Orlando Insight Meditation Group

A Contemporary Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation Community For Central Florida

Mindfulness Of Breathing Guided Meditation with Question and Answer Dialogues

by | Nov 22, 2013 | Intro to Buddhism & Meditation, Listen to Dharma Talks

During this meeting, Peter provided a guided meditation regarding breath awareness that tracks the progression of focus on the sensations of breathing from the simple awareness “this is the in-breath…this is the out-breath” to cultivate continuity of breath awareness, then “looking closer” to note carefully the textural quality of each breath cycle to increase interest and investigation in awareness.  Finally, the meditation students are invited to hone in on one specific touch sensation exclusively in order to cultivate the quality of awareness preparatory to practicing jhana, or alternatively, to maximize the practice of vipassana.  A separate file is associated with this notation that reflects the question and answer period following the guided meditation, during which particular points of meditation practice were explored.

Jhana Or Vipassana On Retreat 2011

by | Nov 3, 2011 | Listen to Dharma Talks

During this talk, Peter describes controversies and agreements about the role jhana practice has is cultivating vipassana practice.  He explains the progression from “acquiring the nimitta” (a noticeable sensation of touch or light arising from one-pointed concentration on the touch sensation at the nostrils) to the extraordinary state of mind called jhana.  The value of the increased mental acuity from jhana practice to the onset of vipassana practice was explained, compared to the advantages of beginning vipassana practice without first entering jhana (called “dry vipassana).