This talk focused on recognizing and overcoming the Five Hindrances: sense desire, aversion/ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry and skeptical doubt.  The main strategy for this is persistently aiming attention at the onset of breathing in, sustaining attention to the sensations associated with that process, and repeating the same practice with exhalations.  When the mind wanders, simply noting this and immediately returning attention to the breath sensations.  This approach will, with enough practice, set aside the intrusive effects of the hindrances, setting the stage for the next level of practice, cultivating samadhi/passadhi, that is, stability of attention/internal serenity.

Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  FREEING THE MIND FROM HINDRANCES