Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training

This morning we start with the last session in the second cycle of settling the mind in its natural state. Alan gives a short preamble before we go into a silent meditation emphasizing the utter simplicity of the practice and its very nature of presence and stillness. Alan also talks about how this stillness and presence can be applied to a more engaged way of living once we come out of the retreat. After the meditation, we go onto discussing the post-meditative effects of achieving Shamatha, from its impact on one's mind, body, and prana to its enabling one to enter the path of Vipassana and other higher realizations. Alan stresses that achieving Shamatha creates a deep state shift in once's body-mind (shift in the entire way of being), which is a state of profound well-being and functionality.

Meditation starts at: 8:23 (silent, not recorded)

Alan front loads this session by looking at the difference between this practice and Dzogchen - grasping - and looks at how practice is ideally couched in a supportive way of life. After the meditation session Alan shares with us Atisha's list of complete conditions for achieving Shamatha, starting with the outer conditions. This takes us naturally to discussion of the contemplative observatory.

Meditation starts at: 15:30 (silent meditation)

Today's evening session begins with the continuation of the discussion on the power of prayer and blessings. Alan gives a few examples of how blessings work and their possible bandwidth and draws analogies with the so-called placebo effect. After that, we move onto a beautiful practice of the stage of generation of Avalokiteshvara - the embodiment of compassion. The practice is based on a text titled "A spacious path to freedom" by Karma Chagme (which Alan translated) and the sadhana from the text together with its commentary will be made available to listeners of the podcast via the SBI website. Alan explains that this practice is part of public Dharma, which means that it can be done without an empowerment and/or oral transition, unlike other deity practices that do require an empowerment. In fact, it is highly recommended by Karma Chagme to begin one's daily practice with it as a means of obtaining blessings for the rest of the practice of meditation. First Alan explains the sadhana in detail and then we have a guided meditation. After this beautiful meditation, we continue discussing the four practices of the Seven Point Mind Training and the aphorism: "do not rely on the individual, rely on the Dharma; do not rely on the words, rely on the meaning; do not rely on the provisional meaning, rely on the definitive meaning." Alan also stresses the importance and meaning of a genuine teacher and the possibility of receiving blessings form one.

Meditation starts at: 37:58

This morning we start with the last session in the second cycle of settling the mind in its natural state. Alan gives a short preamble before we go into a silent meditation emphasizing the utter simplicity of the practice and its very nature of presence and stillness. Alan also talks about how this stillness and presence can be applied to a more engaged way of living once we come out of the retreat. After the meditation, we go onto discussing the post-meditative effects of achieving Shamatha, from its impact on one's mind, body, and prana to its enabling one to enter the path of Vipassana and other higher realizations. Alan stresses that achieving Shamatha creates a deep state shift in once's body-mind (shift in the entire way of being), which is a state of profound well-being and functionality.

Meditation starts at: 8:23 (silent, not recorded)

Before the meditation, Dr. Wallace starts with a prelude to the meditation of settling the mind in its natural state. The focus should now be on the ongoing flow of mindfulness, whether thoughts and images arise or not. Special attention for "what's there" when there are no thoughts.

Meditation starts at: silent meditation (not recorded) starts at 09:04 min.

Before the guided meditation, Dr. Wallace comments on Malala, a 16 year old girl from Pakistan, who currently fights for the right of education for women amidst Taliban death threats against her.

Meditation starts at: 5:54 min.

We revisit an important facet of settling the mind in its natural state: to observe not so much the objective appearances to the mind, but the subjective impulses to the mind. This is not as easy as we only become aware after it occurred. But we can observe them and not identifying with them. There are three points: 1) The importance of this practice cannot be over emphasised, we can’t just wish for no mental afflictions and apart from arharts, everyone has them. Now we have the great fortune to see mental afflictions as mental afflictions which is so beneficial. As we do not identify with them, the little violence in our minds does not spew out onto those around you. 2) This is a path of self knowledge, it’s the wrong path if you want to have one pleasant hedonic day after another, release the hedonic evaluation of a good session or a bad session, the proof of the practitioner is how one responds to the various disturbances that occur. Go through the experience, not take a detour around it. Don’t identify with it and keep going anyway. We are not going into some fantasy realm, we are seeing what is happening here and now and getting real, removing the conceptual overlay. 3) Enter the practice by relaxing, being kind gentle and patient, seeking to cultivate genuine happiness. Then as you come off the cushion this sense of loving kindness is brought to the world.

After the meditation Alan talks about achieving Shamatha and what one experiences at the time.

Meditation starts at: A silent meditation session, not recorded. Starts at 25:20

Before the meditation, Dr. Wallace starts with a prelude to the meditation of settling the mind in its natural state. The focus should now be on the ongoing flow of mindfulness, whether thoughts and images arise or not. Special attention for "what's there" when there are no thoughts.

Meditation starts at: silent meditation (not recorded) starts at 09:04 min.

Silent meditation session and then a continuation of yesterday's theme related to the 'power of prayer'. "We don't believe in anything without sufficient evidence". That's the creed of scientists and so called skeptics alike, but in practice they don't follow it. Newton believed he could find the philosopher's stone, Miller believed he could create life from inorganic compounds and neuroscientists believe that the mind is the brain. What is merely belief is presented as evidence with great authority. But what is evidence? Look closely at the groups that claim to hold evidence as their guiding principal and what is seen is a definition which completely rejects the experience of those outside the narrow trench of power, prestige and wealth they continue to occupy and deepen. It is to say, you as a non-scientist don't count and we will tell you what counts. A complete disregard for subjective experience. We see this in philosophers, religious scholars, psychologists, astronomers, neuroscientists, these people are dominating academia, the media, the government, it is catastrophic. If this view continues, as Max Planck has said, "after its victory not only all the most precious treasures of our culture would vanish, but – which is even worse – also any prospects at a better future.”

Meditation starts at: A silent meditation session, not recorded. Starts at 00:50

Focus simply on the observation of the so call objective appearances that appear in the space of the mind.

When we have difficulty doing this practice, the way to counter is to learn to relax more. OUr prana systems are so wired.

We can also request the blessings of the guru as explained earlier. Alan discusses the so called placebo effect with respect to trust.

After the silent meditation Alan goes on to explain the 9th stage prior to achieving shamatha - attentional balance.

Silent meditation at 14:17 (not recorded) was "front loaded" at the start of the session.