by Peter Carlson | Jan 22, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is a guided meditation that supports the practice of mindfulness of breathing, particularly the “mindful of the long…and short…) stanzas at the beginning of the instructions for anapanasati practice. The recording of a guided 45 minute meditation on Wednesday nights is unusual; this particular meditation included the placing of small amounts of Mentholatum, a salve which includes menthol. The menthol aroma and the tactile sensation of either hot or cold (depending on the mind condition of the practitioner) serves as a strong and persistent sensation, facilitating developing longer periods of concentration on the breath. It’s not meant to be a permanent part of mindfulness of breathing practice, but rather a way to support developing stable focus on the breath.
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by Peter Carlson | Sep 18, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
In this talk, the awakening factor of energy/effort is described. Peter talked of how the universe is essentially energy, and that the sense of separation that humans struggle with is a profound, fundamental error of thinking. He described that energy is distributed throughout the body in the form of glucose, as fuel for the cells. In the brain, the activities of the mind can be observed through modern technologies such as the fMRI machine. This research shows that energy “pools” in areas of heightened neural activity. The mental dysfunctions called hindrances grow stronger when “fed” glucose. The same feeding occurs as the hindrances are diminished. In this way, mental formations can be compared to muscles, which grow stronger when exercised. Peter suggested that the struggles occurring during meditation practice are mistakenly attributed to mindfulness of breathing; in reality, mindful investigation of mental phenomena reveals that the struggle comes from how the hindrances are “energy dumps”, and that the experience of mindfulness of breathing without the hindrances is a much more “efficient” use of energy.
Here is a copy of the notes prepared for this week’s talk: ENERGY AWAKENING FACTOR
Next week’s talk will focus on the next awakening factor, Joy.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk completes the exploration of the 52 cetasikas (cheh-tah-see-kahs) that cooperatively aggregate into the selfing process. The cetasikas are referred to in the Anapanasati Sutta in the sections focused on being “sensitive to and calming the mind conditioners”. As the Wholesome Cetasikas mature with practice, the ability to be mindful of the emerging self-state potentials is enhanced (See “The Beautiful Pairs” posting of March 20). This higher level of functioning “revisits” the Virtue and Wisdom aggregates of the Noble Eightfold Path, making it less likely and eventually impossible for a person with those attainments to violate Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood. The enactment of compassion and sympathetic joy are also realized. The final cetasika on the list is Realized Understanding, the integration of Right Understanding thoroughly into one’s life. This explanation was followed by discussion among those attending regarding the implications of the capacity of well-developed mindfulness of breathing for fulfilling the process of Awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE BEAUTIFUL OCCASIONALS
Next week’s talk will explore the practice of mindfulness of breathing for the discovery of the Three Characteristics: Impermanence, the inability of life to be reliably satisfactory and the absence of an enduring and autonomous self.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 23, 2023 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Equanimity is the quality of present-moment awareness and behavior that is highly valued in all spiritual endeavors. Theravada Buddhism has developed an extensive analysis of equanimity to support the process of Awakening conceptually, and this talk reviews those concepts, using the Visuddhimagga, translated as “The Path of Purification”, as a guide. Two primary areas of practice that will be reviewed are associated with the cultivation of lovingkindness, compassion and sympathetic joy, along with the function of equanimity as one of the Seven Awakening Factors.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Cultivating Equanimity
Next week’s talk will “Go back to the basics” with a guided training meditation focusing on mindfulness of breathing meditation, followed by a Dharma talk that will provide an insightful review of how mindfulness of breathing meditation beneficially affects the neural structures of the brain and the function of that practice for advancing the process of Awakening.
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by Peter Carlson | Dec 5, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This Mindfulness of Breathing meditation is intended to support a Dharma talk entitled “Anapanasati 16 Step Review”. It provides a progression of practices beginning with persistent attention to mindfulness of breathing sensations through to the practice of “letting go”.
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