You fell off the cushion? Okay. Now is the perfect time to return. You haven’t started yet? That’s fine too. Now is still the perfect time. There’s no lost ground. No timeline to catch up on. The path is always right beneath your feet—waiting, steady, silent. You’re not late. You’re not behind. You’re here. And that’s enough! #ZenEncouragement #BeginAgain #OneRiverZen #PracticeIsPath #ZazenLife #NoFallingBehind #ComeAsYouAre #JustThisMoment #ThursdayDharma #zenlife #pickusottawail

Every person who walks through the door carries something unseen. And every sit together is a vow to be present with all of it. Thank you for showing up! #SanghaHeart #ZenCommunity #SharedSilence #OttawaIL #OneRiverZen #ZazenTogether

Need a midweek reset? Join us for Free Public Meditation this Wednesday at 6:00 PM at One River Zen. Whether you’re brand new or have been practicing for years, you are welcome just as you are. We sit together in quiet, share the space, and reconnect with what truly matters. ☕ Come a little early for tea 🧘‍♀️ Meditation instruction 🚪 The hardest part is just walking through the door! Bring a friend—or just bring yourself. We’ll be here. #OneRiverZen #ZenMeditation #MidweekMeditation #PublicMeditation #SitTogether #OttawaIL #ZenPractice #FreeMeditation #MindfulnessCommunity #ComeAsYouAre #Zazen

“You don’t come to awaken yourself— you come to awaken all beings. And in doing so, you discover the self that has no limits.” — Sensei Michael Brunner We often begin the path of practice hoping to fix something in ourselves—to heal, to change, to awaken. But Zen invites us to turn that gaze outward: not to abandon ourselves, but to recognize that the self does not stop at the edges of our skin or thoughts. When you sit in the early morning stillness, when you offer kindness, when you walk through this world with an open heart—you are awakening not just for your own sake, but for all of life. And the great paradox is this: in dropping the small self, you come face to face with the boundless one—the self that cannot be measured, contained, or separated from the world it moves through. Let your practice extend in every direction. The world needs it! #zenlife #OneRiverZen #ZenTeaching #BuddhistWisdom #AwakeningAllBeings #ZenLife #Zazen #BoundlessSelf #DharmaPath #SpiritualPractice #SotoZen #Interbeing #MindfulnessInAction #ZenDaily #NoSelf #CompassionInAction

🌿 Meet Chisō 🌿 We are honored to introduce Chisō Robb Hasty, whose Dharma name means “Wisdom in Action” (智操)—a name that speaks directly to his life of service, presence, and integrity. Chisō is a dedicated Zen student, a steady presence on the cushion and in the community. His practice is marked by clarity, humility, and a deep vow to be of benefit. 🧭 He also serves as the Mayor of Ottawa, Illinois—a role he fulfills with compassion, vision, and tireless dedication. His leadership is not separate from his practice; it is an expression of it. In giving and receiving the Dharma, in civic duty and silent sitting, Chisō shows us that awakening is not an escape—it’s an embrace. The embrace of this world, this work, this very breath. Please join us in celebrating Chisō’s path and presence. 🙏 #MeetChisō #OneRiverZen #Jukai #ZenLeadership #WisdomInAction #DharmaName #SotoZen #ZenPractice #AwakeningInTheWorld #ServiceAsPractice #zenlife #pickusottawail

Today we celebrate Chisō Robb Hasty’s Jukai—his vow to live with wisdom in action. On this beautiful Saturday, surrounded by the warmth of the Sangha, Robb received the precepts and a Dharma name that speaks to his life of service: Chisō, “Wisdom in Action.” As the Mayor of Ottawa and a tireless civic leader, Chisō embodies the Bodhisattva path—meeting each moment with clarity, care, and deep resolve. This step marks not a destination, but a renewal of vow: to serve, to awaken, and to walk the Way for the benefit of all beings. Congratulations, Chisō. May your practice continue to ripple through this world in wise and compassionate ways. #Jukai #Chisō #WisdomInAction #OneRiverZen #SotoZen #ZenBuddhism # #DharmaName #ZenInTheWorld #OttawaIL #BodhisattvaPath #ZenCeremony #Sangha #zenlife #pickusottawail

Getting ready to begin our Weekend Meditation Retreat! We’re also hosting public meditation at 9A- come join us! #zen #meditation #mindfulness #pickusottawail #sotozen #zenlife

🌸 Happy Mother’s Day from One River Zen 🌸 Today, we honor all those who mother—those who have given birth, those who have nurtured, those who have guided others with compassion and strength. In Zen, the great Bodhisattva Kannon embodies this boundless care, hearing the cries of the world and responding with a thousand arms of compassion. To mother is not only to protect, but to bear witness—to show up, to listen, to hold space for what is tender and true. To all the mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, chosen mothers, and mothering hearts in our Sangha and beyond: thank you. Your care is the ground of our practice. May you be supported, seen, and loved—today and every day. One River flows on because of you. #MothersDay #OneRiverZen #KannonCompassion #ZenLife #Gratitude #BodhisattvaHeart #MindfulMothering #SanghaLove #EverydayZen #CompassionInAction #ZenPractice #DharmaInDailyLife #ThankYouMom #HeartOfZen

Wonderful day to welcome a new Priest at One River Zen! Join us in congratulating Rev. Genpo Seth Myers on his commitment to service. Many thanks to our Christan friends Rev. Jennifer Dressler and Rev. Seamus Enwright for helping administer vows, as well as Mayor Robb Hasty. #zenlife #pickusottawail #sotozen #oneriverzen

Night before Genpo Seth’s novitiate priest ordination, Sensei Michael is here reading Kesa Kudoku in the firelight to an assembly of Zen students. Everyone is excited to see the birth of Rev. Genpo’s public ministry 🙏🏻 #zen #sotozen #sotozenbuddhism #commitment #zenpractice #zenmeditation #dogen