by Peter Carlson | Nov 6, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The last night’s talk typically is intended to clarify the processes developed during the retreat and to suggest ways for participants to continue to foster their Awakening practice at home. Peter made various suggestions to foster daily meditation practice and ways to integrate mindfulness of breathing into daily routines. This was followed by questions and comments meant to enhance understanding of the process of Awakening and to motivate further development of one’s mindfulness through lived experience.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:14:48 — 137.0MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 21, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter described how the Seven Awakening Factors foster increasingly quick and accurate insights into how selfing operates. This process has two benefits: The first is psychological integration of the personality functions of the mind, and the second is the investigation of the arising and falling away of self-state formations. This insight begins to deconstruct the misperception that there is an enduring and autonomous self, and is followed by clear awareness of how previous experience (karmic mental conditioners) causes dukkha through craving and clinging. Relentless practice of mindful investigation reveals that there is unsurpassed ease and clarity when the mind lets go of craving and clinging completely (though momentarily) and experiences Nirvana, the unconditioned. This discussion was followed by questions and comments about the day’s practice experience and the evening’s topic.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: STAGES OF AWAKENING SELF STATE LIBERATION
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:21:24 — 149.0MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jan 7, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk follows a long-standing tradition of the Orlando Insight Meditation Group to provide an opportunity for those members who have completed a retreat of at least one week to be able to describe their experience in ways that might help them clarify their experience as well as inform and inspire others regarding the insights gained and other benefits derived from retreat practices. Peter reports on his 18-day self-retreat which ended December 28, 2020. He describes the structure of the retreat, the resources that he used and the insights gained from the experience. His description is followed by questions from those attending seeking clarification or reporting on similar insights from their own retreat experiences.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:09:59 — 128.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 18, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues a series of reviews of the development of Buddhism from the time of the Buddha forward, as Buddhism was influenced by various historical eras. The focus for this review builds on the talk on February 3, 2021 that explored how Western colonialism, particularly Christian missionary activity, initiated a revitalization of the various Buddhist traditions around Asia. The presentation in this talk describes how, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries various teachers began to create more meditative practices that could influence the general population, and, during and after WWII, Americans in Asia began to be interested in and trained by Buddhist monks and lay teachers; these American teachers brought contemporary vipassana practices to the U.S., largely avoiding the traditional rites and rituals of Asian traditions. The talk was followed by a period for questions and general discussion.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: How Buddhism Encountered the West
Next week’s talk will review the various concepts and meditation practices Peter has been trained in.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:41 — 123.9MB)
by Peter Carlson | May 13, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
It has become a tradition for the Orlando Insight Meditation Group Sangha to provide an opportunity for a member to “think out loud” about their recent retreat experience. It is hoped that the review will provide the retreatant an opportunity to “connect the dots” regarding the retreat experience as well as providing insights and inspiration for others who contemplate a residential retreat. In this talk, Will Lindemann reviews a 7-day self-retreat he sat through at a local retreat center. He used the conceptual framework from the book “Satipatthana A Practice Guide”, by Analayo as the primary support for his practice. He describes his understanding and application of the “Seven Contemplations” model that Analayo describes that he studied and practiced with during the retreat. His review was followed by questions proposed by those attending the Zoom meeting.
Next week’s topic will be a review of Anatta, the Buddhist doctrine that deconstructs the view that there is an autonomous and enduring self; the review will include insights developed through current physical and psychological research that support the doctrine.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:05 — 99.0MB)
