by Peter Carlson | Jan 11, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation was recorded on January 10, 2015 during a one day mindfulness retreat led by Peter. During the recording, two alternative walking meditations were described: walking with breath awareness and walking tracking the changing sensations noted in the soles of the feet. Both were described as ways to cultivate mindfulness of intentionality, that is, the ability to notice the emerging processes as sensation (touch, sound, sight, etc.) is transformed through feeling/perception into “self” organizations as a result of craving/clinging. This awareness is combined with the ability to cultivate the intention to disregard any emerging “selfing story” through the use of physical sensation as a strategy for interrupting the emerging process of craving/clinging.
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by Peter Carlson | Jul 3, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Continuing the ongoing exploration of the Four Noble Truths, Peter described the concept of the Five Aggregates affected by clinging, which is referred to in the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness teaching. Using a graphic illustration, he showed how the factors of perception and feeling create a “bridge” between incoming sense data and the further processing that occurs before conscious awareness (the graphic and accompanying notes are posted on the site as well). Without the benefit of mindfulness, concentration and tranquility, perception is biased and distorted by the conditioning factors, with the result that what is transitory and non-self is misperceived as enduring and a self. The practice of vipassana can reveal the misperception and reorient the energy of the mind toward clear awareness and benevolent intention. This is the process of awakening.
during the next dialogue, Peter will describe how a conceptual and experiential understanding of perception and feeling is contained within the doctrine of paticca samuppada, dependent origination. Peter will develop a different translation of this term, as “contingent provisional emergence”
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by Peter Carlson | Nov 7, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dialogue, Peter reviewed previous dialogues on The Power Of Commitment and the Five Precepts, hoping to foster a different perspective on the precepts. In the history of Buddhism, the precepts are worded as “abstentions”, that is, behaviors that are to be avoided. In this rendering, we are asked to consider positive aspects of them as commitments to manifest clear awareness (Right Understanding) and benevolent intentions (Right intentions). In the course of the dialogue, participants were urged to realize that regular meditation practice is essential for the cultivation of the virtues that the precepts represent. A one page summary reviewing the usefulness of working with the precepts as commitments is posted on the site for review. Next week, the dialogue will begin to explore the practice of Right Mindfulness, which include the four foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana).
See also accompanying text: A New Approach to Fostering Buddhist Principles
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by Peter Carlson | Sep 19, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Using U Silananda’s commentary on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Peter described satisampajanna, the Four Clear Comprehensions. This quality of consciousness sets a worthy goal, suitable means for realizing it, monitors the four foundations of mindfulness and cultivates awareness that is free from delusion. During the discussion, several members of the Sangha were able to apply this practice to concrete decisions involving values conflicts.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 27, 2013 | Intro to Buddhism & Meditation, Listen to Dharma Talks
Mindfulness of the body is a fundamental practice in the Buddhist tradition. Body awareness includes physical sensation as well as hearing, seeing, smelling and tasting. There’s nothing imaginative about sensation-mindfulness is most important as the process of mental association emerges. During the body sweep meditation, the attention is persistently focused on whatever sensation emerges on the surface of the body. Beginning with sensational awareness at the rim of the nostrils, in this guided meditation, Peter repeatedly suggests progressive awareness of sensation, moving over the facial area, then the scalp, the neck and so on, ending with the sensations noticeable in the feet. Finally, the meditator is invited to sit with open awareness for whatever sensations appear in the body. The value of this practice is that, when practiced repeatedly, sensations become evident all over the body, subtle tingling or vibrations, and this awareness provides a stable and ever-present foundational focus, from which the meditator can note the emergence of thoughts and emotions through vipassana practices.
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