Dhamma Talks
Cultivating Wise Attention
During this talk, Peter described the relationship between the various factors that support the development of yoniso manasikara, wise attention. Attention that is wise manifests as mindful, tranquil, equanimous, tranquil, agile, pliant wieldy, proficient and...
The Selfing Story
During this talk, Peter described Paticca Samupadda, usually translated as the principle of Dependent Origination. This is one of the core concepts of Buddhism, as it explains how the dynamics of self formation and dissolution operate. Emphasis was placed on...
Guided Head Body Scan
During this guided meditation practice, the participants were introduced to vedanupassana, the meditation practice taught by U Ba Khin and S. N. Goenka. More understood as body sweep or body scan, this involves a systematic, in-depth examination of whatever...
Sensitizing Breath Awareness
During this guided meditation, the participants were invited to "look closer, to feel the texture, the details of sensation" in the areas of breath awareness ranging from the outer upper lip, through the nasal passages, down into the upper soft palate and hard palate...
Four Elements And Breath Awareness
During this meditation training exercise, Peter encouraged concentrating attention on different areas of sensation varying from the upper lip, rim of the nostrils, the nasal septum and passages, the sinus cavities, back of the throat, soft palate/uvula, hard palate,...
Karma And The Five Hindrances
During this talk on the second night of the 2014 one week retreat, Peter talked of the contemporary views on karma, relating this to the characteristics of the five hindrances. Ways to use the skills developed during the retreat to set the hindrances aside were...
2014 Retreat Introductory Report
During this talk, the first night of the annual one week retreat, Peter revisited the meaning of "retreat", "the three refuges" and the concept of the precepts from a contemporary perspective. The importance of silence was emphasized, both external and internal. He...
Mindful Breathing And Insight
This Dhamma dialogue reviews three levels of awareness related to mindfulness of breathing and how they interact with the practice of vipassana, that is, insight into the impermanent and selfless nature of personal experience. The first level is simply being aware...
Peter’s 2014 Year-end Retreat Report
As is the custom, this evening's talk is a review of Peter's two week self-retreat. During the talk, he quoted from Achaan Chah: "Life brings suffering. The untrained mind turns suffering into more suffering. The trained mind turns suffering into the path that...
2013 Franciscan Retreat Review
It is our custom to dedicate the meeting after sangha members have participated in a significant retreat experience to talking about each person's insights and experience. Peter briefly described the format of the retreat, which was progressively more intimate...
