Dhamma Talks
The Equanimity Awakening Factor July 3 2019
This topic reviews the fulfillment of the Seven Awakening Factors in the seventh of them, Upekkha Bojjhanga, the Equanimity Awakening Factor. Upekkha doesn't represent uncaring indifference but rather the ability to be aware of emotional responses to situations...
The Concentration Awakening Factor June 26 2019
The topic for this talk is Samadhi Bojjhanga, the Concentration Awakening Factor. During the talk, the progressive stages of developing mindfulness of breathing to high levels of concentration were reviewed. Peter described current debates about the difference...
The Tranquility Awakening Factor June 19 2019
During this discussion, emphasis was placed on how the Seven Awakening Factors are developed through the practice of mindfulness of breathing meditation. Starting with the Awakening Factor of Mindfulness, Peter linked the other factors into the process of overcoming...
The Joy Awakening Factor June 12 2019
Piti Bojjhanga is the Pali term usually translated as the Joy Awakening Factor, the fourth of the Seven Awakening Factors. During this talk, Peter described the traditional rendering of joy as rapture, an exquisitely potent physical/mental experience, referring to...
The Energy Awakening Factor June 5 2019
This talk reviews one of the most important of the Seven Awakening Factors, Viriya (veer-yah). It is also found in several of the many categories of Buddhist psychology: as Right Effort, as one of the Five Powers (overcoming the Hindrances) and of the Five Faculties...
May 2019 Retreat Report May 29 2019
Retreats are expected to be tranquil, contemplative experiences, and, to a great extent, this is true. Peter has been on nearly 100 retreats of one week or more since 1982, and some of them were bound to be challenging. This retreat was one of them. The intention...
The Investigation Of Mental Phenomena May 8 2019
Dhamma Vicaya, the Investigation of Mental Phenomena, is the second of the 7 Factors of Awakening. Peter described the progressive development of vitakka (aiming attention at the sensations of breathing) and vicara (sustaining focused attention on these sensations),...
The Mindfulness Awakening Factor May 1 2019
This talk continues a long series of discussions of the Anapanasati Sutta, the Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse. The focus here is sati bojjhangha, the rmindfulness awakening factor, considered to be a primary element of the Seven Awakening Factors, monitoring and...
Clear Direction Only Go Straight Just Do It
Robert Lockridge is the guest speaker for this evening. He is one of the guiding teachers of the Orlando Zen Center, which provides opportunities to practice Korean Zen as taught by Seung Sahn, who originated the Kwan Um School in the U. S. The title of the talk...
Anapanasati And Sambojjhanga April 17 2019
This talk begins a series of discussions exploring how increasingly skillful anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing) enhances the potency of the satta sambojjhanga (the seven Awakening factors). These capabilities for spiritual development begin being applied to...