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...

This presentation by April Koester, one of our cadre of teachers, begins an extensive review of the Four Noble Truths, focusing on the inevitability of dukkha, the physical and mental suffering that comes with being alive.  During the talk, several participants share their questions and observations regarding this important and basic point of study and practice within all the Buddhist traditions. Next week’s talk will focus on how the First Noble Truth applies to the experience of parenting,...

This talk presents a broad review of a core concept within all the Buddhist traditions, the Four Noble Truths.  Peter talks about how the concepts of dukkha, craving and clinging, freedom from dukkha and the Noble Eightfold Path provide an an integrated way to understand the human condition, along with the ways and means to foster spiritual growth, a capacity that is sorely needed in these stressful times.  Included are several questions and insights posed by the participants. This overview...

During this talk, Peter provides a brief speculative review of Siddhartha Gautama’s life experience, before he became known as the Buddha.  The intention here is to consider the sociocultural stresses of his time in comparison to the stresses of contemporary life.  He lived in what were the most comfortable and hedonistic circumstances of the day, which pale in comparison to what conditions our self-identities and expectations currently.  Despite all the lifestyle securities and comforts, he...

During this talk, Peter describes the challenges encountered in practicing mindfulness of breathing meditation for the cultivation of entry stages of jhana, a highly concentrated state of mind.  This practice requires a careful balance of energy and tranquility applied through the persistent uninterrupted attention to a very subtle transition from sensational breath awareness to the mind-constructed phenomenon called a nimitta.  He talks about how he overcame doubts and resistance during the...

This talk, presented by April Koester, focuses on a Tibetan term, shenpa, translated as attachment, but more provocatively termed hooked, made well-known by Pema Chodron, the American Buddhist teacher and author.  An alternative rendering for \shenpa is craving and clinging, important concepts in Buddhism, representing how the experience of impulsive reactivity we all are subject to creates distress and confusion.  April talks about how Chodron’s teaching was of great benefit to her when she...

During this talk, Lili Fernandez describes the importance of integrating the Five Precepts into daily mindfulness practice.  Her experience as the mother of two young boys creates the opportunity to find different and creative ways to train the mind towards virtuous actions while interacting with her sons.  She invites participants in the meeting to share their opportunities to integrate mindfulness and the the Precepts during daily life experiences. Here are the notes prepared for this...

This talk provides a brief overview of traditional American holidays from Halloween through New Year’s Eve, from their origins centuries ago up to how current consumerism and social conflict has created a stressful and potentially damaging series of events during the Fall and early Winter periods.  The overview is followed by a review of a Buddhist “decision tree” process called “The Four Clear Comprehensions” that provides a way to integrate mindfulness and Right Effort to realize...

Following a long-established custom, this meeting is focused on providing opportunities for those who attended the annual Deerhaven one-week residential retreat to review their experience.  Due to the occurrence of the meeting on Thanksgiving Eve, only 3 of the 14 who attended the retreat are present to talk of their experiences and insights. Next week’s talk will focus on bring Buddhist principles and practices to the holiday season, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.