A subtitle for this talk might be “How What Is Seen Becomes The Self”.  During the talk, Peter describes the functions of the mind that create a self out of what is seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched and remembered through what are called “fetters”–the effect of craving and clinging that binds awareness into “myself”.  The cultivation of mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena and Right Effort develops the ability to become clearly aware of this binding effect and gradually diminish...

Reviewing and setting aside the five aggregates is described as the first of the contemplations found within the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness.  Lezlie provides quotes and comments that explain the characteristics of these obstacles to a mind that is alert and serene enough to support insights that liberate the mind from craving and clinging. Here are the notes prepared for this talk, including references to useful books:  Hindrances dharma talk

Considering the Third Foundation of Mindfulness as if it were a sheet of paper, and the First as a pen, then the Second as ink; the Fourth Foundation, mindfulness of mental phenomena, is what is written on the paper, creating our experience of being an enduring/autonomous self.  During this talk, Peter reviews the categories of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness and the role they play in the development in the process of Awakening, dissolving one’s belief in an enduring/autonomous self. ...

The Third Foundation of Mindfulness focuses attention on investigating the characteristics of a person’s consciousness–alert or dull, filled with desire or free from desire, among other categories.  During this talk, Peter reviews the various categories, supplemented by current neurological research that supports the views developed by Buddhist practitioners and scholars over a thousand years ago.  How mindfulness of breathing practice supports investigation of the mind is also...

Mindfulness of Feelings is the Second Foundation of Mindfulness, and during this talk, Peter provides a review of the various categories of feelings, which are not emotions, but rather the impulsive reactivity we all experience that precedes craving and clinging. Managing feelings skillfully is key for developing  the process of Awakening.  Some of the current neuroscientific research findings that are found in different areas of the brain that identify how feelings arise, associated with...

This recording provides supportive suggestions for recognizing the various manifestations of feelings–pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, both worldly and unworldly.  The goal of this meditation is to learn how to let go of unwholesome feeling tones–impulsive reactivity in the mind–to skillfully develop insight into the transitory and impersonal nature of subjective experience. This meditation is intended to supplement the conceptual knowledge contained in the Dharma talk that followed it, and...

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...

Mindfully contemplating the subjective experience of the Four Elements: Earth, Wind,Fire, and Water is mentioned in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse as part of the category “Mindfulness of the Body”.  During the talk, Peter describes the characteristics of each Element, along with how they can be useful for interrupting internal “selfing stories”.  This talk is meant to be accompanied by the recording in the archives entitled “Four Elements Contemplation”.  Those present for the...

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...

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...

This week’s dharma talk explores the 7th step in the teaching of the Buddha called “The Noble Eightfold-Path.”  This 7th step is Right Mindfulness. We will explore this key practice that has been described as the watch guard of the mind and an aid to recognize, prevent and release craving and clinging that causes suffering. We will also present an overview of the four foundations of mindfulness discussed in the Buddha’s teachings that are documented in the Satipatthana Sutta. Each of these...

This week’s dharma talk explores the 6th step in the teaching of the Buddha called “The Noble Eightfold-Path.”  This 6th step takes us into the “discipline aggregate” of the eight steps.  Here we learn how to cultivate beneficial qualities of mind and how to disarm unbeneficial qualities of mind.  The talk this week was given by Lezlie Laws.

The traditional rendering of samma ajiva in english is Right Livelihood; during this talk, Peter revises this part of the Noble Eightfold Path as Right Lifestyle, as life is more complex and more stressful psychologically in contemporary American culture.  He describes the demands of work, finances, societal conflict, physical well-being, and environmental disruption through the way we live from waking to sleeping each day–our lifestyle patterns–and how the Four Noble Truth’s concepts and...

This talk continues a thorough review of the Four Noble Truths, focusing on the second attribute of the Fourth Truth, within the Virtue Aggregate of the Noble Eightfold Path–Right Action.  During the talk, Lili describes the characteristics of the Precepts, which are the ethical guidelines to be understood and acted upon to further the path of Awakening.  This recording also includes additional questions and comments from thos3 attending related to the topic. Here are the notes prepared for...

During this talk, Peter provides an overview of Sila, the Buddhist Virtue Aggregate, which is found within the Noble Eightfold Path, with an emphasis on the importance of mindfully recognizing the non-virtuous elements of contemporary cultural conditioning, which create disharmony and dysfunction with significant negative consequences for social cohesion and the environment, renouncing them, and instead orienting one’s thoughts and actions through the filter of Virtue–harmlessness,...

This talk by Allie Vaknin continues an ongoing review of the Four Noble Truths, specifically focusing on a function of the Wisdom Aggregate of the Noble Eightfold Path, Right Intention.  Allie describes different manifestations of Right Intention: Renunciation of unwholesomeness, Kindness, and Compassion.  This recording includes several comments and questions posed by those participating in the group. Next week’s talk will begin a review of the Virtue Aggregate of the Noble Eightfold Path,...

During this talk, April continues the ongoing review of the Noble Eightfold Path by sharing her research about the Wisdom Aggregate, specifically Samma Ditthi, translated as Right View or Right Understanding.  This part of the Path provides the conceptual basis for understanding the law of Karma–cause and effect.  Her presentation includes several questions and comments from others participating in the meeting. Next week’s talk will review the other half of the Wisdom Aggregate. Right...

This talk continues an ongoing review of the Four Noble Truths, with emphasis on the Fourth Noble Truth, the Noble Eightfold Path.  This overview describes the general structure of the Path categories, which represent the ways and means for realizing the spiritual aspirations developed in the first three Noble Truths.  Peter describes a more contemporary view of Buddhist teachings called Secular Buddhism, which avoids ritualistic practices and integrates modern neuroscientific and...

This is intended to be a resource for cultivating mindfulness of breathing meditation, providing several suggestions during the experience to support developing more skill and confidence in the practice of a fundamental Buddhist training for self-awareness and self-discipline.

During this talk, Allie Vaknin provides insights regarding the four stages of Nirvana experience: Stream Entry, Once-Returner, Non-returner, and Arahant.  The recording includes comments from various participants in the meeting. Next week’s talk will provide an overview of the Fourth Noble Truth, The Noble Eightfold Path; subsequent talks will address each element of the Noble Eightfold Path in more depth.

This is the second presentation regarding the processes that create dukkha.  The talk recorded on February 14, 2024 reviewed the characteristics of craving and clinging.  This talk provides a review of a key concept of Buddhist psychology, paticca samuppada, translated as dependent origination.  Peter explains how ignorance and unwholesome karmic influences generate craving and clinging with an extensive description of the 12 links of what he calls contingent provisional emergence, a more...

This guided meditation is intended to accompany the Dharma talk of February 14, 2024 that focuses on the important Buddhist concept of paticca samuppada, dependent origination.  During the meditation, it is suggested the meditator investigate how the mind is drawn away from the neutral feeling tone associated with breath sensations by craving and clinging, creating the unwholesome karmic experience of dukkha.  When a person can accept a feeling, either pleasant or unpleasant, as just an...

This talk focuses on the factors that produce dukkha–craving and clinging.  Peter describes the traditional Buddhist terms for craving and clinging, along with how contemporary neurological research supports the validity of this understanding of the human condition.  After his descriptions, participants in the group asked questions and shared observations about the topic. Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  The Second Noble Truth Next week’s talk will continue to review the Second...

During this talk, Lili, the mother of two young boys, reviews her Buddhist studies and practices for addressing the dukkha–distress and confusion–that occurs while parenting, along with effective ways of cultivating mindfulness, kindness, compassion, and patience during daily interactions with her boys.  She describes the three different types of dukkha and the importance of compassionate self-care as the basis for effective interpersonal exchanges with the boys.  She also explains...