by Peter Carlson | Feb 9, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This evening’s meeting focused on the crucial role cetana, the Pali word translated as intention or volition, plays in the ongoing process of self-state organization. Cetana is a “universal mind conditioner”, functioning in each moment of self-state organization to coordinate the various conditioning factors involved in the process. Intention operates through the each of the “six sense bases”, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, body sensations and cognitive processes. Using the concept developed in the book “The Mind Illuminated”, Peter described how intention shapes the perceptual processes in each of the sense bases; the most potent of the products of the various sense bases will be further processed by emotionally charged memory associations and will emerge into consciousness. The benefit of cultivating the intention to mindfully and persistently investigate the sensation of breathing is the manifestation of samadhi/passadhi, a flow of conscious awareness that is stable and tranquil. This unifies the sense bases and produces the conditions most effective for the practice of vipassana, that is, insight into the conditioned nature of personal experience, liberating the mind from distress and confusion.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE IMPORTANCE OF INTENTION
There will not be a posted dharma dialogue next week because of the one week residential meditation retreat. On February 22, participants in the retreat will review their retreat experiences for posting on the website.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:40 — 107.4MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 3, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues to explore the suggestions offered in “The Mind Illuminated” that help understand how prior experience makes meaning of raw sensational data. Peter first quotes part of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness that focuses on what Thanissaro calls “the six sense media”, then describes Culadasa’s “sub-minds” concept that provides a more contemporary and psychological understanding of transient self-state organizations.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Transforming Sensations Into A Self
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:18 — 106.8MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jan 26, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues to explore practical suggestions from the book “The Mind Illuminated”. The current focus is on the concepts of “Focused Attention”, “Peripheral Awareness”, “Strong Distraction”, “Strong Dullness”, “Subtle Distraction” and “Subtle Dullness”. Following on the post of January 18, Peter emphasized the importance to cultivate these wholesome mental qualities: “Ardent, alert and mindful”, which are mentioned repeatedly in the Satipatthana Sutta, among others in the Pali Canon. These three wholesome qualities enhance Focused Attention to overcome the self-state organizations of distraction and dullness, thereby setting the conditions for the practice of vipassana, insight into the conditioned nature of experience.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Observing How The Mind Works
This talk was preceded by a recorded guided meditation that fostered experiential understanding of “Focused Attention” and the other above mentioned concepts, and is also posted here. During the meditation, the cultivation of “ardent, alert and mindful” focused attention was emphasized.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:23 — 112.4MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jan 20, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The evening’s activities included a guided meditation posted below: “Looking Closer Meditation.mp3”, during which Peter provided suggestions supporting a more persistent and intimate awareness regarding the sensations of breathing.
During the talk following the guided meditation, Peter drew on a book entitled “Right Mindfulness” by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (available as a free .pdf download from: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/rightmindfulness.pdf ) to emphasize the importance of being “ardent, alert and mindful” regarding breath awareness. The word ardent means heartfelt, actively interested and engaged. The above quoted phrase is mentioned multiple times in the book, which draws from the Pali Canon as the reference. This investigating function supports increasing stability of attention and tranquility, setting the conditions for vipassana, investigation of self-state organizations. There are 8 stages mentioned in the commentaries to the suttas, and these were described during the talk. This was followed by general group discussion regarding the importance of persistent, intimate breath awareness.
Here are the notes prepared for the talk: STAGES OF BREATH AWARENESS
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:13 — 115.8MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jan 18, 2017 | Study Resources
By Peter Carlson
I’ve been studying and practicing Buddhist mindfulness meditation for 35 years, with an emphasis on how modern scientific research supports the concepts and practices of traditional Buddhism. Because of this interest, I bought “The Mind Illuminated-A Completed Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom And Brain Science”. It was written collaboratively by Culadasa (John Yates, PhD.), Matthew Immergut, PhD. And Jeremy Graves, and published in 2015.
I’ve used it as a guide for my two-week self-retreats in 2015 and 2016, and I recommend it for anyone who wants to develop mindfulness significantly in his or her life. The book describes ten stages of progression towards Awakening, from the basics of how to establish a committed daily meditation practice to the potential experience of Nirvana, the total liberation of the mind from distress and confusion about life.
Each chapter provides practical instruction on how to cultivate stronger and more pervasive levels of focal stability and tranquility, alternating with what are called “interludes”, which provide conceptual support for the various practical applications and what happens in the mind during the different stages.
As a long time committed meditation practitioner and teacher, I confidently recommend using this book as a personal guideline for meditation practice. This recommendation is based on my own experience accumulated over the decades of practice; I find the book validates and clarifies what I have discovered in the traditional Buddhist teachings and the contemporary commentary on mindfulness and neuroscientific research.
If you use the link on our website to go to Amazon, a portion of the sale price will be donated to the Orlando Insight Meditation Group as part of Amazon’s commitment to support nonprofit organizations.
