Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation: The Five Hindrances
In meditation, the Five Hindrances can be seen as the major forces in the mind that hinder our ability to see
clearly or become concentrated. They are universal, we all experience them.
The five hindrances are: 1) sensual desire or greed 2) ill-will or aversion 3) sloth and torpor 4) restlessness
& anxiety or worry and 5) doubt.
The primary instruction in working with the Hindrances is to turn them into your Meditation Object.
It doesn’t matter if a hindrance is present or not, but it does matter if you’re not aware of it.
Any moment the hindrances are suspended, one feels happy and calm. It’s important to have a
friendly relationship with the hindrances, not an adversarial one.
Investigating the Hindrances
The RAIN Formula: When a hindrance is present it helps to investigate i