by Peter Carlson | Jul 25, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk is the first in a series that focuses on representing contemporary cultural distress as dukkha, the fundamental dissatisfaction we all experience. Peter reviewed the three forms of dukkha described by the Buddha: dukkha due to physical discomfort, dukkha due to mental fabrication and dukkha due to the impermanent fluctuations of life circumstances. During the next several weeks various causes and conditions conducive to dukkha such as consumerism and the rapidly escalating nature of modern media will be described relative to the practice of mindfulness of breathing meditation. Peter, through his training and experience as a mental health professional, made a distinction between the mental health benefits of regular meditation practice and the truly liberating goal of the practice which is the transformative experience of nirvana, the unconditioned. Mental health is a foundation through which liberation can be realized.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Awakening Through Distress and Confusion
Next week’s talk will focus on current levels of stress experience in this culture, using contemporary statistical data.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:57 — 111.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jun 6, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews one of the most important of the Seven Awakening Factors, Viriya (veer-yah). It is also found in several of the many categories of Buddhist psychology: as Right Effort, as one of the Five Powers (overcoming the Hindrances) and of the Five Faculties (empowering the other Awakening Factors). Peter used the term Energy/Effort in describing this quality, suggesting it manifests as the effort to channel the energy flowing through the mind. It combines with the Awakening Factors of Mindfulness and Investigation of Mental Phenomena to direct the energy of attention; this coordination produces the other Awakening Factors of Joy, Tranquility, Concentration and Equanimity (topics to be covered in future talks). He also described different levels of effort, using his terminology: Initiating Effort, Sustaining Effort and Fulfilling Effort, relating these three to mindfulness of breathing practice. He also included adhitthana, strong determination, as another level of applied effort. This was followed by discussion among those attending regarding the application of Energy/Effort.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: ENERGY AWAKENING FACTOR
Next week’s talk will focus on the Awakening Factor of Piti, usually translated as Joy
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:33 — 109.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jul 5, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk is part of a series exploring the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, specifically the nature of the hindrance Restlessness and Worry. During the talk, the essential characteristics of the hindrance, that is, instability of focus caused by restlessness (related to craving for pleasantness and to avoid unpleasantness) and the repetitive nature of worrying (related to clinging to a repetitive thought of regret or anticipated disaster). Peter described how mindfulness of breathing meditation reduces the general level of restlessness in the mind, manifested as samadhi/passadhi (stability of focus/inner tranquility), which enables the ability to see worrisome thoughts as just phenomena of one’s personal history and not certainly a valid line of thought to pursue. This was followed by discussion by those present, who talked about their personal experiences regarding overcoming restlessness and worry.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: OVERCOMING RESTLESSNESS AND WORRY
Next week’s discussion will investigate the hindrance of Skeptical Doubt.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:39 — 107.4MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 22, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
One of the key factors involved in the process of Awakening is Dhamma Vicaya, translated as Investigation Of Mental Phenomena. It is the second of the Seven Awakening Factors, and the cultivation of this factor is described in the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations Of Mindfulness Discourse. Peter explained that the cultivation of this factor begins with the fundamental instructions for mindfulness of breathing practice, that is, intentionally bringing attention to the beginning of the inbreath (vitakka in Pali), then sustaining awareness for the duration of the inbreath (vicara ‘vee-chah-rah’, in Pali). The development of this process continues as one notes the arising of a hindrance and redirects attention back to the breath. When attention stabilizes on breath awareness unencumbered by the hindrances, the maturation of Dhamma Vicaya is attained, and this is a key element in the practice of vipassana, the goal of which is the liberation of the mind from dukkha.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Investigating The Mind
There is mention of the cetasikas in this talk, so the cetasikas chart is reposted here: CETASIKAS POSTER
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:54 — 113.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jul 6, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Patience is the ability to train the mind to be non-reactive enough over a period of time for effective, mindful investigation to function well. Most often, impatience is driven by urgency and attachment to an expected outcome, and is experienced as reactive impulsiveness. During this talk, using the Four Noble Truths model, Peter suggested different focal areas that might stimulate impatience along with how the cultivation of stable, serene attention (samadhi/passadhi) through mindfulness of breathing cultivates patience. The simple act of becoming mindful of the craving and clinging that accompanies an itch and learning to be patient with the experience of discomfort and urgency can provide the capability to be patient with other circumstances, such as being patient with a person’s behaviors or an unexpected turn of events that counter one’s plans.
During the discussion, the participants were invited to fill out a worksheet regarding how to recognize impatience and how to address the urgency of craving and clinging effectively. The insights derived from this exercise might inspire a person using the worksheet to contemplate for a period of time how often impatience affects daily experience and how to use mindfulness and renunciation strategies during the day to cultivate patience. Here is the worksheet: Patience Worksheet
Here are the notes prepared for this discussion: The Benefits Of Perfecting Patience
Next week’s meeting will involve a guest speaker, Dr. Armando Garcia, a practicing Buddhist who has written a book entitled “Buddhism And Existentialism-Not Self, Nothingness, and Being”. Existentialism is a philosophy developed during the 20th century that emphasizes the fabricated nature of human experience and the responsibilities that emerge from that creative process. Buddhism has strong elements of existential considerations that predate by many centuries this philosophy. Dr. Garcia will talk about the congruence between Buddhist insights into reality and existential philosophy.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:08 — 117.4MB)
