It is customary for retreatants in this Sangha to have the opportunity to report on their retreat experience as this helps integrate the insights realized during the retreat more clearly in awareness. Peter described the structure of his recent two-week self-retreat. During the retreat he hoped to cultivate deep samadhi to cultivate the potential for […]
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This is the last talk of 2019 as Peter begins his year-end two-week self retreat December 13. During the talk, Peter described the early context of Christmas and the season associated with the Winter Solstice, the shortest and often among the coldest days of the year in the northern hemisphere–a time of reflection, companionship and renewal. This intention has been significantly altered by American consumerism and this has inspired Peter to dedicate this period of time towards the gift of meditation in an attempt to create a contemporary effort towards renewal. Participants were invited to contemplate interactions with others and the festivities that occur through the lens of the Four Noble Truths as an effort to cultivate more clarity regarding the potential of the season for kindness, compassion, generosity and tolerance. This was followed by general discussion about the current status of the holiday season and what those at the meeting might do to integrate mindfulness into their experience.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Four Noble Truths And The Holidays
The next talk will be on Wednesday January 8, as the first Wednesday is New Year’s day; there is likely to be an opportunity to sit together on that evening, but there will not be a talk. The focus of the January 8th talk will be on the insights derived from the just finished retreat.
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This is the last in a series of meetings that explore the Divine Abidings, Metta (Lovingkindness), Karuna (Compassion), Mudita (Sympathetic Joy) and Upekkha (Equanimity). Equanimity is manifested when a well-trained mind applies mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena and Right Effort. The accompanying notes contain a graphic representation of how equanimity is cultivated, bringing balance between energy & tranquility, and concentration & investigation. Peter then goes on to describe the application of equanimity to avoid what are called the “far enemy” and “near enemy” of the four Divine Abidings. This was followed by general discussion among those present on how to cultivate equanimity in one’s daily life routines.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Benefits Of Equanimity
Next week’s talk will focus on how to bring mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena, Right Effort and equanimity to the hyperactive characteristics of the holiday season through careful attention to what is seen on the media and among other folks as well as oneself. The purpose of this observation is to realize the potential for bringing the Four Noble Truths into clearer focus.
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Since our Sangha meets on Wednesday evenings, Thanksgiving Eve is dedicated to reflecting gratitude for the benefits of Buddhist principles and practices and the bounty and beauty of life on this planet. During the talk, various participants contributed their insights and appreciations for the benefits of meditation practice.
Next week’s talk will focus on the fourth of the Brahma Viharas (Divine Abidings), Upekkha, which is the balancing function that allows us to avoid the “near enemy” and “far enemy” of each of the other benevolent qualities–Metta (Lovingkindness), Karuna (Compassion) and Mudita (Sympathetic Joy).
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This talk is the third in a series exploring the Brahma Viharas, the Divine Abidings: metta (lovingkindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy) and upekkha (equanimity). Mudita is the empathetic attunement with the happiness of others, a celebration of the success of another person whether it is to your advantage or not. Peter reviewed the observation of humans as social beings and the survival advantage of promoting the happiness and success of others as a way to encourage interpersonal security and the survival of the species. The close association of mudita with katannu (gratitude) and dana (generosity) was described: Being the recipient of another person’s celebration of your happiness generates gratitude and gratitude leads to a willingness to “gift” someone through generosity, thereby enhancing their happiness. The “far enemy”, jealousy and envy and the “near enemy”, pretentious generosity, of mudita were described along with antidotes. Peter provided ways to contemplate mudita, beginning with reflection on being the recipient of another person’s generosity and then proceeding towards noticing and appreciating the spontaneous happiness of others (children playing for example) and then contemplating and enacting gratitude and appreciation for others through both physical and social generosity. This was followed by discussion among those attending regarding the benefits of mudita.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: CELEBRATING HAPPINESS FOR OTHERS
Next week’s meeting is on Thanksgiving Eve and it has been the custom of those attending to talk about how the principles and practices of Buddhism have cultivated gratitude on a daily basis.
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This talk focuses on karuna, the Pali and Sanskrit term for compassion. Peter described compassion as a “subset” of metta, lovingkindness, with a focus on empathizing with the dukkha one is aware of in oneself and others. Contemporary research on mirror neurons (neural pathways we all have that allow us to “read” each other through mimicry and empathic attunement) and attachment theory (psychological research that strongly suggests the innate interpersonal dynamics of us that extends from infancy throughout life) are easily associated with Buddhist compassion meditation practices. The Tibetan Buddhist tonglen, a compassion meditation practice, was described as an effective way to practice compassion, both formally while meditating and informally during daily life routines. This description was followed by general discussion about how karuna can be integrated into one’s life.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk; they include some suggestions regarding various contemplations in the practice: THE VALUE OF COMPASSION
Next week’s topic will be mudita, sympathetic joy.
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