by Peter Carlson | Mar 11, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews the meditation practices represented in the Visuddhimagga, the common reference source for Theravada Buddhists. This approach to meditation is intended to lead to the extraordinary levels of consciousness called jhana, and which are only found in Theravada Buddhism. During the talk, the progression of practicing meditation from using intensive investigation of breath sensations to overcome the five hindrances, through what is called access concentration and on to the four jhanas of form. These four progressions of concentrated attention are described, related to the teachings and the personal experience of the presenter, Peter. The description also includes comments that assess the relationship between the high levels of concentration required in this practice to other systems developed by Buddhist teachers termed dry vipassana; these practices were described in recent previous talks. This was followed by opportunities for those participating to add comments or ask questions.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Review of Classic Theravada Mindfulness of Breathing Meditation Additionally, here is a document downloaded in preparation for this talk and which is referred to at the end of the talk: VIPASSANA AND JHANA
There is a guided meditation entitled “Guided Exclusive Mindfulness of Breathing Meditation” recorded the same night at this talk, which can be found in the archives.
The topic for next week will be a review of the ways the structure and functioning of the brain are changed by dedicated mindfulness of breathing meditation as discovered by contemporary neuroscientific researchers.
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 30, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
It is customary for our Sangha to provide the opportunity for those members who recently completed a residential retreat to talk about their experience. It fosters the integration of the meditative experience through “thinking out loud” and responding to questions and comments from those participating in the meeting. Lezlie recently participated in a one-week residential retreat co-led by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, two well-respected teachers who are also psychologists. She describes the structure of the retreat and her significant insights regarding the Dharma during the retreat. Several participants spoke of their gratitude for her thorough and insightful comments during the review.
Next week’s topic will begin an extensive and thorough review of the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse, which is characterized as Right Mindfulness within the Noble Eightfold Path. The topic for this meeting will focus on an expansive review of the elements of sati, translated as mindfulness, including contemporary neuropsychological research on what happens in the brain when one practices mindfulness meditation.
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by Peter Carlson | Jul 6, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Patience is the ability to train the mind to be non-reactive enough over a period of time for effective, mindful investigation to function well. Most often, impatience is driven by urgency and attachment to an expected outcome, and is experienced as reactive impulsiveness. During this talk, using the Four Noble Truths model, Peter suggested different focal areas that might stimulate impatience along with how the cultivation of stable, serene attention (samadhi/passadhi) through mindfulness of breathing cultivates patience. The simple act of becoming mindful of the craving and clinging that accompanies an itch and learning to be patient with the experience of discomfort and urgency can provide the capability to be patient with other circumstances, such as being patient with a person’s behaviors or an unexpected turn of events that counter one’s plans.
During the discussion, the participants were invited to fill out a worksheet regarding how to recognize impatience and how to address the urgency of craving and clinging effectively. The insights derived from this exercise might inspire a person using the worksheet to contemplate for a period of time how often impatience affects daily experience and how to use mindfulness and renunciation strategies during the day to cultivate patience. Here is the worksheet: Patience Worksheet
Here are the notes prepared for this discussion: The Benefits Of Perfecting Patience
Next week’s meeting will involve a guest speaker, Dr. Armando Garcia, a practicing Buddhist who has written a book entitled “Buddhism And Existentialism-Not Self, Nothingness, and Being”. Existentialism is a philosophy developed during the 20th century that emphasizes the fabricated nature of human experience and the responsibilities that emerge from that creative process. Buddhism has strong elements of existential considerations that predate by many centuries this philosophy. Dr. Garcia will talk about the congruence between Buddhist insights into reality and existential philosophy.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 23, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
It is customary for retreatants to have an opportunity to “think out loud” about a recent retreat experience, as this helps integrate the deep learning that can occur during such an event and provides insight and inspiration for listeners regarding the benefits of retreat experience. There were 24 folks attending the retreat at the Deerhaven Retreat Center; 6 spoke during the evening. During the month of March, the recorded evening talks and some guided meditations from the retreat will be posted periodically on the site to supplement what was discussed this evening.
Please note that Peter will be attending a one month samadhi cultivating retreat at the Forest Refuge with Shaila Catherine and Sayadaw U Jagara in March. Meetings will occur as usual, with various senior members of the Sangha and invited guest speakers attending, but they will not be recorded and posted. He will report on his intensive retreat experience during the meeting on Wednesday, April 5.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 20, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviewed the progressive steps from initial establishment of stable focus and internal tranquility through to last week’s exploration of how to work with confusion. The new aphorism involves four applications to further spiritual development: cultivating a more integrated series of self-states motivated by lovingkindness and compassion, maintaining an ongoing investigation of emerging self-states, taking corrective action when a previous life experience has produced confusion and disturbance, particularly in relationships, and actively seeking and making best use of those whose studies and practices warrant trust and respect. This was followed by discussion of how these four applications can be developed and maintained.
Here are the notes Peter prepared for this discussion: FOUR WAYS TO TURN POISON INTO MEDICINE
Next week’s discussion will focus on the next aphorism: “In order to take unexpected conditions as the path, immediately join whatever you meet with meditation.” This involves learning how to remember and quickly bring the investigation of emerging self-states into daily life experience.
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