Hey brave souls! The topic for July 16, 2025, was left overs from last week on consciousness, a link in the chain of dependent co arising (patticasamupada!.) The topic for July 16 and July 30 was Name and Form.
Here is a definition from our former teacher Peter Carlson of Orlando Insight Meditation Group (OIMG.)
“The traditional view of paticcasamuppada in early Buddhism extends over the course of several rebirths, while other commentators after the origin of Buddhist teachings describe this system as a conceptual way to understand how the various functions of the Five Aggregates create a “self” almost instantaneously and “blends” the fabrications into the stream of subjective awareness we live through. I find the second interpretation more useful in the practice of vipassana.”
On July 30 we will cover Name and Form, NamaRupa. And here is a definition from Peter on NamaRupa:
NamaRupa is an important concept in Buddhist psychology. Nama represents the conditioning functions of the mind as Rupa, the experiencing of sensations is transformed into meaningful self-state organizations. NamaRupa is another way to describe the Five Aggregates, that is, form (sensations, that is, Rupa), feelings, perceptions, mind conditioners and consciousness (These four represent the various categories of Nama).
Next week, we will study practical skills to develop insight on the aggregate of name and form.
with much lovingkindness
Andy

Resources
Carlson, P. “Understanding NamaRupa” https://orlandoinsightmeditation.org/2018/03/understanding-namarupa/ Orlando Insight Mediation Group. March 1, 2018.
Carlson, P. “Dependent Origination Review” https://orlandoinsightmeditation.org/2023/11/2023-deerhaven-fall-retreat-contingent-origination-review/ November 20, 2023
Carlson, P. Guided Quiet Consciousness Meditation https://orlandoinsightmeditation.org/2021/01/guided-quiet-consciousness-meditation/Orlando Insight Meditation Group. January 21, 2021
Goldstein, J. “Formations and Consciousness” https://dharmaseed.org/talks/301/ Dharma Seed. March 2006