The Five Hindrances to Happiness: a Dharma Talk with Dr. Cheryl

Sex, Love & Elephants with Dr. Cheryl

“Dr. Cheryl, how can I overcome my self doubt? It’s ruining my life!”

“How do I break free from the torturous grip that my anxiety has on me?”

“Why has my experience with meditation been unfulfilling?”

We’ve all had that moment of desire and weakness—a good friend buys a fancy new car and we’re overcome with jealousy. Instead of being happy for them and proud of their hard work, all we can focus on is what we’re lacking. But the remedy to this feeling isn’t to go out and buy a new car yourself. Instead, the answer involves practicing generosity for others and focusing on relieving ourselves of that wanting, selfish feeling.

Today’s episode of Sex, Love, and Elephants features a Dharma Talk that I gave last month about the five hindrances that stand between us and happiness.

The five hindrances get in the way of calm, they get in the way of focus, and they make it harder to accept what is with equanimity—that is, they’re stopping us from being able to go with the flow and to recalibrate ourselves… Without the temper tantrum.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• The hindrances can get in the way of concentrating on the important object (03:51)
• Even when you're well rested and alert in your physiology, sloth and torpor can come like a shadow over the sun (09:18)
• The very last wisp of difficulty to disappear before you become a fully awake Buddha is the last vestige of doubt (11:12)
• We don't have to have a gigantic temper tantrum to feel exhausted, even a small little worry can be fatiguing (16:27)
• When you slow down in meditation, the mind gets a little more acute, a little more precise, and a little more clear (22:55)
• Hindrances are like nasty waves that blind us to the calm ocean (28:15)

Want to learn more about Buddhism and relationships? Cheryl’s book Buddha’s Bedroom is a great resource!

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