Obstacles That Hinder Progress Towards a Calm Mind

Last Updated on October 12, 2017 by Matthew Sockolov

Try as you might, you may never perfect the art of meditation in your lifetime. This is why it is called a practice. With effort and experience, you can become skilled at calming and quieting the mind through samatha practice, but there are common obstacles that can hinder progress.

In Buddhist tradition, there are five known factors that hinder progress in meditation.

• Sensory desire (kāmacchanda)

This obstacle covers the type of wanting where a person seeks happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, taste, smell, and feeling. Sensory desire can manifest itself in various ways, including:

1. 1. Overeating
   2. Excessive alcohol consumption
   3. Doing drugs
   4. Sex addiction
   5. Thrill-seeking behavior

When you are attached to external pleasures such as those mentioned above, it is difficult to calm the mind. People who allow sensory desires to control them cannot have the type of mental control necessary to meditate. If you have a problem with any of the sensory desires, you can strengthen your meditation practice by addressing the problem.

• Ill-will (vyāpāda or byāpāda)

People commonly misunderstand the definition of karma. Karma literally means “action” or “deed,” and it refers to the way our thoughts and actions create an energy that is returned to us. There’s a subtle difference between this and the what-goes-around-comes-around definition that society has adopted. Karma is not about revenge. In fact, your desire for revenge will only create negative energy for you.

To strengthen your meditation practice, avoid feelings of hostility, hatred, resentment, and bitterness. The following are thoughts, desires, and intentions that foster ill will and will hinder your ability to meditate:

1. 1. Grudges
   2. Revenge
   3. Gossip
   4. Hate
   5. Racism
   6. Sexism

Feelings of ill will are some of the hardest to control. This is why they are so harmful in a meditative practice. Be mindful of your thoughts and try to redirect any negativity throughout your day. This should help keep your mind strong for meditating.

• Sloth-and-torpor (thīna-middha)

We’ve all had days where we sat on the couch with our hand in a bowl of popcorn actively dreading anything that challenges our “relaxation.” Although this may feel good in the moment, it probably isn’t true relaxation. Heaviness of the body and dullness of the mind will halt your natural flow of inertia and may even usher you into a state of depression.

If you are guilty of the following two sloth-and-torpor activities, they are likely hindering your meditation practice.

1. 1. Lack of exercise
   2. Mindless activities (tv watching)

• Restlessness-and-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca)

Anyone who has attempted meditation knows that it’s difficult to calm the mind. It’s even more difficult for people who succumb to restlessness and worry. Worrying thoughts spread like wildfire in the mind. Before long, they have taken over, and it’s difficult to recover. The more you let your mind wander towards thoughts of worry, the more difficult it will be to meditate. Think of your mind as a muscle. Every time you can reign in your restless thoughts, you are strengthening that muscle. Keep practicing.

Be on the lookout for the following thoughts and feelings that exacerbate restlessness and worry.

1. 1. Anxiety
   2. Self-consciousness
   3. Poor self-esteem

If you’re having trouble controlling anxiety or worrying thoughts, it may help to talk to a counselor.

• Doubt (vicikicchā)

Have you ever been so unsure of yourself or a decision that it’s all you can think about? Did I make the right choice? Is it too late to change my mind? These thoughts are normal, but they can get in the way of your meditation practice. If you have a general lack of conviction or trust in yourself, this is something you should work on. When self-confidence replaces self-doubt, you’ll find it much easier to achieve a state of calm relaxation. People who doubt themselves tend to feel a responsibility to overthink problems from all angles. The biggest problem with this behavior is that it can proceed without an end. Learn to avoid the following conditions, and you’ll spend more time in the present moment with a quiet mind.

1. 1. Self-doubt
   2. Overthinking things
   3. Lack of confidence
   4. Worrying about what other people think

Although many common obstacles are outlined here, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list. You may find other ways that you are doubting yourself or succumbing to sensory desires. Any thoughts, intentions or behaviors that fall into the above five categories can hinder your meditation practice.

Awareness is always the first step in combating these obstacles. Once you understand exactly how and why your mind is being overstimulated, you can begin to address the individual problems and strengthen your practice.

How you address each obstacle will depend on your situation, strength and resolve. You may need help in the form of counseling to address one or all of these issues, and that is ok. Your ultimate goal is to gain control over these obstacles in order to strengthen and calm your mind.

This is a journey, and only you know how to reach your destination.

Check out our page of doubt quotes for more thoughts from leaders and teachers about doubt.

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]