This talk reviewed the nature of the Five Hindrances: How they are triggered, the characteristics of each, how they can be set aside and how the re-emergence of them can be limited. Humans were described as “energy transforming organisms” and the hindrances represent “energy dumps”. Skillful practice doesn’t involve fighting to control the hindrances–rather, the intention is to understand how they function through “feeding the energy of attention” to them and denying that feeding through the practice of mindfully returning to the breath rather than indulging them, redirecting the energy of attention to more wholesome channels of awareness. This was followed by a discussion interlude in Noble Silence to clarify understanding through questions.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: PRACTICE NOTES FOR OVERCOMING THE FIVE HINDRANCES These notes are extensive, covering more than was discussed during the talk. Some areas have been highlighted for emphasis.
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