by Peter Carlson | Dec 13, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the second of two consecutive talks exploring how the Buddhist concept of rebirth can be applied to the necessity for individuals and cultures to “reinvent” personal and societal identities while adapting to the radically transformative and stressful conditions of the current era. Peter reviewed the various interlocking conditions of the environment, politics/governance, workplace transformation and other circumstances that humanity will be confronted with over the next several generations. The cultivation of mindfulness, kindness and compassion will support the personal adaptations necessary to grow past a consumerist value system and to overcome the increasing sociocultural divisiveness that are evident in current worldwide greed, hatred and ignorance. As history demonstrates, the changes that individuals experience will also affect larger sociocultural norms that are more suitable for future generations.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: A Different View Of Rebirth Part 2
Peter will be on his annual two-week end of year retreat self-retreat in the cottage where the Sangha meets to meditate, so there will be no postings until after the first Wednesday of 2019, January 2nd. The topic for that talk will be a review of the retreat experience. Whenever there has been a significant retreat for members of the Sangha, they are offered the opportunity to “think out loud” about the experience, as this recounting tends to clarify and integrate whatever learning may have occurred during the retreat. It is also hoped that others will be inspired to go to a residential retreat through this sort of event.
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by Peter Carlson | Oct 22, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This meditation focuses on learning how to use mindfulness of breathing practice to perceive internal narratives–the “selfing story”–as transient, impersonal fabrications that are natural processes such as hearing, etc., and not constituting an autonomous, enduring self. Meditators are encouraged to note the difference between the here-and-now characteristics of sensory feelings and the flow of internal self-talk, which is often organized around reviewing the past or imagining the future. The meditation is intended to accompany the posted talk entitled “Right Speech For Trying Times”, which followed this training meditation.
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by Peter Carlson | Jul 17, 2020 | Intro to Buddhism & Meditation, Listen to Dharma Talks
This 30 minute meditation provides basic training for practicing mindfulness of breathing meditation.
Here are the notes that explain the practice of mindfulness of breathing meditation: MINDFULNESS OF BREATHING 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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