Reviewing Mindfulness of Feelings

Mindfulness of Feelings is the second area of focus within the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse.  During this review, the importance of understanding the way pleasant or unpleasant feelings drive thoughts and behaviors through direct observation is emphasized.  Contemporary psychological research uses the terms affect approach to describe pleasant feeling and affect avoidance in describing unpleasant feeling.  Being able to mindfully investigate the experiential urgency of affect with detachment and a wholesome non-reactive response is essential for cultivating the skills required in the process of Awakening.  The neurological processes involved in the experience of affects and the effective regulation of them are also reviewed.  Peter describes how he practiced mindfulness of feelings regarding his current experience of Covid-19 and the process of recovery.

Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  MINDFULNESS OF FEELINGS

The topic for the next talk will be the Third Foundation of Mindfulness, Mindfulness of the Mind.

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Mindfulness Of Feelings Review

This talk reviews the Second Foundation of Mindfulness, Vedanupassana, which focuses on various manifestations of feelings described in the Satipatthana Sutta.  During the presentation, a thorough review of traditional understandings of the contemplations as described by Bhikkhu Analayo in his books, accompanied by contemporary neuroscientific research that supports the centuries-old views of Buddhist practitioners.  The talk is followed by a brief question-and-answer exchange among those present.

There is a accompanying “Guided Mindfulness Of Breathing Meditation”, posted the same day and found in the Archives.

Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  MINDFULNESS OF FEELINGS

The focus for next week’s talk will be a review of the Third Foundation of Mindfulness, Cittanupassana, Mindfulness of the Mind.

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Guided Head Body Scan

This meditation trains attention to various areas of sensation ranging from the tip of the nostrils back through the nasal passages, then the passage down to the back of the roof of the mouth, sensitized to whatever might be noticed in those areas.  Attention continues to scan forward on the roof of the mouth to the gum line and teeth, investigating sensations in those areas.  The practice continues with moving investigating attention to the lower teeth and gums, then the lower jaw.  Finally, attention is directed to include the lower and upper lip areas, with attention focused eventually on the areas just below the entries to the nostrils.  The goal of this exercise is to cultivate investigative awareness and stabilize attention away from any internal mental narratives, to increase skills necessary for vipassana, insight into the basic characteristics of self-awareness.

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Guided Whole Body Sweep Meditation

This Meditation trains the mind to move investigating attention mindfully and systematically throughout the body, sensitive to subtle body vibrations similar to the experience of one’s leg “going to sleep”, but much milder in sensation.  The goal of this training is to cultivate a whole body “vibrational” awareness that supports stabilizing attention and the process of vipassana, insight into the transitory and non-self characteristics of experience.

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