Unhindered

A Mindful Path Through

the Five Hindrances

Gil Fronsdal
 Tranquil Books
108 Birch St
Redwood City, CA 94062

Copyright © 2013 by Gil Fronsdal

All rights reserved.

Cover photo: Ed Hathorne

ISBN: 978-0-9898334-0-0
 DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the welfare and happiness of every­

one walking a path of awareness and freedom. May the bene­
fits of this journey extend into our society.
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 CONTENTS

Acknowledgments ix

1 How to Use This Book 1

2 Hindrances to Mindfulness 5
and Clarity

3 Hindrances Along the Path 19

to Freedom

4 Sensual Desire 23

5 Ill Will 39

6 Sloth and Torpor 55

7 Restlessness and Worry 69

8 Doubt 83

9 After the Hindrances 97

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am grateful to all those who have listened to my talks on
Buddhist practice and meditation. Supported by their interest
and sincerity I have been motivated to continue my learning
and practice on the path of freedom. I have also learned
much from the wisdom and experience of my students.
This book was born in a field of generosity for which I am
deeply grateful. Many people have contributed to its creation
over a span of a number of years. It has its origins in Judy
Cannon generously volunteering to transcribe a series of talks
I gave on the hindrances.
Ines Freedman helped edit the transcriptions into newslet­
ter articles and organize the material for an online course
which she administered and co-taught with other volunteers.
Ines has helped make these teachings available to so many
people in so many ways; I am very grateful. The articles were
also used for a yearlong study program I taught on the hin­
drances at the Insight Meditation Center.
I offer a deep bow to Diana Clark for her work in prepar­
ing this book for publication. With skill and wisdom she
helped conceive, edit, and design the book. Her devotion to
the path of freedom and service has benefited many people.
Many thanks to Dawn Neal for her suggestions on the de­
sign of the book. I also extend my gratitude to Aruna for
making the drawings illustrating this book. She has infused
her art with her own strong practice.
Many thanks also to Elena Silverman who helped design
the cover. I have tremendous appreciation for Elena’s great
generosity in bringing to print many of my writings over
many years. Thanks also to Ed Hathorne for graciously allow­
ing us to use his photograph on the cover.
 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book is intended to be a guide for working with the five

hindrances as they appear both in meditation and in one’s
daily life. Towards this end, a short essay discussing each hin­
drance is followed by reflections and practices. These sug­
gested activities are designed to provide a deeper, experiential
understanding of the hindrances, rather than just an intellec­
tual one.
I have composed this book for those practicing mindful­
ness and walking the Buddhist path to inner awakening, free­
dom and liberation. As an approach for developing an
heightened awareness of our lived experience in the present,
mindfulness is a foundation for wisdom and spiritual freedom
taught by the Buddha. If you would like to understand more
about mindfulness practice, you can read my book The Issue at
Hand: Essays on the Buddhist Practice o f Mindfulness.
I hope this book will help you better identify the hin­
drances in your life, recognize how they operate and under­
stand how to find freedom with them. While I hope that
simply reading this book will benefit you, I believe the book
will have greater value if you actively engage with it and relate
it to your own life. Taking the time to do the reflections and
practices as well as reading, rereading and contemplating the
 essays can be transformative.
Rather than reading the entire book in one sitting, I rec­
ommend reading it in sections, spending time in between ex­
ploring the relevance of what you have read. In what
circumstances are the teachings beneficial in your life? Are
there passages that especially resonate for you? Are there pas­
sages that are uncomfortable for you? What can you learn
from these passages?
I suggest you also experiment with reading the book after
meditation. You may then find you have a greater engage­
ment with the material.
If possible, find a friend with whom you can discuss the
chapters and their reflections and practices. Ideally your
friend is reading and doing the practices as well. Sharing your
explorations of each hindrance with another will help you
find freedom from the hindrances. Often, in discussing topics
with others, we discover new understandings and insights that
might not have been available to us if we had not shared our
ideas.
Another option is to have weekly meetings to discuss the
reflections and practices with a group of other practitioners.
A purpose of these gatherings is to have a safe, supportive
environment where members are able to explore the hin­
drances in a meaningful and substantial way. Such meetings
are sometimes called kaly ana mitta groups using the Buddhist
word for “good spiritual friends.” They usually meet in peo­
ple’s homes where participants gather to meditate, discuss
aspects of Buddhist practice and sometimes share a potluck
meal.
If you have such a group, a few guidelines can support the
discussion. First, participants should only discuss the reflec­
tions and practices that they feel comfortable sharing. There
is no need to share the deepest, most intimate aspects of our­
selves in these settings. Second, it is generally not helpful to
give advice. While advice-giving is often well-meaning, it can
be uncomfortable to receive and may hinder further explora­
tion or discussion by the person who is sharing. Third, confi­
dentiality is paramount. To support everyone feeling
comfortable discussing their practice with the hindrances it is
vital to keep the discussions confidential—do not tell others
what any member discloses during the discussions.

In this book, a few key messages are repeated, in discussions

of different hindrances. This allows a practitioner to turn to
the relevant chapter if he or she is working with a particularly
strong hindrance without having to read the preceding chap­
ters. In fact, while the hindrances are presented in this book
in their traditional order, if you find some hindrances more
troubling than others, you may want to read those chapters
after reading the introductory chapters.
Repetition in this book also points out that recognizing
and working with the hindrances is not complicated. It can be
very simple. There are not complicated techniques to master.
Finally, not every approach for working with the hin­
drances has been presented in this book. Instead, I hope this
book encourages you to explore and discover new ways to
work with them yourself.
 HINDRANCES TO
MINDFULNESS AND
CLARITY

Anyone practicing mindfulness knows there are forces in the

mind that can make it difficult to stay attentive to one’s pre­
sent moment experience. Ranging from weak to very power­
ful, these forces hamper our ability to remain mindful,
develop concentration and have clear insight. They pull our
attention away from our efforts to meditate. Even with the
best of intentions to stay focused, these forces can propel us
into the world of pre-occupation and distracted thought.
Rather than reacting to these difficulties as being “bad,”
“distractions,” or personal failings, it is important to be mind­
ful of them. In that they are happening in the present, they
can be a basis for cultivating greater awareness and wisdom.
They can become part of the path of practice, rather than a
detour. This book is designed to teach ways to do this.
It is important to investigate the forces of distraction and
agitation carefully to understand their nature and how they
work. It is easier to find freedom from something when we
know it thoroughly. Ancient Buddhist stories tell of Mara, the
Buddhist personification of temptation and distraction, ap­
proaching the Buddha. Each time Mara arrives, the Buddha
simply says, “Mara, I see you," and Mara flees. Recognizing
Mara was effective in bringing freedom from Mara.

The F iv e H in d ran ces

Of the many forces of distraction, five are traditionally identi­
fied as particularly important for people practicing Buddhist
mindfulness and meditation. Known as the five hindrances,
they are workings of the mind that can hinder both our ability
to see clearly and our capacity to develop a stable, concen­
trated mind. The hindrances are sensual desire; ill will; sloth
and torpor; restlessness and worry and doubt.
As you can see, the list is actually made up of seven fac­
tors, but four are always paired. One explanation for the
paired items is that they represent closely related physical and
mental factors.
The first two hindrances are related by being opposite
qualities. Desire and ill will are both forms of wanting, albeit
in opposing ways. Desire wants to have something, whereas
ill will wants to push something way. The third and fourth
hindrances are similarly seen as opposing tendencies. They
both involve levels of energy or vitality. Sloth and torpor are
low energy states while restlessness and worry are high energy
states.
The fifth hindrance, doubt, is not specifically connected
with any of the other hindrances or distinguished into physi­
cal and mental aspects. This is because doubt is often en­
twined with any combination of the other hindrances and can
affect our body and mind.
 The Five Hindrances
Sensual desire

III will

Sloth and torpor

Restlessness and worry

Doubt

S im ile s fo r th e h in d ra n c e s
The hindrances can be like “black holes” in the mind. A black
hole is a collapsed star where the gravitational force is so
powerful that even light is sucked in and trapped. When the
hindrances are strong, the light of awareness is pulled into
their gravitational field and we lose our ability to see clearly.
The hindrances are not only present in meditation. They
can frequently occur in our daily life as well, at times casting a
powerful influence on our lives. For example, strong addic­
tion to sense pleasure or to ill will can cause people to do
things they regret for decades, maybe even for the remainder
of their lives. Actions motivated by the five hindrances can be
detrimental to ourselves, to others and even to our whole so­
ciety.
When they are not strong enough to act like black holes,
the hindrances can still hinder our ability to see clearly. Bud­
 dhism emphasizes that this lack of clarity causes us to misun­
derstand which thoughts, words and actions are harmful and
which are beneficial. With its false promise of gratification,
strong sensual desire can blind us to the consequences of in­
appropriate pursuit of pleasure. The pressure of ill-will may
cause us to act before reflecting carefully on the consequenc­
es. This is why Buddhist teachings strongly encourage people
not to make decisions while under the influence of a hin­
drance. It is better, if possible, to wait to make a decision un­
til the mind is more settled or clear.
An ancient Buddhist analogy for the hindrances is a
steady, strong river. If channels appear on either side of the
river, the water is diverted away. As this happens more and
more, the amount of water in the river decreases, as does the
strength of the river current. If enough water is redirected the
river dries up. In the same way, when the hindrances are par­
ticularly strong, mindfulness dries up. Similarly, we can have a
strong direction or intention in our lives, but that sense of
purpose can be siphoned off by the hindrances.
Another analogy the Buddha gave regarding the five hin­
drances is that of gold. In order to work with it and shape it
into a beautiful object, gold needs to be soft and malleable.
The more pure the gold is, the more malleable it is. The same
is true of the mind. If we purify the mind of the hindrances
then the mind is no longer stiff and rigid; it becomes wieldy
and can be shaped into something beautiful.
An ancient metaphor for how the hindrances
obscure clarity of mind is that of a pond which,
when clean and the surface is still, reflects our
image.

Sensual desire is like looking into a pond that has

been dyed. We are predisposed to seeing unreal­
istically - i.e., "seeing with rose colored glasses."

When the heat of ill will is present, it is as if the

pond water is boiling; no reflection is possible
until the water cools down.

Sloth and torpor are like having thick algae grow­

ing across the pond; again, no reflection is possi­
ble except by the difficult work of pulling out the
algae.

Restlessness and worry are like the wind churn­

ing up the pond's surface; no reflection is possi­
ble until the wind calms down.

Doubt is like water filled with mud; not only is

reflection not possible, trudging through the
mud is difficult.
H in d ran ces as s tra te g ie s
These five hindrances can also be seen as strategies we use
when challenged or uncomfortable. When situations are diffi­
cult, having sensual desires and fantasies can be a way of
avoiding facing what is uncomfortable. Alternatively, some
people resort to ill will and blame as a way of dealing with
difficulties. Sloth and torpor can arise as strategies of re­
sistance; they are ways to pull away and disengage from a
challenge. In contrast, some people become restless and agi­
tated and start running around in circles in order to not face
difficult situations. The last hindrance, doubt, is sometimes
used to avoid making decisions.
The hindrances operate in everyone; their presence is not a
personal failing. Because humans are born with the mental
capacity for the hindrances, they will surely operate in us. In­
stead of seeing the hindrances as personal failings, it is useful
to view their occurrence as something to include as part of
our mindfulness practice. It is best not to look for quick fixes
in overcoming the hindrances. The more carefully and pa­
tiently we bring them within the scope of our practice, the
better chance we have of understanding them. The stronger
the hindrance, the more important it is to learn how it works
in us.

B . E .L . L .A . P ra c tic in g w ith th e h in d ra n c e s
Addressing the hindrances with mindfulness practice can be
divided into five different aspects. These fit into the acronym
BELLA. As many know, "bella" translates into English as
"beautiful." The acronym describes the mind that is revealed
when the hindrances are overcome and mindfulness becomes
strong.
BELLA: Be
When a hindrance appears it is useful to first let it be. This
does not mean giving in to it or intentionally participating
with the thinking it may involve. Rather, it means not acting
on it or reacting to it. It involves the useful training in staying
present for our experience without being in conflict with it.
There is no need to be discouraged, angry or self —critical
when faced with a hindrance. Letting a hindrance be is a prac­
tice of finding an inner stability and equanimity in the face of
destabilizing forces.
The practice of letting a hindrance be becomes most effec­
tive when combined with a clear recognition and acknowl­
edgment of the hindrance. The clearer the recognition and
mindfulness, the more we pull ourselves out of the gravita­
tional force of the hindrance, the greater is our freedom from
it. Recognition also ensures our practice is honest and realis­
tic.

BELLA: Examine
This is the most important aspect of practicing with the hin­
drances. Just as spiritual freedom requires wisdom, so over­
coming the hindrances requires us to understand them well.
If we know all their guises and tricks we are less likely to be
tricked by them. Because examination is so important, this
step in BELLA receives the most discussion below.
The Buddha taught a number of areas to explore when in­
vestigating a hindrance. These include different aspects of the
hindrance itself, the conditions that cause the arising and
passing of the hindrance and the experience of not having the
hindrance.
Exploring the hindrance in and of itself involves recogniz­
ing the components of a hindrance, e.g. its physical, energetic,
 emotional, cognitive and motivational aspects. For example,
strong desire may be experienced physically as a leaning for­
ward, a tightening of the solar plexus, or a sense of lightness.
Energetically it may involve pressure, a rush of restlessness or
an upwelling surge of vitality. Emotionally, sense desire may
involve pleasant emotions like delight, excitement, or eager­
ness. Cognitively, sense desire may involve beliefs and stories
we tell ourselves. And, motivationally, sense desire may come
as a strong impulse to act, to cling, or to fix.
Investigating a hindrance’s absence is also important. The
contrast between when it is absent and when it is present can
highlight different aspects of the hindrance. Noticing its ab­
sence can also help us better appreciate the value of being
free of a hindrance. Examining the absence of a hindrance
can be a source of delight supporting the spiritual life. I be­
lieve the Buddha was pointing to this delight when he offered
the following similes: Being freed from sensual desire is like
being freed from debt; being released from the grip of ill will
is like recovering from an illness; being free from sloth and
torpor is like being freed from prison; freedom from anxiety
and worry is like freedom from slavery and passing beyond
doubt is like completing a perilous desert crossing.
Learning how hindrances arise, how they are removed and
how they can be prevented from arising requires attention
and discernment. This is a way to overcome the hindering
effect of the hindrances. With enough wisdom about them
we learn not to be misled into giving in to a hindrance no
matter which one may appear.
The Buddhist word translated as 'hindrances' also has the
meaning of "covering.” This suggests, we can examine what
the hindrances are masking. For example, desire can be cov­
ering loneliness, ill will can be covering frustrated desire, sloth
and torpor can be covering fear, restlessness and worry can
be covering wanting approval and doubt can be covering a
reluctance to commit. Uncovering the roots of the hindrances
is one of the most effective ways of overcoming them. It in­
volves learning to notice what we often overlook.

Examine
The hindrance itself
Its absence
How it arose
How it is removed
How to prevent it from arising again

BELLA: Lessen
In addition to identifying and examining a hindrance it can
be helpful to lessen its strength. Relaxing both the body and
mind are often good ways to lessen the intensity of strong
bouts with a hindrance. By noticing tension connected to the
hindrances we can begin to soften that tension. If a hindrance
is overwhelming, lessening its power may require removing
ourselves from situations that reinforce it. Or it may be useful
to direct one’s attention to something that has a calming ef­
fect.
Focusing on an antidote to the hindrance can be helpful.
For example, cultivating loving kindness can help lessen ill
will; contemplating unattractive parts of the body may lessen
sexual compulsion.
BELLA: L et go
Once a hindrance is understood well enough it can be appro­
priate to let go of it. Sometimes this can be accomplished by
letting up on the pressure propelling the hindrance. It may
involve letting go of the thinking that perpetuates the hin­
drance. It might also require letting go of attachments to any
self-identity behind the hindrance.
The ability to let go of the hindrances grows with practice.
As mindfulness strengthens a time comes when mindfulness
becomes stronger than the force of the hindrances. The same
is true with our ability to let go. Letting go is like a muscle
that can become strong; the stronger the muscle of letting go,
the easier it is to leave a hindrance behind.

BELLA: A ppreciate
The path of freedom is nurtured by appreciating the times we
become free. When we have been caught up in an attach­
ment, it is useful to value the state of not being caught. When
a hindrance is no longer present it is useful to take time to
experience its absence.
To be mindful and present without being hijacked by the
hindrances is a joy. The relief that arises when the mind is
free of the hindrances is a delight. If you can feel this sense of
well-being, you will know a type of pleasure better than sense
pleasures, better than the energy of ill will. The mind will nat­
urally want more freedom, rather than losing freedom to the
hindrances.
Unhindered attention is a treasure. It is what allows mind­
fulness to do its most penetrating work of liberation. When
the mind is settled and freed of the hindrances we can look
more deeply into the functioning of the mind and so discover
the fullest possibilities of liberation.
BE L L A

Be
Examine
Lessen
Let go
Appreciate
 Reflections on the hindrances

Developing a practice of reflection and contemplation is a

very useful part of Buddhist practice. It helps extend the path
of mindfulness and awareness into all areas of our lives.
To observe how the hindrances operate in your life, please
reflect on the following questions. It might be useful to spend
several days on one of these sets of questions before moving
on to the next. It may also be useful to spend some time dis­
cussing your observations and reflections with others. Alter­
natively, or additionally, you could have a journal in which to
write and further reflect on these questions.

Predom inant hindrance

Which of the five hindrances is the strongest or most com­
mon for you? Which is the weakest? Which is most likely to
affect your meditation? Which is most likely to influence your
behavior in daily life?

Occasions fo r hindrances
In both meditation and daily life, on which occasions do the
hindrances usually arise in you? What are the common condi­
tions for their arising? What are the mental and emotional
states that are most likely to trigger the hindrances? What ex­
ternal circumstances elicit the hindrances?
 Unhindered

The hindering o f the hindrances

In what ways do the hindrances limit you? How do they di­
minish your ability to be mindful and wise? Do they interfere
with what you want to accomplish? What do the hindrances
hinder when you are practicing meditation? When you clearly
recognize the disadvantages of the hindrances, what conse­
quences does this recognition have on you?

Practicing with the hindrances

What understandings, abilities, states of mind, and practices
do you know that can best help free you from the grip of the
hindrances? You might draw up a list and then consider
which you are most familiar with. Which has been most use­
ful? What is your motivation for practicing with the hin­
drances? How important is it for you to overcoming their
hindering influence?

O pportunities fo r practicing
Notice what opportunities you have in your daily life to bring
mindfulness to the hindrances. Are you able to use some or
all of the practices included in the acronym B.E.L.L.A. (Be,
Examine, Lessen, Let go, Appreciate)? Which of these are
most useful for you? What obstructs your ability to practice
with the hindrances? What supports your ability to do so?
 HINDRANCES ALONG
THE PATH OF FREEDOM

Walking the Buddhist path of freedom and awakening in­

cludes cultivating insight into how we are not free or spiritu­
ally awake. This insight provides a realistic understanding of
the path by showing us what needs to be addressed. It also
makes clear what we are free from when we become free and
how we were asleep before we woke up.
By becoming wise about the five hindrances we are less
likely to assume we are free when we are not. We are more
likely to recognize when the hindrances are still operating.
Many experiences identified as “spiritual” have subtle hin­
drances present. By being familiar with the hindrances we
may notice the continued subtle influence of desire, aversion,
or other impediments to our spiritual path. We can then ap­
preciate we have more of the path to walk and avoid the trap
of becoming complacent with our practice.
Without an understanding of the hindrances, spiritual
freedom may sometimes be confused with the freedom of
unhindered pursuit of desire, unrestrained expressions of
aversion, unchallenged disinterest of sloth and torpor, unin­
hibited movements of restlessness, or the unquestioned skep­
 ticism of doubt. In these situations the hindrances themselves
may be unhindered but we are not free.
When the hindrances are present the path to inner peace is
through them. Rather than viewing their presence as mistakes
or obstacles, it is useful to turn toward them as if they are
doors to walk through. They are the occasion for cultivating
liberating insight and freedom.
One important area of wisdom regarding the hindrances
includes how we relate to their presence. What attitude, reac­
tion or belief do we have toward the hindrances? Do we have
secondary hindrances in reaction to the recognition of a hin­
drance in ourselves? Do we desire the pleasure of desire fan­
tasies? Do we have aversion toward aversion? Do we become
either lethargic or restless if any of the hindrances become
strong? Or does the presence of a hindrance trigger doubt
about the practice or ourselves?
These secondary hindrances play an important role in our
tendency to define ourselves by the hindrances. Any self-
identity formed around the presence of a hindrance can be
reinforced by further desire, aversion or any other hindrance.
The hindrance of aversion in particular operates this way: first
we define our self as a person with hindrances and then we
have aversion toward our self for being such a person. The
alternative is to recognize a hindrance when it occurs without
constructing a self-concept based on it. Hindrances occur,
they are not who we are.
Instead of giving in to the hindrances or reacting toward
them with more hindrances, we can bring mindfulness to
them. With practice, mindfulness eventually becomes strong­
er than the power of the hindrances. It is possible to step
back and observe them rather than be pushed or pulled
around by them. In fact, choosing to be mindful of a hin-
drance is a significant step toward being free of it. It is a way
to turn toward a hindrance while at the same time finding
freedom in relationship to it.
In different circumstances different practices support the
growth of mindfulness. The acronym B.E.L.L.A. names five
general approaches. Sometimes we practice letting Be; some­
times we Examine; sometimes we Lessen their intensity; oth­
er times we Let go; and when possible we Appreciate
whatever degree of freedom we have.
One of the most important turning points in practicing
with the hindrances is when we choose freedom over being
hindered. While most times we do not see ourselves as
choosing to be involved with the hindrances, when we are
pre-occupied or identified with a hindrance we endow the
hindrance with importance. Some part of ourselves believes
the hindrance has value and that belief fuels our continued
engagement, even our attachment, to the hindrance. Freedom
from the hindrances begins when we no longer invest im­
portance in them and instead begin to appreciate the value of
being unattached, dis-invested and independent of the hin­
drances.
While inner freedom may be experienced differently by
different people, those on a path of freedom come to share a
deep trust in non-clinging. Loosening the grip of attachment
and pre-occupation frees us from the suffering of clinging. It
gives us the chance to respond to the world with greater wis­
dom and choice. It also can reveal the tremendous beauty
that lays hidden when the hindrances predominate.
Like turbulent water becoming clear and still, a mirror
cleaned, or a bird gliding in the open air, inner freedom is ac­
companied with peace, clarity, and resting in openness. Any
degree of spiritual freedom points to the possibility of living
 Unhindered

with inner ease, joy, and wisdom. When we are able to shift
from being pre-occupied with the hindrances to being guided
by freedom, we have made the path of freedom our own.
 SENSUAL DESIRE

It is said that practicing mindfulness is easy; remembering to

do so is difficult. To help us remember, it is useful to have a
clear understanding of the forces in our minds that contribute
to our forgetting. The one the Buddhist tradition focuses on
most is desire.
Occasionally Buddhism has the reputation of being anti­
desire; however, this is a misunderstanding. Desire is ubiqui­
tous in human life —living without wants, wishes, motiva­
tions, or aspirations is impossible. Buddhism emphasizes
skillful desires and distinguishing the healthy, useful desires
from the unhealthy ones. Rather than being anti-desire, Bud­
dhism focuses on overcoming the desires that bring suffering
while at the same time encouraging us to act on those leading
to liberation and compassion.
Some desires benefit our world and ourselves, other de­
sires cause harm, sometimes tremendous harm. An important
aspect of the path to the ending of suffering is becoming wise
about harmful desires. This is not easy when desires operate
in a way that mask the suffering they cause. Sometimes the
fantasy of getting what we want can be so alluring that we
don’t notice the underlying suffering or consider the conse­
quences of acting on the desire. Or we may not notice that
There is no clarity in a mind that is like a dyed pond
the desire is a running away from discomfort, perhaps even
the discomfort associated with having the desire itself.
Even when what we desire is healthy and useful, the ways
in which we act on the desire may not be. For example, if we
focus too much on what we want we may not notice that the
mental activity of having the desire includes painful clinging.
Any desire, healthy or unhealthy, can easily manifest as a
compulsion. Wherever there is compulsion, we are not free.
In the West, we sometimes call particularly strong desires ad­
dictions. In Buddhism these are called cravings, clingings, or
thirsts.
Because desire has such an important role in human life,
we need to understand its nature, dangers, opportunities, and
workings. For this purpose it is helpful to notice the differ­
ence between simple desire, and the tension associated with
craving. It can also be useful to notice how preoccupation
with any desire contributes to an alienation from ourselves,
from the present moment, and even from others. People
caught in the web of desire often live on the surface of life.
Sometimes we are caught between competing desires.
Healthier desires are all too easily crowded out by desires for
comfort or pleasure. For example, some people desire to eat
healthily but give in to the attraction and ease of eating junk
food instead.
The conflict between desires is particularly evident when
people meditate. One common hindrance to meditation is
our propensity to think. Thinking can be compulsive when
associated with a strong desire for what we are thinking about
or because we are simply addicted to thinking itself. The wish
to remain mindfully present has to contend with the mind’s
desire to think.
 Unhindered

P ra c tic in g w ith d e sire

Some people are quick to justify desire, others are quick to
condemn it. The alternative is to study desire, appreciating its
central role in human experience.
We can study what we desire. What is it exactly that we
want? Is it the object of desire we really want or is it some­
thing we hope attaining the desire will provide? What might
be the consequence of getting what we want? What impact
will it have on others, our community, or on our self?
A second way to investigate desire is to look carefully and
inquire what is underneath the desire, what fuels it. What are
the motivations that are being manifested by the desire? For
example, certain media messages, advertisements especially,
can promote a sense of lack and then a desire to fill that void.
Once we understand undesirable desire well enough it is
useful to discover how to be free of it. While not all desires
should be let go, it is important to have the ability to let go of
all of them. Meditation is one place to practice this skill.
When thoughts of what we desire interfere with meditation,
we let go of the desire so we can return to the practice. If the
mind wanders from a focus on breathing, we let go and come
back to the breath. By developing the ability to let go we de­
velop our ability to choose whether to pursue or to let go of a
desire.

S e n s u a l d e sire
Of all the desires people can have, Buddhism singles out sen­
sual desire, the first of the hindrances, as particularly im­
portant. The Pali word for sensual desire is kama-chanda.
Chanda simply means desire. Kama is a strong word referring
to sense pleasure, sensual passion and sexual lust. Together
these two words refer to compulsive preoccupation with sen­
sual pleasure and comfort.
Sensual desire can be for food, comfort, physical and sex­
ual experiences, sounds, smells, sights, and many other things.
Buddhism also recognizes that sensual desire may also be for
mental pleasures. Some people are addicted to or pulled into
the pleasures experienced in the mind. Examples of mental
pleasure are working puzzles or solving problems. Fantasizing
can also provide mental pleasure. Sometimes the pleasure
comes from imagining what we are thinking about, other
times it may be the pleasure of fantasizing itself which keeps
us caught.
Perhaps sensual desire is singled out as particularly haz­
ardous to meditators because reaching for pleasure and avoid­
ing pain are more basic than other desires. Even when the
mind is still enough not to be caught up in other desires, the
enticement of meditative pleasures can still be operating and
inhibiting further progress on the path.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with sensual
pleasure, the desire for it is called a hindrance when it inter­
feres with our ability to stay present. During meditation, even
the most innocent desire can distract awareness from the ra­
zor's edge of the present moment. If we want to stay on that
edge, we need to let go of anything that causes us to slip off.

P ra c tic in g w ith s e n s u a l d e sire

In mindfulness practice, there are four common ap­
proaches for overcoming sensual desires. All four require
choosing not to pursue the desire.
First, we can apply ourselves more diligently or energeti­
cally to whatever is the activity of the moment. This means
not letting the desire distract us from what we are doing. In
meditation this may mean redoubling our efforts to stay with
 the breath or another object of attention.
The second approach is to take a careful look at the object
of desire. Are we seeing it accurately? If we are spellbound by
the object of sensual desire it can be healthy to become dis­
enchanted with it; i.e., to see through any unrealistic projec­
tions or expectations. If the desire is fulfilled, it is also helpful
to see what happens then. Did it meet our expectations? Are
we now satisfied and content or was one desire simply re­
placed by others?
Third, we can turn our attention away from the object of
desire and instead become aware of the subjective experience
of desiring. We can examine the physical sensations and
quality of mind associated with having desire. To explore the
inner experience of sensual desire itself, it is important neither
to inhibit nor give in to the desire. Rather, the desiring is al­
lowed to flow freely without acting on it.
By turning attention to the subjective experience of having
desire for sense pleasure, we may discover what is connected
to the desire. It may be tied to ideas of security, success, sta­
tus, or to a need for reassurance. The desire may come with
compelling arguments and feelings about why it needs to be
pursued. We may have strong, unexamined beliefs about
pleasure and discomfort
Or we may discover that we are trying to use sense pleas­
ure to counter emotional challenges, such as sadness or lone­
liness. It is instructive that the English word “want” has two
meanings. In addition to being a synonym for desire, it can
also indicate an absence; for example, in the old saying, “for
want of a nail....” At times, addiction to sensual pleasure can
be a misplaced attempt to fill a feeling of absence or empti­
ness within. With mindfulness practice, we learn to fill an in­
ner emptiness with awareness.
 A fourth way of practicing with sensual desire is to devel­
op or cultivate a strong sense of well-being that is not sensual.
In this way, the desire for sense pleasures can simply fade
away from lack of interest. This is often a by-product of med­
itation; as we touch into the deep satisfaction of being pre­
sent, settled and concentrated in meditation, sensual desires
become less and less compelling. A significant sense of well­
being that can arise through meditation can also help heal
troubling feelings underlying some desires.
When a person has become quite familiar with his or her
tendency toward sensual desire, freedom may only require a
few moments of mindfulness, all that is needed is looking at
desire head on and naming it for what it is. Sometimes feeling
how it is experienced in the body helps free us from its allure.
Lastly, it also is helpful to clearly acknowledge whatever
sense of freedom, well-being, or ease that comes when the
grip of sensual desire lessens. This strengthens confidence
that we can avoid succumbing to the pull of desire. It also
helps us to value this freedom.
The more desire for sense pleasure hinders mindfulness,
the greater the value of learning to be free from it. And the
more we value that freedom and its pleasure, the more likely
that freedom guides us in deciding which desires or aspira­
tions we will allow to guide our life. The pleasures of freedom
are worth pursuing.
 Sensual Desire
Reflections and Practices

1 - Riding out a desire

Reflection
What affect does desire have on your body, your mind, and
your ability to pay attention? What parts of your body are ac­
tivated when your desires are strong? Is tension or stress pre­
sent with desire? Is your mental state more expanded or
constricted when you have desire? How might desire prevent
you from accurately seeing the object of desire?

Practice
Spend some days noticing your stronger desires for sensual
pleasure. Remember that mental pleasure is also a form of
sensual pleasure. Some typical forms of sensual desire are de­
sires related to food and drinks, sexuality, comfort, enter­
tainment, exercise. When you are having a strong bout of
desire, do not act on it or distract yourself from it. Instead,
bring mindfulness to what happens to the desire as you stay
aware of it. Stay mindful of it until it is no longer present.
How strong is the impulse to satisfy the desire? How does it
change as you remain mindful of it? What beliefs and justifi­
cations might come along with the desire? How long does it
last? How do you feel once the desire has passed?
What do you experience
once a sense desire
has been satisfied?
2 - Being a student of sense pleasure

Reflection
What role does sense pleasure have in your life? How much
are you oriented toward sense experiences? How much of
your day is spent in pursuit of sense pleasure? Which of your
daily activities are influenced by the desire for sense pleasure?
For example, in cooking a meal, how much of the preparation
time is devoted to enhancing the sense pleasure of the food?
Among the things you purchase, how much of the expense
results directly from the greater sense pleasure the object
brings?

Practice
Devote a period of time—at least a few days—to look for op­
portunities to study what effect the experience of sense
pleasure has on you. When and what kinds of sense pleasure
are more satisfying and less satisfying for you? What forms of
sense pleasures bring you the greatest feelings of well-being?
What do you experience after a sense desire has been satis­
fied?
What meaningful or satisfying feelings
do you have which are not
connected to sense pleasure?
3 - Cultivating contentment

Reflection
What experiences do you have that are more satisfying than
sense pleasures? What meaningful feelings do you have which
are not connected to sense pleasure? How can you nourish
these feelings? How does the presence of these feelings affect
your desires for sense pleasure?

Practice
Actively develop contentment and appreciation for what you
already have. Contentment is not just a way of evaluating or
thinking about our lives. It also involves a relaxation of our
body so that we are more settled here and now. See if you can
let go of some desires then replace them with contentment.
Notice how contentment affects your desires.
Are there wise ways for you to limit
what you see, hear or experience
so that unwanted sensual desires
do not arise?
4 - Safeguarding the sense doors
Reflection
How does your experience of having sense pleasures differ
from your experience of desiring sense pleasure? How do
these differ physically, emotionally and mentally?

Practice
One way to avoid getting caught up in desire is to safeguard
yourself at the sense doors. This means two things: First, it
means to limit what you see, hear, or experience so that these
things do not trigger or reinforce your desires for them. Sec­
ondly, it involves being attentive to sights, sounds and experi­
ences at the moment you perceive them and then leaving
them alone - do not let your mind get pulled into desire for
these things. Devote a few days to practice both forms of
safeguarding. This practice is often more effective if you have
a clear sense of the advantages of not being pulled into the
world of desire.
 ILL WILL

The first two of the five hindrances are sensual desire and ill
will. These two hindrances are directly connected to how and
where our attention is directed. Often it is directed at the ob­
ject of our desire or ill will. When we are pre-occupied we are
not able to choose where our attention is directed or we are
not exercising our ability to choose. If we do have a choice,
why do we chose to fixate on our desires and aversions? If we
don’t have a choice, how free are we?
Mindfulness practice is dependent on our ability to choose
what we give attention. Rather than allowing strong desire
and ill will to continue unchecked, when we practice mind­
fulness we choose to direct attention to examine these hin­
drances. Through sufficient investigation, understanding, and
non-reactivity, they can lose their power to preoccupy our
attention. With enough insight, we can even become free of
them.
Ill will, or vy apada in the Buddha’s language, is the desire to
strike out at something. It is motivated by hostility. It mani­
fests as wanting to attack, push away or turn away. It can
range from the subtlest inclinations of the mind to the gross­
est behavior. Emotional states that express hostility paired
There is no peace in a mind that is like boiling water
with ill will include anger, fury, rage, resentment, indignation,
irritation, vexation, discontent, loathing, abhorrence, grudge,
spite, resistance, avoidance, denial, boredom, criticalness,
fearfulness and complaining.
It is common to call this hindrance “aversion” rather than
ill will. However, there are also healthy forms of aversion (lit­
erally, “turning away”) that are not motivated by hostility, and
therefore are not hindrances. For example, it can be a kind­
ness to turn away from something that is causing pain. When
“aversion” describes the second hindrance, the word should
be understood to involve ill-will.
Being caught up in aversion and ill will is itself painful. It
constricts the mind and heart. It can also predispose us to
focus on whatever is undesirable which can then trigger more
ill will. For some people, the discomfort that comes from
having ill will is fuel to keep it going; aversion to aversion
perpetuates aversion.
Some people who practice mindfulness discover that ill
will, resentment, anger or aversion are pervasive states of
mind; they can be their default response to events. When en­
countering new situations they automatically assume some­
thing is wrong and look for what is undesirable or
problematic.
In extreme forms, this hindrance can lead to a very alien­
ated life. People with lots of ill will can feel isolated, having
difficulty connecting to others. Aversion can be self-fulfilling;
when other people feel our ill will toward them, they are
more likely to act in ways that give us further reason to have
aversion toward them.
Aversion, together with desire, is the “caffeine of the
soul.” Some people depend on these for their energy, motiva­
tion, and even enthusiasm for life. Without either, their life
can feel flat, boring, lonely, or, at times, frightening. As with
giving up coffee, some people go through a “withdrawal”
phase when they stop giving in to these hindrances. It is best
to be patient when going through this phase.

P ra c tic in g w ith i l l w ill

Because wisdom is acquired through familiarity, one of the
tasks in mindfulness practice is to become familiar with the
hindrances. It is useful to take the time to understand them
well. In the case of ill will, this involves a willingness to shift
our attention away from whatever we are hostile toward and
instead turn our attention toward the experience of ill will
itself. Without that willingness, it is difficult for mindfulness
to do its work.
As with all hindrances, when practicing with ill will it is
useful to be mindful of it in a non-judgmental and non-
reactive way. This involves holding the ill will in our attention
without either acting on it or pushing it away. While not al­
ways easy, doing so helps strengthen many of the qualities
important to Buddhist spiritual life; e.g., mindfulness, resolve,
patience and stability. To mindfully experience ill will without
giving in to it can build confidence in our ability to remain
present without succumbing to the pull of aversion.
Being mindful of ill will includes feeling the ill will physi­
cally. It can be very helpful to stop thinking about the ill will
and instead bring mindfulness to the many sensations and
feelings associated with this hindrance. Spreading one’s atten­
tion broadly throughout the body is one way to feel these
sensations and feelings in an open, spacious, and hopefully,
relaxed manner.
This, in turn, supports the investigation of other aspects of
ill will. For example, it can be useful to consider what within
us is the trigger for ill will. Might it be frustrated desire? Or
fear or embarrassment? Is ill will masking our discomfort by
directing attention outward toward what we dislike? Alterna­
tively, some people direct ill will towards themselves when
they feel discomfort —they get angry with themselves for feel­
ing pain. For other people, aversion takes the form of being
critically judgmental. This may be a form of self-protection.
They judge others to try to stop feeling vulnerable.
Another area of investigation is to examine the beliefs that
underlie the ill will. How might we believe aversion is benefi­
cial or justified? What views do we have about ourselves that
trigger anger? What assumptions do we carry about how
things are “supposed” to be?
It can be useful to consider what purpose our ill will is at­
tempting to serve. If it is self-protection, is it effective in do­
ing this? If it is a sense of vitality, can we find other, healthier
ways to feel energized? Is it supporting a self-identity? This
can happen, for example, when one finds it easy to feel smart
and knowledgeable when finding what is wrong rather than
appreciating what is right. By recognizing what we hope to
accomplish through our aversion we can consider alternative
approaches. Are there other, more suitable, ways of creating
the same outcome?
One can also consider the personal cost of having ill will,
aversion or anger. This can be measured in terms of discom­
fort and in terms of the consequences. Once we recognize
the toll ill will has, we can evaluate whether it is worthwhile to
be angry, hostile or aversive. Is it worth the consequences it
has on our relationships? How does it feel to know our ill will
has hurt others?
A fuller understanding of the experience of ill will and
what we have ill will toward includes considering other possi-
 ble perspectives for the situation. A dramatic, time-honored
Buddhist reframing is to consider difficulties as teachers.
With this perspective the task is to discover what we can
learn from a trying situation, especially about ourselves. When
we do this toward a difficult person, there is no requirement
to tell the other person we are viewing them as a teacher; no
one needs to know we have turned the difficult person into
someone who helps us be transformed and changed for the
better.
Because ill will often occurs together with tension, it is
useful to relax. When ill will is strong, relaxing bodily tension
can lessen the intensity. When ill will is persistent relaxing can
remove its influence.
Occasionally, an effective way of relaxing the intensity of
ill will is to do something that helps us not think about what
provoked it. Once we have calmed down, we might then
bring our attention back to the situation to consider it in a
less reactive manner.
One way of redirected attention is to focus on antidotes to
ill will. These are ways of brightening up the mind with a pos­
itive disposition. The classic Buddhist antidotes are goodwill,
friendliness, and loving kindness.
One more practice to lessen ill will, anger or hostility is to
take refuge, the Buddhist ritual of going for support in the
Buddha, Dharma, or Sangha. If it feels appropriate for you,
you could put your hands together in front of your heart and
chant the refuges out loud if you are alone or silently if you
are with others: “I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in
the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha.” This can remind
you of the values in which you have confidence in and want
to live by. It can remind you that you are not alone in practic­
ing with ill will, the Buddhist teachings and your fellow practi­
tioners support you in your practice.
As this book emphasizes, having ill will (and the other
hindrances) is not a personal failing. It is an ordinary part of
life. There is no need to weigh yourself down with judgments
because it is present. Nor is it necessary to be under its sway.
Freedom from ill will is possible. With no aversion to aver­
sion, mindfulness can bring us independence from aversion.
 Ill will
Reflections and Practices

1 - Mindfulness of ill will

Reflection
What role does ill will have in your life? How strongly does ill
will or aversion operate for you? How free are you from act­
ing on ill will? How often do you regret acting on aversion or
ill will? What have been some of the more unfortunate con­
sequences resulting from expressing ill will?

Practice
For mindfulness practice, anything can be the focus of mind­
ful attention. During this week, spend some time examining
any aversions that might arise for you. These might be quite
small movements of aversion or major outbursts. In situa­
tions where it is ok to do so, allow the aversion to be present
without judging it, acting on it, or abandoning it. Notice care­
fully how aversion or ill will feels physically. Notice how it
affects the quality of your mind and thinking. How does it
affect your attitude?
Do you hove aversion to aversion?
2 - Attitude toward ill will

Reflection
What are your attitudes toward having aversion? Do you have
aversion to aversion? Are there ways you enjoy or value being
aversive? What pulls you into the aversion? What beliefs do
you have justifying being aversive?

Practice
Study your relationship to aversion and ill will as they arise
this week. This can be both in meditation and in daily life.
Notice the ways that the aversion or ill will are unpleasant
and how you respond to that unpleasantness. Is aversion ever
pleasant or enjoyable? Spend some time talking to someone
about what you discover.
What can you do so anger and ill will
are less likely to arise?
3 - Avoiding ill will and anger

Reflection
What practical things can you do so ill will and anger are less
likely to arise in you? How can you best prepare yourself so
you can avoid getting angry in situations that normally would
provoke it?

Practice
During meditation and daily life, actively cultivate calmness.
Whenever you notice tension, relax as much as possible. Give
yourself extra time to do things so that you are not rushed. As
a way of being calmer, cultivate a greater sense of content­
ment. Notice what influence being calm, unrushed and con­
tent have on your tendency to become angry or aversive.
 What beliefs do you have
that support your aversions?
4 - Letting go of ill will

Reflection
What beliefs do you have that support your aversion? What
do you believe about yourself or others that tends to result in
aversion? Try to question the authority of these beliefs. What
beliefs can you put aside so that you have less anger or ill
will?

Practice
Look for opportunities to let go of ill will and anger. As if
letting go is a muscle, spend the week strengthening that
muscle. Notice what makes letting go of aversion difficult.
Do you have beliefs that make you resistant to letting go?
Physically, emotionally and mentally how do you feel after
you have let go? If you don’t somehow feel lighter after let­
ting go, perhaps you have not let go thoroughly enough. Ex­
plore more deeply to find the roots of the aversion. If you
recognize them try to let go of them.
 SLOTH AND TORPOR

Sloth and torpor, treated together as one hindrance, follow

sensual desire and ill will in the list of the five hindrances.
This is not surprising as weariness often follows from bouts
of excessive desire and ill will. Sometimes this is simply be­
cause prolonged states of each is exhausting.
Sloth and torpor can also follow from the absence of de­
sire and aversion. For people who depend on the stimulation
of constant desire and aversion, their ceasing can be deflating,
even depressing.
Whether it is from exhaustion or the lack of stimulation
and motivation, when the compulsions for wanting and not
wanting lessen, meditators often discover that sloth and tor­
por is the next hindrance that needs to be addressed.
Sloth and torpor are forces in the mind that drain vitality
and limit effort. Sloth manifests as a physical absence of vital­
ity. The body may feel heavy, lethargic, weary, or weak. Tor­
por is a lack of mental energy. The mind may be dull, cloudy,
or weary, easily drifting in thought. Being caught in sloth or
torpor can resemble slogging through deep mud. When this
hindrance is strong, there is not even enough mindfulness to
know we've fallen in to it.
Sloth and torpor are not the same as mental and physical
There is no inspiration in a mind like an algae-filled pond
tiredness even though they may be experienced in similar
ways. Tiredness refers to a natural physiological condition of
sleepiness or fatigue. Sloth and torpor refers to low energy
states related to an attitude we have. Discouragement, frustra­
tion, boredom, indifference, giving up, hopelessness and re­
sistance are some of the psychological causes of sloth and
torpor.
The presence of sloth and torpor does not mean energy is
not available. It simply means we are not accessing it. With a
change in conditions, energy may reappear in a instant. This
can be seen clearly in young children who switch from being
“tired” (accompanying a parent shopping, for instance) to
being energetic (being offered ice cream, for instance) in a
matter of seconds. Their energy level depends on whether
they evaluate the situation as boring or exciting.
Mindfulness practice can help us understand how our
evaluations and reactions lead to lethargy. We can see how
the stories we tell ourselves drain our vitality. These can be
well-honed defeatist stories about how “I can't do it,” “It's
too hard,” or “It's too dangerous.” As these thoughts lead to
discouragement, self-pity and ideas of futility, our vitality con­
tinues to disappear. Learning to mindfully watch our thoughts
instead of actively participating in them can effectively stop
them from draining our energy.
Sloth and torpor may arise from evaluating something as
boring. But nothing is inherently boring; boredom is a judg­
ment, an activity of the mind. It can arise when desires and
expectations are not satisfied. It can also occur when a situa­
tion is thought to have no personal benefit. People who feel
highly energized when their self-image is being enhanced or
diminished may deem an experience boring if it does nothing
for their self-image.
 In addition, complacency can be a subtle cause for sloth
and torpor. This can occur when we are lulled by comfort or
misguided acceptance. Complacency may arise when medita­
tion feels easy and pleasurable. With the warm, fuzzy feeling
that everything is okay, the mind can even drift off to sleep.
Defensiveness and resistance can be played out through a
draining of energy that prevents us from responding or mov­
ing forward. In meditation, when deep unresolved issues
bubble up or when emotions are too uncomfortable, a way to
avoid facing these is to fall asleep. It is best to be respectful
of this kind of falling asleep in meditation. Often something
inside us knows we are not quite ready to face a challenge. If
you suspect you are falling asleep in order to avoid some­
thing, be patient and keep meditating the best you can, even if
you repeatedly nod off. At some point, when you are ready,
you will be able to face what you are avoiding.
Weariness can be closely entwined with sloth and torpor.
Chronic excitement and tension, especially when expressed
through muscular tension, can leave a person deeply exhaust­
ed. Incessant anxiety expends tremendous amount of energy
leaving people drained. Because over-activity masks weari­
ness, people may not realize how deeply fatigued they are un­
til they sit down to meditate or go on a meditation retreat. It
may take 2-3 days of a meditation retreat to recover from the
deeper feelings of exhaustion.
There is also a type of sloth and torpor that arises in medi­
tation due to an imbalance between effort and relaxation.
Many people associate meditation with getting calm and
therefore over emphasize the calming side of meditation. This
then leads to what is called “sinking mind,” a state of mental
dullness often reinforced by comfortable complacency. To
counter this it is important to know that meditation is not
only about becoming calm and relaxed, but about becoming
calm with alertness, healthy engagement and clarity.

P ra c tic in g w ith slo th a n d to rp o r

When sloth and torpor appear in meditation the first task is
to become mindful of them, not struggle against them. It is
especially important not to abandon a meditation session be­
cause of sloth and torpor. Our energy level and effort natural­
ly rise and fall and this hindrance can be expected to appear
sooner or later.
If sloth and torpor is mild, it may be overcome by arous­
ing more energy. Options include brisk walking meditation;
sitting up with a more erect, energized posture; opening the
eyes; washing the face with cold water and avoiding being too
warm while meditating. For those who use mental noting as
part of their practice, they can do so with a little bit more en­
ergy.
Being too comfortable can lead to becoming sleepy. While
there is no need to be uncomfortable, being overly cozy and
comfy usually does not support mental alertness and energy.
Giving up a preoccupation with comfort may help overcome
sloth and torpor.
Another approach for addressing sloth and torpor is inves­
tigation. It can be fascinating to explore the subjective experi­
ence of sloth and torpor. This includes pin-pointing where
and how the physical feelings of heaviness or dullness show
themselves. What happens to your posture when this hin­
drance is strong? Curiosity about sloth and torpor counters
sinking into sloth and torpor.
If a state of sloth and torpor has continued for a long time
it can be useful to ask yourself some questions. This could be
“if I weren’t feeling so sleepy or dull, what would I be experi­
encing?” This might reveal that you are using sloth and tor­
 por to avoid something. Or you can ask yourself, “what do I
really want now?” This may reveal a frustrated desire that is
draining your energy. Or you can look into your relationship
to the sloth and torpor. What is your attitude to their pres­
ence? Aversion to sloth and torpor can reinforce them.
Investigating this hindrance can also include understand­
ing how particular thoughts, beliefs, and evaluations feed it.
When this is understood it is possible to change one’s think­
ing to thoughts that arouse more energy. A traditional Bud­
dhist approach is to reflect on death and dying. Done the
right way, this can stimulate healthy energy and motivation,
freeing the mind from preoccupation with insignificant con­
cerns.
Chronic sloth and torpor may represent a lack of meaning
or purpose in life. In this case, the antidote might involve tak­
ing time for deep inner reflection or thoughtful conversations
with wise friends. Perhaps journaling can help deepen con­
templation on this subject.
When sloth and torpor are present and energy is weak, we
do the best we can. When they are absent, energy will natural­
ly be stronger. Rather than berating yourself when you are
tired or praising yourself when you are alert, just keep practic­
ing. It will help reveal the precious beauty of your own mind.
 Sloth and Torpor
Reflections and Practices

1 - Noticing energy

Reflection
Give attention to the varying levels of energy and effort
through the day. What role does your energy level play in
your life? Do you think of yourself more as an energetic per­
son or a non-energetic one? Are you comfortable with being
energetic? When during the day or during the week are you
most energized? When are you least energized?

Practice
At the end of each day reflect over the day and consider
which activities gave you energy and vitality. What helped you
get re-energized? Was it through rest or through activity?
Then the next day, spend more time than you normally would
doing things which energize or rejuvenate you in satisfying
ways. What makes it satisfying? How do these activities affect
your ongoing mood and mental state after the activity is fin­
ished?
What kinds of thoughts, beliefs or judgments
drain you of energy or vitality?
2 - Losing energy

Reflection
Besides natural tiredness at the end of the day, what are some
of the primary ways you get drained of energy and vitality?
What activities do this? What kinds of thinking, beliefs, or
judgments do this? How often does disappointment, frustra­
tion, or boredom drain your energy? Do you get tired or
drained from being over-energized or over-busy?

Practice
Chronically worrying is an effective way of getting fatigued.
Spend some time noticing when you start worrying. Focus on
relaxing or letting go of whatever worry you can —be content
if you can only do this for small worries. Spend some days
actively doing what you can to be as worry-free as you can.
Notice how this affects your energy level throughout the day.
What attachments do you have
that interfere with getting
the right amount of sleep?
3 - Sleep and fatigue

Reflection
Getting too little and too much sleep can have a big influence
on fatigue. Please consider your beliefs, attitudes, and practic­
es around sleep. Do you regularly sleep less than you need?
Do you often sleep more? How restful is your sleep? How
frequently do you use caffeine to overcome sleepiness? What
attachments do you have that interfere with getting the prop­
er amount of sleep?

Practice
Spend a week doing everything you can to get adequate sleep.
If you tend to get too little sleep, go to bed early and get up
later in the morning. If you sleep too much, wake up early.
Experiment with taking fifteen minute nap in the middle of
the day. Notice how getting an appropriate amount of sleep
affects your energy, alertness, and mood. Notice what bene­
fits this provides you.
 What is your most common
attitude toward making effort?
4 - Arousing effort

Reflection
Are there ways that you are lazy? If so, what are some of the
conditions and reasons for your laziness? What are some of
the healthy alternatives to being lazy? What are ways of over­
coming laziness?

Practice
Spend some days experimenting with applying more effort in
meditation. This can be done physically by sitting up straight­
er or by doing brisk walking meditation before sitting. It can
be done mentally by putting more effort into being alert and
mindful of what is happening during the meditation. If apply­
ing more effort agitates you, try to match the increased effort
with increased calm or inner stillness.
 RESTLESSNESS
AND WORRY

The fourth hindrance, restlessness and worry, makes it diffi­

cult to concentrate and see clearly. As is true with all the hin­
drances, the wisest way of overcoming restlessness and worry
is to understand them well, rather than getting rid of them
quickly. This means to examine restlessness and worry care­
fully. Investigating them, instead of quickly letting them go, is
a bit like learning to farm instead of accepting food. Investi­
gation may take time, but what is learned will support us for a
long time.
The Buddhist word translated as restlessness is uddhacca
meaning “to shake.” It is a state of agitation and over­
excitement. When physical, restlessness may appear as com­
pulsive energy coursing uncomfortably through the body.
There may be incessant impulses to fidget, move or even to
bolt. It can manifest as shakiness or agitated vulnerability, as
if we have had too much caffeine.
When mental, restlessness can occur as scattered or persis­
tent thinking. It is present whenever we are caught in distrac­
tion. There may be an inability to focus —the mind resists
being directed anywhere or it jumps from one thing to the
There is no rest in a mind like a wind-churned pond
 Restlessness and Worry

next, incapable of settling. In Buddhist teachings this is some­

times called monkey-mind. As a swinging monkey grasps one
branch and immediately reaches for the next, so the restless
mind focuses on one thing and immediately reaches out for
the next, never still or satisfied with anything.
As with the other hindrances, one of the characteristics of
restlessness is that it can camouflage itself. We can be so rest­
less and scattered with our attention that we don’t notice we
are restless. Instead, we are lost in self-perpetuating agitation.
Restlessness can be uncomfortable when it is strong. The
discomfort of being restless creates more restlessness. Some
people will try to escape their agitation by being busy or by
distracting themselves in a way that only fuels more restless­
ness.
When ordinary restlessness disappears in deep meditation,
a subtle restlessness may then appear instead. Many medita­
tors have been pulled out of stillness by thinking about the
stillness. When the mind is quiet, restlessness can be as subtle
as thinking, “I am not thinking anything.” It can also appear
as anxiety if the stillness is so profound that breathing seems
to stop. Even more subtly, restlessness is present whenever
there is the slightest clinging or pride in such states of calm.
Kukkucca is the other half of the fourth hindrance. Classi­
cally it is explained as the agitated feelings of regret for what
one has done or not done. Nowadays it seems useful to ex­
pand the meaning to include the broader concept of worry.
Anxiety over imagined futures can cause much agitation.
Worry over threats to one’s self-image can also be as agitating
as regrets.
Strong regret and worry hinder our ability to relax and fo­
cus during meditation. Occasionally these hindrances are
powerful enough that meditation is counter-indicated. For
example, with some regrets it might be necessary to make
amends before doing meditation. Or when worry is over­
whelming, psychotherapy may be more useful than medita­
tion.

P ra c tic in g w ith re stle ss n e s s a n d w o rry

Restlessness and worry can be worked through in meditation
in most cases. Simply being mindful is a big step. Having a
hindrance is like wandering through a maze staring at the
ground. Being mindful is like standing above the maze to get
an overview, it can provide a better perspective of what is
happening.
To be mindful of restlessness it is useful to feel it physical­
ly. If there is a lot of energy coursing through the body, imag­
ine the body as a wide container where the energy is allowed
to bounce around like a ricocheting ping pong ball. Accepting
it like this can take away the extra agitation of struggling with
the restlessness. Sitting still with the restlessness often allows
it to settle down on its own.
Because the settling can take a while, patience is needed.
Sometimes the mind will marshal myriad arguments to con­
vince us to act on some restless impulse. During meditation it
is important not to give in to irrational compulsions.
Once we have studied restlessness and worry, it is useful
to notice when it is not present. Physically, emotionally, and
mentally, what is the felt sense of being, at least temporarily,
free of restlessness? The knowledge of what it is like to be
still, calm, or peaceful is very nourishing. It can dissuade us
from believing restless thoughts and it can give us an appreci­
ation of healthy alternatives to being caught in a hindrance.
Once we have a better understanding of restlessness and
worry, we can learn how to prevent them from arising and
 Restlessness and Worry

how to settle them when they are occurring. For instance, it is

important to have enough exercise, sleep, and good nutrition
because their lack can encourage restlessness. It is also im­
portant to live one’s life ethically, so that our behavior and
speech do not give us cause to worry or to have regret.
It can be helpful to reflect, outside of a meditation session,
whether there is a way we live our lives which encourages
restlessness. Certain activities, like watching television or fre­
quently checking emails, tend to make us restless. This can
include examining your lifestyle to see if there are activities
we can change to help include more calm in our lives.
It can also be useful to cultivate contentment. We live in a
restless, discontented society. It is easy to want more and
more, feeling we never have enough or that we aren’t enough.
Cultivating contentment with what we have is one powerful
way to quiet down restlessness. It is calming to give up inces­
santly wanting more.
Learning to breathe through restlessness is a great skill.
Breathing conscious of the whole body, or focusing on the
ongoing rhythm of breathing in and out, can calm us physi­
cally. Releasing tension or constriction in breathing can be
relaxing. The more attention given to breathing, the less at­
tention is available to fuel the restlessness or worry.
The classic Buddhist instruction for restlessness and worry
includes noticing what triggered it. This includes a simple re­
flection over what might have been the cause and conditions
for the restlessness to arise. When doing such reflection, ru­
mination is not useful, remembering what happened is. By
understanding causes and conditions, we may be able to
avoid them.
Dissatisfaction, frustrated desire and pent-up aversion are
common causes of agitation. Fear and resentment are others.
 If any of these causes of restlessness are present, being mind­
ful of them may be more helpful than being mindful of the
restlessness itself. Ignoring the causes can keep us skimming
the surface.
This is related to feeling whatever emotion may be behind
the restlessness. When restlessness is a symptom of frustra­
tion, confusion, fear or anxiety, these emotions should be
brought into the scope of mindfulness. This can include feel­
ing the physical sensations of the underlying emotion.
When physical pain triggers restlessness, the pain should
be addressed carefully. When appropriate and possible, try to
alleviate the pain. When the pain cannot be alleviated, mind­
fulness can help us to separate the pain from our reaction.
Seeing this difference is an important step in diminishing rest­
lessness.
When thinking is a big part of restlessness, it can be useful
to relax the "thinking muscle," softening any tension or pres­
sure associated with thinking. There may be strain in the eyes
or tightness in the forehead, jaws, shoulders, or stomach that
can be slowly released on a series of successive out breaths.
One of the more profound skills for working through rest­
lessness and worry is to let go of the beliefs that keep them
going. Strong opinions about what is or is not supposed to be
happening incite the mind; judgments of good and bad sel­
dom lead to calm. Perhaps we have a belief that somewhere,
some way or another, we can have absolute security, where
nothing bad will ever happen to us. That belief system, if we
hold on to it tightly, will make us agitated.
Overcoming restlessness benefits both ourselves and the
people around us. Hopefully we can all support each other to
be nourished by a heart deeply at rest in itself.
 Restlessness and Worry
Reflections and Practices

1 - Noticing restlessness

Reflection
How often during the day are you restless in either body or
mind? What effect does restlessness have on your life? How
do you tend to act when you are restless? What are some of
the situations that trigger you to be restless? Spend some time
reflecting on what beliefs underlie whatever restlessness you
have.

Practice
Give special attention to noticing how restlessness operates
while you meditate. Bring lots of mindfulness to whatever
degree of restlessness you have, no matter how subtle. Notice
where and how restlessness appears in your body and your
mind. How does restlessness affect your mindfulness and
what happens to restlessness when you can hold it in mindful
attention?
What importance do you give to calmness?
 Restlessness and Worry Reflections and Practices

2 - Noticing calm

Reflection
What are the times of day when you are most likely to be
calm? How much importance do you give to calmness? What
supports you to be calm? What are the most common condi­
tions that cause you to lose your calmness?

Practice
Give special attention to being calm during meditation. Be­
fore you meditate spend a few minutes doing some calming
activity. In the beginning of your meditation session focus on
relaxing every time you exhale. As your meditation continues,
tune into any feeling of calmness you may have, no matter
how slight. Notice how calm or tranquility is experienced in
your body and mind. How does calm affect your mindfulness
and how does mindfulness support calm?
 How might you wisely
address those issues for which
you have remorse?
3 - Reviewing remorse

Reflection
Consider some of your past behavior for which you have re­
morse or which agitate you when you think of them. Over
several days, make up a list of these. Look the list over and
see if you can discern any pattern in the kind of things that
are unresolved. Do they mostly concern events of the past or
about events that are still current? Spend time considering
how you might resolve these issues so that they no longer
cause you to be preoccupied.

Practice
Look over your list of things that are unresolved or that you
have regrets over and find one or two that you can do some­
thing to resolve This might involve an apology, making
amends, or having a difficult conversation with someone.
What beliefs underlie
your worries?
 Restlessness and Worry Reflections and Practices

4 - Questioning worry

Reflection
Reflect on the beliefs that underlie your worries. Question
these beliefs. Are they true or useful? How did you acquire
them? Why might these beliefs cause you to worry? How do
these beliefs relate to your self-image or ideas of self? Try to
have an in-depth conversation with someone about these
questions. Alternatively, write down your reflections and re­
read them later.

Practice
During meditation focus on mindfulness of breathing. Focus
on the calming and stilling effect of focusing on the breath.
Tune into the rhythm of breathing in and out, riding as many
cycles as you can. Try breathing into or through any place of
agitation or tension you have. Sometimes it can be calming to
remember to let go of thoughts at the end of every exhale.
Let go of your agitating beliefs.
 DOUBT

Sooner or later all meditators need to address the hindrances.

Because of how frequently the hindrances occur, for most
meditators, this will be sooner and later. These obstructing
mind states should not be seen as unfortunate occurrences.
Rather, they are opportunities for strengthening mindfulness,
concentration, understanding and non-clinging. The path of
practice can go through the hindrances.
Without a dedication to working with the hindrances, they
can derail a person from practice. This is especially so for
doubt, the fifth and final hindrance. Whereas the other four
hindrances can arise from concerns about anything, doubt, as
a hindrance to meditation and mindfulness, is directly related
to the practice itself. In fact, when strong enough, doubt can
lead one to give up on the practice.
Doubt as a hindrance is a mental preoccupation involving
indecision, uncertainty, and lack of confidence. It causes a
person to hesitate, vacillate, and not settle into meditation
practice. Doubt can be a simple lack of clarity about medita­
tion or practice instructions. More dramatically, doubt can
involve deep, fiery inner conflicts and fears stirred up by the
practice. Doubt can keep the mind agitated, perhaps simmer­
ing in discursive thought and feelings of inadequacy. Alterna-
There is no ease in practice in a mind like a mud-filled pond
tively, it can deflate the mind, fobbing it of interest and ener­
gy. Whatever way it manifests, doubt interferes with clear at­
tention to what is happening here and now.
“Hindering doubt” is not the same as “questioning
doubt.” Doubt as a hindrance leads to inaction, sometimes to
giving up. Questioning doubt inspires action and the impulse
to understand. It can, in fact, be helpful for mindfulness to
have a questioning attitude that encourages deeper investiga­
tion. It is a healthy doubt that can both overcome compla­
cency and loosen preconceived ideas.
Hindering doubt takes many forms. It can be doubt in the
practice, in the teachings, in one’s teachers and, most danger­
ously, in oneself. Doubt may not appear until one is actually
beginning to practice. For example, a person may spend
months eagerly anticipating a meditation retreat only, upon
arrival, to doubt whether it is the right place or time to be on
retreat.
Doubt is often accompanied by discursive thinking. Some­
times thoughts can seem reasonable and convincing enough
to mask the underlying doubt prompting them. Regardless of
whether it is reasonable or not, discursive thinking can inter­
fere with meditation practice. In fact, doubt can be self-
fulfilling: the very act of thinking doubt-filled thoughts that
one’s meditation is not working is what makes the meditation
not work
The most insidious doubts are those about oneself, espe­
cially when they involve a lack of confidence in one’s ability
or worthiness. Sometimes such doubt arises when one is in­
timidated by a distant goal on the path of practice. It is easy
to forget that a mountain is climbed one step at a time. Other
times the doubt relates to managing the changes that come
with practice. One may be buffeted by thoughts such as,
“Can I take care of myself if I am more open and relaxed?”
“Perhaps my family and friends won’t accept how I might
grow” or “I won’t be able to earn a living if I honestly look at
how I am driven by fear and ambition.”
Doubt can also arise from insecurity. Worry about the
consequences of spiritual practice can provoke a proliferation
of doubt-filled thoughts. Fear of unusual mind states, either
pleasant or difficult, can trigger mistrust and indecision.

P ra c tic in g w ith d o u b t
It can be difficult to recognize doubt when caught in it.
The challenge is to have enough distance or objectivity to see
it for what it is. Indecisiveness or holding back in the practice
are clues that doubt is occurring. Physical tension or pressure
may be evidence we are under the sway of doubt.
To counter doubt, practicing mindfulness of the body
helps. This can show us where we can physically relax to less­
en the strength of the doubt. Staying present for our bodily
experience keeps us in the present rather than the future
thinking of the doubts. Relaxation and attention to the body
improves our chances of recognizing doubt as it occurs.
Once we recognize it, it can be helpful to use a mental note
to label the doubt as 'doubt'. When clearly identified, doubt
tends to have less power over us.
When hindering doubt is recognized, there are various
ways of working with it. For mindfulness practitioners a pri­
mary approach is to continue being mindful in a non-reactive
way. This means letting the doubt be while cultivating a
mindful awareness which is stronger than the pull of the
doubt.
Mindfulness can be strengthened by recognizing how
doubt distances us from the present moment and from seeing
 clearly. When we are caught up in doubt, we are often preoc­
cupied in thoughts, concepts and beliefs. To counteract this,
we can devote our self to being present, relaxing the spinning
mind and making effort to disentangle from all the ideas,
thoughts and ideas that are supporting the doubt.
It can also be helpful to feel what it is like to be in a hu­
man body that is experiencing doubt. In this case, we are in­
terested in what doubt feels like physically, not what we have
doubt about.
When doubt involves a hesitation to commit to the prac­
tice, it can sometimes be overcome by applying more disci­
pline and resolve to the practice. This is especially beneficial
when the doubts are minor and perhaps do not warrant much
attention. This is also a good approach when the results of
practice itself disprove a doubt.
In the case of major or persistent doubts, discipline may
not be helpful, especially if it entails unhealthy suppression.
Major doubts may need to be dealt with directly such as by
questioning deeply held beliefs, attending to unresolved feel­
ings or challenging ingrained convictions about self-identity.
Some people have a strong tendency to resist change of any
type, including new perspectives and understandings. Doubt
can become a tool of resistance for inhibiting change.
When doubt involves uncertainty about the practice or
the teachings, it helps to study, learn and reflect on the dhar-
ma itself. Discussing it with a teacher or having a talk with a
dharma friend may also help in this regard. Having a clear
understanding of the Buddha’s teachings on what is skillful
and what is unskillful can go a long way toward overcoming
doubt.
Confidence in one’s capacity to practice is very important.
For people plagued by doubt in their own ability, it can be
useful to develop self-confidence. Many people overlook
what they are capable of and focus instead on what they think
they cannot do. Taking time to consider and feel happy about
what one can do— even the smallest of things—can strength­
en confidence. Approaching one’s practice in small incre­
ments may slowly develop confidence. For instance, resolving
to be aware of each breath throughout a meditation session is
unlikely to build confidence, whereas resolving to stay with
two breaths at a time may be more effective. Once one has
confidence in two breaths, one can move on to three breaths,
then four, etc. Surprisingly, spending less time thinking about
oneself can help with confidence. This is because self­
preoccupation tends to undermine healthy self-regard.
Finally, it can be helpful to remember something that in­
spires you in the practice, such as a teaching, a person, or
some experience you have had. Bringing this to mind may
remind you of why you are doing the practice and how much
you value it. It may gladden the heart enough to clear away
the clouds of doubt. It may even encourage you to rededicate
your efforts to transform everything into your path to free­
dom, including the hindrances.
 Doubt
Reflections and Practices

1 - Facing doubts

Reflection
Consider carefully what doubts you have in relation to medi­
tation practice and/or Buddhist practice. Are you skeptical or
uncertain about any of the teachings? Do you doubt your
own ability to practice? Are you ambivalent about some of
the goals or results of practice? Does this uncertainty affect
how you practice? In what ways might doubt interfere with
your practice?

Practice
Write up a list of ten questions you have about Buddhism or
about meditation practice. Try to come up with questions
which have a direct bearing on how and what you practice.
Of these ten questions, spend time thinking, studying, and
discussing with someone the most significant one for you.
What are the primary ways
you feel confident as a
meditation practitioner?
2 - Confidence

Reflection
How would you rate the strength of your confidence in medi­
tation teachings and in yourself as a meditation practitioner?
Over the time you have meditated, in what ways has your
confidence fluctuated? What are some of the reasons for this
fluctuation? With your involvement with meditation, what are
the primary ways that you feel confidence?

Practice
Before each session of meditation, remind yourself of those
things that give you confidence in the practice. Let that con­
fidence support you during meditation. How does doing this
affect your meditation practice?
 What are some of the conditions
you can put into place which might
support your confidence and resolve
with mindfulness practice?
3 - Conditions for doubt

Reflection
What are the situations, conditions and beliefs which are
most likely to trigger doubt? What effect do frustrations and
difficulties in meditation have on the arising of doubt? What
are some of the conditions you can put into place which
might support your confidence and resolve in mindfulness
practice?

Practice
Each time doubt, uncertainty, hesitation, or indecisiveness
occur in meditation, use the mental note “doubt” to label it.
Clearly note it several times and see if you can free yourself
from being influenced by the doubt. Doubt involves belief.
With the help of mental noting, can you be mindful enough
of the act of believing that you can find freedom from belief?
At the end of a meditation session, reflect how often you
noted “doubt.”
Is any part of your life challenged
by your meditation practice?
4 - Conflicted about practicing

Reflection
Do you have any fear or hesitation about what might happen
to you when you practice meditation? Are you frightened or
resistant to possible meditation experiences? Do you feel con­
flicted doing meditation because other activities seem more
important? Are you worried that meditation practice will
change you in ways that make you uncomfortable? Is any part
of your life challenged by your meditation practice? Please
discuss these fears and concerns with someone.

Practice
If you are aware of any fear or conflict as you meditate, bring
your mindfulness directly to the felt experience of the fear or
conflict. Use your attention to become more familiar to how
it is experienced as opposed to what you believe about it. Try
using mental noting to see if you can free yourself from being
entangled with the sense of conflict. Simply know that it is
there and notice what happens to it as you stay present.
 AFTER THE
HINDRANCES

The wisdom needed for working with the hindrances is dis­

covered through mindfulness of them. This wisdom is ac­
quired slowly, requiring much patience. It also requires an
interest in studying the hindrances as they appear. A book
such as this cannot substitute for the time and effort needed
to understand how the hindrances operate. As each person
has his or her own path through the hindrances, you will have
to find yours.
It is best to respect the hindrances and their power. This is
not to acquiesce to them, but rather it is a way to overcome
their sway. Through developing one’s mindfulness, the hin­
drances begin to lose their power. With the growth of wis­
dom, equanimity, and concentration it is possible to be free
from their influence.
It is also possible to be free of the hindrances themselves;
they do not have to be present. One’s mind can be hin­
drance-free. Without the obscurations of the hindrances, such
a mind can become clear, perhaps like a translucent pond in
which everything is seen clearly.
Buddhism recognizes a hindrance-free mind as a beautiful
 mind. In fact, for some people this mind is one of the most
beautiful experiences they know. Because all other forms of
beauty are perceived through the mind, when the mind is
clear and peaceful, what we perceive will be perceived within
this clarity and peace. It is like having the light turned on after
living in the dark for a long time: the marvel of sight becomes
more wonderful than whatever is seen.
On the path to freedom, the primary function of a hin­
drance-free mind is to teach us about non-clinging. When the
hindrances hinder it is because we are clinging to something.
When the hindrances are absent we are then free of their ac­
companying clinging. By seeing the difference between cling­
ing and non-clinging we learn that freedom is found in non­
clinging. When this lesson is learned well, we understand that
clarity, peace, beauty and other experiences on the path to
freedom are not the point of the path; they are stepping-
stones to more and more thorough degrees of freedom from
attachment.
The milestones along this path are measured by release
from attachments. In relationship to the hindrances this may
begin with letting go of anger, discouragement, or dismay that
they are present. A further step is giving up judging oneself
negatively because of the hindrances. Another signpost is let­
ting go of any belief that justifies the importance of the hin­
drances. The most significant milestones is being released,
even temporarily, from the hindrances themselves.
With a strong enough experience of non-clinging we come
to a fork in our path. One direction leads to more clinging,
the other to freedom. As practice becomes deeper the path of
freedom becomes more obvious. At some point it becomes
clearly the easier path. When we are new to practice it is
clinging that may be easiest, one day it becomes non-clinging.
 Freedom supports further freedom. It empties the mind of
obstructions and agitation until, in the beauty of the mind’s
clarity, we are free of ourselves.
 The birds are no longer in the sky.
The last clouds have vanished.
Sitting together, the mountain and me,
Until only the mountain remains.
-Li Po
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gil Fronsdal is the founding teacher of the Insight Meditation

Center in Redwood City, California and the Insight Retreat
Center in Santa Cruz, California. Gil has practiced Zen and
Vipassana since 1975 and has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies
from Stanford University.
Gil was trained as a Vipassana teacher by Jack Kornfield
and is part of the teachers’ collective at Spirit Rock Medita­
tion Center. He was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San
Francisco Zen Center in 1982 and in 1995 he received Dhar­
ma Transmission from Mel Weitsman. He is a husband and
father of two boys.