Obstacles
Obstacles are difficulties one encounters on any spiritual path. They are infinite in variety because there are infinite minds. While one cannot draw a clear line and there would be overlaps, obstacles on the path of spirituality can be broadly categorised under:
Internal Obstacles
Absence of a path itself
For a beginner there is pathlessness, lack of direction and cluelessness. There is so much information, so many paths and so many fake Gurus that it becomes difficult to select the right path and Master. It is an internal obstacle because one is clueless.
Cure-
- Listen to different Gurus and see who is appealing.
- Mingle with spiritual communities and see how they are doing, check their experiences. Do they look peaceful, happy; sound wise? Collect information from them and seek guidance.
- Get information on various paths and walk on them for sometime to see how it feels. Eventually it is not the person who chooses the path but the path chooses the person.
Afflictions of the Mind
These could be intense fears, phobias, traumas, Alzhiemers, genetic issues etc. Most of the times people are not even aware of them, they hide or repress their mental disorders. On a spiritual path they show up in their full ugliness.
Cure- Usually nothing can be done about them. Therapy might be useful before one gets on the spiritual path. If they get on a spiritual path, a wise teacher would gently push them back to the world to avoid increasing their distress. Usually life is the biggest teacher and it teaches at its own pace.
Afflictions of the Ego
In some people ego is too strong and they get on the spiritual path to strengthen it further through gaining powers.
Cure- Teacher glorifies paths where such powers can be gained and advises such seekers to take on the these- path of Occult, Yoga, Kundalini etc and then waits for the right moment when there is a real opening, and the student is ready to listen to the higher teaching.
Solidified beliefs and conditioning
Belief is the most hard thing to remove from the mind. Most people are not ready to give up their beliefs, they become blind believers and have blind faith. Nothing new can be told to them since their mind is closed.
Cure- A kind teacher comes up with systems to circumvent these beliefs. If there is no teacher then eventually blind beliefs cause suffering and then the mind becomes ready for questioning them or giving them up.
Physical limitations of the body
These could be genetics, physiological disorders, attention deficit etc. If spiritual practice requires poses that person cannot perform then body becomes an obstacle. People think body has nothing to do with spirituality, that is a mistake.
Cure- Purification of the body through right eating and exercise if the limitations are due to bad habits.
Absence of a good teacher
Spiritual path is the biggest challenge in this Universe. Even for learning the alphabet one needs a teacher, in the spiritual path one will get lost without a teacher.
Cure- Most people complain of fake teachers. But even a fake teacher would know more than you. It is important to get started and even make mistakes. By encountering some fake teachers one will learn how to find the right teacher. Even mistakes are lessons and one learns from them. Eventually on finding the right teacher, the progress will be very fast.
Lack of certain qualities in the student
More often, the student does not possess the right qualities to be a seeker-intense desire for liberation, curiosity, logical and rational abilities, open mindedness, discipline and dedication, courage, respect for knowledge and teachers etc
Cure- By cultivating the right qualities of a good student one will find the right teacher too. If a teacher is rejecting one as a student then they need to be asked for the reason. A good teacher will point out qualities that one does not possess.
Misinterpretation of teachings
Those with Cognitive Biases and blind beliefs can misinterpret the teachings. If Guru says do not be attached to the family and the student abandons the family, it is misinterpretation of the teaching.
Cure- Just by listening to the highest teaching it does not mean one knows it. It has to be known through direct experience.
Resistance
There are unknown processes in the memory that cause resistances and cannot be seen. Nobody knows why there is no progress. Resistances are very deep and vast and one may not have any clue.
Cure- Just continue walking on the spiritual path, do not stop. Sometimes they are manifested in different ways and then one can get rid of them.
Lack of effort
Some paths talk about the effortless effort. The path is effortless only for those who are ripe. Some paths demand a lot of effort and most people do not have the courage and energy to walk on them.
Cure- Intense desire will generate energy to walk on the path and make all the required effort. Put all the attention on desiring liberation or knowledge.
Lost opportunities
Many opportunities come in life that can become openings but are missed. All the good and bad times are actually opportunities to learn.
Cure- When something bad happens, instead of lamenting on it, learn the lesson. For example, if someone dies in the family, instead of crying in grief it is a great reminder of the temporary nature of the physical body. When something good happens instead of celebrating only, it is an opportunity to watch and stay aware.
External Obstacles
Physiological manifestations
All kinds of pains, discomforts and itches appear out of nowhere within minutes during the meditation. Often, these obstacles are the first kind a newbie meditator encounters.
Cure- Be gentle, don’t force it. Initially provide the needed feedback by moving, relieving the pains, scratching or touching the body to comfort it, and go back to practice. The distractions reappear soon, and one repeats the actions again. Every time one resists it for a bit longer, ignores it more and more, in a few days or weeks all such painful sensations vanish on their own.
Mudras
Some people find themselves suddenly laughing hysterically, or crying loudly, uttering nonsense, giving out animal sounds, bird sounds, orgasmic noises, shaking, falling unconscious, making poses, especially hand poses, and a myriad kinds of acts that are not in their control.
Cure- Do not freak out, there is no possession by a demon. Its only mind. Be present, aware and let it all happen. Suppressing, killing it with drugs or avoidance of the teachings/practice will only delay it and prolong that funny stage. Like everything else, it comes and goes. Similarly, its wise to not to get attached to such mudras, and inflate Ego by assuming that one has become a holy person. One is just cleaning the trash, nothing too great about it.
Monkey Mind
Is the highly agitated state of the Mind. All kinds of thoughts, dramas, imaginary situations, worries, anger, fear, jealously and such junk arises continuously without break. This starts occurring when one tries to silence the Mind or wants to concentrate on something specific. The practitioner is baffled because the practice is meant to achieve exactly the opposite - a clear and calm mind which is ready to receive new knowledge and experience.
Cure-Be gentle and listen, do not suppress forcefully. Become fully aware of this condition of the mind. The light of awareness kills the random automatic thoughts and if one is well aware of mental processes, one can catch a thought even before it starts surfacing and starts forming a long train of thoughts.
Sexual urges
Amount of lust and sexual desire is more in seeker than the average person and extremely difficult to control. Practice brings in better health and superior qualities. Seeker with higher qualities is more attractive too and it shows up.
Cure-
- Celibacy if it is a short phase otherwise it gets suppressed and manifests even more dangerously.
- Marriage/Partner-Satiation will wear out sexual and related desires very quickly.
- Awareness- Just be aware of the drama being played in front, as an external observer, not acting on any actions it suggests.
Sleep
An extreme urge to sleep when listening to spiritual teachings or meditating. Mind shuts down very quickly.
Cure-Sleep as much as possible before taking on meditation practice or listening to spiritual talks.
Purification
Is a side effect of practice. Since mind is busy purging stuff out of its depths, the body suddenly becomes hyper sensitive to stuff and overreacts to certain things. Most commonly, food intolerances appear and disappear. Eating habits change, digestive disorders, allergies or symptoms of deadly diseases may appear. It is natural and is actually good. It becomes an obstacle and lasts forever only if one does not pay attention to what is happening.
Cure- The system is curing itself, cooperate and surrender. Assist it by adopting a clean and hygienic lifestyle. Surround oneself with nice people who understand, and remove the nasty ones for once and forever.
Fear and doubt
Things like Ego-death cause instant and intense fear and panic. It may happen that things don’t go as planned or expected, sometimes the practice bears no fruits, sometimes it brings trouble instead of progress. This causes doubt and suspicion in the mind of a seeker. A big obstacle can arise in the form of doubt on the teacher.
Cure- Unknown causes fear, knowledge destroys it. Know well, understand the thing that is causing fear, ensure that it is not life threatening, and it will disappear. Cultivate courage, curiosity and openness, that will get rid of any fears. Solve the survival issues first before undertaking major practices. Doubts are removed by knowledge and nothing else. Experiment with the given practices sincerely, if no progress is seen in a few months then drop. Ask the teacher to remove doubts and if not convinced look for another teacher.
Intellectual rewards
Intelligence becomes very sharp and bright. Get all kinds of ideas. Thinks clearly. Understand things, self and people in a flash of insight. Ideas on new inventions and scientific discoveries can pop up, and elegant solutions to problems one is facing come up.
Cure- Why should one stop this, isn’t it nice? One needs to use discretion and not act on ideas that divert one away from the path, however brilliant they seem. The seemingly bright ideas can terminate meditation abruptly, mind, especially, an intellectual mind, finds them appealing.
People and relatives
Often the biggest and most difficult obstacles for many. Parents may oppose every move, criticize, shame, threaten, especially if one is still young and a dependent. Partner will erect all kinds of hurdles, may try to overpower giving a reason that it is “love”. Children become an obstacle if they are young and are dependent on one, because responsibility makes one less free to devote time for the practice, to switch jobs or to travel and stay in solitude if required. Some friends can get worried, and insist to consult a doctor or psychiatric. Other relatives and acquaintances may start preaching - how one is too young for all this or causing suffering to parents and family. Neighbours, co-workers and other unrelated, non-dependent people can find one strange. Out of all these people, anyone, anytime may become extremely fearful, angry, jealous and even violent. Now that’s something to worry about, do not underestimate the power of ignorance. Its human nature, people do not easily tolerate differences. Some may suddenly feel that one no longer respects their religion/diet type/fashion style/language/any random stuff they feel is “their culture”.
Cure-Be highly diplomatic in social situations. Spiritual path is a private affair. It need not become public, except people one trusts, and who are also on some kind of path. Behave in family as if nothing new is happening. Practice should look like just another hobby. Do anything that is suitable and does not become an obstacle bigger than the relatives. If employed be diplomatic. Better-become self employed. As one continues in practice, those who are not vibrating at same level will leave, or one will leave them, it becomes painful to be with them, it is ok. One will get new friends, who resonate more. The old must go.
Situations
Events that are beyond one's capability to control, and emerge as obstacles on the path. Natural disasters, man-made disasters, accidents, sickness, loss in business, socio-political situations etc. are some examples.
Cure- Do not try to change external situations that are beyond control. Instead, do what needs to be done. Escape, avoid, run, fight, kill, defend, heal, earn – do whatever works. This is human experience, and not everything is picture perfect here. It becomes an obstacle if one just sits and does nothing or if one resists the situation, denies it, pretends that its not happening. Such events are opportunities for learning, a test of spiritual practice, a practical exam of the skills one has learnt. Impermanence ensures that one will return to the peaceful practice very soon.
Expectations and stupidity
It is planting a coconut seed and expecting a tree full of mangoes. Some seekers waste decades expecting magical results, and when they realize that they are getting nothing, they drop out of the path. Only a handful pick themselves up and continue in the right direction. Some hanker for magical experiences, and completely forget that its the experiencer who they are looking for.
Cure- Life experiences are a natural cure for stupidity. One falls many-many times and eventually learns the lesson. Expectations are cured by a good teacher, who will drive them out of one's head in a single blow. If one is not fortunate enough to have a tough teacher, just remember that practice will give nothing, it only takes away everything that is superfluous and unclean, unwholesome.
Paranormal phenomena
The first paranormal event a seeker may encounter is presences of all kinds. One can’t see them, but one can feel them. A meditator will often hear voices, some are hallucinations, some are not, so we are still on the borderline. A meditator will hear knocking sounds, like a wall being hit with a small stick or like finger snaps. It will happen exactly at the moment when one is settled into a peaceful state of the mind. It brings one back, kills that state. One may get scared and stop going into that room alone, or worse one may drop the practice. And hence, this is under the heading of obstacles. Second very common paranormal event is out of body experiences (aka Astral Projections). Experiences of leaving the body, being just point consciousness floating around, remote viewing stuff, being able to see through walls and seeing own body sitting on cushion peacefully meditating, are very common experiences. Oobes can go wild, when one encounters humanlike entities and finds oneself in strange worlds. For some, its fun, and its also a Siddhi (minor power), but for most, it’s a nightmare. It is so scary for some that they drop the practice.
Cure- Ignore and carry on. Stuff happens. Practice is more important, not the stuff, normal or otherwise. It doesn’t last, it comes and goes. If its irritating, try different things, like pausing the practice for a while, changing the place of practice, “purifying” the place with a strong intention or taking the help of someone else who has some experience and has stronger intentions. Lastly, other experienced seekers and teachers can help if it becomes too messy. If one encounters negativity, immediately re-evaluate- Is there a better path? Is that practice unsuitable for one? Is one afflicted with intense anger, fear or lust? Is the practice directed at harming someone, meddling with nature or if one is madly pursuing powers? Purify oneself first, don’t try to control or manipulate what is beyond capability.
Minor Powers
May or may not manifest on the course of practice, and if they do, they generally end up being obstacles. One suddenly discovers that one can do something amazing which very few people can do. One runs after it like mad, and get engrossed in it, its novel, its fascinating, its fun. If the power is of a paranormal nature, the distraction is even more effective. By the time one is done playing with it, one realizes being stuck at the same point in the path since years and has now accumulated a ton of consequences, fruits of unusual actions that are waiting to bring unusual consequences. What could have been a fun learning opportunity has been turned into a major obstacle.
Cure- It is very important to ignore them and to not to act on the urge to use them. Sometimes one can’t help, its involuntary (say extreme sensitivity to people), but some powers can be controlled and their use for Egoic purposes becomes a certainty if one does not know how harmful it all can be. Chances are that one will see some powers only after an evolved state. If one sees them at a fairly early stage, know that it is just a distraction thrown by the Mind to create an obstacle on the path.
Extraordinary experiences
Experiences of heavenly kind is just another weapon the Mind uses to distract a seeker. Initial newbie experiences are typically lights, sounds and bodily sensations. Later on people report a sense of connectedness, infinity, oneness, being the almighty creator of everything, world may start appearing like a dream, aversion from worldly existence, indifference towards daily activities like eating, working or talking to others, so on and so forth. Well, that sounds like progress, how can it all be obstacles? What happens is, seekers hear about such experiences and immediately judge themselves as lacking cool stuff. They start hankering after such experiences. It is a lot like familiar Egoic activities- to get more, to hoard more, to be superior, be afraid of losing experiences or of not getting more, suffering because an experience ended or didn’t come back.
Cure- Goal has to do with the experiencer, not the experience. Experiences, however extraordinary, amusing or funny they look, are impermanent, they come and go like clouds come and go in clear blue sky. Fancy experiences are just rearrangements of the mental structures, one can learn from them, get some deep insights, and then needs to move on. Extraordinary experiences are fun and a great learning opportunity, but one must use them and discard them.
Grandeur, megalomania and worshippers
Becomes a problem for those seekers who are abnormally extroverted and cannot let go of the Egoic tendency to feel superior to others, do “good” for others or save the world. Worshippers or fanboys add to this mess. The result is that the seeker spends his life preaching stuff and throwing his weight around in the crowd of worshippers. Practice is obviously most boring thing now, and since he has gained everything, had every kind of experience, and knows answers to all questions, there is no need to practice anymore.
Cure- Be a humble student always. Suggest answers, do not preach, take no responsibilities. Help fellow seekers as much as possible, and then leave them on their own. Do not organize teachings, truth cannot be organized, if you do that it becomes a dogma, a religion.
Traditions
No doubt traditions are good, institutions and organizations for seekers have their value, but they also have a dark side, they can halt progress or worse, turn one into a cult follower. For a new seeker, traditions are very useful, they provide a systematic way, they provide a path, they are well arranged and have nice terminologies and theories/models of their own. This assists in grasping difficult concepts. It becomes an obstacle once one reaches the limit of what the tradition can teach. It can happen when the tradition is dying, the teachers merely perform the ritual of teaching. However, the most common reason is the Ego of the seeker itself. “My tradition is bigger than your tradition” – type of wars are very common. The seeker gets obsessed with the tradition, becomes religious about it, defends it or clings to it.
Cure-Use them as a tool, do not get used by them. They are for service, one is not there to serve them. If one feels like serving a tradition, it should not be because of Egoic desires, fears and ambitions. The service, by definition should be selfless. If one finds that the tradition is not answering questions and one is sick of politics and games there, it is time to leave the tradition. It is highly recommended to remain tradition-less. Be free, be open to accept any useful teaching. Things like scriptures, theories, myths, terminology, culture, language, country or which deities they worship are least important on the path; own happiness, knowledge and freedom are most important.