by Peter Carlson | Jun 5, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, April describes how our inability to investigate and effectively manage our resistance to using mindfulness to beneficially apply the principles and practices from a Buddhist creates suffering, using various quotes from Buddhist teachings. Her review is followed by questions and comments about this topic from those participating in the meeting.
Here are the notes prepared for the talk: What You Resist Persists
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 19, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Once a month, Peter provides an opportunity during the meeting for those participating to ask questions regarding Buddhist concepts and practices. The questions posed during this meeting focus on the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse”, for example the “noting” method for cultivating insight, compared to practices that first emphasize the cultivation of high levels of concentration called jhana (jah-nah), before developing insight. He reviews the development and integration of the Seven Awakening Factors, facilitated through whole-body meditation practice. He also describes different approaches to cultivating and making use of concentration and the characteristics of what has been termed “big sky mind” and his way of using relaxed curiosity–letting go with every out-breath with a concentrated mind–to have a deeper understanding of sunnata (soon-yah-tah), translated as emptiness–the absence of a separate, enduring self.
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by Peter Carlson | Jul 25, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this Dharma talk, Peter describes the intersection between empathy and compassion. Empathy is hardwired into our bodies and can be misunderstood and produce regrettable self-states and behaviors when not monitored by mindfulness. He describes how we are all subjected to marketing tactics based on studies of empathy to negatively affect ourselves and others. Skillful investigation and Right Effort can effectively transform empathy to compassion, foremost for oneself, as well as others.
Here are the notes associated with this topic: Empathy and Compassion
A meditation entitled “Guided Empathy Contemplation” preceded this talk, and it is posted in the Guided Meditation page. It is intended to provide training to promote the ability to effectively monitor empathetic responses we experience.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:35 — 62.8MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 14, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
We often provide an opportunity for those among us who have just completed a significant retreat to “think out loud” about the experience. This can be beneficial for that person and perhaps inspiring for those listening. This was the first retreat for Lezlie that involved the intense training provided by the teaching of S. N. Goenka, who has had a significant impact on many contemporary mindfulness meditators. She describes the structure of the retreat and some significant insights she realized about herself. Her presentation is followed by several comments and questions from participants in the meeting.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:03 — 60.5MB)
by Peter Carlson | Oct 17, 2025 | Listen to Dharma Talks
It is our custom to provide an opportunity for someone who has recently completed a significant retreat to “think out loud” about the experience, as sharing important insights helps that person integrate what was learned and informs those listening about the benefits of the immersive training experience. Mitch attended a Black Heritage Retreat at the Shelbourne Falls retreat center in Massachusetts, following the teachings of S. N. Goenka, an internationally important teacher of mindfulness meditation. Mitch provides a review of how the retreat operates as well as how it has benefited his own practice. His comments were followed by questions and comments from those attending.
Here are the notes regarding Mitch’s retreat experience: https://orlandoinsightmeditation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/Mitch-Sullen-Retreat-Report.docx
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:08 — 62.4MB)