by Peter Carlson | Mar 4, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews a practice Peter learned from attending several retreats that followed the teaching of S. N. Goenka that he called vedanupassana, mindfulness of feelings. During the talk the history of this form of “dry vipassana” is reviewed and Peter describes how he applies this sort of mindfulness meditation practice on a daily basis. The talk is followed by general discussion among those participating. There is an accompanying guided meditation recorded just prior to this talk entitled “Guided Body Scan Meditation”.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk, including URL coding for accessing other guided body scan meditations recorded by Peter and by Ayya Khema: S N Goenka Body Scan Notes
Next week’s topic for review will be the cultivation of jhana as taught by the Pa Auk Sayadaw, the teacher of Shaila Catherine, who has led previous retreats produced by the Orlando Insight Meditation Group.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:28 — 103.4MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 4, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation follows the teaching of S. N. Goenka in the practice of “dry vipassana”. During the practice, suggestions are provided for building sensitivity to subtle sensations always present in the body. This heightened sensitivity increases the ability to track the transient and impersonal nature of experience. It is intended to accompany the “Review Of Body Sweep Meditation”, recorded on March 3, 2021.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 25, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews a mindfulness meditation practice protocol developed by a Burmese teacher named Mahasi Sayadaw, who had a great influence on the important contemporary American Buddhist teachers Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salsberg of the Insight Meditation Society. Elements of the practice that are reviewed include the importance of intention for cultivating a persistent “noting” of what is immediately occurring in awareness, with a primary focus of attention on the expanding and contracting of the abdomen while practicing mindfulness of breathing meditation. The goal of this practice is to create and sustain a “stream” of noting moments, directly knowing the characteristics of self-organization in order to reveal the nature of anicca, impermanence, one of the three basic characteristics of Buddhism. This streaming process is termed momentary concentration and is expected to produce calmness and clarity in the mind without having to previously cultivate very high levels of fixed concentration. The review is followed by a question and comment period among those attending.
A guided meditation entitled “Guided vipassana With Noting Meditation” was posted for February 24, 2021 in the Guided Meditation Archive and is intended to supplement this talk.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Mahasi Sayadaw Method
The focus for the next meeting will be a guided body scan meditation modeled on the teachings of S. N. Goenka followed by a talk that will review the concepts and practices for this form of mindfulness meditation.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:06 — 124.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 25, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation follows the insight meditation system promoted by Mahasi Sayadaw and through the Insight Meditation Society that practices “noting” briefly what arises in consciousness as a way to cultivate vipassana, insight into the the impermanence of subjective experience. The primary object of meditation in this method is noting the expanding and contracting of the abdomen while practicing mindfulness of breathing. During the guided meditation, various suggestions are provided to prompt the noting process, which is intended to cultivate a rapidly sequenced moments of direct knowing, known as khanika samadhi, momentary concentration, to advance the practice of vipassana.
This recording is intended to supplement the talk of February 24, 2021 entitled “Mahasi Sayadaw Vipassana With Noting Review”.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:58 — 82.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 18, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues a series of reviews of the development of Buddhism from the time of the Buddha forward, as Buddhism was influenced by various historical eras. The focus for this review builds on the talk on February 3, 2021 that explored how Western colonialism, particularly Christian missionary activity, initiated a revitalization of the various Buddhist traditions around Asia. The presentation in this talk describes how, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries various teachers began to create more meditative practices that could influence the general population, and, during and after WWII, Americans in Asia began to be interested in and trained by Buddhist monks and lay teachers; these American teachers brought contemporary vipassana practices to the U.S., largely avoiding the traditional rites and rituals of Asian traditions. The talk was followed by a period for questions and general discussion.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: How Buddhism Encountered the West
Next week’s talk will review the various concepts and meditation practices Peter has been trained in.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:41 — 123.9MB)
