| 1. DESIRES: These are troublesome, especially | | | | more important than even intelligence, or a formal |
| strong sensual desires. Basic needs such as simple | | | | education in the long run. Energy helps with |
| food and shelter we can dismiss here; we are | | | | positive attitudes that result many times in |
| talking more about blind grasping where we are | | | | positive relationships. |
| so caught up in acquiring pleasurable experiences | | | | 4. RESTLESSNESS: Restlessness is a feeling of |
| that we lose our sense of balance. In meditation, | | | | worry and unsettledness, as if you are not |
| thinking about these kinds of things distract us, | | | | peaceful and contented. Restlessness can be the |
| and if we actually indulge in the quest for sensual | | | | opposite of slothfulness, where now there is too |
| desires when not meditating, then when we | | | | much undirected energy, or energy that is |
| attempt to meditate, our practice will be disturbed | | | | directed into the wrong areas resulting in |
| by a restless, ambitious mind, and it will be difficult | | | | moodiness, a feeling of unhappiness with others, |
| to go deep. | | | | and sometimes a general boredom. There is a |
| In life, when we chase after pleasures, pain is | | | | vague sensation of guilt or not being at ease, and |
| many times our reward. We can go to great | | | | your mind will jump from one thing to another as |
| lengths seeking constant pleasure, all the way to | | | | you attempt to escape these feelings. Again, |
| drug addiction, but since pleasure always fades in | | | | these negative feelings, along with the associated |
| time, our levels of pleasure must constantly be | | | | thoughts that try to find some relief from them, |
| shored up, and soon the pursuit of pleasure | | | | disturb your meditation immensely. |
| becomes a liability. No pleasure has the power to | | | | In life, restlessness causes complications. The |
| last forever, although we mistakenly think that it | | | | primary complication is prematurely changing |
| will. | | | | circumstances at the first hint of adversity |
| 2. ANGER: Anger includes ill will, jealousy, | | | | without giving a situation time to mature and |
| aggravation, frustration, and all the things we | | | | ripen. We can go through life temporarily hitting |
| normally feel during a hectic day. If we take | | | | one high spot after another and never really |
| these feelings with us into meditation, our entire | | | | explore the depths of their immense possibilities. |
| meditation session will result in thinking about how | | | | 5. DOUBT: This begins as a little niggle that can |
| to solve our frustrations. Barring a fundamental | | | | develop into huge roadblocks if we continue to |
| change in the way we approach life, however, | | | | feed its negative energy. Doubt can begin as a |
| there is no solution to these frustrations; our | | | | feeling of uncertainty, followed by thoughts and |
| approach to life only changes when we | | | | intellectualizing about what we are doing and why |
| understand our thoughts -- and meditation begins | | | | it may be illogical, as we find ourselves standing at |
| that process of understanding by observing | | | | a crossroads forever. We can doubt our ability to |
| thoughts. | | | | ever get anywhere in our practice, we can doubt |
| In life, Anger and ill will can have much more | | | | if we are doing it correctly, and we can doubt if |
| serious consequences, leading all the way to war. | | | | the practice will actually produce results. These |
| Until we learn to deal with our annoyances and | | | | are all thoughts, and during concentration |
| anger, the burden of their inflammatory influences | | | | meditation, all doubt should be looked upon as |
| will only muddy the waters, and the world will | | | | hindrances. |
| continue to be a dangerous place -- not a place of | | | | In life, doubt can be helpful if we doubt and |
| peace where we can safely and comfortably | | | | question life itself, for then we become seekers. |
| explore our deeper relationships as human beings. | | | | If, however, doubt manifests as a lack of |
| 3. SLOTHFULNESS: This one includes tiredness, | | | | confidence, in ourselves or our situations, or if we |
| lethargy, and a general lack of interest. It is one | | | | doubt our ability to do well or succeed, then doubt |
| of the most common hindrances to meditation. In | | | | can be counterproductive and actually lead to |
| the beginning, meditation may be the first | | | | depression and lack of purpose. Doubt can make |
| opportunity we have had, for a long time, to | | | | us fearful of failure, fearful of success, and fearful |
| relax, and since we are all overstressed and | | | | of making decisions. Actually, doubt reflects fear |
| overworked, we naturally fall asleep right there | | | | in many ways. |
| sitting on our cushion! In order to overcome this | | | | All in all, life is no different from meditation. |
| impediment, we need to get the proper amount | | | | Meditation is merely a condensation of life into |
| of sleep and rest, but more importantly, we need | | | | concise, manageable settings where one can learn |
| to reduce our stress levels. Meditation can help in | | | | important life lessons without the necessity of |
| both areas, as meditation, if done correctly, can | | | | acting them out. It's a short cut if you will, a way |
| be even more restful than sleep, and reduce | | | | to see life in new and creative ways. As a result, |
| stress levels significantly as well. | | | | even the most ordinary, mundane life will produce |
| In life, slothfulness can lead to many problems. | | | | metaphysical awakenings all the time. |
| Without energy, not much can be accomplished; | | | | If we can work consciously with these five |
| energy is very important in all aspects of life. | | | | impediments, both in our meditation practice and |
| Successful people have an almost unlimited | | | | in our lives, before we know it both our practice |
| amount of energy, and energy many times is | | | | and our life experience will show excellent results. |