Working with Hindrances

Good Morning,

Today I will wrap up my post concerning the hindrances. Remember the point is to not judge yourself but to recognize and investigate the moments and the hindrances as they arise. We all experience them in our own ways and having a natural open curiosity about what is playing itself out is the best way to work with the hindrances. Classically, each hindrance is said to be transformed by a particular factor of the concentrated mind. The following is a set of antidotes and tools I have found useful when working with my experiences.

Desire or grasping can be transformed by one-pointedness or steadiness of mind. Desire makes the mind jump to consider each new possibility for pleasure. The mind says; should I do this next? Do I need that? If you watch yourself and your desires with attention you can let them arise but not be swayed by them. This is important since desire is often the jumping point for the mind to move on to other hindrances.

Aversion, avoidance, or striking out at the truth of the moment, is transformed by interest. It's a simple fact that you can't push away what's happening and take an interest in it at the same time. Besides, whoever said we can make anything go away or change by shouting NO at it. It is a silly concept, but look at how many people revert to this when they encounter something they do not like. Instead of saying no to an experience, try welcoming it in so that you can look at and understand it more thoroughly.

Sleepiness is transformed by right aim - that is not letting attention become diffuse. Aim attention at the very moment, one breath, one step at a time. I always relate it to trying to get noodles out of my bowl. If I do not focus and aim correctly I can not get the noodles onto the fork or chopsticks, but with right aim I can finish my meal.

Restlessness is transformed by happiness, or comfort of mind. Notice that awareness can go anywhere. You can look at a painful experience with an awareness that is open and free, even though the object may be painful. Restlessness requires that we slow down and take in less and focus more. When we focus on just one moment we can slow down the mind. This insight can be useful in overcoming feelings of restlessness.

Doubt is transformed by sustained attention in the moment. The mind filled with doubt is a mind that hovers, uncertain of what to do or commit to. If you allow your attention to sink into the object of the present moment - to really connect with that object - that attention will energetically transform the quality of doubt.

I hope in someway this has helped provide a better understanding of what goes on in our minds from day to day. Many people call the results of the hindrances their emotions and yes they can run away like a wild horse in the pasture. But once we can begin to recognize these emotions as by products of the hindrances we can begin to tame the horse and ride with confidence and compassion in the seat of our lives.

Have a beautiful day and consider this: You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel. You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.

Peace and Love, Jim