by Peter Carlson | Jan 26, 2023 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Sympathetic Joy, Mudita in Pali, is the quality of consciousness that happily celebrates the success and happiness of others, regardless of any material or status benefit for oneself. The cultivation of mudita involves integrating lovingkindness with the in-born capacity we all have for empathy. This talk reviews the classical understanding of mudita and how contemporary psychological research supports how this awareness is formed in the brain through the practice of mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena and Right Effort.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Working With Mudita
Next week’s talk will be provided by Lezlie Laws, one of the teachers who is being mentored by Peter. The topic she reviews will focus on how the core teaching of Buddhism about impermanence affects our contemporary issues of time management.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:15 — 54.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jun 1, 2023 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk provides an overview of the Virtue Aggregate within the Noble Eightfold Path, followed by a review of Right Speech, the first of the three elements constituting virtue. The review reflects the traditional characteristics of Right Speech as well as providing a more contemporary psychological and cultural perspective on the topic, including the value of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), a well-researched practice of psychotherapy. The dualistic characteristics of any language are compared to the non-dualistic realizations that the Noble Eightfold Path is intended to cultivate.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: RIGHT SPEECH AND THE SELFING STORY
The topic for the next talk will include a review of Right Action, another component of the Virtue Aggregate
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:10 — 61.5MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 28, 2023 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Lezlie Laws reviews the seventh Awakening Factor, Equanimity, beginning with a very well-written essay by her describing the poise and dedication of a hawk living in New York City and raising chicks in the middle of the busy metropolis. She speaks of how viewing a video about this hawk stirred her emotionally and connects the theme of the story and her experience with the Awakening Factor of Equanimity. This is followed by her review of the traditional characteristics of the Equanimity Awakening Factor, which functions to bring balance to the other six factors and, therefore to the Awakening mind. Several participants in the meeting then talk about their understanding of how the story and Equanimity applies to her or his life experience.
The topic for the next talk will summarize the fulfillment in the development of the elements found within the Four Foundations of Mindfulness through an explanation of how the Noble Eightfold Path becomes realized as the Noble Tenfold Path.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:05 — 59.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | Oct 5, 2023 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk by Peter Carlson thoroughly summarizes the last verse of the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse, which describes how the Four Noble Truths are transformed by the effective coordinated functioning of the Seven Awakening Factors from a conceptual understanding to direct knowledge of the transient and impersonal nature of subjective experience. Within the Wisdom Aggregate of the Noble Eightfold Path, Right Understanding is directly realized, becoming Right Knowledge and Right Intention is directly realized, becoming Right Release; in this way, the Noble Eightfold Path becomes the Noble Tenfold Path. The talk also includes a review of the concept of Nirvana, which, in the Theravaden Buddhist tradition, must be experienced 4 times to achieve full Awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Realizing the Noble Eightfold Path
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:14 — 58.8MB)
by April Koester | Apr 30, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Short Moments, Many Times a Day.
In this meeting of our sangha, we learn a variety of ways to incorporate moments of meditation throughout the day. This is not a substitute for our daily sitting practice, but a way to extend that practice throughout our daily activities. The format of the session will veer from our usual practice, as we practice a 4-5 short meditations. So make sure to join us at 7:00 for a brief commentary on mindfulness which will be followed by a variety of short-form practices. This session was facilitated by Lezlie Laws.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:51:45 — 80.1MB)
