by Peter Carlson | Apr 17, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter describes how his recently completed 6 full days of self-retreat involved integrating Analayo’s excellent “Mindfulness of Breathing” book with the meditative training protocol called vedanupassana as taught by S. N. Goenka. Part of his preparation for this retreat involved using ChatGPT to support the integrative process, and these documents are also posted here to provide additional information for research. Peter doesn’t wholeheartedly agree with the descriptions provided by ChatGPT, but the documents below provide a useful reference resource. As the Buddha said, we must work out our own salvation diligently:
This supports integrating the two practices: Integrating Anapanasati with Body Scan on Retreat and at Home
This describes the whole-body experience developed by body scanning as body scanning practice matures: Bhanga
This describes what happens physiologically as body scanning practice matures: Physiology of Tingling with Body Scan
This describes the subjective experience of anicca, the transitory and impermanent characteristics that can be investigated during body scanning: Goenka subjective evidence of anicca
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:20 — 60.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | Apr 2, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This presentation by Lezlie Laws continues a series of talks reviewing the elements of the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse. Restlessness and Worry, commonly known as one of the Five Hindrances, has two characteristics: restlessness, a felt sense of scattered, agitated attention, and worry, the story that accompanies the agitation, seeming to justify and make the hindrance stronger and more controlling of attention. Lezlie offers suggestions for setting this hindrance aside, cultivating a more serene and open-minded flow of consciousness.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:00 — 59.5MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 26, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues an ongoing review of the Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse, focusing on the hindrance of Aversion and Ill-Will. Allie Vaknin describes the characteristics of aversion in a way that is not only effective for spiritual development, but can be beneficial for not being hooked by anger or fear, mindfully noticing and disregarding aversive self-talk, focusing instead on identifying and letting go of the physical tensions associated with aversion and ill-will. She also emphasizes the value of cultivating lovingkindness to counter the negativity of the hindrance.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:58 — 50.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 19, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Susan Baxter continues the review by our teachers of the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse. After reviewing the overall structure of the Sutta, she focuses on the first of the Five Hindrances, Sense Desire, which investigates the distress and confusion associated with craving pleasant feelings. She then describes how skillful attention and letting go can effectively set aside the untrained mind’s strong desire for pleasant experience to be controlled. Part of the discussion focuses on how the over-activation of parts of the brain associated with feelings can lead to addiction, along with how mindfulness of breathing meditation and other wholesome mental conditions can effectively set aside sense desire.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:41 — 57.4MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 12, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter responds to questions about lojong training, (A Tibetan discipline for developing compassion), and the “near and far enemy” of lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:23 — 60.8MB)
