The 200-Millisecond Gap: Free Will, Karma, and Zen

What if your brain begins to move before “you” decide?

In this episode, Sensei Michael Brunner, guiding teacher of One River Zen in Ottawa, Illinois, explores a striking discovery from neuroscience alongside a classical Zen kōan from the Blue Cliff Record. Through the story of Chinyu and the Rice Pail (Case 74) and the groundbreaking experiments of Benjamin Libet, he reveals a hidden space inside every moment — a brief gap where karmic momentum can be interrupted and true freedom can appear.

This is not abstract theory. It is the heart of Zen practice: how awakening shows up in restraint, service, and the simple power to not react.

Rooted in Soto Zen lineage and contemporary philosophy, this teaching offers a clear, grounded way to understand free will, habit, and how real transformation happens in everyday life.

Learn more about Sensei Michael Brunner and practice with One River Zen at

oneriverzen.org