Categories: Eradicate the Fear of Meditation
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
Today, I would like to offer a reflection in response to a heartfelt question sent by one of you. The question touches upon a common and often confusing experience on the spiritual path: facing spiritual obstacles as we try to deepen our practice. The query was, ‘When I try to develop my spiritual life, I encounter hindrances from the unseen world. Does this mean I cannot develop my spiritual practice? Does my meditation stop progressing because of these spiritual obstacles?’ This is a profound question, and I hope to offer a clear answer that resonates with your mind and your journey.
Understanding the Source of Spiritual Obstacles
First, we must acknowledge that as we commit to spiritual development, we can sometimes face interference from what we might call the unseen world. However, it’s crucial to understand this is not a universal rule that applies to everyone. Some practitioners encounter this, while others do not.
These spiritual obstacles can come from various sources: from beings in the unseen realms, such as Māra, a figure representing the ultimate temptation and hindrance to enlightenment, and his followers. They can also arise from non-human beings, known in the tradition as amanussa, or even from celestial beings or gods who hold misguided beliefs, called mithyādṛṣṭika devas.
Again, I must emphasize this does not happen to every person on the path. For those who do experience this, it often occurs when they become particularly dedicated. Imagine someone who, alongside their daily work and family responsibilities, carves out dedicated time for their spiritual growth. As they progress, they might suddenly face these kinds of spiritual obstacles from the unseen world.
The Surprising Truth: What Spiritual Obstacles Can and Cannot Do
This brings us to the core of the question: can these forces actually stop our minds from developing? The simple and direct answer is no. This is a vital point to grasp. No non-human being, no misguided deity, not even Māra himself, has the power to directly stop your mind from developing. They cannot prevent your mind from reaching higher stages of meditation or moving toward liberation. It is absolutely not possible for them to halt the inner progress of your mind.
However, what they can do is create hindrances for the time you have set aside for practice. This is their primary strategy. They cannot stop the seed of wisdom from growing, but they can try to prevent you from planting it and watering it.
The Real Threat: How Distraction Becomes the Ultimate Obstacle
Let’s look at this practically. Say you have finished your work and family duties and have set aside time in the evening, at 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM, for your meditation. It is precisely at this time that these forces will work to introduce a barrier. A problem might suddenly arise with your spouse or children. A conflict could erupt with a neighbor. You might find yourself irresistibly drawn to your phone, or become engrossed in a drama or movie. A meaningless phone call might come through. Anything to delay you, even by a single minute.
By preventing you from sitting down to practice at your scheduled time, they effectively halt your progress for that day. Another tactic is to stir up powerful emotions just before you meditate. They may cause a state of lust (rāga) or anger and aversion (dvesa) to flare up within you. If you get caught in that anger or desire, your intention to meditate is broken, and the practice for that day is lost. This is the systematic way that various spiritual obstacles are deployed.
Your Unbreakable Shield: The Power of Kamma and Noble Intention
This is precisely what happened to the Bodhisatta, the future Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. The forces of Māra tried to create countless spiritual obstacles to prevent him from meditating. But remember this always: they could not stop his mind from awakening.
Why? Because of the immense power of his kamma, the energy of his past intentional actions. The power of kamma, also known as kamma śaktiya, is a formidable force. It is more powerful than any Māra, any non-human being, or any deity. Kamma is a natural law, what we call svabhādhama, the way things are. There is no god or entity controlling it. If our wholesome kamma, our skillful energy, is strong, then no one can stop our progress.
If this were not true, there would be no Buddha. The Bodhisatta’s powerful karmic momentum from eons of practice, his accumulated perfections, or pāramitā śaktiya, was his shield. Even when faced with Māra‘s vast armies and seductive daughters, nothing could prevent him from attaining Buddhahood. From this, you should understand that everyone possesses this potential power of kamma.
Practical Steps to Safeguard Your Practice and Mind
Therefore, we must not think that our mind is not developing because of some external force. The issue is not that our mind is being blocked, but that our practice is being blocked. The solution lies in strengthening our resolve. We should repeatedly make a strong determination, an aspiration known as adhiṣṭhāna.
You can reflect: ‘May the wholesome energy from my past meditation in previous lives, my power of perfections (pāramitā), and the strengths I have gained from generosity (dāna), virtue (śīla), and cultivation, become a force in this life to overcome these spiritual obstacles from the unseen world and develop my mind.’ When you make such a determination, that aspiration itself becomes a powerful, skillful karmic energy that supports your practice.
This is why, in our previous teachings, we have shared practices like the Theviniyasa Metta Bhāvanā (a specific form of loving-kindness meditation), established certain routines (vatpiḷivet), and recommended protective chants (pirit). These were all given to help you safeguard your practice from these very spiritual obstacles. Your task is to use this guidance to continue developing your spiritual life. If you do so, your progress is certain.
Conclusion: Your Path is in Your Hands
I have offered this short reflection as an answer to your question, and I trust that the essential point has become clear. By understanding these principles, may you all have the strength and wisdom to move forward on your path, blessed by the power of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!.
