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One River Zen is a Soto Zen Buddhist temple, meditation center, and spiritual community located in Ottawa, Illinois, serving practitioners throughout the Illinois Valley and the greater Chicago region. Founded as an inclusive space for people of all backgrounds, One River Zen integrates traditional Soto Zen teachings with modern accessibility and real-world application. The center offers daily meditation, weekly Zen services, Dharma talks, koan study, mindfulness instruction, beginner programs, residential retreats, workshops, and youth and family offerings—supporting practitioners at every stage of experience. Its approach emphasizes “Soto Zen in everyday life,” helping individuals cultivate presence, emotional resilience, and compassionate action amid work, family, and community responsibilities.
Led by founding teacher and abbot Sensei Sōen Michael Brunner, One River Zen is rooted in the Soto Zen lineage of Dainin Katagiri Roshi, drawing on classical texts such as the Heart Sutra, Diamond Sutra, Mumonkan, Blue Cliff Record, and the writings of Zen Master Dōgen, while engaging contemporary themes of mental health, identity, and meaning. The community is widely recognized for its warmth, sincerity, and radical inclusivity. Beyond formal practice, One River Zen operates multiple outreach initiatives, including the Karuna Pantry (food insecurity support), David’s Clubhouse (neurodiversity-affirming programming), artist-in-residence programs, and public meditation and education services. Through an extensive online presence—featuring livestreamed teachings, written resources, and the Awakening Streams Podcast—One River Zen supports practitioners locally and worldwide, offering serious practice grounded in compassion, integrity, and human connection.