by Peter Carlson | Aug 30, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, the Tranquility Awakening Factor was described as the result of the application of Mindfulness, Investigation of Mental Phenomena, Concentration and Energy/Right Effort Awakening Factors. The Pali term for this Factor is Passadhi Bojjhanga, and it so closely aligns with the Concentration Awakening Factor, Samadhi Bojjhanga, that Peter frequently refers to samadhi/passadhi as the foundation for vipassana practice. Tranquility is not sedation, but rather the absence of turbulence in the internal flow of consciousness. After the explanation, those attending discussed how to cultivate tranquility in daily life and the benefits of a serene lifestyle.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Awakening With Tranquility
Next week’s topic is the Concentration Awakening Factor.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 23, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talked emphasized Piti Bojjhanga, typically translated as the Rapture Awakening Factor. After describing the role that piti traditionally plays in the cultivation of jhana, (an exalted state of exclusive awareness), Peter suggested a more workable translation might be enthusiastic interest, a quality of attention that is actively engaged with investigating the emerging characteristics of subjective experience. Piti is the result of the application of the Awakening Factors of Mindfulness, Investigation and Energy (manifested as Right Effort, part of the Noble Eightfold Path), and serves as a quality of awareness that inspires further practice. The description was followed by general discussion of how joyful interest during meditation practice generalizes to joyful interest in life’s everyday characteristics.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: CULTIVATING JOYFUL INTEREST IN AWAKENING
Next week’s topic will be the Awakening Factor of Passadhi Bojjhanga, the Tranquility Awakening Factor.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 16, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk explores Viriya Bojjhanga, translated as the Energy Awakening Factor. Peter quoted Daniel Siegel’s suggestion that “the mind… regulates the flow of energy and information”, that is, we are energy transforming organisms. In Buddhist psychology, energy is related to Right Effort of the Eightfold Path, among other beneficial categories. He suggested that the practice of mindfulness of breathing meditation channels energy away from unwholesome self-organizing processes and builds neural networks that are wholesome and mindfully channeling the energy of attention through the Seven Awakening Factors. This was followed by general group discussion of how the practice of channeling energy through mindful Right Effort brings benefit.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Transforming Energy Into Awakening
Next week’s topic will focus on the Awakening Factor of Joy/Enthusiastic Interest.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 9, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Continuing the exploration of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, tonight’s topic is the Awakening Factor Dhamma Vicaya, Investigating Mental Phenomena. During the talk, Peter suggested the development of this Awakening Factor begins with the practice of vitakka/vicara, aiming attention at the breath sensations/sustaining attention for the duration of the breath sensations. As the topic was developed, the cooperation of the other Awakening Factors was described in developing mature awareness of how the process of “selfing” occurs and to realize anicca (impermanence), anatta, (non-self) and the distress and confusion that constitutes dukkha. This was followed by general group discussion of the benefits that result from cultivating Dhamma Vicaya.
Here are the notes prepared for this discussion: INVESTIGATING MENTAL PHENOMENA
Next week’s topic will be the Awakening Factor Viriya, translated as Energy/Effort and Determination.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 2, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
At this point on inquiry during these talks, the Satipatthana Sutta emphasizes the “development to fulfillment” of those qualities of mental formations that complete the process of Awakening: Mindfulness, Investigation of Mental Phenomena, Energy/Effort, Joy/Enthusiastic Interest, Tranquility, Concentration/Stability of Attention, and Equanimity/Balance of Mental Factors.
This evening’s discussion emphasizes the cultivation of Sati, Mindfulness, regarded as “the chief minister of the kingdom, who monitors governance of the kingdom and reports to the king”. In this case, the king is vipassana, the intimate exploration of how the mind creates a self, in order to deconstruct that process, revealing the absence of an enduring and autonomous self.
This was followed by discussion regarding how mindfulness benefits daily life.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: CULTIVATING THE SEVEN AWAKENING FACTORS
Next week’s talk will focus on the second of the Awakening factors, Investigation of Mental Phenomena.
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by Peter Carlson | Jul 26, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk focuses on “deconstructing” the misconception of an enduring and autonomous self, exploring the process through which the raw data of sensory stimulation is transformed by mind conditioners into what the Buddha called “The tyranny of I, Me and Mine”. A fetter is the action of craving and clinging related to the emerging internal narrative in the creation of the self. Peter then suggested how mindfulness meditation fosters the ability to see how the processes operate rather than attaching a self to the content of each moment of subjective experience. This explanation was followed by discussion among those present regarding how they might use this information to understand Buddhist practices more beneficially.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE SIX SENSE BASES AND THE FETTERS
Next week’s discussion will begin identifying the Seven Awakening Factors and how to cultivate them, key skills for advancing the process of Awakening.
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