by Peter Carlson | Jun 19, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Following on last week’s dialogue, Peter described how the mind “transforms energy into information”, and that the hindrances are “energy dumps” that distort perceptions and create distress. The setting aside of the hindrances through mindfulness of breathing creates a zone of clarity and non-reactivity, preparing for the investigation of emerging self-states that vipassana practice cultivates. The demons are the hindrances and the angels are the manifestations of the freed up energy. These manifestations are recognizable as the increase of compassion, generosity, patience and internal happiness.
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by Peter Carlson | Sep 5, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
In this second of two talks focusing on how Buddhist principles and practices can support a balance in the energy required at work and the energy we all want to have at home, Peter emphasized the importance of integrating various strategies into daily work routines in order to avoid the “energy dumps” of resentment, overwork, relationship conflicts and commuting time so that there’s energy available to enj0y home life and find time and energy for spiritual development. Next week’s topic will be how a benevolent lifestyle is manifested around issues of money management and material values.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 26, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Pursuing the development of a more integrated personality prior to spiritual transcendence, Peter described sentient beings as “energy transformation” beings, emphasizing that the five hindrances (sense desire, aversion and ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and skeptical doubt) are “energy dumps”. The first steps on the path involve developing the ability to focus attention on breath awareness to concentrate and calm the mind, combined with the ability to be mindful of distractions away from breath awareness and to turn attention away from the distractions and back to the breath. Each hindrance was described as to characteristics and impact on the body/mind processes. Classical antidotes for the hindrances were also described. The freed up energy from ongoing breath awareness can then be available for cultivating vipassana, which is the ability to note the emergence, fulfillment, and dissolution of self states, in order to further personality integration.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 4, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This discussion continues to explore the application of mindfulness and compassion to interpersonal conflict resolution. Peter introduced some points from the website metta.org focused on procedures developed in Gregory Kramer’s book “Insight Dialogue-The Interpersonal Path to Freedom”. Kramer’s work closely parallels what has been explored in previous discussions on this topic, in this case specifically related to fostering close relationships in the context of current political conflicts. These approaches were also related to discussions in previous meetings of the Tibetan Buddhist lojong mind training and conflict resolution.
Here is the handout downloaded from the metta.org website that Peter distributed to those who attended the meeting: GREGORY KRAMER INSIGHT DIALOGUE GUIDELINES
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by Peter Carlson | Oct 1, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews alobha (non-attachment) and adosa (non-aversion), two of the Universal Wholesome Cetasikas, categories of mind conditioning functions that participate in the shaping of each moment of self-experience that is free from dukkha–distress and confusion. During the talk Peter reviews each of these conditioning elements individually and then describes how they coordinate in their functioning. Non-Attachment is essential in the process of understanding anatta, the absence of an enduring, autonomous self, a concept that is a core element of Buddhist liberation philosophy. Non-Aversion is also recognizable as metta, lovingkindness, another key practice of Buddhist liberation philosophy. This description is followed by questions and comments by those participating in the Zoom meeting.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Reviewing NonAttachment and NonAversion
Next week’s talk will focus on reviewing Equanimity
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