Dharma Treasure Community | Kurt S | Activity http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/members/kurts/activity/ Activity feed for Kurt S. Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:32:53 +0000 https://buddypress.org/?v=4.2.0 en-US 30 hourly 2 bc5e47745bda40522353e009d4d62606 Kurt S replied to the topic Insurmountable strong dullness and the perception of light in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/insurmountable-strong-dullness/#post-1629 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 01:34:56 +0000 I’m not a mediatation teacher, this is just from my own personal experience.

There are two things to talk about here regarding the perception of light.

The first is this. If you pay attention to the event of coming in and out of strong dullness, you’ll notice that when you come out of strong dullness there is a brightening affect on the other…[Read more]

]]> 90f602a90828a7f211c6ce0f0aa9c927 Kurt S replied to the topic No signs of Purification of Mind in the forum Help Wanted or Offered http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/no-signs-of-purification-of-mind/#post-1618 Tue, 18 Oct 2016 00:03:38 +0000 Chris,

This could be a really long response, but I’m going to try and keep it as short as possible to just get to the point. Full disclosure, I’m not a meditation teacher. Please take this as friendly advice.

It sounds to me like you would be well-served devoting additional time to metta practice. If your goal is to improve your emotional range,…[Read more]

]]> 1cb1c376db5dc9153b118feb984df8ae Kurt S replied to the topic No signs of Purification of Mind in the forum Help Wanted or Offered http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/no-signs-of-purification-of-mind/#post-1615 Mon, 17 Oct 2016 05:47:10 +0000 Chris,

I’d highly suggest reading the appendix section on Loving-Kindness meditation in Culadasa’s book. This form of meditation works directly with creating positive emotional states. It’s a very powerful and often-overlooked practice. You may not see results right away, but you will over time. The key to this form of meditation is holding a…[Read more]

]]> 250978ee51170ec3056f9cdd45a33abb Kurt S replied to the topic Asking about who and where the 'I' really is... in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/asking-about-who-and-where-the-i-really-is/#post-1356 Thu, 28 Jul 2016 22:51:01 +0000 I’d also recommend to not really read too much into your experiences and sensations during meditation. There is a strong desire to search for deeper meaning, to find patterns that we can read into, etc. Simply meditate and let whatever happens, happen.

]]> e987b85a815a161018c3745adb449c83 Kurt S replied to the topic Asking about who and where the 'I' really is... in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/asking-about-who-and-where-the-i-really-is/#post-1352 Thu, 28 Jul 2016 18:18:34 +0000 Hi moln1,

I’m not a teacher, but maybe some of what I have to say will be helpful. It’s been a while since I’ve read the book so my terminology may not match up exactly with what’s in there.

Two things immediately come to mind regarding your comments about not committing anything to memory. The first is that you may be experiencing dullness…[Read more]

]]> 867e53d2e484c1de4d40e0db718cc81e Kurt S replied to the topic Confused about the role of effort in meditation in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/confused-about-the-role-of-effort-in-meditation/#post-653 Wed, 15 Jun 2016 14:52:06 +0000 I’m interested to hear more about the physical tension you are feeling around the face/eyes. If the tightness in that area is because you are tensing your muscles as you focus, then it’s as simple as consciously relaxing that area as much as possible. Tension in any area isn’t strictly necessary for meditation. You want to be relaxed and alert at…[Read more]

]]> f6a5c6b3a62310761d68bfaa6d3a5d85 Kurt S replied to the topic Confused about the role of effort in meditation in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/confused-about-the-role-of-effort-in-meditation/#post-633 Mon, 13 Jun 2016 21:42:29 +0000 It seems like you already have an intuitive sense of how you should be approaching things. I think it’s worthwhile to listen to that intuition and not worry too much about the words in the book. The book is excellent, I bought the electronic and print versions of it. I love the book and I recommend it to everyone.

The Mind Illuminated is a really…[Read more]

]]> 51afc7293da23c3c62edfef39a1c7c8b Kurt S replied to the topic Confused about the role of effort in meditation in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/confused-about-the-role-of-effort-in-meditation/#post-629 Mon, 13 Jun 2016 02:00:02 +0000 Hopefully Matthew responds to this post himself, and you’ll get a clear answer from the source.

My own thoughts on the subject are that you are probably overthinking terminology. Really, it’s as simple as maintaining your attention on the focus object. If you feel this requires a great deal of effort or tension, relax yourself and try approaching…[Read more]

]]> bd4508a26eb123400e8cad08114db577 Kurt S replied to the topic Confused about the role of effort in meditation in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/confused-about-the-role-of-effort-in-meditation/#post-629 Mon, 13 Jun 2016 02:00:02 +0000 Hopefully Matthew responds to this post himself, and you’ll get a clear answer from the source.

My own thoughts on the subject are that you are probably overthinking terminology. Really, it’s as simple as maintaining your attention on the focus object. If you feel this requires a great deal of effort or tension, relax yourself and try approaching…[Read more]

]]> ed083d0216b1de348d36c37ad0f63859 Kurt S replied to the topic Subtle Energies and meditative joy in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/subtle-energies-and-meditative-joy/#post-625 Sat, 11 Jun 2016 20:00:48 +0000 From what I understand, they are quite common. As for myself, sensations of energy are readily available and I’ve experienced many different flavors so to speak. I’m not sure that there’s any significance to it other than what is said in the book, so I try not to read too much into it. It seems like everyone’s mind/body reacts somewhat differently…[Read more]

]]> fce752ba026e055f3918e4b038e34074 Kurt S replied to the topic Finding Joy and the will to continue in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/finding-joy-and-the-will-to-continue/#post-616 Mon, 06 Jun 2016 18:09:42 +0000 I’m glad to hear that you are going to start doing the Mindful Review practice, I’m sure you’ll find it very helpful.

As far as my own practice, specifically with non-relaxing experiences during meditation, I’m not sure how helpful it would be to go into detail about those, other than to say that in the same way that each moment of our lives is a…[Read more]

]]> 3a35f9f9c2b358328120f20069d3fbf4 Kurt S replied to the topic Finding Joy and the will to continue in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/finding-joy-and-the-will-to-continue/#post-611 Sat, 04 Jun 2016 15:38:27 +0000 You have two very capable teachers in this thread, so I’m sure whatever they say will be more helpful than what I have to say. However, as someone who also came to meditation to relieve stress and anxiety maybe it will be useful if I share a few more thoughts with you. This advice comes in two parts.

The first part is learning to be in the…[Read more]

]]> 07d75e6a08d209552304671ccecf5dc7 Kurt S replied to the topic Finding Joy and the will to continue in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/finding-joy-and-the-will-to-continue/#post-604 Fri, 03 Jun 2016 17:19:46 +0000 Praxis,

I can only speak from my personal experience and understanding, and I’m not a teacher, but maybe some of what I have to say could be useful to you.

Setting and following through with goals is a part of our every day human existence. Goals and intentions certainly have their place. With meditation though, setting goals can be a trap or a…[Read more]

]]> b76e6dd2a0695096b5de805d618bdffa Kurt S replied to the topic Meeting emotions in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/meeting-emotions/#post-596 Thu, 02 Jun 2016 21:33:23 +0000 I’m not a teacher or expert, so please forgive me if this isn’t helpful.

Being an objective observer, to me, means simply to be with the emotion without labeling it. It is the act of experiencing and observing whatever presents itself without attaching anything to it. Meeting difficult emotions with warmth and acceptance can be useful, but I…[Read more]

]]> 9aceab6c418bdaa0e7ffd107efc827d1 Kurt S replied to the topic Finding Joy and the will to continue in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/finding-joy-and-the-will-to-continue/#post-595 Thu, 02 Jun 2016 20:58:58 +0000 I’m neither experienced or knowledgeable, but it seems to me that if meditation has become a chore you should meditate on why this is the case. Sit with the feelings of boredom, frustration… whatever the feelings are and just experience them. Try to disengage from identifying with the feelings and emotions. Treat the feelings like you would the…[Read more]

]]> fb3ec9d9012aac108bbcbea778e22245 Kurt S replied to the topic New to Meditation, looking for advice in the forum Meditation http://dharmatreasurecommunity.org/forums/topic/new-to-meditation-looking-for-advice/#post-547 Sun, 01 May 2016 21:50:44 +0000 Hi Blake!

First of all, let me say a sincere THANKS for taking the time to discuss my questions with Culadasa and the rest of the group. I really appreciate you taking the time you’ve taken to help me.

Thank you for the recommended pages, I’ll definitely read them all ASAP. I also appreciate the advice on being aware of the entire body, and this…[Read more]

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