by Peter Carlson | Sep 15, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues the exploration of the Abhidhamma, Buddhist psychology, focused on the first two of the 52 cetasikas (categories of mental function), vedana (feelings) and sanna (perceptions). These factors provide a bridge between sensory stimulation and the way the mind interprets and creates meaningful self-states. The purpose of Abhidhamma study is to provide conceptual support for the application of mindfulness in the process of awakening. The initial explanation is followed by lively discussion among those present regarding how to make best use of this information.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: feelings-and-perceptions-bridging-sensations-and-the-mind
Next week’s discussion will describe the “Universal Cetasikas”, whose function, like feeling and perception, operates in every moment of consciousness.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 19, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk provides a review of pancasammupada, the Five Aggregates With Clinging, an important Buddhist concept describing how personality is organized. When Peter was in Graduate School, part of the required curriculum was a course on personality theory, citing such authorities as Freud and Jung, among others. One of the chapters, written by Daniel Goleman, focused on Buddhism as a theory of personality, with the five aggregates as the topic of interest. The aggregates represent the dynamic interaction between external reality and various functions operating within the mind to impose meaning and a sense of self.
These aggregates were reviewed to clarify how mindfulness practices provide opportunities to “deconstruct” the aggregates, fostering the process of awakening from distress and confusion.
Here are the notes prepared for the talk, including a graphic presentation to clarify the interactions of the aggregates: THE FIVE AGGREGATES OF CLINGING
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 4, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This discussion continues to explore the application of mindfulness and compassion to interpersonal conflict resolution. Peter introduced some points from the website metta.org focused on procedures developed in Gregory Kramer’s book “Insight Dialogue-The Interpersonal Path to Freedom”. Kramer’s work closely parallels what has been explored in previous discussions on this topic, in this case specifically related to fostering close relationships in the context of current political conflicts. These approaches were also related to discussions in previous meetings of the Tibetan Buddhist lojong mind training and conflict resolution.
Here is the handout downloaded from the metta.org website that Peter distributed to those who attended the meeting: GREGORY KRAMER INSIGHT DIALOGUE GUIDELINES
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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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