by Peter Carlson | Mar 26, 2025 | News
During this talk, Peter describes the development of Access Concentration, the quality of consciousness that is not affected by the Hindrances. This is cultivated through developing the procedure of aiming/sustaining attention intentionally to develop stability and tranquility in the mind, preparing for the practicing vipassana, insight into the conditioned nature of the mind.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Unifying A Dull And Distracted Mind
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:49 — 56.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 26, 2025 | News
During this talk, Peter reviews the 5 Hindrances, which he describes as “energy dumps”–setting them aside frees up energy for further development of the 7 Awakening Factors, creating more opportunities to liberate the mind from dukkha, the distress and confusion resulting from the action of the Hindrances.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Five Hindrances
The next evening’s discussion recording focuses on how the cultivation of concentration and tranquility overcomes distractedness, agitation and dullness in the mind, preparing for the cultivation of the Awakening Factors
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:13:08 — 67.0MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 26, 2025 | News
During this talk, Peter refers to the main themes of the retreat a a refuge from the stress of these times and the importance of developing “diligence, mindfulness and the intention to clearly know how to awaken the mind from greed, hatred and delusion. He emphasizes that Awakening rather than Enlightenment is a better term to use for the ultimate goal of this way of living, in that we “wake up” from craving and clinging every time attention is brought back to breath awareness from the distress and confusion that is experienced as the result of the dominance created by one or more of the 5 Hindrances.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:24 — 36.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 13, 2025 | News
During this talk, April reviews what Buddhism calls “the Four Divine Abidings”: lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. She uses a translation of the Metta Sutta, the Lovingkindness Discourse as a guideline for her review. Her presentation includes questions and comments from those participating.
Here are April’s notes regarding the topic: The Four Divine Abodes Dharma talk notes (1)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:23 — 60.8MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 6, 2025 | News
During this talk, Peter describes his favorite etymology of the word dukkha. He then talks at length about the concepts of duality and non-duality, described as a progression from the simple action of intending to monitor the sensations that occur while breathing to a realization that there is no enduring/autonomous self, and the direct realization of that manifests as non-duality. Other questions about meditation practice are also discussed.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:34 — 57.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 20, 2025 | News
One meeting each month is intended to provide an opportunity for those attending to ask Peter questions about Buddhist concepts and meditation practice. He has been studying and practicing Buddhism for over 40 years, and enjoys the dialogue involved in these discussions. Among the topics discussed during this talk are the importance of intentions that are associated with the targeted focused attention on various meditation subjects, and the relationship between ethics and spiritual development.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:03 — 55.9MB)
