by Peter Carlson | Apr 17, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk was preceded by the posted guided meditation “Overcoming Impulsive Reactivity”, which follows the training indicated in the Second Foundation of Mindfulness, Mindfulness of Feelings; the meditation can be found on the Audio Recording page of this site. Feelings are the “driver” of how the mind makes meaning from what we see, hear and feel in the body, and cultivating clarity and equanimity of feelings is an important skill for acquiring stress resiliency, particularly as we are dealing with the disruptions caused by the pandemic. Peter used the Four Noble Truths concepts in relating to Post Traumatic Growth, an area of contemporary research that focuses on how we can emerge from this difficult time with more gratitude, appreciation for the simpler things of life and more enriched relationships. The talk was followed by discussion among those attending the Zoom meeting about how mindfulness can be beneficial for not only coping with stress but also for reevaluating our goals and aspirations in ways that are more optimistic and positively adaptive.
Here are the notes prepared for the talk: Turning Poison Into Medicine Here is an additional document, an interview with Jack Kornfield from the New York Times about mindful and compassionate coping with the pandemic: Jack Kornfield NYT interview
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:13 — 121.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Apr 23, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk was preceded by the “Guided Mindfulness of the Mind Meditation”, which can be found in the Audio section of the website. The focus of this talk is a review of the Third Foundation of Mindfulness, Cittanupassana (chee-tah-noo-pah-suh-nah), Mindfulness of the Mind. Peter read a quote from the Satipatthana Sutta regarding the characteristics of this contemplation, which is to be mindful as to whether the mind is afflicted or not by desire, aversion or ignorance. The contemplation also investigates whether awareness is expansive and inclusive or contracted and exclusive, alert or dull, calm or restless, and the transient and impersonal nature of the mind. Peter related these characteristics and functions to contemporary psychological research investigates where the brain is activated as cognition occurs, noting that as the cognitive process develops, prior life experience overrides current stimulus input and fabricates a self. He reviewed what the teacher and author Culadasa calls “Introspective Metacognitive Awareness”, the ability to be mindful of the broad ranges of awareness that vipassana investigates without becoming identified with one aspect of the flow of experience as being an enduring and autonomous self. This was related to the value of being able to track personal reactivity in regards to the stressors present during the pandemic. The review was followed by discussion among those attending the Zoom meeting regarding the talk.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Cultivating A Wise Mind
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:31 — 105.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jun 17, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This Guided meditation is intended to be associated with the Dharma talk presented on the same evening entitled “Mindfulness of the Body Adaptations”, with focused attention on the Four Elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. These contemplations are included in the First Foundation of Mindfulness, Mindfulness of the Body. During the meditation, suggestions are offered to facilitate direct experiential awareness of these elements.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:56 — 82.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | Apr 30, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
One of the three characteristics of human life is the transient nature of our subjective experience. In Buddhism this is called anicca (ah-nee-chah) and a goal of mindfulness meditation practice is to be able to monitor the changing nature of sensations, feelings and thoughts in consciousness, which provides liberation from dukkha, the distress and confusion that we are all subject to. During this meditation Peter suggested several progressive focuses of attention for increasing mindful awareness: the beginning and end of the in-breath and out-breath, the changing sensations during the breathing cycle, the changing nature of what attracts the mind from breath awareness and the changes in the body that occur as distractions such as the Five Hindrances create tension in the body. He also invited meditation students to notice changes in the quality of attention, from alert to inattentive, from agitated to tranquil and so on. It is hoped this meditation practice will be beneficial for all who practice with it.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:52 — 82.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jun 18, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Dhamma Vicaya (dah-mah vih-chah-yah) is the second of the Seven Awakening Factors, and I prefer to interpret the Pali to mean Investigation of Mental Phenomena. It functions closely with the Mindfulness and Energy Awakening Factors. During the training meditation, I suggest that intentionally aiming attention to evident sensations at the beginning of the in-breath and sustaining attention for the duration of the in-breath, then repeating this for the out-breath begins the process of maturing attention towards dhamma vicaya. Once attention to the breathing cycle becomes more routine, it is suggested that one “look closer” at an aspect of breath sensation that was more evident to increase the power of insight. It is also emphasized that dhamma vicaya isn’t really about the breath sensations specifically, but rather noticing with clarity and detachment how the mind creates a meaningful self in relationship to the sensations.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:00 — 82.4MB)