Main Services
One River Zen is a Soto Zen Buddhist temple, meditation center, and thriving spiritual community located in Ottawa, Illinois, serving practitioners throughout the Illinois Valley and greater Chicago region. Founded as a welcoming place for people of all backgrounds to discover the transformative power of Zen practice, One River Zen blends traditional Buddhist teachings with modern accessibility, compassion, and real-life application. Our guiding vision is rooted in the belief that Zen practice is not an escape from life but a direct way of entering it more fully—with clarity, courage, and kindness.
As a functioning temple and active community hub, One River Zen offers daily meditation, weekly Zen services, Dharma talks, koan study, mindfulness instruction, beginner classes, residential retreats, specialty workshops, youth and family programs, and personalized guidance for practitioners at every level of experience. Our approach emphasizes “Soto Zen in everyday life”—helping people cultivate presence, emotional resilience, grounded awareness, and compassionate action in the midst of real human responsibilities such as work, family, relationships, and community life.
Under the leadership of founding teacher and abbot Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner, One River Zen is deeply rooted in the Soto Zen lineage of Dainin Katagiri Roshi, while also speaking authentically to the challenges of modern life. Teachings draw from classical Zen literature—including the Heart Sutra, Diamond Sutra, Platform Sutra, Mumonkan, Blue Cliff Record, and the writings of Zen Master Dogen—while engaging contemporary questions of identity, mental health, meaning, and human connection. Our sangha is known for being warm, supportive, deeply sincere, and radically welcoming.
Beyond formal Zen training, One River Zen is committed to meaningful community impact and service work. We operate several outreach missions designed to meet real needs in compassionate ways. These include:
• Karuna Pantry – a free-access micro-pantry serving neighbors facing food insecurity
• David’s Clubhouse – a neurodiversity-affirming community space and supportive resource for autistic children and their families
• Artist-in-Residence Programs – integrating creative expression, contemplative practice, and cultural enrichment
• Public Meditation & Education Programs – introducing meditation and mindfulness to schools, community organizations, businesses, and civic groups
We believe Zen training and compassion cannot be separated; each must naturally support the other.
One River Zen also maintains an expansive online presence to support practitioners locally and worldwide. Our community resources include ongoing written teachings, a robust blog, livestreamed and recorded Dharma talks, online meditation opportunities, and the Awakening Streams Podcast, which features teachings on Zen practice, koan study, Buddhist philosophy, and living a meaningful spiritual life in modern culture. These platforms extend the reach of authentic Zen teaching well beyond geographic boundaries and help individuals reconnect with depth, grounded presence, and inner stillness.
What truly sets One River Zen apart is our emphasis on integrity, accessibility, and human connection. People do not need to “perform spirituality,” hold prior Buddhist knowledge, or fit a mold to belong here. Instead, they are invited to explore what it means to be fully alive, open-hearted, honest, and awake in the ordinary unfolding of life. Whether someone is seeking peace in the midst of stress, emotional healing, philosophical insight, spiritual formation, or a deeper understanding of their true nature, they will find serious practice, compassionate guidance, and genuine community here.
With a steadily growing membership, expanding outreach missions, new facilities, and increasing recognition as a respected Soto Zen presence in Illinois, One River Zen continues to evolve in response to the needs of the world. Our purpose remains simple and steady: to support people in finding clarity, courage, wisdom, and compassion—moment by moment, breath by breath—in the real lives they are already living.