by Peter Carlson | May 23, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The Third Foundation of Mindfulness focuses attention on investigating the characteristics of a person’s consciousness–alert or dull, filled with desire or free from desire, among other categories. During this talk, Peter reviews the various categories, supplemented by current neurological research that supports the views developed by Buddhist practitioners and scholars over a thousand years ago. How mindfulness of breathing practice supports investigation of the mind is also reviewed.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Reviewing Mindfulness Of The Mind
The next talk will begin a review of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, focusing on identifying and setting aside the Five Hindrances.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (49.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 5, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Sati Sampajanna (Mindful Clear Comprehension) is a core concept and practice regarding mindfulness of the body in the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse. It may not be clearly understood that in the Buddhist commentaries on Sati Sampajanna describe the “four clear comprehensions” as a way of living using this formula for setting goals and reaching them, determining: 1-a worthy goal; 2-suitable means for attaining this goal; 3-mindful awareness of the application of suitable means while making appropriate adaptations when circumstances change, and 4- weaving these comprehensive practices into the process of Awakening. During this talk Peter described these four practices in detail and the discussion that followed clarified how these practices and be beneficially applied to the complexities and stresses of contemporary life–a new sort of “decision tree” that is self-aware and capable of assessing and adapting to the changing circumstances and uncertainties we all are confronted with.
This talk is meant to provide a framework for upcoming discussions of the various stressful aspects of contemporary life experiences such as managing strong consumerist conditioning, adapting to global warming, being able to have working relationships with others whose beliefs may counter one’s own, etc. The disciplined application of the Four Clear Comprehensions can be a useful strategy for a less stressful life, providing a foundation for deeper liberation from dukkha.
Apologies for the quality of the recording–technical difficulties necessitated the use of a backup recording that is not of the same clarity.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding Clear Comprehension
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:54 — 115.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 8, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk is focused on the second of the two causes of dukkha which is clinging, upadana in Pali; last week’s posting of July 31 was focused on the other cause of dukkha, craving, tanha in Pali. Peter described ego as a dynamic process of the brain during which sorting through and prioritizing various sensory stimuli in the creation creates a “self”, emphasizing that this process is affected by “confirmation bias”, a psychological process which overrides new considerations, emphasizing already organized memories in self-state identifications. This is clinging, and it inevitably creates a more or less confusing conflict between what the mind creates from memory and what actually happens. He used the example of a personality organized around prior conditioning towards perfectionism that is adversely affected when a failure occurs, generalizing a mistake into “I am a stupid failure!”.
A Buddhist concept called sunnata (soon-yah-tah) was described, traditionally translated as emptiness, which misrepresents the term as similar to the space between stars. It is better understood as, for example, the absence of any determining description regarding sound before being interpreted by the mind’s confirmation bias. Referring to a concept that Daniel Siegel terms the “plane of possibility”, the progression of self-forming process was related to as being clearly investigated and understood through the cultivation of mindfulness of breathing, which allows insight into more creative and flexibly adaptive self-state organizing processes to alleviate the conflicted personality confusion of dukkha.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Dukkha As Mental Confusion
Next week’s talk will focus on clinical anxiety as a pschological example of dukkha, suggesting ways that mindfulness practices can bring relief to this mental disorder. Peter, who has a 35 year background in psychotherapy, will focus on how mindfulness has been clinically effective in resolving this condition, which is reaching epidemic proportions in current American culture.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:58 — 111.6MB)
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.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:15 — 103.0MB)
by Peter Carlson | Oct 25, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The internet has had a revolutionary impact on contemporary culture, including the study and practice of Buddhism. During this talk, Peter described the benefits and deficits of the internet and all that is available through the system: social media, streaming from websites, emails, twitter, etc. We all benefit from the ready access available to new scholarly insights regarding Buddhist history and doctrine and a myriad of .mp3 recordings of Dharma talks. However, the nature of the way media is structured and presented fosters craving and clinging processes similar to addiction. Peter used the structure of the Four Noble Truths to invite investigation of the nature of dukkha prior to and during exposure to what the internet offers, then to further investigate the nature of craving and clinging, the Second Noble Truth that is fostered by deeply applying the Noble Eightfold Path to the experience; this provides opportunities to not feel compelled to engage in the internet beyond reasonability, thereby creating opportunities to realize the mundane aspects of the Third Noble Truth. The participants in the meeting engaged in dialogue following the presentation.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: MINDFULNESS AND THE MEDIA
Next week’s topic will follow upon the issues raised in this talk, that is, how the Four Noble Truths concepts and practices can bring relief from addiction.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:52 — 116.9MB)
