The Hindrances
Explore the hindrances that prevent you from remaining open and receptive to life, love, and experience.
Know Your Shadow
It’s a universal experience for each of us at times to be flooded with obstacles that cloud our hearts and minds and prevent us from staying open, connected, and receptive to the ever-changing flow of experience.
I thought we’d take the space in this course, then, to look a bit closer at some of these obstacles, or hindrances.
We’ll practice identifying them, opening to them, and working skillfully with them. We’ll learn how to embrace them as a part of our path to awakening rather than treat them as personal ‘failings’ or something ‘bad’ we have to avoid.
What are the Hindrances?
Okay, so, what hindrances will we explore? Well, there are many hindrances that cloud awareness and strip us of our wisdom. In this course, though, we’re only going to explore the five traditional hindrances laid out by the Buddha.
We’ll start with just these five for a couple reasons. First, it would be overwhelming to open ourselves to the whole range of hindrances and their various subtleties right at the get-go. That’s just not practical or manageable.
And second, this group of five encompasses most of the general disturbances we face, especially if we look at the energy dynamic, or quality, of each of them. So, to begin, these five lay a good foundation to build upon. And then, as you gain direct experience working with these five, you can further delineate and build out the subtleties of each of them.
Okay, so what are the five?
Well, the first and often most difficult is desire or thirst – the attitude of reaching out for pleasure, wanting it, grasping it, longing for it.
The second is ill-will or hatred – any kind of pushing away from experience: resistance, irritation, or aversion against the unpleasant.
The third is a low energy state, which is traditionally boxed into sloth and torpor, but which we can think of as lethargy, sleepiness, drowsiness, dullness, heaviness, laziness, or a lack of driving power.
The fourth is an overly energized state, a frenetic and agitating one, which is often expressed as restlessness and the anxiety that accompanies it.
And, finally, the fifth is doubt, which expresses itself in a multitude of ways: self-doubt, uncertainty or fear, confusion, or indecision – that feeling of going back and forth or, at its extreme, that feeling of being paralyzed and unable to do anything at all.
Insights
“Everything Changes”
It’s no secret everything changes. We watch the sun rise and set. We feel the seasons turn. Our experience this morning isn’t the one here now. But how many of us really live by the implications of this truth?…
“The Faceless Seer”
Because “I” can’t be removed from you, because it’s essential to you, only you can investigate it for yourself. So, go ahead, take a look. What is this thing you call “I”? Where is it? What is it like? What is its nature?…
“The Divine Connection”
You don’t need to search far and wide for the Divine connection. It’s that without beginning or end. See and feel – know directly – the love that both surrounds you and fills you. Know the Love that is you…
Meditation Retreats
Accelerate your insight meditation practice with an intensive retreat. We offer weekend and week-long retreats at our center in Heber, Utah, and also host events around the globe.
About John
My name is John Driggs. I live on a quiet mountain property with my remarkable family – my partner Deb and our four kids.
Our property and our home is a sanctuary and a place of growth – a place where people can come to feel safe and loved, a place where teachers and artists can come together to share their wisdom and beauty, where they can host retreats, workshops, and other experiences that soften our hearts and expand our minds.
I’m looking forward to sharing my unbounded love and tender heart with each of you.
Master Classes
Take a deeper look at your self. Once you glimpse your divinity, the interconnected nature of all being, continue to cultivate that awakening formally. Make it a habit of mind. Allow it to shape your relationship, to shape your feelings and emotions, your thoughts, words, and behaviors. Allow it to shape your being in the world.
Events & Retreats
Experience says it all. Have an experience where you connect deeply with yourself, where you embody fully another tender heart, someone’s pain and struggles, their stories and convictions, their hopes and their fears. Have an experience to overcome your trauma or pain, your anger or hatred, your sorrow or grief. Experience an unshakeable peace.
Work W/ John
Be your truest self. What does that look like to you? And how can I help? If you’d like some personal care and attention put into sculpting your being, into deepening your presence, if you’d like a hard stone to sharpen up against, a polished mirror to see your reflection clearly, an honest friend or counselor, let’s spend some time together.