by Peter Carlson | Jun 4, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter provides an overview of the four Brahma Viharas, with focus on how lovingkindness mantra repetition can be integrated with mindfulness of breathing meditation, adding additional attention to the middle of the chest as part of the practice. He describes how the vagus nerve connects the brain with various organs in the body, including the heart, linking what happens emotionally with the selfing story. He also describes how contemporary integrative research regarding the interactions between mindfulness and lovingkindness is beneficial for well-being.
Here are the notes accompanying the talk: Reviewing The Brahma Viharas
This talk can be associated with a guided meditation that preceded the presentation entitled “Guided Wisdom of Lovingkindness Meditation”, found in the audio archive.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:24 — 50.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jun 4, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this contemplation, Peter makes meditation practice suggestions that are intended to integrate the two components of the Wisdom Aggregate of the Noble Eightfold Path, Right Understanding and Right Intention. Right Understanding uses mindfulness of breathing meditation to investigate what the mind creates and Right Intention focuses through the lens of lovingkindness to support the cultivation of Wisdom. This meditation is intended to support the topic reviewed during the Dharma talk that occurred after the meditation: “Lovingkindness and Wisdom”.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:56 — 41.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | May 21, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
As a review of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse continues, Susan Baxter focuses on two of the Seven Awakening Factors, Joy and Tranquility. She describes the characteristics of each factor and the various ways they can be cultivated and brought to the highest potential for Awakening.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:09:26 — 63.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | May 14, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter provides his perspective on the function of the Seven Awakening Factors, which culminate in the full realization potential of the Four Noble Truths. He describes three categories within the seven: Mindfulness, Investigation of Mental Phenomena, and Energy, the persistent ability to maintain a flow of attention and self-regulation that fosters Awakening, The remaining four factors develop as the result of how skillfully the first three are matured. Next week’s talk will further the review with a focus on the Awakening Factors of Joy and Tranquility, and the following week will review the final two factors, Concentration and Equanimity.
Here are the notes Peter used during the talk: mindfulness investigation and energy are drivers of awakening factors
Here are notes prepared prior to the talk: Reviewing The Seven Awakening Factor System
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:22 — 61.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | May 7, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter reviews a section of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, focusing on how the brain takes in sensory stimulation and integrates the various areas where senses are processed with areas of the brain that formulate self identity and and behavior, transforming the initial stimuli into the experience of “selfing”. The fetters are what binds these processes, which is described during the talk. How this works is presented from both a classical Theravada Buddhist perspective and contemporary neuroscientific research that demonstrates how the brain “binds” the various neural processes in different areas into a coherent self-experience multiple times per second.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding the Sense Doors and the Fetters
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:49 — 52.0MB)
by Peter Carlson | Apr 30, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter reviews another way mindfulness practice supports Awakening, contemplating the Five Aggregates of Clinging, part of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness. The Five Aggregates represent a conceptual structure that helps understanding of Anatta, the absence of an enduring, autonomous self. Concrete, a crucial structural component in almost any building or road, is composed of cement, gravel, sand and water, which aggregate and solidify into a form–the human personality is also aggregated from file elements, and they can be investigated with sufficient training in mindfulness. When we are mindful of these elements as aggregates, the ability to “deconstruct” the self is nurtured.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: REVIEWING THE FIVE AGGREGATES OF CLINGING
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:56 — 52.1MB)
