Mindfulness Exercise and the Five Hindrances

In this session, we did the mindfulness exercise by carrying ping-pong ball and placing the needle on the water. Venerable Nattawat explained that our mind is like a ping-pong ball that we carried along. If we do not focus on the ball carrying, we might loose control and drop the ball easily. Similar to focusing on the crystal ball inside, if there are distractions arising, we cannot stay focused. Lord Buddha said that there are five distractions in meditation so called the five hindrances; sensual desire, ill will, sloth, restlessness (monkey mind) and doubt. Homework for us this week is…

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Meditation Homework for Daily Life

1. Upon waking. immediately reconnect your attention with the center of the body 2. Before getting up. take a minute to recollect that you are lucky still to be alive and remind yourself that one day in the future you must die for sure, spreading loving kindness to all living beings in the world. 3. Throughout the day create the feeling that you are united with the mental object at the center of the body 4. Take one minute of  every hour to still your mind and think of the mental object at the center of the body. 5. Recollect…

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