Patrick Kearney on Meditation Technique and Marketing

[mikenz66]

I'm spending a few weeks in Thailand, and I like to work though some of Patrick Kearney's retreat talks to get myself focussed. This year I'm working though the talks here:
http://www.dharmasalon.net/Audio/bmimc_ ... _2015.html

Edit: That particular talk is no longer on-line. However, the introductory talks to each retreat are similar:
http://www.dharmasalon.net/Audio/audio.html

I like Patrick's irreverant style. Especially when talking about methods.

From 14.45, of the first talk "On Method", somewhat paraphrased and edited.

So when we talk about method we are talking about the systematic training of attention. If I'm going to pay attention I have to have some method. And ther are multiple methods available. We quickly worked out five just for looking to see who is in the room. [This refers to an earlier discussion of possible ways of scanning the room.]

And these are the various meditation techniques in the spiritual supermarket. And I think it's important to understand that there isn't one true technique, any more than there is any such thing as the one true washing powder. It doesn't exist, but the marketeers will tell you that only one washes whiter than white, and you get exactly the same phenonenon in the spiritual world: "Oh yes, meditation is very good for you but only this one will get you enlightened."

As meditators it is important to understand that this is completely nonsense [Patrick, being Australian, uses stronger language...]. The job of the pracitioner is not to discover the one true technique. It's your job to discover the method that works best for you. And it's not necessarily the method that works best for the teacher. What the teacher is teaching is usually what worked for him or her. But it's not necessarily what works for you.

Happy New Year and Good Practice...

Mike

[Khalil Bodhi]

Thanks Mike! I will be checking these talks out. Does Patrick have any books out as I usually have more time to read on the train to work than to listen?

[mikenz66]

I don't think there are books but there are some notes on that site.

However, it's the recordings I find valuable as they include a lot of discussion. The AM instructions are generally a few minutes of meditation suggestions then discussion of how people found it. As you'd know, different people can have quite different experiences but this is seldom captured on recordings. I have found those discussions the next best thing to live instruction.

I've not met Patrick but I know Cooran has been on several of his retreats and he's always been helpful by email.

Speaking of different experiences I find listening easier than reading on trains.

Mike

[Khalil Bodhi]

I don't think there are books but there are some notes on that site.

However, it's the recordings I find valuable as they include a lot of discussion. The AM instructions are generally a few minutes of meditation suggestions then discussion of how people found it. As you'd know, different people can have quite different experiences but this is seldom captured on recordings. I have found those discussions the next best thing to live instruction.

I've not met Patrick but I know Cooran has been on several of his retreats and he's always been helpful by email.

Speaking of different experiences I find listening easier than reading on trains.

Mike

Thanks Mike! Maybe I'll try to dig out my headphones and give it a try. Be well!

[Phena]

Thanks Mike for posting the links to Patrick Kearney's talks. I am keen to give them a listen.I have several dozen of his talks that I've listened to over the years. I also did a retreat with Patrick in 2012 and found him to be an excellent retreat leader. He is very engaging, has a deep understanding of the Dhamma and applies this really well to practice and guidance, and a great sense of humour too.

[mikenz66]

He certainly has a good sense of humour, which he uses to diffuse rigid and overly theoretical attitudes. My current favourite expression is:
"The Dhamma is too important to be taken seriously..."

Mike

[Phena]

"The Dhamma is too important to be taken seriously..."

hahaha ... very funny, and yet quite profound too.

I'm downloading the talks you linked to atm, and noticed there appears to be a problem with talk No. 4. Did you find this also?

[mikenz66]

Yes the link to 4 is broken but I just substituted a talk from an earlier retreat. The talks evolve and of course the audience comments change but it doesn't matter too much.

I did email him but no response as yet.

Mike

[Phena]

Yes the link to 4 is broken but I just substituted a talk from an earlier retreat.

Yes, good idea. Thanks Mike.

[cooran]

Some of Patrick's writings are on the same site Mike linked the talks from. Patrick was ordained in Myanmar when he was very much younger, but eventually disrobed. He previously was a lecturer at the University of Queensland in Religion and also lectured in Pali.

http://www.dharmasalon.net/Writings/writings.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

With metta,
Chris

[mikenz66]

Yes the link to 4 is broken but I just substituted a talk from an earlier retreat.

Yes, good idea. Thanks Mike.

Should be OK now...

Mike

[Phena]

Yes the link to 4 is broken but I just substituted a talk from an earlier retreat.

Yes, good idea. Thanks Mike.

Should be OK now...

Mike

Thanks Mike.

I've finished listening to these talks bar the last one. I highly recommend them.

[tiltbillings]

Bears repeating:

As meditators it is important to understand that this is completely nonsense [Patrick, being Australian, uses stronger language...]. The job of the pracitioner is not to discover the one true technique. It's your job to discover the method that works best for you.And it's not necessarily the method that works best for the teacher. What the teacher is teaching is usually what worked for him or her. But it's not necessarily what works for you.

Also it should also be noted that just because a technique does not work for you (whomever "you" may be), it does not necessarily mean that the technique is crap.

[badscooter]

Bears repeating:

As meditators it is important to understand that this is completely nonsense [Patrick, being Australian, uses stronger language...]. The job of the pracitioner is not to discover the one true technique. It's your job to discover the method that works best for you.And it's not necessarily the method that works best for the teacher. What the teacher is teaching is usually what worked for him or her. But it's not necessarily what works for you.

Also it should also be noted that just because a technique does not work for you (whomever "you" may be), it does not necessarily mean that the technique is crap.

I can think of a few people, here on dhammawheel and others I know personally, that should definitely try applying the above sugesstion.