Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training
Alan Wallace Fall 2013 8-Week retreat on Shamatha and the Seven-Point Mind Training.
This retreat was held at the Thanyapura Mind Centre in Phuket, Thailand, from September 2nd - October 28th, 2013
- Update frequency
- every day
- Episodes
- 94
- Years Active
- 2013
13 Settling the Mind in its Natural State
Our usual mode of thinking is obsessive because of an involuntary flow of thoughts. It is compulsive because our attention is drawn in by the thoughts and delusional because we think whatever we are…
12 Settling the Mind in its Natural State
Alan explains how the natural state differs from the habitual state of mind. This practice "melts the ice" of our habitually configured consciousness to get to the substrate consciousness. To assist …
11 Settling the Mind in it's Natural State
In this next practice "Setting the mind in it's Natural State" we withdraw our attention from the space of the body and observe the state of the mind and the mental events occuring within. Here we be…
10 Mindfulness of breathing
This afternoon we complete the cycle of mindfulness of breathing. Before we go into the final practice, Alan addresses one of the participant's question about experiencing tingling/vibrating sensatio…
09 Mindfulness of Breathing
Before the morning meditation, Alan raises a question: what makes a practice Dharma? Is, for example, mindfulness of breathing Dharma in and of itself or is there something else necessary to make it …
08 Mindfulness of Breathing
The third phase of mindfulness of breathing is discussed before entering into the guided meditation. This third phase is a classical Theravada method in which the focus is directed to the tactile sen…
07 Mindfulness of Breathing
We immediately start with a meditation session. After the guided meditation, a question comes up about the role of pain in meditation, based on a comment from an abbot who claimed that pain is a goal…
06 Mindfulness of breathing and Death and Impermanence
We return to mindfulness of breathing, with a gradual and persistent cultivation of stability, which is really getting the mind to calm down. Maintian a continuity of attention, a flow of mindfulness…
05 Mindfulness of breathing - phase two
Normally sustained focus comes at the cost of relaxation, we concentrate by contraction. This is exactly what is not done here. The balance is to increase the stability of attention, which entails so…
04 Mindfulness of breathing and Precious Human Rebirth
Balance of learning how to unwind the body and mind so they are at ease, allowing yourself this freedom, whilst still maintaining the clarity. That's a skill! Recognising that we are free for the n…
03 Gratitude for recognising dukha and settling Body Speech and Mind in its natural state
Being grateful for that feeling of ill at ease. If the mind feels just fine, the is no incentive for pursuing anything other than hedonic well-being. There would be no incentive for pursuing a spir…
02 Motivation and Seven-Point Mind Training
Guided meditation to take stock of each person’s specific and unique reasons for coming here. Four fold vision quest to answer these four questions:
What is your own unique vision of a meaningful l…
01 Settling the Body, Speech and Mind in its Natural State
Moving right into the foundational practice of settling the body, speech and mind in its natural state. Learning how to breathe – to let the respiration flow naturally without being forced or restri…
00 Welcome and introduction to the retreat
Alan welcomes the participants at the Thanyapura MindCenter and explains some of the groundrules for the 8-week Fall 2013 retreat. Alan begins by presenting some logistics followed by the content - t…