by Peter Carlson | Jul 2, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter combined insights from contemporary research on the importance of relationship quality during early childhood for cultivating an integrated sense of personality, and how this relates to the Buddhist concept of no-self, that is, the absence of an autonomous ego. Cultivating secure relationship bonds is an essential part of spiritual practice; this is why the Buddha said “Sangha (spiritual relationship) is the whole of the holy life”.
Next week’s discussion will explore how unwholesome shame, guilt and misperceptions leading to isolation are both obstacles to spiritual growth and opportunities to realize awakening.
The notes prepared for this talk will be posted right after this posting.
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 25, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter described the characteristics of addiction, emphasizing the similarities between the functions of addictive behavior beyond substance abuse and the Buddhist realization of the power of craving and clinging to produce suffering. A graphic illustration was provided to describe the onset of stress and the effects of stress, compared to the onset of an addictive behavior and the distracting or emotional effects of the behavior. This linking represents craving and clinging, and the application of the Four Noble Truths were described as a way to reduce and eventually eliminate the need for addictive behavior. The key factor in this process is to focus on the feeling of stress, disregarding the narrative that comes with it, prior to the activation of the addictive behavior.
The next posting will include the notes prepared for this talk, including the draft showing the link between the experience of stress and the experience of mood altering behaviors.
Next week’s talk will focus on how Buddhist practices can enhance the quality of relationships across the range of casual, momentary encounters to life-long relationships.
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 18, 2015 | Intro to Buddhism & Meditation
These notes were prepared for the previously posted recording of “Mindfulness And Depression”: BUDDHISM AND DEPRESSION
by Peter Carlson | Jun 18, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Continuing to explore how Buddhist mindfulness and lovingkindness practices can help address mental health issues that are epidemic in our culture, this week’s topic is about the nature of depression from both a modern and Buddhist perspective. Peter described the general symptoms of depression, and the Buddhist concept of the cause of distress being craving and clinging. It was suggested that a major element of depression is a preoccupation with distorted views of self and of life that are negative in their impact. This preoccupation is driven by the misperception that a sad or despairing feeling is a true and permanent rendering of someone’s personality. Mindfulness meditation enables a person to view their troubling emotions and distorted perceptions objectively and channel attention to accepting the emotion without negative self-talk, and substituting more beneficial thoughts and behaviors. The Buddhist concepts of impermanence and non-self emphasize that self organization is dynamically changing, and that clinging to a particular view is disabling.
Peter and other shared their depressive experiences in the past and how mindfulness and lovingkindness practices benefited their recoveries and resilience to current stressful events. Peter described various contemporary psychotherapies that combine mindfulness with standard clinical techniques.
The recording is longer than usual, due to the enthusiastic participation of those attending the meeting. Immediately after this post, the notes prepared for this talk will be posted, including several self-help books involving using mindfulness approaches for alleviating depression.
Next week’s topic will focus on Buddhist understanding of addictive processes, which go beyond the normal descriptions of addictions as being drug related, and how mindfulness practices can be of benefit for preventing addictive relapse
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 11, 2015 | Intro to Buddhism & Meditation
Here are the notes Peter prepared for the previously posted “Buddhism And Anxiety June 10 2015”: ANXIETY FROM A BUDDHIST PERSPECTIVE The document includes diagnostic criteria for the various significant anxiety disorders.
