Working With The Hindrances To Meditation - by Helen Pengelly

COURSE

Working With The Hindrances To Meditation

With Helen Pengelly

There are five common factors that were recognised by the Buddha that got in the way of people's spiritual practice and hindered their growth. 2,500 years later that is still the case. We're human. By becoming aware of these hindrances increases your likelihood of success in establishing a regular meditation practice.

SleepStressWorkplaceTraditionalbuddhismMindfulnessmeditationBeginnersStressanxietyCreativityperformanceReligionMindfulness

Meet your Teacher

Helen Pengelly
United Kingdom

Helen is an accredited coach, EFT practitioner and meditation teacher. In 2006 after attending a meditation workshop she felt a calm like never before. She joined a meditation class led by very experienced Buddhist teachers. There were no apps back then. She went on her first retreat in 2009. Since 2011 sheā€™s been volunteering at retreat centres where she spends about 2 months each year and hangs out with some of the best Buddhist teachers. She qualified as a coach in 2014 and has been teaching and leading meditations since 2015. Helen uses what sheā€™s learned through difficult life experiences to help others be happy whatever. She uses her own unique blend of coaching, mindfulness, intuitive and spiritual powers and EFT. Sheā€™s passionate about helping you heal from your past and live the life youā€™re here to enjoy.

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7 Days

80 students

4.8 stars

13 min / day

Sleep

English

Lesson 1

Introduction

Five common factors were recognised by the Buddha that got in the way of people's spiritual practice and hindered their growth. 2,500 years later, that's still the case. We're human. Our minds will try and derail us from our meditation practice. So if you know what they are in advance then this increases your likelihood of success in establishing a regular practice Session 1 introduces the hindrances.

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Lesson 2

Restlessness And Anxiety

In the session we are looking at restlessness and anxiety. Helen talks a little bit about how this might show up in your practice and then there will be a practical element for practice. This is so you start to become familiar with that pattern so you can recognise when it comes up and see it for what it is.

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Lesson 3

Sloth And Torpor

In session two we looked at the hindrance of restlessness and anxiety. Now we're going to go to the other side of the coin to explore sloth and torpor. Learn how to meditate when maybe you can't be bothered. It feels like too much effort or you're tired or anything else related that might get in the way of your spiritual practice.

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Lesson 4

Sense Desire

In this session, we're moving on to looking at sense desire where we might get distracted, as the name suggests, by our senses. That could be any of the six senses because in Buddhism the Mind / thinking is also a sense and we all know how we can get distracted. by thoughts.

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Lesson 5

Ill Will

In this module we're going to be looking at the next hindrance, which is ill will. As the title suggests this is when negative thoughts come up and get in the way of our practice. Remember you are not your thoughts and you don't have to believe them.

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Lesson 6

Doubt

Helen believes this is the hindrance that would derail people the most from their practice. When doubt is present it can be beneficial to know the science and believe what is possible from a regular practice.

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Lesson 7

Summary

In this final session, we recap over the hindrances to meditation and how each can be acknowledged when it shows up in our meditation practice. We revisit each hindrance in a reminder and look at how meditation can benefit our whole life.

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4.8 (5)

Recent Reviews

Patty

February 13, 2026

Thank you I enjoyed this course

Barbara

July 22, 2024

Much helpful insight here! Especially appreciate the module on Ill Will. Have been meditating off and on for many years but in a more disciplined manner for about 6 years now. The course provides practical advice for navigating life in general, as well as during meditation. Thank you Helen!šŸ™šŸ»šŸŖ·šŸ©µ

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