by Peter Carlson | Sep 26, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter responds to various questions from those participating regarding their understanding of Buddhist concepts and their meditation experiences. Examples of questions include clarification regarding how aiming and sustaining attention on breath sensations matures into investigation of what arises in the mind, consideration regarding Chogyam Trungpa’s comments on gradual rather than sudden Awakening, and how to cultivate non-reactive awareness of craving and clinging.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:57 — 61.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 19, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Lili describes the progressions of faith that can be cultivated within Buddhism: Bright Faith, Verified Faith, and Abiding or Unwavering Faith. Faith is also the antidote for doubt. Her comments are followed by comments provided by those participating that describe their experience of faith.
Here are the notes she prepared for this talk: FAITH IN BUDDHISM
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:17 — 60.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 12, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Allie Vaknin shares her research on a basic element of Buddhist doctrine, Right Intention. Part of the presentation involves questions and insights about this important part of the Noble Eightfold Path provided by those participating in the meeting.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:20 — 50.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 5, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation provides opportunities to become more clearly aware of three important mind-conditioning functions and how to cultivate their functioning, which provides the basis for experiencing high degrees of mental clarity and stability, benefiting the practice of vipassana, insight meditation. The coordinated and integrated effects of these three factors will be reviewed during a talk occurring just after this meditation training exercise, recorded and posted as “Reviewing Mindfulness, Investigation, and Right Effort”.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:58 — 41.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 29, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Peter has decided to open one meeting each month to discussion in response to any questions or observations by the participants at that meeting, focusing on Dharma and practice oriented issues. Questions and comments focused on the importance that the practice of mindfulness of feelings, along with the role of concentration in the practice of vipassana, insight into the conditioned nature of experience. Peter shared some insights he experienced on a retreat that revealed the moment-by-moment arising and passing away of mental phenomena, and the powerful impact it has had on his dedication to daily, diligent mindfulness of breathing meditation.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:35 — 50.9MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 22, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Sympathetic Joy is listed as the third of the Four Divine Abidings, and Equanimity is the fourth. During this talk, Peter reviews the characteristics of Sympathetic Joy as a celebration of another’s success and happiness in an unselfish way. It represents the spiritual development of empathy, which is hard-wired into the bodies of humans, but can be distorted when not effectively monitored by Mindfulness and Investigation of Mental Phenomena, and regulated by Right Effort. The result of this skillful application of attention and action is Equanimity, which provides balance, avoiding what are called the “near enemy” or “far enemy” of Sympathetic Joy.
This talk is intended to be supplemented by a recorded guided meditation posted in the archives of this site titled “Contemplating Sympathetic Joy With Equanimity”, which was presented by Peter just prior to this talk.
Here are the notes prepared for the Dharma talk: Cultivating Sympathetic Joy With Equanimity
The next talk, scheduled for August 28, 2024, will provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions about Buddhist concepts and practices, with discussion provided by Peter, who has been studying and practicing Buddhism for over 40 years.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:34 — 52.7MB)
