One River Zen

04/24/2026

STAY WHERE YOU ARE

It’s a frightening trend sometimes in the news—you hear about someone trying to take a selfie, and they wind up walking over the edge of a cliff or stepping into traffic and getting themselves hurt. In a constant effort to reframe themselves in more and more beautiful circumstances, they forget where they are. And in forgetting where they are, they put themselves in danger.

We might think our practice would exclude us from that, but it’s important from time to time to take a good look at where we’re actually standing. Take a look at the efforts we make to reform things, to beautify our circumstances in our mind’s eye.
But when we return to where we actually are, when we step into the circumstances of our life as they present themselves, we don’t need to be concerned about the kind of damage that comes from not paying attention.

So today, when you find yourself drifting off in that way—trying to place yourself somewhere more beautiful or serene than where you are—instead, return to the earth under your feet. Engage your hands and address the suffering that’s right in front of you.
That’s the only way this transformational liberation will ever manifest—not just for you, but for everyone you encounter.

Have a wonderful morning!

04/24/2026

We often think of Zen practice in a stylized way. But "service" is ultimately the same in the Buddha Hall and on the job site. All of it is included, and all of it is a source of joy and awakening if we appreciate it fully. This isn't a dress rehearsal–it is your life! Practice all of it!

04/23/2026

As many of you know, One River Zen bought the old Times building here in Downtown Ottawa. David's Clubhouse is off to a great start, and now our attention has turned to the old press room, which will become the main meditation hall.

Was great to see the community come together to start the transformation of the space!

04/23/2026

WELCOME OUR NEWEST BODHISATTVA TO ONE RIVER ZEN

Today we celebrate Issan Howl Stephen’s Jukai—his vow to live with steadiness, presence, and unwavering care.

Before the gathered Sangha, he received the precepts and the Dharma name Issan (一山)—One Mountain—a name that reflects the quiet strength and grounded stability he embodies each day as a practitioner and member of this community.

A mountain does not move for praise or blame. It remains, enduring the shifting conditions of the world without losing its place. In this way, Issan meets each moment not with resistance, but with a steady and open presence—returning again and again to what is here.

Like the bodhisattvas who remain with what is difficult, he continues to show up with sincerity and care, offering himself fully to the Way and to others.

Congratulations, Issan! May your vow continue to deepen and support all those whose lives you touch.

🙏


04/23/2026

STOP TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT ALONE

If you’ve been curious about meditation…
if you’ve tried apps, books, or just sitting in silence and wondering “am I doing this right?”…
This is where it begins.

Zen Basecamp | Entering the Way is a 4-week guided introduction to real Zen practice—simple, grounded, and immediately applicable to your life.

No background needed.
No beliefs required.
Just show up.

You’ll learn:
• How to actually meditate (not guess at it)
• How to work with your thoughts instead of fighting them
• How to build a steady, sustainable practice
• How Zen fits into ordinary life—family, work, everything

Classes are held in-person or online, once a week, and designed to meet you exactly where you are.

This isn’t about becoming someone different.

It’s about finally meeting the life you already have.
4 weeks. One step. That’s it.

👉 Save your spot:

Begin your Zen journey with our four-week Fundamentals of Zen Practice. Accessible classes online and in-person to help you develop meditation skills and discover your true self.

04/23/2026

TOUCH THE WONDER BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

In our practice, it can be tempting sometimes to consider a state of wonder, or not knowing, as some sort of handicap—something to be avoided. We desperately want to know. We have expectations, and we want them to be met.

The issue isn’t that the world will fail to live up to our expectations and we sit there and think that our expectations are something golden. If we even look at them, our expectations aren’t particularly ambitious. There’s still a lot of suffering involved there, a lot of falling short, a lot of compromise.

But if we allow ourselves to ease comfortably into wonder, we’ll recognize that life itself presents many, many more opportunities, and is much more vast, boundless, and buoyant than any expectation.

So watch today when you have expectations creeping subtly in, and try to look beyond them. Maintain your wonder. It’s the only way you’re going to be exposed to the truth of what this awakened life is.

Have a wonderful morning. I look forward to seeing all of you first thing in the morning tomorrow for meditation.Take care.

04/13/2026

Learn more about One River Zen and meet our co-founder, Vanessa Roddam at this FREE Women's Networking Event next Monday at IVCC in Ottawa! This will be a terrific showcase of resources in our community that serve body, mind, spirit, and financial fitness. 🌷

04/09/2026

Hunger has no off-season. Please support our micro-pantry. You can send donations through our Amazon wish list:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/315J0KHM628QK?ref_=wl_share

04/08/2026

Spring Renewal: A Weekend to Rest & Begin Again

There is a moment in spring when the earth stops holding back—the ground softens, and what has been quiet begins to move. 🌿

Join One River Zen for Spring Renewal, a 3-day retreat designed to help you release what has grown heavy and reconnect with what is alive in you now.

Whether you join us in-person at our historic Victorian temple on the banks of the Illinois River or from your own cushion at home, this is your time to slow down, rest deeply, and return to what matters most.

✨ Silent meditation & gentle guidance
✨ Restorative yoga & nature walks
✨ A supportive, inclusive community

Open to all—regardless of ability to pay. Scholarships are available.

https://oneriverzen.org/spring-renewal

Explore transformative meditation retreats at One River Zen. Join us for guidance and practice, available online and in-person.

04/08/2026

BE THE MEDICINE REQUIRED

Good morning and welcome to the dawn of a brand new, beautiful day. As we sit at the beginning of a vista like this, many of us are already projecting our thoughts forward—perhaps anticipating wonderful things, dreading what is coming up, or simply expecting the “same old, same old”. But if we are clinging to any sort of expectation, we lose the wonder required to approach our day with the compassion necessary to truly step into the circumstances of our lives.

This morning, it is important that we look at the “jail cells” of our minds where we hold our expectations and judgments, and finally open them up to be aired out. This is the only way we can see what is actually in front of us and, even more importantly, dissolve ourselves into the work at hand. I invite you to cultivate a sense of deep wonder today and be astonished at everything that arises. Be the medicine required to see the suffering you encounter transformed.