by Peter Carlson | Mar 17, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This continues a series of Dharma talks focused on the theme “How Do You Want to Live?”, which began February 17, 2022. Using the concepts included in the Four Noble Truths, the discussion provides information describing the emerging world environmental crisis as an example of Dukkha that will afflict the biosphere, likely for centuries. The Noble Eightfold Path can provide ways and means to take individual responsibility and creating effective adaptations for future generations.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Practicing Environmental Right Action
The topic for next week’s Dharma talk will involve a Buddhist approach to relationships, including insights and suggestions derived from Peter’s 30+ years as a psychotherapist. The theme could be called Right Relationship.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:55 — 60.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 10, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
With apologies to the quality of the recording, this talk is one of a series which continues to address the theme “How Do You Want to Live?”, which was introduced during the Dharma talk on February 16, 2022 and is found in the archives. There is a review of the sociocultural impact of consumerism, which began in the late 19th century and is now the dominant driver of our lives, whether we are mindful of this issue or not. During the discussion, consumerism is related to the Four Noble Truths: 1) The distress and confusion we currently experience and the effects on the biosphere as a result of indiscriminate consumption, 2) The delusional craving and clinging characteristic of commercial advertising, 3) The opportunity that Buddhist principles and practices offers to provide alternatives to thoughtless and undisciplined consumption, and 4) the practices of the Noble Eightfold Path that will facilitate liberation from the distress and confusion of consumerism.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Mindful Coping With Consumerism
The topic for the next talk will be on how Mindfulness practices can be effectively applied to promote environmental responsibility.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:17 — 53.4MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 3, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
In this talk, part of the series “How Do You Want To Live?”, the focus is on how prevalent addiction is in American culture, especially if “behavioral addictions” involving the internet, gambling, overeating, etc., are included. During the talk, the correlation between the Buddhist craving and clinging concept and contemporary scientific understanding of how the brain operates “addictively” is emphasized, and how the effects that practicing mindfulness of breathing meditation can be of great benefit in overcoming addiction. The 11th step of the recovery oriented 12 steps, such as found in Alcoholics Anonymous, involving daily meditation and prayer, is correlated with basic mindfulness meditation practices.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: BUDDHISM AND ADDICTION NOTES
The focus for the next talk will focus on any broadly unbeneficial effects of consumerism as a follow-up to this talk, and how Buddhist principles and practices can contribute to building a more adaptive and spiritual lifestyle.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:24 — 47.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 24, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the second of a series entitled “How Do You Want to Live Your Life?”, with a focus on disorders of mood–anxiety and depression–which are increasing as a percentage of people are stressed by the multiple disruptions in normal life over the last several years. Peter’s 30+ year career as a mindfulness-based psychotherapist brings his experience to the descriptions of how the body and mind are affected, followed by discussion regarding how regular mindfulness of breathing meditation practice can overcome these dysfunctional ways of living.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Mindful Coping with Distress and Confusion
The focus for the next talk will describe how contemporary consumer culture creates a variety of “addictions”, both substance related as well as behavioral. The talk will also describe how the principles and practices of Buddhism can effectively address these issues.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:06 — 60.5MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 17, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk focuses on the challenges we face as we are affected by the pandemic, disrupted weather patterns due to global warming and the cultural conflicts of this era, and how Buddhist principles and practices can be an effective coping strategy. Peter focuses attention on how different elements of the Four Noble Truths can be beneficially applied to a variety of topical areas: stress resilience, relationships, health, our responses to environmental degradation, and finances, among others. Each of these aspects of life will be explored during separate meetings over the next several weeks.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: How Do You Want To Live
The topic for next week’s talk will be a review of how mindfulness and lovingkindness can improve stress resilience, with Peter using his decades of professional training and practice as a psychotherapist helping people find relief from anxiety and depression.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:14 — 55.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 10, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews the concepts and practices associated with cultivating Mudita, translated as Sympathetic Joy, one of the four Divine Abidings. Mudita is the empathetic cognitive and emotional response shaped by lovingkindness which celebrates the success and happiness of others in an unselfish way. The description also clarifies the characteristics of the far enemy and near enemy of sympathetic joy, along with suggestions for reflecting on the value of gratitude and generosity in the cultivation of Mudita. There is a recorded meditation posted in the archives of this website entitled “Guided Contemplation Of Sympathetic Joy”, which is intended to supplement the concepts and practices reviewed in this recording.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: CELEBRATING HAPPINESS FOR OTHERS
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:30 — 54.5MB)
