The Five Hurdles to Happiness

July 30, 2018
Clinical psychologist Abblett (The Self-Compassion Deck) provides a handy and humorous guide to using mindfulness to overcome the five hindrances of Buddhist tradition—unconscious habits that envelop the mind, create obstacles to a happy life, and limit potential. “Do we want our days to be small and safe or large with loving awareness?” he asks. Abblett describes the five destructive patterns that can entangle daily life: desire (shopping, overeating), anger (hostility, agitation), sloth (laziness, distraction), restlessness (stress, overreaction), and doubt (losing faith, self-defeating thoughts). Abblett asserts that one should strive not to eliminate these hindrances, but to change one’s relationship with them and forge a path of liberation through self-assessment, expansion of awareness, and moment-to-moment mindfulness. In approachable, familiar language, he describes the science of how the human brain is wired for hindrance and offers abundant stories, parables, and anecdotes about those who have used meditation to overcome obstacles. Examples of people who have successfully incorporated mindfulness principles into their lives are taken from his life and clinical practice as well as from philosophers, psychologists, teachers, and scientific studies that are relatable and motivating. With numerous meditation practices included, this is a comforting guide for mindfulness practitioners and lay people alike.