Engage in mindfulness practice as it has been identified as the most impactful and successful mental health intervention for enhancing personal well-being.
To make progress and see clearly, ensure your life is wholesome and virtuous by practicing proper conduct (sila).
Actively work to weaken the force of unwholesome mental states (the five hindrances) when they arise, while simultaneously cultivating and strengthening wholesome mental states (the seven factors of awakening) to enhance well-being.
Cultivate awareness of the five hindrances – unwholesome mental states – to prevent them from controlling your thoughts and actions, thereby regaining agency over your mind.
When hindrances arise, make them the object of your meditation practice to weaken their power and cultivate greater well-being and happiness.
Use the RAIN technique (Recognize, Accept, Investigate, Non-identification) to systematically and wholesomely work with whatever arises in your heart, mind, and body, including the five hindrances, to defang their power.
When struggling in meditation or daily life, recognize and acknowledge the specific hindrance that is arising by naming it.
Non-judgmentally consider the potential negative consequences of continuing to dwell in a particular hindrance to understand its long-term impact.
Actively cultivate the mental factors that are the opposite of the hindrances; for example, bring loving-kindness to ill will or mindfulness to a wandering mind.
Develop a ‘sky-like attitude’ by imagining thoughts as clouds passing through an empty blue sky, noticing the gaps between thoughts, and resting there to realize thoughts are not your true self.
Consciously apply effort to stop unwholesome mental factors like aversion, greed, sloth, torpor, or doubt by firmly acknowledging them and directing them to cease.
In daily life, when hindrances like anger, desire, or restlessness arise, pause to clearly see them, then consciously choose and cultivate the opposite, more wholesome mental response.
Before acting, identify the intention behind your action and assess whether it is wholesome or unwholesome, then decide whether to proceed based on this assessment.
Recognize and cultivate ‘Chanda,’ which is wholesome desire focused on ensuring well-being for yourself, your family, friends, community, and others, rather than self-serving greed.
Recognize and acknowledge desires that are not true sources of well-being for yourself or others, and actively resist indulging in them.
Before indulging in a desire (e.g., eating cookies late at night), pause to contemplate the specific negative consequences it will have on your well-being (e.g., lack of sleep).
When experiencing negative outcomes (e.g., tiredness from lack of sleep), reflect on past indulgences (e.g., late-night cookies) to connect the action with its consequence and reinforce the wisdom of avoiding it in the future.
Become aware of the underlying reason for a desire, such as seeking pleasure due to an unpleasant mental state, and then choose more wholesome activities (e.g., yoga) to improve your mood.
Make a vow to notice when you are hurrying or rushing and consciously choose not to obey that impulse, as rushing leads to careless attention and can contribute to the arising of all hindrances.
Counter aversion by recognizing your interconnectedness with all people, even those with whom you disagree, and strive to bring them towards a wholesome understanding rather than harboring hate.
Actively develop mental factors opposite to aversion, such as loving-kindness (metta), compassion for self and others, joy for others’ happiness, and equanimity.
Pay attention to bodily sensations like heating up or feeling averse, as noticing these physical manifestations can increase awareness of ill will as it arises, allowing you to cultivate its opposite.
Refrain from acting on inclinations to be hateful or strike out, as doing so ‘waters the seeds’ of negative mental factors, making them stronger and more prevalent in your life.
Approach the arising of hindrances like aversion with a sense of humor, recognizing that these are universal human experiences and not unique to you.
When negative emotions like anger arise, acknowledge them without taking them too seriously or identifying with them; instead, ‘blow them a kiss’ or ‘high-five your demons’ as a conditioned response and move towards a saner state.
When experiencing personal struggles like self-doubt, remind yourself that countless others are experiencing the same, thereby depersonalizing the struggle and fostering self-compassion.
The first step to addressing sloth and torpor is to recognize and name its presence, then investigate its physical, mental, and energetic manifestations using the RAIN method.
Engage in body scanning meditation, starting from your head and moving down to your feet, feeling whatever sensations the body offers, as this practice can increase awareness and counteract sloth and torpor.
To counteract sloth and torpor, try counting your breaths, for example, from one to ten and back down, to anchor your attention.
If experiencing sloth and torpor during meditation, open your eyes and look at a light for a while to help increase awareness and reduce sleepiness.
When experiencing restlessness and worry, first recognize its presence, then persistently look into the immediate past to identify what conditions or triggers caused it to arise.
Understand that restlessness and worry are impermanent, passing experiences, and consistently return your attention to your meditation practice.
To counter restlessness, keep returning to your breath and set positive intentions, such as ‘May calm and concentration arise,’ saying it once or twice during meditation and then returning to the practice.
When doubt arises, observe it within yourself, recognizing it as an unwholesome quality, and refrain from actions that would hinder your cultivation of inner beauty and well-being.
When doubt arises about your ability or a teacher’s efficacy, question the underlying self-doubt, self-hatred, or ill will, acknowledge the hindrance, and respond with self-love and compassion.
Access the vast amount of free resources available online, such as Buddhist psychology PDFs or talks on Dharma Seed, to deepen your understanding of Buddhist teachings and practices.