by Peter Carlson | Jan 7, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
It is customary in this sangha to provide those members who have completed a significant retreat the opportunity to process the experience during a regular meeting. Peter annually experiences a two week self-retreat, this one lasting from December 18 until January 1, 2016. He described the retreat schedule he established and reviewed a book he used to further his insight practices: “The Mind Illuminated-A Complete Meditation Guide”. The book analyzes the Anapanasati Sutta, the discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing, a classic teaching from the Pali Canon, from the perspective of neuroscientific and systems theory research. It describes 10 stages of enhanced mental stability and introspective investigation, leading towards experiences of awakening from what are termed the “three poisons”: greed, aversion and ignorance/self-delusion. Peter described how passages from the book enhanced his vipassana practice. Even though this recording is longer than most, the information has the potential to significantly increase insights into the process of awakening.
Here are the notes Peter prepared for the talk: Peter’s 2015 year end retreat
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During the fourth night talk, Peter described the “mind conditioners” that the Anapanasati Sutta trains to calm with mindfulness of breathing. He described the 14 wholesome conditioners, with particular attention to the “beautiful pairs” of conditioners (describing the pairing of mind and mind conditioners), tranquility, lightness/agility, pliancy, wieldiness, proficiency and uprightness. These 14 conditioners combine with other “universal” and “occasional” mind conditioners in every moment of wholesome self-state organization.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 12, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dhamma dialogue, Peter completed the review of the 52 cetasikas (mind conditioners), in order to clarify the meaning of “calming the mind conditioners” in the Anapanasati Sutta (Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse). The focus was on the “six beautiful pairs” of mind conditioners, that is, the pairing of mind conditioners and the level of conscious awareness which is harmonious and integrated in functioning. These conditioners play a key role in the practice of vipassana and foster the process of awakening to direct realization of Wholesome Understanding, the first of the Wisdom characteristics of the Noble Eightfold Path.
The accompanying notes are attached just prior to this posting.
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 19, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Following on last week’s dialogue, Peter described how the mind “transforms energy into information”, and that the hindrances are “energy dumps” that distort perceptions and create distress. The setting aside of the hindrances through mindfulness of breathing creates a zone of clarity and non-reactivity, preparing for the investigation of emerging self-states that vipassana practice cultivates. The demons are the hindrances and the angels are the manifestations of the freed up energy. These manifestations are recognizable as the increase of compassion, generosity, patience and internal happiness.
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by Peter Carlson | May 29, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
It is our custom to dedicate a night’s dialogue to reviewing a significant retreat experience by a member of the Sangha. This report is exceptional, as Peter’s 2 week self-retreat was significantly altered by disease. During this talk, Peter described the onset of methycillin resistant staphylicoccus aureous bacteriea (MRSA), a dangerous infection of the skin. During the first week of the retreat, concentration practice proceeded normally, while what initially appeared to be a spider bite was developing into MRSA. After several visits to a local clinic for medication and draining the abscess, further complications warranted hospitalization, due to mental fogginess and difficulty with balance. This effectively ended the formal sitting aspects of the retreat, while Peter was still able to practice mindful awareness of the mental hindrance (“sloth and torpor on steroids”). During the hospitalization and upon returning home to begin recuperation, Peter reflected upon the impermanence of existence and the nature of suffering, bringing to the discussion this phrase: “We only lose what we’re attached to.”. This was related to attachment to the form of mindfulness of breathing meditation, being on retreat, the onset of aging and the vicissitudes of illness and loss of functioning. Peter recalled that the Buddha’s teaching on the nature of reality emphasizes non-attachment: to believe in life after death is a mistake, and to believe that there’s no life after death is a mistake as well. The point of the teaching is that attachment to any view automatically creates insecurity and dissatisfaction. The remainder of the evening was a lively discussion of the meaning of non-attachment in everyday life. Next week’s dialogue will explore the hindrance of restlessness and worry.
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