Obstacles in Contemplative life

Many people, both young and old ask us nowadays: “Swamiji, do you hold meditation classes?” or “Can you teach us meditation?” etc. I say, “Yes, I used to take regular weekly classes of guided meditation but now I have stopped and I am not going to start again.” “Why” they ask. I say, “For three reasons. First, not even five percent of those attending these classes will do regular meditation. Secondly, even if they do, they will not be successful, because most of them won’t follow the preliminary disciplines and rigorous moral life required for success. And finally, if they succeed with their impure mind, they will prove a curse to society and themselves. Their evil tendencies will increase. Some will lose their heads if they practise meditation forcefully. It is easy to talk about meditation and contemplative life but is extremely difficult to practice it. Life is full of hurdles and difficulties, and a contemplative life is hundred times more so. Let me emphasize the word ‘life’. Contemplative life does not mean meditation alone. It implies complete transformation of life. Otherwise accidents as mentioned are bound to occur. In the present essay, we shall restrict ourselves only to the obstacles and difficulties in Contemplative life.

Types of Obstacles:   

There are four types of obstacles in contemplative life:

1. Some obstacles like hunger, thirst, sleep etc. are the physiological necessities which act as distractions to meditation. They must be attended to and can be reduced considerably  by practice.
2. The second type of difficulties arise as a reaction to an attempt to lead a contemplative life. Our bodies and mind are not accustomed to meditation; hence they react. Body starts aching, minds becomes dull, and even the desires and passions appear to increase. Those who sit for meditation for only ten or fifteen minutes a day may not find such problems, but anyone desirous of diving deep in to mediation would face sharp and strong mental and physical reactions. Mind is churned, as it were and such practitioners face tremendous mental tension. The whole life becomes unsettled, uncertain. In such a situation, many give up the contemplative life; others continue mechanically; only a few hold on through thick and thin till the end.
3. The third type of difficulties are due to our own mistakes, and carelessly led contemplative life. Overeating, excessive or too little sleep, talkativeness, being too social, mixing with people indiscriminately, wasting time in useless gossip, reading unhealthy literature, and yet trying to lead a meditative life without organizing the whole life can never be successful. Many practitioners try to lead a contemplative life, with their impure minds. They want to continue to lead their impure hedonistic life and at the same time aspire to taste the bliss caused by awakening of the Kundalini. How can this be?

            There are others, who go to the other extreme of even crushing their healthy and noble tendencies. Love, friendliness, right conduct, service, music and intellectual pursuits are like steps to higher contemplative life and help in overcoming baser tendencies. Some practitioners try to go too fast. They try to meditate for hours at a stretch or do excessive pranayama without expert guidance and come to grief. Persons with extremely restless mind or temperamentally overactive ones, must start with a few minutes of meditation and increase it gradually. One must be able to assess ones strength and weakness. It is better at times to be pragmatic and practical rather than idealistic.

4. Finally many difficulties arise because of hazy idea about the principles and the practice. If the goal is hazy, the path uncertain, and the values of life indefinite, problems are bound to arise.

Some present day obstacles:

Traditionally, the difficulties and problems are classified as ‘adidevik, adibhautic and adhyatmic’ i.e. those arising from natural calamities like floods, earthquakes, draughts etc; those caused by other creatures, or human beings and those caused by ones own mind and body. A practitioner of contemplative life is primarily concerned with the personal problems.  However the first two also cause hindrance and must be tackled effectively. Environment and external influences do affect the struggling mind and unless contemplation has become natural, one must find ways and means of facing these hindrances. 

Sound pollution, absence of silence and solitude, and a suitable place for meditation are some of the commonest problems of modern times. Crowded cities radios, tape recorders and loud speakers, phenomenal increase in cars and vehicles have led to so much of crowding all over that even solitary retreats have not been spared. How to face these difficulties and lead a contemplative life?

A serious practitioner of contemplation solves this problem by meditating at night. Even in a sprawling metropolis most of the people sleep at night and there is peace all around. Hence he must develop a habit of meditating at  the dead of the night or early morning, i.e. much before dawn.

Even during other hours especially during the period of junction of day and night called sandhyas, nature becomes still. And alert contemplative can easily detect these moments and dive deep into meditation during these hours.

Eternal peace is always present as the substratum of noise and disturbance. A contemplative engaged in the pursuit of Supreme Peace can easily get in touch with the Absolute Existence Peace. He can keep a part of his mind united with that Supreme Peace on whom he meditates during hours of silence, even during the noisiest hours. This is the only effective solution of the problem of sound pollution. When we have no control over external circumstances, we must change ourselves and rise above the situation.

Sri Ramakrishna recommends that one must meditate in a forest or in a corner or within the heart. Yogis meditate in solitary caves or on mountain tops or in the forests. These may not be easy to get. The second best are places which are comparatively less crowded. If a person is really earnest he will get secluded, pleasant sites conducive to meditation even in the busiest mega cities. Such solitary places may be less but they are never altogether lacking. A small temple or a shrine less visited by worshippers, the bank of a distant river, a garden house away from town and similar places can be found on search. One can certainly create a suitable place in a corner in one’s house.

Sacred places and important shrines like the Jyotirlingas and the shaktipithas are very conducive for contemplation because of their strong spiritual vibrations. However, these places being pilgrim spots have become extremely crowded. A contemplative may find some suitable place away from the actual shrine but in the vicinity, where he can practice contemplation. Some have successfully meditated even in the crowded noisy shrines themselves using earplugs to block noise and covering the eyes.

If even these are impractical one must develop a habit of meditating within the sanctuary of one’s heart. Catherine of Siena was not allowed to live alone by her father and was forced to remain busy among people. But this great Christian Saint would silently and secretly dive within her heart and meet her Beloved there.

Contemplation does not mean only meditation with closed eyes. To see God with open eyes in people around us, to develop the attitude of a witness of our own physical and mental activities, to constantly remember God and to discriminate between Self and non self are some of the techniques by which we can maintain a contemplative mood even in the midst of crowded environs.

The ideal man is he who in the midst of the greatest silence and solitude finds the intensest activity, and in the midst of the intensest activity finds the silence and solitude of the desert…He goes through the streets of a big city with all its traffic and his mind is as calm as if he were in a cave where not a sound could reach him…(Karma Yoga of Swami Vivekananda – Page 11-12, 2004.)

Difficulties caused by climatic conditions must also be considered. Extremes of heat and cold, rains and storms etc. should not be allowed to disturb the mental poise of a contemplative. He must have the blessed quality of forbearance, titiksha. There cannot be greater protective armour for a contemplative than patience and forbearance. Some saints have even recommended that we must practice contemplation under adverse circumstances by choice so that in the long run we become immune to climatic effects.

Obstacles described by Patanjali:

Of the nine obstacles enumerated by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, disease is the first one. Some people enjoy a comparatively healthy body, but none can truly escape disease and old age. A contemplative must have a fair knowledge of his individual constitution and must observe the rules of health. The saying “A healthy mind in a healthy body” is really true. Physical illness leads to anxiety and tension, lack of concentration and restlessness and fear and uncertainty. Conversely, mental anxiety and tension can cause illness. While rules of health must be followed and illness must be treated, mental poise must be maintained under all circumstances. Swami Turiyananda, quoting Sri Ramakrishna used to say, “Let the body bear suffering, O mind, do thou remain in bliss.” All great contemplatives had this approach. Body must neither be neglected nor given undue importance. A contemplative must lead a life of moderation.

The second obstacle in Patanjali’s list is lack of energy or zeal for contemplative life. In spite of knowing the importance of leading a contemplative life, not to engage in it or to give it up pre maturely is called Styana. Such individuals in spite of having an able body and mind, feel incompetent to lead a noble life.

Doubt is another obstacle. It can be about the goal, the path or about one’s ability to pursue it. Every serious practitioner of contemplative life passes initially through a painful period of uncertainty caused by his sanskaras: one group pulling him towards enjoyment and another pushing him towards higher life. Such a state of doubt and uncertainty can be overcome by getting a clear idea of the spiritual goal and path of contemplation by repeated reading and deep thinking (shravana and manana). If one is fortunate enough to live with a preceptor the doubts can be easily removed. Finally if the contemplative is lucky to get some sort of mystic experience, however insignificant, doubts would vanish. Hence one must hold on to the contemplative practice. Gradually doubts disappear and stability is achieved. One must never remain in a state of uncertainty for long.

Carelessness: Some are careless by nature and don’t do any thing with full attention or energy. Such people cannot succeed in contemplative life. They lead a mediocre life, which may prove harmful and ever dangerous sooner or later. All the rules and conditions of contemplative life must be fulfilled with great care.

Laziness is another obstacle mentioned by Patanjali. A person with this bad habit continuously yields to love of comfort and ease and avoids exertion. Such people fall asleep while meditating and are not fit for contemplative life. This must be overcome by self effort, a balanced, moderate diet and wakefulness. It is better to spend a few years in active useful life, rather than embarking upon a contemplative life with a lazy body and mind.

These five obstacles mentioned by Patanjali are essentially due to tamoguna. Practice of the eight fold noble path preached by the Lord Buddha can effectively overcome them. Samyak drishti or right attitude obtained by repeated study and meditation of the four Noble Truths or the contemplative life destroys doubt. Samyak Sankalpa or right resolve, that ‘I shall realize the Truth’, ‘I shall attain liberation in this very life’ is the next step. Without right resolve right attitude is of no value. A practitioner can overcome laziness, carelessness and inertia by such a resolve. Samyak Karma, Samyak ajivika and Samyak vyayama i.e. right action, right livelihood and right exercise, together with right speech, regulate body, mind and speech and make the practitioner fit for the final step of Samyak Samadhi.

One of the most important obstacles mentioned by Patanjali is avirati  lack of the spirit of renunciation and lingering attraction for worldly enjoyments. Although one can embark upon contemplative life without dispassion, old impressions of hankering for objects of sense enjoyments would sooner or later arise and disturb such a practitioner. Brooding over the objects of enjoyment and sensuous imagination must be given up immediately. Discrimination leads to detachment and such discriminations are called bhavanas in Jainism. They are twelve in number and we may mention some of them in short though in Jain literature they are described in great details with an illustrative story for each.

To think that the body, wealth and property, family and friends etc. are impermanent and the atman alone is eternal real and immortal, is called anitya bhavana. Diseases, old age and death will have to be borne by one self alone and none can share them. Dharma or righteousness alone can provide support. This type of discrimination is called asharana bhavana. This world is like a fire pit or a jail or a dark well. To think thus is called sansar bhavana. One is born alone and will leave this world too alone. One has to suffer the fruits of one’s actions alone. Friends and relatives are with us only for few days. Such contemplation is called ekatwa bhavana. In anyatwa bhavana the practitioner thinks that none belongs to him: relatives, friends, wealth and property, not even the body. In ashuchi bhavana discrimination is centered around the impure nature of the human body and the pure nature of the human soul. Evil impressions caused by aversion and attachment, lust and greed etc. flow into the embodied soul and lead to bondage and unending chain of transmigration. This process is technically called in flow or ashrawa. Samvara and nirjjara are the two Jain terms for prevention of further evil acts and consequent bondage and destruction of the already accumulated karma bondage through meditation and austerity. Contemplation of these leads to dispassion.

Delusion or erroneous perception:  It is not easy to obtain a true spiritual experience. Yet, the beginner is often obsessed by the idea of having some experience. Having read about experience of light, Nada Brahman, or awakening of Kundalini, the practitioners become impatient for them and get deluded by some petty sensations. It is on record that some practitioners fall asleep while meditating and think that they have got Samadhi! Intellectual conception of high truths is mistaken for actual realization. Some mistake spontaneously arising mental pictures for visions, while a physically and mentally relaxed state is mistaken for bliss of Brahman. There could be innumerable such false perceptions. Sometimes there might arise some true spiritual experiences but it is always advisable to consult a more experienced person.

Non Attainment of desired state: Alabdhabhumikatva: At times the practitioner is not able to attain what he wishes to achieve. For example, he may find it difficult to meditate in the heart. Even if he is able to focus his attention at the lotus of the heart, he may fail to visualize the whole image of his chosen ideal. Or, he may not be able to visualize it as luminous or living. Such problems arise in the beginning of a contemplative life. There are many more difficulties in advanced stages. These can be overcome by continuous uninterrupted practice, and strict moral discipline.

Failure to hold on to a specific state: Anavasthitatva: Sometimes the contemplative person is not able to remain at a specific level of contemplation but slips down to a lower state. This happens because he had not observed strictly moral values and attained enough purity of mind, which are essential as preliminaries. Besides, one must try to ascend to a higher state only after getting established well in the lower one.

We have in short reviewed the obstacles mentioned by Patanjali. Practice and renunciation or dispassion are the two general means of overcoming them. Apart from these, surrender to God, practice of Japa, thinking on the meaning of the mantra also remove the obstacles. Patanjali mentions practice of one technique (ekatatva abhyasa) as one of the means.

After describing these nine major obstacles Patanjali mentions four subsidiary obstacles, which are in fact signs of mental illness. They are pain, depression, trembling of limbs and irregular respiration. Pain and suffering are signs of illness. We do consult a doctor for physical pain, but often neglect mental suffering which is a sure sign that mind is not healthy. The feeling of helplessness in solving problems leads to depression. Unattended anxiety and depression may lead to tremor of limbs, palpitation, perspiration and irregular respiration. A restless mind does not allow the practitioner to sit steady. To move our limbs during meditation is a sure sign of a restless mind. Hence Swami Vivekananda has advised that before meditation one must learn to sit steady. Practice of yogasanas and some amount of pranayama under the guidance of an expert can remove these physical symptoms.

Obstacles described in Mandukya Karika:

According to Gandapadacharya, the author of the celebrated treatise on Vedanta ‘Mandukya Karika’ there are four obstacles in the Vedantic path.

1. Laya means a state of mental dullness or even sleep. Mind must be aroused and made active. Sleep is essential but its duration can be reduced by leading a regulated life, light and easily digestible and nourishing food and by avoiding extremes of physical activity.
2. Vikshepa or restlessness of mind: If Laya is tamoguni, vikshepa is rajoguni tendency. A mind used to worldly pursuits is naturally restless and extrovert. For years we have been engaged in worldly activities at certain hours of the day. During these hours mind naturally remains active and restless. Similarly mind automatically becomes quiet at the hours when we sit for meditation regularly. But if we remain very active throughout on a particular day, we shall find it difficult to meditate even at the fixed hours that day. It is advised that by discrimination, mind must be weaned from its habit of running after sense objects. Forcibly trying to control a restless mind may lead to increase in tension and mental aberration. Restless persons must not try to meditate for long hours.

        Vikshepa or restlessness could be of various kinds:1.  The mind might be by nature restless and rajoguni as is the case with most beginners. 2. Worries and anxieties of the day to day life, and the thoughts in which the person      remains normally engaged might cause disturbance. 3. The subconscious impressions are churned up and such thoughts, ideas and emotions come to the conscious surface, as were never experienced or thought of before. 4. Passions, lust especially, are aroused 5. Wonderful plans and ideas for work may arise and tempt the practitioner to relinquish  contemplation and put those ideas into practice  The  practitioner must forcibly drive away these ideas away and never put them into practice..

3. Kashaya: Even when aroused from inertia and withdrawn from sense attractions, the mind may merge in to a sort of stupification. This is a serious obstacle and is caused by intense attachment or aversion. This is difficult to overcome because it is due to deep rooted impressions of likes and dislikes.                                                                 Ups and downs are natural on the path of contemplation. Some days the aspirant may have good meditation. On other days he may not be able to meditate at all. Some days he may get joy. At other times, he may feel absolutely dry within. The practitioner must remember that even when he is not able to meditate well, he is still united with God in the depth of his being and nothing is truly lost. He might probably be gaining more energy for higher ascent. He must, on such dry spells, hold on to spiritual practice.                                                                                    A contemplative has to dray his mind away from the world and consciously cultivate noble thoughts. At this period a stage comes when he can neither go back to the world, nor fix his mind on a higher ideal. The mind then becomes absolutely unsettled. He feels lonely and lost. Neither can he meditate, nor enjoy sense objects. He has broken all worldly connections and yet not been able to unite to God! Everything – social conduct, daily routine, become uncertain. This is an unavoidable obstacle. Some succumb to it and give up contemplative life. But one must hold on to the practice of contemplation with greater tenacity. Scriptural studies, holy company and strict adherence to moral disciplines greatly help in overcoming this difficulty.                       

4. Rasaswada: There is joy in contemplation. However, such minor experiences of spiritual joy are considered a hindrance according to Mandukya Karika. The practitioner of contemplation must not get attached to it. Its repeated remembrance is a hindrance. Although for mediocre practitioners, such a taste of higher joy may not be a hindrance, it must be remembered that attachment to such joy is as great a bondage as attachment to sense enjoyment. The aspirant must try to rise above it by disregarding it.

The three desires: Vasana Traya:

Generally a serious practitioner embarks upon a contemplative life after relinquishing desire for spouse and progeny and for wealth and worldly prosperity. Such sincere aspirants too fall a prey to desire for social recognition, for study of scriptures and for the care of the body.

A person hankering after name and fame or social recognition (Lokavasana) would always conduct himself in such a way so as to please others and to get honour and praise and never dishonour. This is an impossible task. There had never been in the world any one who was always honoured and never cursed. In fact it is impossible to please everyone. Swami Yatishwarananda has said that if someone is able to please all, there must be something wrong with that person. Insults and curses are more beneficial for a serious contemplator than honour and praise. It is said that by insults ones merits increase and by honour ones merits gained by austerities are lost just as a cow gets tired and listless after being milked. A contemplative must therefore behave in such a way that people may remain away from him, but he must not resort to unethical conduct.

Although scriptural studies are essential as a preparation for contemplative life, it may become a hindrance if one gets addicted to too much study of too many types of books. All great contemplatives, including Sri Ramakrishna have decried too much study of books. Sri Ramakrishna would say that one needs just a penknife to kill himself but shield and sword are required to kill another, meaning thereby that practice of few percepts is required for one’s spiritual growth rather than reading scores of books. Hence a contemplative person must select one or two books most suited for his contemplative pattern of life, read them repeatedly and put the instructions into practice.

Many practitioners after withdrawing the mind from worldly pursuits become much more body conscious and spend undue time and energy in keeping it healthy and beautiful. On the contrary, most of the advanced contemplatives virtually totally disregard the physical body.

In Jainism, where contemplative life is given great importance, ten categories of possible obstacles have been mentioned which a serious practitioner must avoid. They include:

1. Any fixed dwelling place if its upkeep is a cause for anxiety.
2. Family, if the welfare of the family members is a cause of concern.
3. Acquiring gifts and reputation that involves spending time with admirers.
4. Projects and plans: having something to do.
5. A following of students or being busy with teaching.
6. Illness necessitating undergoing treatment.
7. Theoretical studies unaccompanied by practice.
8. People dear to one whose needs-physical and psychological demand attention.
9. Traveling about.
10. Supernatural powers.

                       

Obstacles caused by contrary views: Vitarkabadha

No one can succeed in leading a truly contemplative life without strictly observing the moral and ethical values like truthfulness, non violence, continence, non possessiveness and non stealing. One of the important obstacles, mentioned by Patanjali in observance of these values is caused by contrary views. This hindrance has become extremely common in modern times.

Due to the impressions of innumerable past lives, violence, speaking untruth, etc. have become natural for us and are now been considered essential for fulfilling our selfish interests. Killing an enemy, ferocious animals, mosquitoes etc are considered essential for our protection and well being. Such activities are endorsed as righteousness, dharma. Some people do them themselves, while others get them done and still others endorse them. Again, we may be prompted to do such acts contrary to the five basic values out of greed, prompted by anger or by erroneous belief that they are meritorious acts.

While for certain specific situations, acts might be allowed, a person aspiring to rise to higher levels in contemplative life, must give them up all together. The method of weaning oneself from such contrary actions, beliefs and promptings is called Pratipaksh bhavanam in Yoga Sutras, which involves deeply thinking about the evil aftereffects of violence, falsehood, possessiveness, sexual indulgence, stealing etc.

Conclusion:

As will be evident from going through this special issue of the Prabuddha Bharata, contemplative life is a highly specialized form of life, which is not so easy as might appear from outside. It requires a lot of preparation and clearing of the way. Obstacles are many, and as one progresses, newer and subtle ones often crap up. It is not possible in this short essay to describe all of them. The practitioner, as he advances, will discover them himself, and if he is sincere, he will either be able to get over them of his own, or with the help of other contemplative co practitioners or experts in the field.

May his path be free from obstacles.