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)
by Peter Carlson | May 2, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation provides suggestions for contemplating what are called the Four Elements: Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. These contemplations are embedded within the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse. Peter describes the subjective characteristics of each of the Elements and suggests different areas of the body to mindfully investigate their nature. This guided meditation is intended to accompany the Dharma talk entitled ” Working With The Four Elements Contemplation”, which explains how developing proficiency in this training exercise interrupts hindering internal chatter and supports differentiating the separate characteristics of physical sensational awareness and co-occurring fabricating function of the mind. This understanding increases one’s ability to “deconstruct” belief in an enduring/autonomous self.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:56 — 41.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | May 9, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk focuses on cultivating a deeper and more useful understanding of two important Buddhist concepts: Non-self and Emptiness. The concepts don’t translate well into English from the original Pali teachings, so Peter uses various contemporary scientific and psychological research results to clarify the terms. Non-self is a way to understand what contemporary neuroscience calls neuroplasticity, while Emptiness is better understood as the quality of attention that is not dominated by the urgent demands of craving and clinging–a maturation of the quietness and stability that can be associated with the development of neutral feeling towards equanimity.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Fullness or Emptiness
The focus of next week’s talk will be on the Second Foundation of Mindfulness, which focuses on understanding and working with pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feeling tones more skillfully.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:46 — 62.0MB)
