Let's De-nourish The Five Hindrances
From Rik Center:
A mindfulness meditation practice is an offering to ourselves in that we are asking our mind to awaken and see the nature of life how is. In doing so we must meet and acknowledge where we grasp and resist clear awareness that keeps us fostering patterns of discontentment and suffering for ourselves.
To see with clear comprehension we develop an inner compassion for ourselves. We learn to allow in emotional feelings we may have pushed away in the past that will challenge old patterns we’ve been attached to and afraid to let go of. Asking the mind to look at our actions and feelings from the stance of an observer may not always be comfortable, as they may include embarrassment, shame and self-doubt. Yet, it will also include a new sense of empowerment and self-respect. We are asking ourselves to challenge the perceptions of past thinking that is imbedded in un-useful behavioral habits we may have created a self-identify from.
The Buddha’s teaching of liberation points out the “5-hindrances’ that stand in the way of our ability to suffer less. Working through the hinderances with compassion, we are willing to stop feeding unwholesome patterns that keep nourishing our stresses and anxieties. We develop wholesome qualities that bring more ease into our life. Life is difficult enough why feed and defend unskillful mind qualities that keep us wound up with anger, aversion and grief?
Unskillful patterns of thinking that show through our personal actions and words are called "hindrances" because they hinder and obstruct our path toward liberating the heart and mind.
1. Sensual/Sense desire: An over attachment to our senses in that we feed a greediness for more and more. We may have a belief that by clinging to what is pleasurable in the moment will lead to an ultimate happiness.
2. Ill-will: Giving unwise attention to objects we dislike and too much attention to thoughts of negativity.
3. Sloth and torpor: We nourish sluggishness, our lack of energy and may even defend it. We are unmotivated and may not even put much effort into our meditation and mindfulness practice. This can feed a lack of self-respect.
4. Restlessness and remorse: We feed unsettling energies without even challenging them till we become lost. We feel hopeless in our ability to pause or find stillness and calm.
5. Skeptical doubt: We loose faith in ourselves and may have a lack self trust. We can stayed looped in never trying something new that keeps us from growth and maturing.
Antidote To De-nourish The Hindrances:
1. Sensual/Sense desire, Antidote: Contemplate impermanence. Everything at some-point expires, comes to an end. Utilizing the wisdom factor of our mind we recognize thoughts of over clinging and delusion.
2. Ill-will, Antidote: Metta, developing a loving-kindness practice, a wish of goodness for all beings. We recognize that all beings suffer and can become lost. Instead of feeding thoughts of negativity we develop thoughts of generosity and goodness for all.
3. Sloth and torpor, Antidote: We sharpen the mind to see how we become lost, we arouse energy. We move, we walk, we exercise, we stand up. Create practices that energize the body and mind.
4. Restlessness and remorse, Antidote: We stop looking for perfection and always finding fault. We learn to readjust to circumstances that are in the present. We develop self-care practices and behaviors that arouse inner calmness and our ability to see with clarity.
5. Skeptical doubt, Antidote: We trust learning from experience versus being afraid of it. We learn not to fear the unknown though recognize our ability to try something new and different. We seek out those who are more experienced and practiced than we are and learn from them.
The human mind is able to step onto a path that seeks new ways of learning that lessens our indulgence in unskillful habits.
Nourish that which is kinder and more wholesome toward ourselves and others, our world needs it. This begins with each of us individually taking on practices that open the heart and mind. No one else can do this for you, it’s not possible.