Oakville Zen Meditation
The teacher
About the teacher:
George. Arnaud Painvin, MD, FRCSC is a Zen Master & Dharma teacher (His transmission name is Ven. Ji Gong Sunim ( Korean lineage)
Arnaud was born in Paris France he moved to Canada with his wife following their MD graduation. After post-graduation training in Toronto, he became a cardiac surgeon, transplant surgeon, and critical care specialist and practiced in Houston, Boston, and Toronto before retiring a few years ago. He is married to Catherine. They have lived in Oakville since 1985 and their 2 sons are married.
Following a severe stress-related depression and PTSD in 1989, he decided to explore the therapeutic value of Mindfulness Meditation (MM) based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and took 6 months of formal training in MM in 2001 at the Toronto General Hospital. He was so impressed with the medical benefits of MM regarding stress that he decided to practice daily meditation and started teaching this wonderful therapy in 2002. The therapeutic value of meditation led Arnaud to become interested in its spiritual aspect it. He became a Zen Buddhist in 2006 after 5 years of practice. In 2013 he received the spiritual transmission from his Korean Zen Master Venerable Hwasun Yangil and became a Zen Master by the name of Ji Gong.
Arnaud practices and teaches simple, down-to-earth Eastern philosophy adapted to our Western civilization with an emphasis on mindfulness meditation and awareness practice. Our classes are friendly w/o exotic rituals.
Our Associate teacher is Miranda Murphy.
Miranda is a great teacher, on her way to becoming a Zen Master in the near future.
About our meditation class:
We are practicing the purest and most genuine mindfulness meditation called Zen ( Zen is the Japanese word for meditation). No guided meditation which is a North American invention!
Silent and sitting meditation for around 60 minutes. during which we focus on our breathing to anchor our restless minds.
When a thought is popping out,- as it always will- we acknowledge it and go back to our anchor. Struggling to focus on our breathing is the norm even among the "pro". After more than 65 years of practice, the Dalai Lama told me that if he is not struggling while meditating, he is not meditating! The beneficial effect of meditation is cumulative, regardless of its quality. So: never judge how well or badly you are meditating. If you do, you will quit.
Following meditation, the Zen Master or invited member gives a Dharma talk that is teaching. You have the list of all Dharma talks (over 420) if you click on "DHARMA LECTURES" on the home page menu. Scroll down and pick the topic that you are interested in exploring.
In the end, we have Q&A and discussion for 20-30 minutes or so
Schedule & venues:
TWO meditation classes with Dharma teaching/week.... free.
VENUE DATE TIME
MAPLE GROVE UNITED CHURCH 346 Maple Grove Drive Oakville. Go around the church to get to the main entrance in the back.
1 - MONDAYS:......... 19:00 (7:00 pm) at the church On time, please
2- SATURDAYS:........ 10:00 am at the church On time, please
We do not pay any rental fee to the church, so, be generous with your donation.
Go to the "schedule page" to find out how to donate. THANKS
For more information please contact us and we will answer.
