This talk reviews a just completed 12 day self-retreat that focused on cultivating strong and persistent levels of focused intention in order to realized the potential of experiencing nimitta, mental phenomena that emerge in consciousness when the mind is almost entirely free of distraction. Nimitta experience is preliminary to entering into jhana, highly purifying states of mind that are characteristic of the traditional Theravada Buddhist approach to Awakening. Peter provides a detailed description of the meditative procedures that produce these mental phenomena, which he was able to directly know during the retreat.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Peter’s April 2023 Retreat Report
A recording of the guided meditation that preceded this talk can be found in the Audio tab under the Guided Meditations tab, entitled “Guided Diligent Mindful Clear Comprehension Meditation”. The guided meditation is intended to provide additional support for understanding the practices described in this talk.
The focus for next week’s talk will be on the Second Noble Truth, the cause of dukkha, presented by Lili Fernandez.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:10 — 57.8MB)