by Peter Carlson | Aug 8, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter reviews the characteristics of lovingkindness, one of the Four Divine Abidings within Buddhist doctrine. When lovingkindness is not clearly understood, one’s experience becomes contaminated by what are called either the “near enemy” or “far enemy”, both of which are manifestations of ignorance. The fourth of the Divine Abidings is equanimity, which is produced through the cultivation of mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena and Right Effort, is explained during the talk. The review also includes a suggestion that the capacity for empathy, a fundamental characteristic of lovingkindness, is ‘hardwired” into our nervous systems, and that Benevolent Intention represents an evolutionary trend away from greed or hatred, emotionally potent instincts we all share, towards altruism and societal peace.
Previous to this talk, Peter provided a guided meditation titled “Integrating Lovingkindness With Equanimity”, which is intended to provide practical contemplative training that uses mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena and Right Effort to protect the flow of lovingkindness from becoming contaminated by the near enemy or far enemy states of mind. This has been posted and can be found in the archives of the website in the category of Guided Meditations
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Balancing Lovingkindness With Equanimity
The topics for the next two weeks focus first on the integration of equanimity with compassion, then next the integration of equanimity with sympathetic joy, the remaining elements of the Four Divine Abidings.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:16 — 55.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 8, 2024 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation provides the opportunity to monitor the cultivation of lovingkindness with equanimity, avoiding what are called the “near enemy” or “far enemy”, mental dysfunctions that interfere with the flow of benevolent intention. This integrative process is facilitated with the application of mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena, and Right Effort, which function to purify the experience of lovingkindness. It is intended to be associated with a Dharma talk entitled “Integrating Equanimity With Equanimity”, provided during the meeting following this meditation that describes the characteristics of lovingkindness and the ways that the concept is clarified and made accessible skillfully.
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by Peter Carlson | Jan 27, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk is the third in a series that review what are termed the “Divine Abidings”. The first talk is entitled “Reviewing the Brahma Viharas”, and the second “Manifesting Equanimity”–both can be found in the archive. Lovingkindness is an over-arching contemplation, as the contemplations focusing on Compassion and Sympathetic Joy emerge from the cultivation of Lovingkindness. During the talk, the traditional understandings of this practice are reviewed, with additional support from contemporary research commentaries regarding the neurological underpinnings of the contemplation, which changes the way the brain and body function, particularly the beneficial effects of the practice that enhances what is called “vagal tone”, a high level of functioning for the important neural link between the heart and the brain. The emotional potency of sincere repetition of the lovingkindness mantra is also described.
There is an accompanying “Guided Lovingkindness Contemplation” found in the archives.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Cultivating Lovingkindness
The topic for next week’s review will focus on cultivating Compassion.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:10 — 60.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jan 27, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation is intended to accompany the Dharma talk entitled “Cultivating Lovingkindness” recorded on January 26, 2022 and posted on the website. During the meditation, a series of suggestions are offered that cultivate focusing benevolent intention towards one’s own self-experience, followed by focusing lovingkindness towards a traditional hierarchy of persons, and then contemplating radiating lovingkindness towards all creatures that we share life with on the planet.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:56 — 41.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jan 7, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation was recorded January 6, 2021, while the U.S. Capitol building was being invaded by rioters, with the intention of the guidance being to provide support for addressing whatever fear or anger might have been stirred up witnessing the events through various media prior to the start of the meeting. The guidance suggests first cultivating lovingkindness (metta) towards self, then later in the meditation projecting lovingkindness as an antidote for others who might be afflicted with aversion and ill-will.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:59 — 82.4MB)
