Overcoming Obstacles in Meditation (and in Life)

In the course of evolution the mind has manifested in the form of human life, but by no means is this mind perfect and infallible. Though it is a gift of nature, the mind also has its limitations. It has to depend on the sensory channels for information and stimulation. Therefore, the Raja Yoga Sutras contend that this imperfect mind can be made more perfect and efficient through the practice of sadhana.

-    Swami Satyananda Saraswati

The benefits of contemplative practice, or sadhana, have been known for centuries and throughout world cultures.  Recent scientific investigation has been substantiating many of the claims made by ancient traditions.  Meditation has been shown to help reduce stress, improve immune functioning, slow or even reverse the effects of aging, improve cognitive functioning, mood, relationships, etc.  (You can go to http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/2008/05/100-benefits-of-meditation/ for an extensive list.)  Of course the Yoga tradition points to the importance of meditation for spiritual realization. 

Many people complain however that they find meditation hard to practice.  Busy schedules, family responsibilities, habitual distractions all get in the way.  However, most of the time these are more like excuses.  The real obstacles are procrastination and avoidance.  It is very hard for some to simply sit still and turn their attention inward.  It takes inspiration, determination, willingness and some measure of social support.  Most of us can benefit from a class or meditation group, however it is important to build one’s own strength of commitment and to maintain an individual practice as well.

In the Yoga Sutras Patanjali outlines nine obstacles to practice: illness, dullness of mind, doubt, negligence, laziness, sensual attachments, intellectual confusion, failure to establish stages of practice and slipping from established stages.  I have to admit that I have experienced and succumbed to all of these over the years of my practice.  As we enter into spiritual practice we have opposing forces operating within us.  One is spiritual inspiration.  We want to be healthy and happy, to grow and develop on all levels and to connect with and express our inner resources of wisdom, compassion, joy, creativity, etc.  On the other hand we are subject to an inertia which tends to keep us stuck in our usual patterns. 

Illness, of course, is sometimes inevitable in life.  However we can eliminate a great deal of physical illness by simply taking care of our bodies – eating healthy, getting enough rest, proper exercise including hatha yoga.  We can also develop fortitude of mind so that we are not so distracted by health problems.  It is important to understand that we are not our bodies, they are the energetic vehicles through which we experience this life.  Studies show that by developing witnessing awareness we can better learn to manage physical pain.  Through meditation practice we liberate the mind from physical limitations.

Dullness of mind, doubt, negligence, laziness, sensual attachment and intellectual confusion are all interrelated.  Some mornings I feel like there is a fog in my brain.  It’s like the higher functions don’t have enough juice and I stumble around in a semi-conscious state.  Doubt has to do with a lack of faith in the practice itself.  We wonder is it worth it?  Through negligence we fall into a lack of deeper awareness and through laziness we just go with the unconscious flow of our material conditioning. 

Sensual attachment is a problem for most of us.  Sensual experience is not “bad” but we become addicted to pleasure and comfort.  We cannot develop our power of mind if we are fixated on sensual objects.  Awareness is the key here.  Experience with nonattached awareness and don’t hold onto experiences in your mind.  Intellectual confusion doesn’t really mean adhering to the “correct” belief system of philosophy.  Instead it is our tendency to intellectualize everything.  Spiritual consciousness means returning to a basic simplicity of experience, to immediate experience and open awareness.  We need to let go of judging, comparing, analyzing, etc.  Again, these have their place but they get in the way of meditative experience.  They interfere with our ability to focus deeply.

The “failure to reach stages of practice” has to do with our expectations.  There is a legendary Mahasiddha (great yogi) named Virupa who became disenchanted with his practice at one point and threw his mala (prayer beads) into the latrine.  He was actually just on the verge of great realization.  Similarly we can become disheartened when we fail to achieve some imagined state of disembodied bliss and give up our practice.  On the other hand, it is very common to have wonderful meditation experiences but then slip back into ordinary and painful states of consciousness.  The important point is to never give up.

The obstacles to meditation are also clearly obstacles to our goals in life.  When we let procrastination, self-doubt and negative thinking dominate we surrender our innate power and become victims of our imaginary limitations.  Yoga is not about achieving some transcendent escape from life but mastery of life.  It is about harnessing the latent energies within us.  As Patanjali put it:

"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be."

Exceptional individuals in all areas of life have learned to develop this power to some degree.  Yoga meditation is profound method for developing it within ourselves.