by April Koester | Apr 30, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Short Moments, Many Times a Day.
In this meeting of our sangha, we learn a variety of ways to incorporate moments of meditation throughout the day. This is not a substitute for our daily sitting practice, but a way to extend that practice throughout our daily activities. The format of the session will veer from our usual practice, as we practice a 4-5 short meditations. So make sure to join us at 7:00 for a brief commentary on mindfulness which will be followed by a variety of short-form practices. This session was facilitated by Lezlie Laws.
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 26, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The Paramis are categories of intentionally cultivated virtuous mind-states that promote the process of Awakening. With this talk, Lezlie describes the Parami of Generosity, both materially and interpersonally being unselfish regarding others. She intends to periodically provide commentaries about the various Paramis, using “Creating a Life of Integrity–A Conversation With Joseph Goldstein”, by Gail Anderson Stark and Joseph Goldstein as her reference. The book describes a systematic, ongoing review and practice of the Paramis over nearly a year, and she is following that format, without actually talking with Goldstein, as Stark did.
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by Peter Carlson | Nov 15, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is a recording of a guided meditation for overcoming impulsive identification with and acting out from a stimulating situation. It is derived from the teaching of Pema Chodron, a well respected teacher in the Tibetan tradition; she call this the hook. During the meditation, Peter invites students to persistently direct attention to the first sensation noted at the beginning of the in-breath and then the first sensation noted at the beginning of the out-breath. This practice is more beneficial when there is a diligent effort to stay with that formula. Later in the meditation, it is suggested that the quickened ability to go to and identify the initial stages of the hook can be more effective at not identifying with it, thereby creating a quieter and more stable internal experience.
The posting immediately after this describes the discussion that followed the meditation, along with the notes prepared for the talk.
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by Peter Carlson | Dec 19, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk focused on recognizing and overcoming the Five Hindrances: sense desire, aversion/ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry and skeptical doubt. The main strategy for this is persistently aiming attention at the onset of breathing in, sustaining attention to the sensations associated with that process, and repeating the same practice with exhalations. When the mind wanders, simply noting this and immediately returning attention to the breath sensations. This approach will, with enough practice, set aside the intrusive effects of the hindrances, setting the stage for the next level of practice, cultivating samadhi/passadhi, that is, stability of attention/internal serenity.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: FREEING THE MIND FROM HINDRANCES
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 27, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talks reviews the lojong mind training aphorism “In order to take unexpected conditions as the path, immediately join whatever you meet with meditation”. The emphasis of this practice is to train the mind to become quickly, mindfully aware of what is emerging in consciousness, and essential competency to cultivate in vipassana practice. Peter described recent research regarding which areas of the brain are associated with mindfulness, and how these neural pathways are enhanced to increase self awareness and the ability to regulate emotional reactivity. After these descriptions, ways that agile and accurate inner awareness can be cultivated, not only by regular meditation practice, but also through finding ways to remind oneself to be mindful during the day.
This talk followed a guided meditation just posted “Agile Mind Guided Meditation”.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: MAKING THE MIND AGILE AND ACCURATE
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