2022 Deerhaven Retreat-2nd Night-The Five Hindrances

This talk introduces the first obstacle that must be contended with in the process of liberating the mind from distress and confusion–the Five Hindrances–disturbances in the ability to clearly perceive how the mind creates a self-experience, either through cognitive distortion or an imbalance of energy flow in consciousness.  Various ways to redirect the energy of attention away from the hindrances are suggested which will support the process of Awakening.  Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  2022 Setting Aside The Five Hindrances

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2022 Deerhaven Retreat-3rd Night-The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

This talk describes a conceptual structuring of four aspects of subjective experience: mindfulness of bodily stimuli, mindfulness of feelings, mindfulness of states of mind, and mindfulness of those factors that condition self-organization.  This structuring provides a way to carefully investigate how the “selfing” process operates in a detached way, which supports liberating the mind from distress and confusion.  Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS FOR AWAKENING REVIEW

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2022 Deerhaven Retreat-4th Night-The Five Aggregates

This talk reviews the characteristics of what can be described as a Buddhist theory of personality–The Five Aggregates–representing how the mind is stimulated by physical experience to create a meaningful self-state organization.  The aggregates, when affected by greed, hatred and ignorance, create the distress and confusion that interferes with human happiness, creating the distress and confusion we all are confronted with.  Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  REVIEWING THE FIVE AGGREGATES OF CLINGING

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2022 Deerhaven Retreat-5th Night-The Awakening Factors

The focus of this talk provides descriptions of the Seven Awakening Factors, qualities of attention that can be fully nurtured and realized once the Five Hindrances are set aside.  The Awakening Factors represent the potential for full liberation from human greed, hatred and ignorance.  Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  THE SEVEN FACTORS FOR AWAKENING REVIEW

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2022 Deerhaven Retreat-6th Night-From Integration To Liberation

This talk provides a review of how the previous descriptions of concepts and practices support the wholesome integration of one’s personality, creating the conditions suitable for a progression of insights leading towards the liberation of the mind–Awakening.  Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  SELF STATE INTEGRATION AND LIBERATION

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