This talk, presented by Susan Baxter, focuses on the first of the four foundations of mindfulness, which contemplates how the mind makes meaning and responses to physical stimuli. She describes how she learned how to skillfully use various mindfulness practices to cope with chronic pain.
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During this talk, reference was made to the April 2018 National Geographic Magazine dedicated to addressing racial bias. The talk occurred on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Two contemporary social science concepts were discussed: negativity bias and confirmation bias. Using the Four Noble Truths model, negativity bias was related to dukkha regarding aversion and ill-will, a manifestation of craving, and confirmation bias as the cognitive distortion of prejudice as a form of clinging. Prejudice was described in many forms: racism, homophobia, religious conflict, and even biased attitudes towards any group or person determined to be “different” culturally. Practicing the different elements of the Noble Eightfold Path were suggested as remedies for prejudicial views and actions.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Mindfulness and Prejudice
Next week’s talk will begin an ongoing series of explorations of the Satipatthana Sutta, translated as the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which is a core teaching of Buddhist doctrine and meditative practices.
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The phrase we typically use is “mindfulness of the body”; this week’s talk is “mindfulness for the body” to emphasize the importance of taking good care of the body, which is the foundational vehicle for spiritual development. We talked of how important it is to not give in to the inactivity that the creature comforts of our culture promote and the effects that chronic stress has on the body. We then explored the benefits of regular meditation practice to cultivate a more relaxed body, and the value of insight (vipassana) practices to provide the discipline to exercise regularly.
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This week’s dharma talk explores the 7th step in the teaching of the Buddha called “The Noble Eightfold-Path.” This 7th step is Right Mindfulness. We will explore this key practice that has been described as the watch guard of the mind and an aid to recognize, prevent and release craving and clinging that causes suffering. We will also present an overview of the four foundations of mindfulness discussed in the Buddha’s teachings that are documented in the Satipatthana Sutta. Each of these foundations will be explored in further depth in the upcoming weeks. April Koester gave this talk.
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During this talk, Peter reviews the characteristics of lovingkindness, one of the Four Divine Abidings within Buddhist doctrine. When lovingkindness is not clearly understood, one’s experience becomes contaminated by what are called either the “near enemy” or “far enemy”, both of which are manifestations of ignorance. The fourth of the Divine Abidings is equanimity, which is produced through the cultivation of mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena and Right Effort, is explained during the talk. The review also includes a suggestion that the capacity for empathy, a fundamental characteristic of lovingkindness, is ‘hardwired” into our nervous systems, and that Benevolent Intention represents an evolutionary trend away from greed or hatred, emotionally potent instincts we all share, towards altruism and societal peace.
Previous to this talk, Peter provided a guided meditation titled “Integrating Lovingkindness With Equanimity”, which is intended to provide practical contemplative training that uses mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena and Right Effort to protect the flow of lovingkindness from becoming contaminated by the near enemy or far enemy states of mind. This has been posted and can be found in the archives of the website in the category of Guided Meditations
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Balancing Lovingkindness With Equanimity
The topics for the next two weeks focus first on the integration of equanimity with compassion, then next the integration of equanimity with sympathetic joy, the remaining elements of the Four Divine Abidings.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:16 — 55.2MB)