by Peter Carlson | Mar 19, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter described the self as a process, selfing, a verb rather than a noun. During the talk, the Mind System Model developed by Culadasa in his book “The Mind Illuminated”, was drawn on to help understand how different functions in the brain operate autonomously as “sub-minds” in processing ongoing experience, producing the ongoing process of self-organization and self-dissolution that is blended into the stream of consciousness, experienced as “myself”. The process of Awakening involves the practice of vipassana to investigate this selfing dynamic and “deconstruct” the misperception of an enduring and autonomous self. This was followed by questions and discussion of the day’s meditation practice and the evening talk.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE SELFING PROCESS
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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 | Feb 15, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk explores the crucial Buddhist concept of Wisdom. In the Noble Eightfold Path, Wisdom represents two qualities: Right Understanding and Right Intention. Mastering these two qualities is the goal of the fundamental path towards Awakening. Peter emphasized how Right Understanding manifests as awareness free from the five hindrances and Right Intention manifests as lovingkindness, compassion and joyful appreciation of others. When Wisdom is fully realized, there is direct experiential knowledge of the three characteristics of reality: impermanence, the absence of an enduring and autonomous self, and the distress and confusion that results from the process of craving and clinging. This awareness leads to the fulfillment of the Noble Eightfold Path, which is full realization of Samma Nanna (pronounced ny-nah), direct knowledge of reality, and Samma Sankappa, liberation/Nirvana.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding Wisdom
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 1, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This evening’s project is to use the worksheet attached below to list various beliefs, values and expectations we experience on a hierarchical scale, in order to practice noticing how craving and clinging occurs as well as how to activate and strengthen nekkhamma, renunciation, to free the mind from attachment to outcomes in daily life experience.
A significant portion of the evening’s discussion involved participants talking through the examples, while Peter commented on how that relates to renunciation.
Here is the worksheet developed for this exercise: RENUNCIATION WORKSHEET
Peter will be away for a few weeks. Various guest teachers will present their discussions over the next few meetings. These talks will not be recorded for posting. During Peter’s next talk on June 21, the Parami of Wisdom will be explored.
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