by Peter Carlson | May 14, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter described the nature of one of the Five Hindrances, vicikiccha, translated as skeptical doubt. This hindrance interferes with the ability to cultivate confidence in the principles and practices of Buddhism, either by doubting the concepts or one’s ability to master the practices involved. During the talk various tactics for understanding, investigating and setting aside skeptical doubt were reviewed. The review was followed by discussion among those participating in the Zoom meeting about the topic.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Setting Aside Skeptical Doubt
Next week’s practice will review another category of concepts and practices found in the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, the Six Sense Bases.
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 26, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This contemplation focuses attention on how the energy of attention is managed in the mind’s creation of a self. During the meditation, Peter suggests how mindfulness and investigation are associated with the energy awakening factor to reduce the likelihood that attention will be captured by any of the five hindrances, then applied to activate the remaining Awakening Factors, Joy, Tranquility, Concentration and Equanimity.
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 26, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk Peter reviews Viriya, the Energy Awakening Factor, which, when combined with the Mindfulness and Investigation of Mental Phenomena Awakening Factors, coordinates and empowers the remaining 4 Awakening Factors. Peter talked of the manifestation of Viriya as Right Effort in the Noble Eightfold Path, with four attributes: to deny unwholesome states, support the arising of wholesome states, enabling wholesome states to reach fulfillment and prevent the future arising of unwholesome states. His review was followed by discussion of how participants can further understand and contemplate this quality of attention.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Energy Awakening Factor
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by Peter Carlson | Jul 23, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This discussion reviews the characteristics of upekkha (ooh-peh-kah), the seventh Awakening Factor, translated as equanimity regarding one’s state of consciousness. Upekkha is also considered as one of the Four Divine Abidings (lovingkindness, compassion and sympathetic joy being the other three), one of the ten Perfections and the primary characteristic of the Fourth Jhana, experienced at extraordinarily developed levels of concentration. Equanimity is not indifference but rather the ability to be aware of and non-reactive to emotional urgency and impulsive reactivity. This quality is synonymous with tatramajjhatata, (tah-trah-muh-jah-tuh-tah), a term that describes a state of mind that is “in the middle”, that is, not too excited or too dull, nor too identified with a thought or too skeptical. Upekkha is relevant in daily life as the ability to stay present and do the right thing even under trying circumstances, while tatramajjhatata is more associated with the refined levels of awareness that involve the seven Awakening Factors. Peter reviews the other six Awakening Factors: Mindfulness, Investigation, Energy/Right Effort, Joy, Tranquility and Concentration, explaining how Equanimity interacts with each of them to create the optimal conditions for Awakening. Several suggestions were made regarding lifestyle choices and finding opportunities to develop equanimity that are sufficiently challenging but not overwhelming. This was followed by discussion of how upekkha is experienced by those participating in the Zoom meeting.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE EQUANIMITY AWAKENING FACTOR (AutoRecovered)
Next week’s discussion will begin a series of reviews of the 52 cetasikas (cheh-tah-see-kahs), conditioning factors of the mind, also termed sankharas (sahn-kah-rahs).
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by Peter Carlson | Dec 12, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the last talk of 2019 as Peter begins his year-end two-week self retreat December 13. During the talk, Peter described the early context of Christmas and the season associated with the Winter Solstice, the shortest and often among the coldest days of the year in the northern hemisphere–a time of reflection, companionship and renewal. This intention has been significantly altered by American consumerism and this has inspired Peter to dedicate this period of time towards the gift of meditation in an attempt to create a contemporary effort towards renewal. Participants were invited to contemplate interactions with others and the festivities that occur through the lens of the Four Noble Truths as an effort to cultivate more clarity regarding the potential of the season for kindness, compassion, generosity and tolerance. This was followed by general discussion about the current status of the holiday season and what those at the meeting might do to integrate mindfulness into their experience.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Four Noble Truths And The Holidays
The next talk will be on Wednesday January 8, as the first Wednesday is New Year’s day; there is likely to be an opportunity to sit together on that evening, but there will not be a talk. The focus of the January 8th talk will be on the insights derived from the just finished retreat.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:28 — 103.4MB)
