Meditation Beyond Mindfulness
Meditation can have many different focuses. For example, we might cultivate loving-kindess, or reflect on the true nature of reality. Or we might explore mindfulness itself, bringing our full attention to one aspect of our experience.
What happens in meditation is that by stilling and quieting the mind, we begin to see the grooves of our mind—what it gets up to all the time. Usually, we don’t have enough mindfulness to notice this. As a result, meditation can feel like a confrontation with yourself, but really, it’s just revealing what’s always happening beneath the surface.
Difficulties in Meditation — The Five Hindrances
The Buddha taught that, as human beings, we fall into five main ways of coming away from the present moment. These are called hindrances. The invitation is to see these hindrances not as obstacles but as teachings—gold dust, if you will, that can guide us in a good direction.
The five hindrances are:
Restlessness and anxiety: This could be physical restlessness, where you just want to get up and move, or the restlessness of the mind that won’t stop racing.
Sloth and torpor: Sleepiness or dullness, which often appears when we meditate—even if we were energetic before sitting.
Desire for sense experience: Getting fixated on something pleasant, like food, comfort, or a pleasant sensation, thinking, “Everything would be better if…” Ill will and aversion: Fixating on something uncomfortable, which can feel like a strong block to meditation.
Doubt and indecision: The voice that says, “I can’t do this,” or questions the practice altogether.
Working with the Hindrances
The key to working with hindrances is:
Acknowledge them: Recognize and name the hindrance.
Have confidence: Trust that you can work with the hindrance—it’s not an impossible force.
Start where you are: Accept your current experience and resolve to work with it. For example, if your mind is filled with sense desire, acknowledge it and begin there. Don't think of the hindrance as an obstacle but as practice.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
You can also think about the consequences of letting the hindrances take over. For instance, if restlessness makes you want to get up and leave, consider what that might lead to and whether it aligns with your intention.
Another method is to cultivate a "sky-like mind." When a hindrance feels overwhelming, try to expand your awareness outward, creating a sense of spaciousness.
Finally, commit to your potential for change. In Buddhist terms, this is the practice of "going for refuge"—recognizing our unlimited potential for growth and transformation. This helps not to give into the hindrance and stop, but instead to respond creatively.
Come to the Croydon Buddhsit Centre and Learn More
Whether you're new to meditation or have lots of experience under your belt, the Croydon Buddhist Centre can help you go deeper with your practice. Learn more by visitin our Courses page.
Watch Week 1 of the Finding Sanity in a Crazy World course here: