by Peter Carlson | Aug 7, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter responds to questions from those attending, focusing on the importance of establishing mindfulness of breathing as a stabilizing reference point, because the intention to remain aware of the sensations experienced while breathing as other mental phenomena occur provides a “distancing” effect, enabling us to be less affected as craving and clinging occur and thereby enabling us to understand the impermanent and impersonal nature of subjective experience. He also describes how he uses his body scanning practice to open to experiencing the absence of an enduring/autonomous self.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:14 — 56.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jul 31, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter focuses on the relationship between the Buddhist concept of Voidness (Sunnata) and neuroplasticity, the inherent complex and impersonal way the function of the brain creates a person’s self experience. Using an excerpt from “Heartwood of the Bodhi Tree–the Buddha’s Teaching on Voidness”, by Buddhadasa, he reviews how important the cultivation of a virtuous life is for supporting the process of Awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Because Of Voidness Awakening Can Occur
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:00 — 60.4MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jul 25, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this Dharma talk, Peter describes the intersection between empathy and compassion. Empathy is hardwired into our bodies and can be misunderstood and produce regrettable self-states and behaviors when not monitored by mindfulness. He describes how we are all subjected to marketing tactics based on studies of empathy to negatively affect ourselves and others. Skillful investigation and Right Effort can effectively transform empathy to compassion, foremost for oneself, as well as others.
Here are the notes associated with this topic: Empathy and Compassion
A meditation entitled “Guided Empathy Contemplation” preceded this talk, and it is posted in the Guided Meditation page. It is intended to provide training to promote the ability to effectively monitor empathetic responses we experience.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:35 — 62.8MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jul 25, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks, News
This guided meditation provides suggestions for recognizing the subjective characteristics of empathy with support from mindfulness of breathing for a non-reactive perspective of the experience. It is intended to provide practice support for the Dharma talk that followed: “Empathy And Compassion”, posted on this website.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:48 — 41.0MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jul 17, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this second of a series of reviews of women who are influential among contemporary meditators, Allie Vaknin begins by inquiring among participants who might have familiarity with Pema Chodron’s books, and then goes on to briefly recounting Chodron’s life: she was born in New York City as Deidre Blomfeld-Brown and was inspired to become a Tibetan Buddhist Nun after a significant loss in her life. Allie then reviewed the gist of Chodron’s work, which focuses primarily through a willingness to cultivate compassion for oneself, then expressed towards others. This posting includes comments by others in response to Allie’s questions.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:42 — 59.2MB)
