In this episode of Awakening Streams, we explore how missteps, mistakes, and perceived failures are not obstacles but integral parts of the path. Drawing on Zen teachings and real-life examples, Sensei Michael reflects on the importance of embracing our imperfections with clarity and compassion.

In today’s teisho, we explored the practice of letting go of what we carry—our judgments, stories, and attachments—and how they shape our experiences. Reflecting on the Zen case Muddy Road from the Shasekishu, we saw how Tanzan’s compassionate action and Ekido’s clinging judgment illustrate the difference between a rigid, external morality and a responsive, living compassion. This practice invites us to see the baggage we hold onto and to release it, so we can show up fully, with clarity and compassion, for what each moment requires.

In the wake of the election, today’s talk invites us to root ourselves in compassion, setting aside divisive narratives and opening our hearts to connect and heal. Sensei Michael encourages us to embrace each moment with clarity, grounding our responses in presence and peace. Join us as we reflect on embodying compassion in our lives and communities.

During our Zen of Recovery Retreat, we explored how the labels and judgments we apply to our lives can end up controlling us, keeping us from fully engaging with the vast and boundless present moment. In this teisho, we reflect on how responding to life with clarity, intention, and discipline brings true freedom.

In this teisho, we explore the transformative power of retreat, where we strip away distractions and meet our true nature. Through the story of Zen master Gudo, we uncover how honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness can help us break free from the small self and awaken the vast, compassionate master within. This is your path—awakening starts with you!

No matter how deeply we dig or how high we build, the waves of time carry everything away. Our practice calls us not to cling to what’s temporary but to ride the waves, bearing witness to life’s beauty and challenges without attachment. By doing so, we find ourselves exactly where we need to be, open and ready to meet suffering with compassion.

In this teisho, Sensei Michael delves into the teachings of Shōyōroku Case 91, “Nansen’s Peony,” where Nansen reminds us that we often see life "as if in a dream." Through the example of the peony, he points us beyond our habitual divisions—real and unreal, self and other, joy and sorrow. We explore how, by letting go of labels and fixed ideas, we can experience life’s seamless, boundless essence.

In our quest for truth, we often get caught up in opinions and expectations. But the truth isn’t something we find through comparison or judgment. It's revealed when we set aside our ideas of how things should be and open ourselves to how they truly are. If we can release our attachment to our opinions, even just for a moment, we can see the world clearly as it unfolds before us.

In those moments when we struggle to know how to engage with suffering, it helps to return to a simple, timeless practice: Metta. By consistently reminding ourselves and others, "May you be happy, may you be well, may you be peaceful and at ease," we can soften even the hardest situations. Join us in cultivating loving-kindness and discovering the path that leads us back to our true nature.

In this Early Morning Light talk, Sensei Michael Brunner reminds us of the importance of living with awareness, both in our actions and thoughts. By cultivating compassion and understanding that we are always seen, we can live more freely and fully.

Join us in this reflection on how to live with integrity, even when it feels like no one is watching!