Saturday, August 13, 2016



Please refer all Comox Valley Chan inquiries to Guohan William Tsao on Facebook and http://www.cosmoschan.org/.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

What is pure awareness with Prajna Wisdom? and sunday morning meditation addition



In Chan meditation, the central function of practice is to apply Pure Awareness with Prajna Wisdom in every moment whether walking, standing, sitting, lying...But what is Pure Awareness? Awareness we can understand, but Pure??? In this case, it is best to use the description 'Non-abiding awareness'. We don't hang out in any structure of Dharma (teachings) or dharma (phenomena) form, whether it be thought, emotion,  sensation.

And not only do we not hang out (attach) to any form, we use Prajna Wisdom so we do not discriminate. There's no craving and no aversion. Pain in the knee? Don't care. Someone yelling at us? Don't care. Win a thousand dollars? Don't care. Lose a thousand dollars? Don't care.

And where does all this come from?  The Sixth Chan Patriarch, upon hearing a quotation from the Diamond Sutra, "Without abiding in anything, mind (illuminated) arises, lost all his self centeredness and entered the 3rd level of Chan Enlightenment: Complete Enlightenment. His foundation of his practice had been Non-abiding Awareness with Prajna Wisdom.

"At the very moment that all the mind's juggleries take a full rest, the prajna-wisdom manifests and simultaneously has an insight into ultimate emptiness" & "At that very moment, the skillful wisdom manifests from the self-nature of ultimate emptiness, and is simultaneously applied to all sentient beings for accomplishing liberation and establishing pure land."
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Pics from the February 3 day retreat...the next 3 day will be May 13. 14. 15



















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This sunday the 29th, there will be a sitting from 9 am to 12pm  and coffee/tea afterward at 1460 Grieve Ave. in Courtenay. We will be sitting on the last Sunday of each month.
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1.. MAIN WEBSITE: Cosmos Chan Zen Community at http://www.cosmoschan.org/
2. Master Cheng Yen in Facebook;
3. Listen to dharma talks with Gilbert Gutierrez http://dharmatalks.riversidechan.org/
4. Listen/download audio talks from the Tallahassee   Chan group at http://www.tallahasseechan.com/talks.html
5. the Western Chan Fellowship at  http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/
6. Questions?  Adrian at 250 650 9055; adrian2@shaw.ca and this blog http://comoxvalleyzenchan.blogspot.ca/


Sunday, January 3, 2016

Upcoming Retreat and Local Advaita teacher Colin Mallard dies....


Comox Valley Advaita teacher and author
 Colin Mallard
It’s a long time since “The Mountain Stream" was sent out. In February Colin was diagnosed with a virulent form of cancer caused by asbestos and given only a short time to live. He spent the next months writing the book Going to Gaza, Ten days that changed the World, which was a sequel to Stillpoint, A novel of war peace, politics and Palestine.
Colin knew that without awareness of the facts, what actually happened in Palestine and Israel, there could be no justice and no peace. He was interviewed by Sheryl McKay on CBC North by North West radio on November 1st 2015. I have included a link to the podcast. http://www.cbc.ca/nxnw/podcast/index.html
He was very ill at times but always lived with life rather than death, with the knowledge that the present moment is all that exists.
Many of those who Colin helped over the years came to support him with food, help in the garden, Reiki and sound healing and most of all, love. The garden became a peaceful place of healing and often of laughter.
But he left us one day in November.  On that day he was mostly unconscious but opened his eyes with awe and wonder and just slipped peacefully away.
I intend to carry on with The Newsletter so that Colin’s wisdom, his poetry and his passion for justice remain alive.
Val Walton
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Chan 3 day Upcoming Retreat
Feb 12/13/14
1460 Grieve Ave., Courtenay, B.C., V9N 2V9
Cost will be approx $120 or less for the three days which includes food and sleeping space
5:30 am to 9:30 sitting/walking practice with scheduled breaks
Please contact me ASAP if you are interested in attending: Maximum 7 people 
Adrian Symonds
250 650 9055

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1.. MAIN WEBSITE: Cosmos Chan Zen Community at http://www.cosmoschan.org/
2. Master Cheng Yen in Facebook;
3. Listen to dharma talks with Gilbert Gutierrez http://dharmatalks.riversidechan.org/
4. Listen/download audio talks from the Tallahassee   Chan group at http://www.tallahasseechan.com/talks.html
5. the Western Chan Fellowship at  http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/
6. Questions?  Adrian at 250 650 9055; adrian2@shaw.ca and this blog http://comoxvalleyzenchan.blogspot.ca/