by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter explains the “fulfilling of the seven factors of awakening”, as described by the Anapanasati Sutta, quoting the translation by Gil Fronsdal. During the explanations, Peter used a graphic illustration of what are called the “panca bala”, the five powers, to describe the dynamic balancing of energy-tranquility, combined with the balancing of concentration-investigation. This process is ongoing due to the reality of impermanence, and the resulting dynamic equilibrium is equanimity.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This recording is associated with the previously posted .mp3 file, “Deerhaven Sixth Night Dhamma Talk”. It was recorded during a guided body sweep meditation, and included the parts of the body mentioned in the title. As mentioned previously, the purpose of this meditation is to support the cultivation of the seven awakening factors: mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena, energy/ persistent Right Effort, joy, tranquility, concentration and equanimity.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This recording followed a guided body sweep meditation and provided an opportunity for the participants to discuss the experience and receive suggestions about their practice. Peter emphasized that the goal of this practice is to foster the maturing of vitakka and vicara (aiming and sustaining attention) into the awakening factor of investigation of mental phenomena. The practice also fosters the cultivation of mindfulness, persistent Right Effort, and concentration. These factors also foster the emergence of joy, tranquility and equanimity, the remaining factors of the seven awakening factors. This posting will be followed by the recorded body sweep meditation.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dhamma talk, Peter described paticca sammupada, typically translated as dependent origination. Peter expressed a different view of this concept, calling the process contingent provisional emergence. This contemporary view applies understandings derived from complexity theory, which is a non-linear perspective on the incredible complexity of the mind’s ability to respond to sensory input. He described the links of associated factors in this process, with an emphasis on how important vedanupassana, mindfulness of feelings, the second of the four foundations of mindfulness, is for reconfiguring how the mind responds to each moment of self-state organization. This awareness requires the full functioning of the wholesome mind conditioners, through the practice of vipassana.The practice of vedanupassana will be cultivated later during the retreat through the training in body sweep meditation.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During the fourth night talk, Peter described the “mind conditioners” that the Anapanasati Sutta trains to calm with mindfulness of breathing. He described the 14 wholesome conditioners, with particular attention to the “beautiful pairs” of conditioners (describing the pairing of mind and mind conditioners), tranquility, lightness/agility, pliancy, wieldiness, proficiency and uprightness. These 14 conditioners combine with other “universal” and “occasional” mind conditioners in every moment of wholesome self-state organization.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter described the Five Hindrances, the primary afflictions that distort our perceptions about reality. They are sense desire, aversion and ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and skeptical doubt. Peter described how, in the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness discourse, there are instructions to notice the presence, absence, causes and solutions for the hindrances. He mentioned the Seven Awakening Factors as antidotes for the hindrances. He emphasized that experience is a process, and energy flow that can be free and adaptive, while the hindrances operate as “energy dumps”.
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