General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
by Reductor » Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:13 am
Has this poll been done before? Anyway, I was wondering which of the five are your biggest stumbling blocks in meditation. You can pick more than one. For me I regularly wrangle with all but the first two (the fifth one is where I doubt my ability to attain concentration that day - due to any number of issues). But for me personal doubt comes up to often for comfort, while the others are much less frequent.
Michael
The thoughts I've expressed in the above post are carefully considered and offered in good faith.
And friendliness towards the world is happiness for him who is forbearing with living beings. -- Ud. 2:1
To his own ruin the fool gains knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness. -- Dhp 72
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Reductor
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by Ben » Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:18 am
I chose all because they're all still active unless one is in jhana or have attained arahantship.
And for different reasons, they're all as difficult as each other.
kind regards
Ben
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Ben
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by retrofuturist » Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:21 am
Greetings,
Sloth and Torpor is the #1 for me... a perfect case in point being the meditation session I had a couple of hours ago. Ten minutes in and I switched postures to be lying down. About a minute later I was asleep.
It's not laziness though, just tiredness.
Metta,
Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding:
Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)'We should not congratulate someone on the success of their misdeeds, but on the contrary should endeavour to advise him or her to lead a more skilful and wholesome life. If such advice is ignored then we can only give up and let go' - Phra PanyapatipoDharma Wheel (Mahayana / Vajrayana forum)
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retrofuturist
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by Kenshou » Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:30 am
Ben wrote:I chose all because they're all still active unless one is in jhana or have attained arahantship.
And for different reasons, they're all as difficult as each other.
Hm, are all 5 necessarily active at all times? (excluding the two you mention) I was under the impression that normal consciousness doesn't necessarily involve the hindrances, though most likely at least a few are present most all the time.
Of course they all have their moments, but the one that I habitually run into more often is definitely restlessness. That urge to "accomplish something" doesn't always shut up easily.
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by Ben » Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:19 am
Hi Kenshou
I didn't mean to suggest that all hindrances are active mental concommitants simultaneously in each and each successive citta during meditation.
kind regards
Ben
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Ben
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by Kim O'Hara » Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:07 pm
Sloth, definitely.
It's one of the Christians' Seven Deadly Sins, too -
must be bad.
Kim
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by Reductor » Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:11 pm
Kim O'Hara wrote:Sloth, definitely.
It's one of the Christians' Seven Deadly Sins, too -
must be bad.
Kim
It is easy to fall for, because it feels nice to lay down and sleep (either you are not yet awake or you've been awake a long time).
For a while I suffered sloth and torpor badly. Rather than just closing your eyes, which might lead a tired person to sleep, you close your eyes and 'look' at the inside of your eye lids: you focus slightly and look into the darkness. As my focus on the breath picks up steam I start to notice that it is not that dark under my eyelids, and I feel completely awake (and I'm meditating at 1am a lot of times).
That helps me a lot, anyway.
Michael
The thoughts I've expressed in the above post are carefully considered and offered in good faith.
And friendliness towards the world is happiness for him who is forbearing with living beings. -- Ud. 2:1
To his own ruin the fool gains knowledge, for it cleaves his head and destroys his innate goodness. -- Dhp 72
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Reductor
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by Cittasanto » Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:08 pm
I chose all!
each has to be dealt with and until they are they are all a problem.
This offering maybe right, or wrong, but it is one, the other, both, or neither!
With Metta
Upāsaka Cittasanto
Blog - Some Suttas Translated.
"Others will misconstrue reality due to their personal perspectives, doggedly holding onto and not easily discarding them; We shall not misconstrue reality due to our own personal perspectives, nor doggedly holding onto them, but will discard them easily. This effacement shall be done."
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by Monkey Mind » Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:52 pm
<----- Loves fine dinning, fancy coffee, exotic beer, good sex... I will be reborn as mongrel dog who does whatever is pleasing with his body...
"As I am, so are others;
as others are, so am I."
Having thus identified self and others,
harm no one nor have them harmed.
Sutta Nipāta 3.710
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Monkey Mind
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