by Peter Carlson | Feb 1, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk explored the meaning and practice of nekkhamma, renunciation, an important capability to cultivate on the path of Awakening. Renunciation is manifest in the various “12 Step” groups as “Let Go, Let God”; this was rephrased as “Let Go, Let Dharma”, and involves the intentional turning away of attention on whatever mental process that is conditioned by greed, hatred and ignorance. Peter talked of two “layers” of renunciation: The first involves renouncing intrusive unwholesome thoughts and impulsive reactivity, particularly involving the five hindrances, and the second involves the practice of vipassana (insight) for seeing through the misconception of an autonomous, enduring self, that is, the process of “selfing” that is the result of craving and clinging. He emphasized the critical importance of the fundamental practice of noticing whatever interrupts mindfulness of breathing and then letting go of that distraction and redirecting attention back to the breath sensations, as this routine trains the mind in the practice of renunciation. Peter also asked participants to contemplate two issues involving renunciation: First, renouncing whatever interferes with establishing a daily meditation practice, and second, renouncing whatever interferes with the cultivation of the process of Awakening, either during meditation practice or during one’s daily life routines. This was followed by a longer than usual discussion of the value of renunciation and ways to cultivate it.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding Renunciation
Here is a worksheet that can support the contemplation the two issues involving renunciation: RENUNCIATION WORKSHEET
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by Peter Carlson | Sep 22, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation accompanies the posted talk on September 20 entitled “Emptiness And Fullness September 20 2017”. The meditation proceeds from mindfulness of breathing to a systematic sweeping of investigative attention through the body. As this is practice, the dominating attentional energy normally dedicated to internal narrative is significantly reduced, instead dedicating investigative attention persistently to present-moment sensational awareness. Towards the end of the meditation, the opportunity is provided to contemplate a whole-body awareness process, wherein the perceived and conditioned routine of defining boundaries between self and other (dualistic experiential processing) is disregarded, opening awareness that experiences each moment as unlimited, that is, boundarylessness. This sort of awareness sets the conditions suitable to realize non-dual reality, approaching the experience of nirvana, the unconditioned.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 24, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
As is customary, this talk reviewed the weekend retreat at the Franciscan Center in Tampa. It is beneficial to “think out loud” about one’s retreat experience among folks who may have participated in a retreat or may contemplate going on retreat. The verbalizing process draws memories from the retreat experience to other parts of the brain’s function, integrating the insights and making them more accessible during daily life routines. During the talk, Peter reviewed extensively the benefits of combining and integrating mindfulness of breathing with intentional scanning through more and more subtle manifestations of sensations throughout the body. He reported how the intentionally increasing practice of sensory investigation stabilizes attention, deepens insights, and provides a more effective way to interrupt internal narratives.
There are guided meditations recorded by Peter on week-long retreats posted on the “audio” page of the OIMG website, labeled “Body Sweep” or “Body Scan”, for supporting this practice.
Next week’s talk will be an integrative review of the Paramis, those wholesome mental qualities that are perfected during the process of awakening.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 5, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk was recorded at the end of the first full day of the retreat, and focuses on the Five Hindrances. Peter presented a graphic that presented the hindrances as dynamic polarities: too much conviction as opposed to too much skepticism, and too much energy as opposed to too much tranquility. The common antidote for these mental disturbances is stability of attention combined with active investigation, using mindfulness of breathing as a stabilizing and energizing point of reference. This was followed by discussion of the hindrances and overcoming them. The next night’s discussion focuses on “Cultivating A Focused And Tranquil Mind”.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE OUT OF BALANCE MIND
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 11, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Peter participated in a one week retreat led by Steve Armstrong, a well-respected Buddhist teacher. During the retreat, he contracted a chest cold, having to spend most of the retreat and one week at home in bed recuperating. During this talk, he reviewed his experience of the three forms of Dukkha: that caused by physical circumstance, that caused by impermanence, and that caused by the conditioned response of the mind to the first two. The intention of the talk and ensuing dialogue was to foster concrete understanding of how Buddhist teachings and practice can be beneficially applied while ill, not with the intention to “fix” the illness, but to understand at a deeper level the body/mind experience of dukkha. Despite the physical misery, there was a quiet acceptance and equanimity about the disease process that consistent mindfulness of breathing provides us.
Here is the essay Peter prepared for this talk: MINDFUL MISERY
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