by Peter Carlson | Jul 22, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk is a review regarding how to identify the characteristics of thina-middha, the hindrance of sloth and torpor, one of the contemplations in the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness. This quality of diminished alertness and attention is in contrast to the fourth of the five hindrances, restlessness and worry, the topic of the next talk. Sloth and torpor represent an overactive parasympathetic nervous system in the body, while restlessness and worry represent an overactive sympathetic nervous system function. Various lifestyle issues that contribute to this hindrance are reviewed as well as ways to use diligent, mindful and clear knowledge of the flow of subjective experience to set its influence aside. It is intended to be accompanied by “Guided Sloth And Torpor Contemplation”, recorded just prior to this talk on July 21, 2021, posted in the archives.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Setting Aside Dullness In The Mind
The topic for next week’s review is the hindrance Restlessness And Worry.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:16 — 101.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Dec 16, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This last Dharma talk of 2021 builds on the previous week’s review, “Working With Intentions”, recorded on December 5th, 2021. That talk emphasizes the core importance of intention, which can be associated with wholesomeness or unwholesomeness, depending upon the other conditioning factors involved. This talk expands that view to include how we value what is important in life and whether the valued goals that we seek to realize are manifesting a life that is truly valuable from the Buddhist perspective of Virtue–Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood. The Buddhist concept of Four Clear Comprehensions, combined with Right Mindfulness and Right Effort can be applied in various areas on one’s life: physical health and well-being, finances, relationships and the environment, the goal being a life that is healthy, financially secure, socially engaged and environmentally sound. The goal of cultivating a well-integrated personality with a wholesome lifestyle creates the conditions that promote the process of spiritual Awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Cultivating An Intentional Life
There will not be another meeting or posting until January 5, 2022, as Peter will be on his annual 2-week self-retreat; the topic of the January 5th meeting will be a review of that retreat experience.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:48 — 56.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | Nov 20, 2023 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk provides a way to understand how one’s self-experience develops from what is termed “self-state conflict” through “self-state integration”, leading to “self-state liberation”. We all experience conflict between how socially conditioned ideals of oneself and the world are conflicted, and how diligent, mindful, and clear knowing of Buddhist principles and practices cultivates an integrative process of personality organization–“good mental health”– and how this sets the conditions for spiritual Awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Self-State Integration And The Awakening Process
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:27:38 — 80.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Nov 20, 2023 | Listen to Dharma Talks
A core principle of Buddhist psychology is paticca samuppada, dependent origination. During this talk, an alternative translation is offered–contingent provisional emergence–which incorporates contemporary scientific and psychological understandings of this important concept for understanding how karma forms and how it can be changed through diligent and mindful clear knowledge of what arises and passes away in consciousness.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: CONTINGENT PROVISIONAL EMERGENCE AND KARMA
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:32:17 — 84.5MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 6, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation focuses attention on how to develop clear awareness of intentions, which organize and activate each moment of consciousness. It is intended to support the topic for the Dharma talk of the same evening, “Working With Intentions and Karma”.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:55 — 41.1MB)
