by Peter Carlson | Feb 1, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Lili, the mother of two young boys, reviews her Buddhist studies and practices for addressing the dukkha–distress and confusion–that occurs while parenting, along with effective ways of cultivating mindfulness, kindness, compassion, and patience during daily interactions with her boys. She describes the three different types of dukkha and the importance of compassionate self-care as the basis for effective interpersonal exchanges with the boys. She also explains mentalizing, which is the ability to infer a child’s emotional experience and then use informative words skillfully to help him or her understand their subjective experience and develop more ability to manage emotional and behavioral challenges.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: 2024 – 01 – 31 – MINDFUL PARENTING – Talk 01 (002)
Next week’s talk will be the first of two meetings reviewing the Second Noble Truth, the cause of dukkha. The first meeting will provide insights regarding the neurological and psychological components of craving and clinging, along with how mindfulness meditation practice creates a more integrated and wholesome personality structure. The second meeting will discuss how a wholesome personality structure supports the process of Awakening, leading to the realizations of the Third Noble Truth.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:35 — 53.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | May 2, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Mindfully contemplating the subjective experience of the Four Elements: Earth, Wind,Fire, and Water is mentioned in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse as part of the category “Mindfulness of the Body”. During the talk, Peter describes the characteristics of each Element, along with how they can be useful for interrupting internal “selfing stories”. This talk is meant to be accompanied by the recording in the archives entitled “Four Elements Contemplation”. Those present for the meeting shared their experiences during the meditation and sought clarification regarding the topic.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Working With the Four Elements Contemplations
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:46 — 53.8MB)
by Peter Carlson | May 16, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Mindfulness of Feelings is the Second Foundation of Mindfulness, and during this talk, Peter provides a review of the various categories of feelings, which are not emotions, but rather the impulsive reactivity we all experience that precedes craving and clinging. Managing feelings skillfully is key for developing the process of Awakening. Some of the current neuroscientific research findings that are found in different areas of the brain that identify how feelings arise, associated with thoughts and then regulated are reviewed that seem to validate aspects of human experience as described in Buddhist teachings.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk, which provide a more extensive review than from Peter’s verbal comments: Skillfully Managing Feelings
There is a recording posted in the Audio section of the website under Guided Meditations entitled “Guided Contemplating Feelings Meditation” that is intended to support this talk and to build ways to skillfully manage feelings.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:50 — 57.5MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 5, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this meditation, Lezlie Laws provides suggestions that involve a useful question for exploring the nature of the mind–“What is this?”. The question curiosity regarding how the mind creates the experience of selfing and is intended to diminish the demands of craving and clinging. This contemplation is intended to support her comments during the Dharma talk that followed this contemplation reviewing the Third Foundation of Mindfulness, Mindfulness of the Mind. She also suggests ways to apply this question directly to one’s subjective experience while meditating and participating in daily life experiences.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:53 — 41.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 5, 2026 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk, provided by Lezlie Laws, continues reviewing elements of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse, focusing in the Third Foundation, Mindfulness of the Mind. Lezlie uses a Zen question to foster internal understanding of how the mind creates a self: “What Is This?” The question is not intended to be abstract and intellectual, but rather to invite direct subjective knowledge of how the mind is created in and ongoing way.
During the talk, Lezlie refers to a YouTube interview involving Ezra Klein and Stephen Batchelor, a well-respected Buddhist teacher and author who suggests the value of this question. Here is a URL recording that conversation: https://secularbuddhistnetwork.org/ezra-klein-interviews-stephen-batchelor-on-what-is-this/
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:14 — 60.6MB)
