by Peter Carlson | Oct 1, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews alobha (non-attachment) and adosa (non-aversion), two of the Universal Wholesome Cetasikas, categories of mind conditioning functions that participate in the shaping of each moment of self-experience that is free from dukkha–distress and confusion. During the talk Peter reviews each of these conditioning elements individually and then describes how they coordinate in their functioning. Non-Attachment is essential in the process of understanding anatta, the absence of an enduring, autonomous self, a concept that is a core element of Buddhist liberation philosophy. Non-Aversion is also recognizable as metta, lovingkindness, another key practice of Buddhist liberation philosophy. This description is followed by questions and comments by those participating in the Zoom meeting.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Reviewing NonAttachment and NonAversion
Next week’s talk will focus on reviewing Equanimity
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:53 — 120.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | Apr 14, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk provides an opportunity for Will to review his most recent 10-day retreat experience, the third of three Zoom retreats organized and led by Analayo, a German Theravaden monk who is both a well respected contemporary scholar and accomplished meditator. Will reviews the theme of the three retreats, the first of which was themed around an important book by Analayo: “Satipatthana–The Direct Path to Realization”; the second involved “Mindfulness of Breathing”, and the third “Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation”. Will’s talk was accompanied by several questions and appreciative comments provided by those attending, either in person or via Zoom.
Here is a .pdf copy of the first book: Analayo_Satipatthana-The-Direct-Path-to-Realization. The other two books are not currently available in a free .pdf format, but can be ordered through the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS.org) or Amazon. There is an additional book by the same author of practical interest as a support for deepening practice as well: “Satipatthana Meditation–A Practice Guide” that can be acquired through the same sources.
The meeting next week will begin an extensive review of what is arguably the most basic conceptual discourse of Theravaden Buddhism, traditionally considered to be the first teaching of the Buddha after his Awakening: “The Turning of the Wheel of Truth”. The typical way it is described is as “The Four Noble Truths”. The talk will provide an historical and conceptual review of the discourse, with the intention to provide a view of the teaching that is relevant to contemporary life and liberation from distress and confusion. Subsequent talks will systematically review the four conceptual truths of the discourse.
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by Peter Carlson | May 7, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the second of three planned reviews of the Five Hindrances, which are the initial focus for contemplation in the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness Discourse. Peter described the Buddhist concepts of Thina/Middha (tee-nah/mih-dah), Sloth/Torpor and Uddhacca/Kukkucca (ooh-dah-chah/koo-koo-chah), Restlessness/Worry as imbalances of the energy systems of the body and mind. Sloth/Torpor is an overactive parasympathetic system, producing too much tranquility, causing dullness and the inability to be clearly aware to dominate consciousness. Restlessness/Worry is an overactive sympathetic system, creating agitation, anxiety and worrisome, repetitive thought processes to dominate consciousness. The primary antidotes for these two hindrances is satisampajanna (sah-tee-sahm-puh-jahn-yah), mindful clear comprehension, cultivated through persisting present-moment awareness of the process of breathing. Earlier in the meeting, Peter provided a guided meditation for the cultivation of satisampajanna with mindfulness of breathing meditation; the recording of that practice can be found on the Audio page of the website. It is interesting to notice that steadfast investigation of the process of breathing can be beneficial in calming an anxious mind and alerting a dull mind. Other tactics for overcoming these hindrances were also reviewed. The review was followed by questions and comments by those attending the Zoom meeting.
Here are the notes prepared for this meeting: Notes For Overcoming Sloth and Restlessness May 6 2020
Next week’s topic will review the fifth hindrance, Skeptical Doubt.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:14:40 — 136.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | Nov 7, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the first of a series of talks about the Brahma Viharas, the Divine Abidings: Metta (lovingkindness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (sympathetic joy) and Upekkha (equanimity). During the talk, which focused primarily on Metta, Peter read an excerpt from research published in 2010 that described the emotional and interpersonal benefits from cultivating positive emotions for the vagus nerve, an important nerve complex that connects the brain with the function of the heart and the intestinal wall. This research suggests the benefits derived from Metta meditation. Peter then described the evolution of his Metta practice, beginning in 1983 with a one-week retreat led by Sharon Salzberg, an authoritative teacher of Metta. He talked of how important the words of the mantra are and the benefit of focusing attention on the “heart chakra” while practicing Metta, as this seems to involve the strengthening of “vagal tone”, the optimal balancing of energy transmission from the brain into the body and back again.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Value Of Metta Here is a rendering of the Metta Sutta ( a translation of which was read by Peter during the talk), accompanied by Peter’s version of various levels of Metta mantra practice: LOVINGKINDNESS MANTRA
The focus of next week’s talk will be the value of practicing Karuna, compassion.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:20 — 112.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | May 10, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk focuses on the Second of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Vedanupassana, Mindfulness of Feelings. The Buddhist view of feelings isn’t just about emotions; more emphasis is placed on affect, the potency or impulsive urgency associated with any moment of experience. When unskillfully managed and conditioned by clinging, affect manifests as craving, that is, for pleasant experience to arise and continue or for unpleasant feeling to be avoided or gotten rid of. Peter described some of the important neural brain structures associated with affect and cognition, emphasizing that affect is the “driver” of cognition, as suggested by traditional Buddhist doctrine and current neuroscientific research. This makes mindfulness of feelings a crucial skill to develop, that is, to perceive feelings as just mental phenomena, not a self, not “my feelings”. Modern research demonstrates that mindfulness of breathing meditation develops areas of the brain that function to regulate the degree of reactivity to affect, thereby interrupting craving and clinging.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding Feelings
Next week’s talk will focus on a review of paticca samuppada, dependent origination, a key concept of Buddhism describing how the selfing process operates and demonstrating the crucial role mindfulness of feelings plays in the process of Awakening. Peter will explain a different view of this concept that he calls contingent provisional emergence, which combines traditional Buddhist views with a contemporary complexity theory of personality organization.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:24 — 114.3MB)
