🌿 Daily Zen | Navigating Life’s Skies ✈️ Before a pilot takes off, they check the wind, the visibility—the conditions as they are. But how often do we take the same care in our own lives? Too often, we resist what’s in front of us, wishing for clearer skies instead of learning to fly with the wind. Today's Daily Zen explores what it means to meet life skillfully, to work with circumstances instead of against them. Read more: oneriverzen.org/daily-zen #DailyZen #SeeClearly #NavigateWithWisdom #ZenPractice

Happy Birthday, Hoshi Vanessa! On this day, we celebrate you—your wisdom, your warmth, and the deep care you bring to every moment. As a Priest, Mother, Wife, and Tenzo, you embody the heart of practice, showing up with such sincerity, sacrifice, and boundless generosity. May this year bring you the same nourishment and joy you offer so freely to all of us! With deep gratitude and bows, The One River Zen Sangha #zen #sotozen #zenlife #oneriverzen #pickusottawail #meditation #mindfulness

Happy Birthday, Roshi Shojun Diane Martin! 🎉🎂 Today, we celebrate our Honorary Founder, Roshi Shojun Diane Martin—an unwavering force of wisdom, compassion, and dedication to the Dharma. Roshi’s impact is immeasurable, from founding multiple practice centers and a chaplaincy program to guiding Udumbara National Sangha and transmitting the Dharma to 12 heirs, including our Abbot, Sensei Michael. Larger than life, Roshi’s presence continues to shape and inspire the Zen path for so many. May this year bring her deep joy, good health, and boundless clarity. Happy Birthday, Roshi! 🎊🙏✨ #HappyBirthdayRoshi #OneRiverZen #ZenMastery #DharmaTransmission #Gratitude

CLASS BEGINS TOMORROW – ALL ABOARD! Just a reminder that HOW TO SAVOR YOUR LIFE  | DŌGEN’S TENZO KYŌKUN 典座教訓 begins tomorrow at 7P. Register now at oneriverzen.org/class.   If you need financial assistance to participate, just reach out at outreach@oneriverzen.org and we’ll register you. Patrons attend as a benefit of membership.   Immerse yourself in the transformative wisdom of Dōgen’s Tenzo Kyōkun (Instructions for the Cook) in this four-week series, where we’ll uncover the art of savoring life through mindful, everyday practice. Designed as guidance for the tenzo, or head cook, Tenzo Kyōkun reveals how each task, no matter how ordinary, can be a path to deep awareness and fulfillment.   Hope to see you then!

🌿 A Weekend of Transformation 🌿 Our weekend Zen retreat has been a time of profound growth, connection, and wonder. Each moment—whether sitting in stillness, walking mindfully, or sharing in community—has deepened our practice and opened our hearts. 🌀 Feeling the call to explore your own path? Join us soon and discover the beauty of Zen practice for yourself. Start your journey—right here, right now. 📍 One River Zen | Ottawa, IL 📅 Upcoming retreats & classes on our website oneriverzen.org/retreats See the beauty. Be the beauty. #ZenRetreat #Mindfulness #OneRiverZen #WeekendZen #StartYourJourney #ZenLife #SotoZen #PickUsOttawaIL

🌸 Today, we joyfully welcome Kosei Lisa Larose into the Sangha as she receives Jukai at One River Zen. Kosei means "Vast Sincerity," a name that beautifully reflects her deep dedication to practice and her heartfelt aspiration to be of service to others. Kosei's sincerity shines through in everything she does, inspiring those around her to walk the path with openness and compassion. Her commitment reminds us all that the Dharma is not only about sitting on the cushion but living each moment with sincerity and service. Let us celebrate this moment and honor Kosei's journey on the Way! 🌿 If you’ve ever thought about beginning your own path, the door is always open. The Sangha welcomes you! 🙏 #OneRiverZen #JukaiCeremony #WelcomeKosei #ZenLife #sotozen

🌞 What Lies Beyond Knowing? 🌱 This morning, we had the joy of exploring how our obsession with “knowing” often limits our ability to experience life directly. From Wittgenstein’s insight that “the limits of my language mean the limits of my world” to Jōshū’s sharp reminder to “throw it away,” the talk dives into the heart of Zen practice: letting go of concepts and opening fully to this moment. Featuring reflections from Sensei Michael’s own journey, a classic Zen koan, and even a nod to Tom Petty, this talk invites you to step beyond the walls of the discursive mind and discover the vibrant life waiting on the other side. 💡 What’s the weight you’re carrying? Can you put it down, even for a moment? 🎥 Listen here and join the conversation: https://oneriverzen.org/daily-zen Let’s walk this path together. 🙏

Eihei Dōgen, the founder of the Sōtō School—the proud tradition to which this practice center belongs—once said not to neglect the “horse work” to do the “donkey work.” In other words, don’t neglect the work of the Dharma—the work of bearing witness to suffering wherever it’s found, walking into it, and transforming it with our compassionate action. The horse work is the work of becoming actualized by the circumstances of our lives, of being the medicine required to ameliorate suffering. Don’t neglect that work for the “donkey work,” which is the work of training: sitting zazen, trudging across the country to meet with a teacher for dokusan, and having our karmic momentum challenged and broken. Yet, what Dōgen likely never imagined when reflecting on this dichotomy is the possibility that someone might choose to do neither. Imagine someone who simply stands still, allowing indecision to cripple them and take over. In that place, there is only delusion. And if we think that by standing still, indecision will somehow lose its grip, we fall into delusion within delusion. The one thing we cannot do in this practice is to stand still. We must ride. Whether you ride the donkey or the horse, do it. This is the only way we can honor the life we have before us, embracing it with gratitude and intention, and fully committing ourselves to the path we walk. So, whether it’s the horse or the donkey you choose to ride today, make a decision and ride. Standing still is not an option. This isn’t a dress rehearsal, folks. Your lives will not wait. So let’s ensure we’re making a decision—today—and saddle up! #ZenPractice #EiheiDogen #SotoZen #DharmaWork #MindfulLiving #Zazen #SpiritualJourney #GratitudeAndIntention #LifePath #ZenWisdom #MeditationMatters #EmbraceTheMoment #SpiritualGrowth #DharmaTalk #OneRiverZen #SaddleUp