A guided meditation of attending to the Sound of Silence within the framework of the Seven Awakening Factors. (This meditation practice begins with a period of guided standing meditation.)
We begin with a review of the nature of samadhi and of samatha practice, in which we develop greater samadhi. Samadhi is understood as a natural quality (including with other species) that we may know through times in which we are deeply immersed and absorbed in an activity, such as being with another, art, music, or sports. Samatha is one of the two main forms of meditation taught by the Buddha, along with insight practice.
We also give an overview of how samatha practice deepens, going into some depth on the model of the five jhanic factors, and pointing to the experiences of the first two jhanas (as taught by the Buddha).
The talk is followed by discussion.
