by Peter Carlson | Mar 22, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This dialogue explores the Third Foundation of Mindfulness, cittanupassana, translated as mindfulness of the mind. After reading the content of the third foundation from Analayo’s book on satipatthana, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Peter related this to what our era calls “mood”, that is, a pervasive emotional state. The neurological and hormonal aspects of mood were described. This was followed by a group discussion emphasizing the impersonal nature of moods.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()
by Peter Carlson | Mar 14, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the second of two talks about the importance of the practice of mindfulness of feelings. During this talk, Peter reviewed paticca samuppada, usually translated as dependent origination. A new rendering of the term was explained, that is, contingent provisional emergence, with clarification of the non-linear, mutually influential functions that affect how the mind overlays a provisional interpretation of raw sense data input, thereby creating a “selfing moment”. In this creative process, attention becomes fixated on a particular feeling and perception, creating the craving and clinging dynamic that is the driving force of our distresses about life. Mindfulness of feelings as feelings allows the skilled meditator to avoid “personalizing” the emerging self-organization, providing relief from craving and clinging.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()
by Peter Carlson | Mar 7, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dialogue, Peter began to discuss the second Foundation of Mindfulness, vedanupassana (mindfulness of feelings). He talked of how feelings are not emotions as we might describe them in the West, but rather what in psychological terms is affect, the pull towards pleasant experience or away from unpleasant experience. Feelings are the bridge between physical sensations and the mental creations of meaning and self-organization we experience. He read a translation of the second foundation, and then led a brief guided meditation that illustrates concretely what to notice as a feeling, a perception and the mental formations that create what the Buddha called “the tyranny of I, me and mine”. This was followed by dialogues that further clarified the experiences of the guided meditation.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (0.0KB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 1, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dialogue, Peter read the part of the Satipatthana Sutta called “the charnal ground contemplation”. He then commented on how our culture is shielded from the experience of death and what happens to the body as it disintegrates, which was a common occurrence during the time of the Buddha. The intention of that contemplation was to motivate diligent practice, as in those days, life was typically short and a lot less certain than during this era. How can we be motivated to be diligent in our practice since our culture is much more comfortable and secure than at that time? This question was discussed around the group for the rest of the evening, with each person who shared talking of what makes her or him motivated to practice.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()
by Peter Carlson | Feb 22, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The subtitle of this talk could be “The Four Elements Meditation”. Several years ago, Peter found the title quote in a book by Jack Kornfield. In the book, he talked of visiting Las Vegas in his monastic robes and seeing “You Must Be Present To Win” signage above the door into a casino, presumably announcing rules regarding a lottery. Peter appreciates the irony, so painted a sign with those words that’s posted above the room where our Sangha meets to meditate. During the talk, he described the nature of the four elements, earth, air, fire and water as subjective awarenesses, that is, earth is density or pressure, air is movement, fire is temperature, and water is cohesiveness. These focus points for meditation practice are for developing mindfulness of the body, and are mentioned in the Satipatthana Sutta. Mindfulness of the body is useful as being several ways to interrupt the internal chatter in order to cultivate concentration and tranquility. After this, Peter led a brief guided meditation to familiarize participants regarding the practice. This was followed by discussion about the experience and utility of the practice.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()
by Peter Carlson | Feb 14, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dialogue, Peter described the core Buddhist concept of sati-sampajanna, usually translated as mindful, clear comprehension. He quoted from the Satipatthana Sutta the stanzas associated with mindfulness of breathing, mindfulness of posture and mindfulness of movement. He then described the “four clear comprehensions” from the Buddhist commentaries, which comprises what amounts to an ongoing process of setting goals, ways and means to achieve them, keeping in mind impermanence, non-self and the distress that arises as the result of craving and clinging. This was followed by dialogues with various folks in the group, with the intention of using their daily routines as ways to illustrate the value of sati-sampajanna.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()