by Peter Carlson | Jun 9, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter reviewed last week’s topic, “The Selfing Story” and added to the concept of the Five Aggregates the additional concept of paticca sammuppada, typically translated as “dependent origination”. He substituted the term “contingent provisional emergence” as a more contemporary rendering of the concept. This revised meaning conveys the importance of recognizing that momentary experiences of “selfing” are holistic and non-linear, very complex and dynamically changing. The value of mindfulness of feelings as feelings, not as an enduring self, was emphasized.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: SELF STATE LIBERATION Additionally, here are the notes for a previous discussion of paticca sammuppada: Contingent Provisional Emergence
Next week’s discussion will be led by Daniel Logan. Here is a brief synopsis of his topic: “Many practitioners find it difficult to let go of the doubts and fears that arise during sitting or in the course of their greater practice. The Buddha himself struggled with fear on the eve of his liberation. He acknowledges his experience of fear in an excerpt from sutta MN 36: “Why am I afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities?’ I thought: ‘I am no longer afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities.” The Buddha’s own words give hope to those of us who may not yet have found perfect ease and contentment on the cushion or off. This dharma dialogue will present a more hopeful antidote to heavy and afflictive states by focusing on the role of joy and contentment in one’s practice. It will be an interactive exploration and will include brief written exercises and structured dialogues with fellow yogis.”
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 2, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, A Buddhist understanding of anatta, the absence of an enduring, autonomous self was described. The Western term “ego” was presented as a process that winnows through all the sensations stimulating the 5 sense doors, creating a dynamic flow of experience that, through inattentiveness and ignorance, is misperceived as something substantial, a separate self. This was related to the Buddhist concept of the Five Aggregates: form (physical sensation), feeling, perception, fabrication and consciousness. Due to the Buddhist understanding of anicca, impermanence
Peter then described the current perspective of “the narrative self”, that is, the primary importance of the internal narrative that is self-creating in the context of relating to others in the world of subjective experience. This description was followed by a lively discussion by those attending of the implications of this approach to life.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk, including a diagram describing the Five Aggregates: MINDFUL SELFING
Next week’s talk will be focused on “deconstructing and reconstructing the self”, to describe how mindfulness practices promote self-state liberation from distress and confusion.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 18, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter provided some background regarding the development of Buddhist precepts, in that in the Buddha’s time, ethical behavior involved following the dictates of one’s clan; the Buddha said that what makes a person “noble” involved an ethics supported by kindness, compassion, generosity and equanimity/tolerance. In current culture, the term “precept” doesn’t have the clarity or usefulness as an alternate term, “commitment”. Peter revised the “five precepts” into commitments that cover the same ethical concerns as the precepts, with additional focus on cultivating daily mindfulness practice and an increased sensitivity to how our behaviors impact the ecological balance of the biosphere.
Here are the notes prepared for this discussion: Revisiting Buddhist Precepts
Here is the handout presented that list the commitments suggested and a brief explanation of how each commitment is applied: COMMITMENTS FOR AWAKENING
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by Peter Carlson | Dec 10, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, the lojong mind training commitment “Don’t aim to win” was related to the Theravaden concept of “comparing mind”, that is, the tendency in this culture to emphasize competition and material acquisition, with the achievement of “Awakening” as the prize. Peter explored the Zen concept of the “Gateless Gate” as pointing to the experience of awakening as a process, not a thing that can be owned. The ongoing practice of mindfulness meditation is just that, practice, and not a test. During the ensuing discussion, several comments by the participants talked of how important it is to just practice being mindfully present, during formal meditation practice or otherwise. Setting up awakening as a measurable, substantial thing is a fundamental misperception of the process.
Here are the notes accompanying this talk: Overcoming Comparing Mind
Next week’s topic will combine three lojong training commitments: “Don’t revert to magic”, “Don’t reduce a god to a demon” and “Don’t seek pain as a component of happiness”.
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by Peter Carlson | Nov 26, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Since our meetings are on Wednesday nights, each year on the eve of Thanksgiving, the discussion is organized around the Buddhist view of gratitude. Peter emphasized the interaction between generosity and gratitude, using examples from his own practice experience since 1982. This was followed by sharing among the assembled people of their own experience of gratitude and how the practice of mindfulness supports that awareness.
Here are the notes prepared for the discussion: THE BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE Included in the notes are downloads from the website Greater Good-Science For A Better Life relating the multiple benefits of the intentional practice of reflective gratitude.
Next week’s discussion will resume the exploration of the lojong commitments with “Don’t put a horse’s load on a pony”, focusing on not taking on more than is workable.
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