle but profound difference between two phrases: "All over the body are hands and eyes" (Ungan's partial understanding, which implies compassion is something "I" do or apply as a tool). "Throughout the body are hands and eyes" (Dōgo's complete understanding, which means compassion is the unobstructed functioning of original nature—what life is when nothing, including the self-image, gets in the way). Conclusion: Your Koan The episode concludes by defining "supernatural" in Zen as the natural functioning of reality when we stop distorting it with the self-story. The teaching is a final invitation: to surrender and allow the hands and eyes of compassion to function freely through your life. The listener's ultimate koan is to ask: "How will you spend the very real currency you possess with your next breath—this currency that is your life?"

When the mind grows still, the mountain appears. In this talk, Sensei Michael Brunner of One River Zen Center in Ottawa, IL explores Shōyōroku Case 19 — Ummon’s Mount Sumeru, a classic Zen koan on meeting the obstacles of the mind. A monk asks, “When not producing a single thought, is there any fault or not?” Ummon replies, “Mount Sumeru.” Through this brief exchange, Sensei Michael reveals how clarity arises not from avoiding difficulty, but by entering it fully. Drawing on the **Three Transformative Touchstones — maintaining wonder, including everything, and transforming suffering — he invites us to see that every obstacle is already the path itself. Listen to this reflection on Ummon’s Zen koan and discover how the great mountain is none other than your own boundless mind.

In this talk from Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner, Abbot of One River Zen in Ottawa, Illinois, we encounter the final case of the Book of Equanimity: Rōya’s Mountains and Rivers. When a monk asks why, if all is originally pure, mountains and rivers arise, Rōya answers with the same question — turning the inquiry back to the listener. Sensei Sōen explores how this kōan meets us in daily life, where ego endlessly alternates between “I must assert” and “I must disappear.” From Aleister Crowley’s dictum “Do what thou wilt” to John the Baptist’s “He must increase, I must decrease,” this episode traces the middle way that neither denies self nor clings to it. At the heart of the talk is an invitation to discover the original nature that moves as mountains, rivers, thoughts, and breath — the unbroken reality before any notion of “self” or “world.” 🎧 Recorded live at One River Zen, a Soto Zen Buddhist temple in the lineage of Dainin Katagiri Roshi. Learn more or join practice at www.oneriverzen.org.

Episode: Hōren’s Hair’s-Breadth — Shōyōroku Case 17 In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner of One River Zen unpacks Case 17 of the Book of Equanimity, where Hōgen and Shuzan circle a single line from the Shin Jin Mei: “If there’s even a hair’s-breadth of difference, heaven and earth are clearly separated.” Rather than discussing doctrine, Sensei shows how this tiny “hair” plays out in ordinary life — the moment we prefer or resist, the moment we lean away from what is, the moment subject and object harden and the world splits. Through the exchange between Hōgen and Shuzan, we see how repetition becomes transmission, how “I am just this” expresses the whole of the Way, and how even a fly landing on the scale exposes our measuring mind. The talk returns again and again to the living question: where is the hair’s-breadth in your own practice — and what happens when it is seen through? A rich meditation on non-preference, intimacy, and entrusting the mind before division arises.

Part Four: “Turn the Light and Return” In the final talk of the Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage series, Sensei Michael Brunner brings Sekitō Kisen’s poem to its quiet resolution. After the hut is built, opened to the world, and settled in stillness, the hermit now turns the light inward — and simply returns. Sekitō’s closing instruction, “Turn around the light to shine within, then just return,” invites a practice beyond striving, beyond attainment. This is the life that remains when all effort falls away — when the builder, the hut, and the Way itself dissolve into a single, unbounded presence. Through this final teaching, Sensei explores the mystery of the undying person in the hut — the one who was never separate from the beginning. The talk unfolds as a meditation on freedom, humility, and the ease that comes from releasing even the need to awaken. In this episode: – Turning the light inward – The end of striving and the return to simplicity – Host and guest as one reality – The undying person in the hut – Freedom that asks for nothing Recorded live during sesshin at One River Zen, this final talk closes the circle: the hut, the world, and the one who dwells within are all the same. 🪷 Learn more: https://oneriverzen.org #Zen #DharmaTalk #SekitoKisen #SongOfTheGrassRoofHermitage #MichaelBrunner #OneRiverZen #SotoZen #Zazen #AwakeningStreams #Sesshin #GrassRoofHut #TurningTheLightWithin #Stillness #Freedom #Fushiryo #NonDuality #Awakening

Part Three: “The Hut of Stillness and Not-Knowing” Note: There was an audio issue with the recording, to see a transcript, visit here- https://oneriverzen.org/blog/talk-three-the-song-of-the-grass-roof-hermitage-the-hut-of-stillness-and-not-knowing In the third talk of the Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage series, Sensei Michael Brunner turns to the quiet center of Sekitō Kisen’s poem — the stillness that follows realization. Having built the hut and opened it to the vast world, the hermit now takes his seat within it. What was once a small shelter becomes the whole of existence. From here, Sekitō speaks of stability, simplicity, and the deep rest that comes when striving falls away. Through lines such as “Firmly based on steadiness, it can’t be surpassed” and “Just sitting with head covered, all things are at rest,” Sensei explores the return to ordinariness after awakening — sweeping the floor, patching the roof, and meeting each moment without resistance. This is the life of the mountain monk who “doesn’t understand at all,” the humility of not-knowing that reveals true intimacy with the Way. In this episode: – Steadiness and the fertile ground of compassion – The shining window beneath the green pines – Not-knowing (fushiryo) as intimacy, not ignorance – Freedom beyond striving or escape – Host and guest as symbols of unity Recorded live during sesshin at One River Zen, this talk embodies the heart of Zen practice: a life so simple that the world itself can dwell within it — and a mind so still that nothing is left outside the hut. 🪷 Learn more: https://oneriverzen.org #Zen #DharmaTalk #SekitoKisen #SongOfTheGrassRoofHermitage #MichaelBrunner #OneRiverZen #SotoZen #Zazen #AwakeningStreams #Stillness #Embodiment #Sesshin #GrassRoofHut #NotKnowing #Fushiryo #Dogen #Awakening

Part Two: “The Widening of the Hermit’s Vision” 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 vision of the awakened hermit. Where Part One built the hut — the dwelling of practice and simplicity — Part Two opens the doors. The hut that once seemed small now includes the entire world. The hermit who once sat within it now dissolves into the boundless vastness of awareness. Through Sekitō’s verses — “Though the hut is small, it includes the entire world” and “Places worldly people live, he doesn’t live; realms worldly people love, he doesn’t love” — Sensei examines the natural unfolding of realization: how renunciation gives way to inclusion, how the walls of self and world fall away, and how compassion arises from stillness itself. In this episode: – The hut as the mind of non-separation – Dwelling in vastness without losing ordinariness – The difference between worldly love and boundless love – The practice of allowing the weeds to grow – Living in freedom where nothing is outside the Way Recorded live during sesshin at One River Zen, this talk traces the arc from solitude to intimacy, showing that the true dwelling of the awakened life is not apart from the world, but fully within it. 🪷 Learn more: https://oneriverzen.org #Zen #DharmaTalk #SekitoKisen #SongOfTheGrassRoofHermitage #MichaelBrunner #OneRiverZen #SotoZen #Zazen #AwakeningStreams #Compassion #NonDuality #Stillness #GrassRoofHut #Sesshin #ZenPractice

Part One: “I’ve Built a Grass Hut Where There’s Nothing of Value” In this opening talk of the Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage series, Sensei Michael Brunner introduces Sekitō Kisen — the quiet mountain monk whose verses shaped the heart of the Sōtō Zen tradition. This first line, “I’ve built a grass hut where there’s nothing of value,” invites us into a world of radical simplicity. Sekitō isn’t describing a building; he’s describing a mind — a mind that has stopped chasing permanence, possessions, and approval, and instead lives in the unguarded openness of the present moment. Through this talk, Sensei explores: – The life and era of Sekitō Kisen – The meaning of “the grass hut” as the dwelling of awareness – The paradox of value in a world built on grasping – What it means to build a life that cannot be stolen, defended, or lost – How stillness, impermanence, and freedom are realized through letting go Delivered during sesshin at One River Zen, this episode sets the foundation for the four-part series, showing that the true work of practice is not to acquire awakening, but to dwell where there’s nothing of value — and discover that everything is enough. 🪷 Learn more: https://oneriverzen.org #Zen #DharmaTalk #SekitoKisen #SongOfTheGrassRoofHermitage #MichaelBrunner #OneRiverZen #SotoZen #Zazen #AwakeningStreams #Stillness #Simplicity #Impermanence

🎧 Hyakujo’s Fox — The Dharma of Cause and Effect Ango Opening Talk with Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner In this opening talk for Ango, Sensei explores the Zen koan Hyakujo’s Fox—a story about karma, consequence, and the illusion of escape. When a monk once claimed that the enlightened person does not fall under cause and effect, he was reborn as a fox for 500 lives. Through this teaching, Sensei invites us to see that awakening is not found beyond karma but within it. The very circumstances we try to avoid—our mistakes, limitations, and expectations—are themselves the field of practice. Freedom is not escape; it’s meeting life completely, right where we stand. 🪶 “Every mistake, every slip into fox life, is also Buddha life.” #Zen #DharmaTalk #HyakujosFox #OneRiverZen #MichaelBrunner #Karma #ZenPractice #Ango #SotoZen #Mindfulness

In this rich and accessible Dharma talk, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner revisits the pivotal moment in the Platform Sūtra when Daikan Enō, an illiterate laborer, challenges the hierarchy of Zen with a single, luminous question: “Where did you get this dust?” Through the story of Enō’s awakening and the symbolic contest of verses, Sensei explores the subtle trap of self-perfection in practice—and the liberating realization that our true nature needs no polishing. Touching on Zen history, modern psychology, and temple bat-catching, this talk offers both humor and depth while guiding listeners back to the heart of the path: presence, curiosity, and the recognition that awakening is already here.

In this episode, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner explores Case 33 of the Shōyōroku, Sanshō’s Golden Carp, and the subtle dynamics of spiritual pride, performance, and silence. What do we really want when we speak? Connection—or control? What happens when we start practicing for applause? And what does it mean to practice without needing to be seen, affirmed, or even understood? With clarity and warmth, Sensei invites us to see through the traps of identity and accomplishment, and return to what’s real: the grit of this very moment, where nothing needs proving and the heart can finally rest. Let the dust settle. Then, true practice begins.

In this powerful teisho, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner invites us to stop searching for what has never been lost. Drawing from Case 67 of the Book of Equanimity—The Avatamsaka Sutra’s Wisdom—he illuminates the truth that all beings are already endowed with the Tathagata’s wisdom and virtue. But because of deluded thoughts and attachments, we fail to realize it. Sensei explores the metaphor of Indra’s Net, the reality of karmic momentum, and Dōgen’s teaching on traceless enlightenment, urging us to release our stories, identities, and self-made obstacles. Even our delusions, fears, and wounds become gates to liberation when held with awareness. This talk reminds us that awakening isn’t somewhere else—it’s here, in each breath, step, and moment. The priceless jewel has already been sewn into our robe. What will you do with it?

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Case 78 of the Shōyōroku—Umon’s enigmatic response to the question, “What is speech that transcends the Buddhas and goes beyond the ancestors?” The answer: farm rice cake. Through this simple yet profound pointer, we’re invited to drop our search for lofty experiences and instead turn toward the ordinary, the overlooked, the deeply human moments we often push aside. Sensei Michael reflects on the way we divide life into sacred and profane, clean and messy—and how Zen cuts through that duality to reveal the wholeness of everything. This is a teaching about inclusion, embodiment, and learning to bow to the life that is already unfolding. Nothing is left out—not your grief, your shadow, or your confusion. All of it belongs. And all of it is the Dharma. Listen now to explore: Umon’s uncompromising simplicity What a rice cake can teach us about awakening The hidden cost of chasing spiritual ideals How to live a life where nothing is exiled For more talks and resources, visit oneriverzen.org

What happens when even "no meaning" becomes another thing to cling to? In this episode, we explore Case 80 from the Book of Equanimity—“Ryūge Passes the Chin Rest.” Ryūge asks the classic question: What is the meaning of the Patriarch’s coming from the West? Two teachers respond with action, not explanation. Two blows. Same question. Same mistake. This is a talk about the traps we create around insight—how we turn experience into doctrine, and silence into a stance. It’s about the moment when you stop trying to figure it out, and life steps in. We follow Ryūge from conceptual certainty to the slow-burning truth that real freedom doesn’t explain itself.

What happens after everything falls apart? In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner offers a powerful reflection on Case 41 of the Blue Cliff Record, where Joshu asks what follows the “great death”—the collapse of the self we’ve clung to. Drawing from Zen koans, Dōgen’s teachings, and the raw honesty of lived experience, this talk explores how awakening does not lie in bypassing pain or rebuilding old identities, but in stepping forward—with nothing left to hide—into the clear light of presence. With warmth, clarity, and compassion, Sensei invites us to stop patching the past and instead meet our lives fully, in the daylight. A talk for anyone who has known loss, change, or the quiet courage it takes to begin again.

In this episode, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner takes us deep into Case 23 of the Hekigan-roku, where Hofuku points to the summit of realization and Chōkei quietly upends it all with a single phrase: “What a pity.” Through vivid imagery, historical insight, and down-to-earth wisdom, this talk explores the subtle danger of clinging to the idea of awakening, and the urgent need to bring intention into the life we’re already living. With humor and clarity, Sensei invites us to meet that one who is truly special—not through performance or self-image, but by fully showing up. From bowing to pantry work to everyday relationships, this is a call to step beyond concepts and into actualization. Topics include: What it means to “walk with the ancients” Why realization without embodiment falls short The power of form to reveal—not conceal—uniqueness Intention as the heart of living practice ✨ “Don’t let your skull be one of them. Wake up to this life you’re living.”

Our thoughts leap from branch to branch, constructing meaning, seeking control—just like a restless monkey. But who are we when the monkey is silent? In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner explores Shōyōroku Case 72 – Chuyu’s Monkey, unpacking the grasping mind, conditioned perception, and the immediacy of direct experience. Through humor, insight, and Zen wisdom, we examine how to move beyond the mind’s endless chatter and meet life as it truly is.

A monk asks for directions, an old woman gives a simple answer, and Jōshū sees through it all. What does this koan reveal about the way we seek, grasp, and overlook what is already right in front of us? In this episode, Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner explores Mumonkan Case 31, unpacking how our desire for certainty blinds us to direct experience. Are we truly seeing, or are we just looking for confirmation? What happens when we let go of needing an answer? Tune in to explore the path that has been right under your feet all along. 🔔 Subscribe for more Dharma talks and Zen insights. 🌿 Follow for more teachings on practice, perception, and awakening.