Mindfulness practice is about being who we are–completely and honestly–experiencing our true nature by being present and aware of whatever arises. And as we practice, we begin to notice that sometimes we get stuck in painful states of mind and body. Sometimes we are beset with hindrances–experiences of stuckness that keep us from relaxing and being present.
The 5 hindrances
Desire
Anger & ill-will
Sloth & torpor
Restlessness & worry
Doubt
Learning about the hindrances helps us understand troublesome states of feeling stuck and separate. When we notice a hindrance arising, instead of getting lost in it, we can attend to mind and body, leaning into our experience to explore directly what is going on. When we turn toward a hindrance, we can learn to make friends with it. It is good to get to know hindrances–because most likely they’ll be return!
The Second Foundation of Mindfulness explained how to notice things that are unpleasant, pleasant, and neutral. Learning about the hindrances in the Fourth Foundation teaches us to discern and discriminate our experience, bringing clarity to what is going on within and around us.
Gaining capacity for being with what is
Learning about the hindrances broadens our vocabulary and builds our capacity for working with whatever is arising in our experience.
Rumi gave us some good advice about how to welcome every experience:
THE GUEST HOUSE
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
— Jelaluddin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks