Shaolin kung fu master shares the 5 mental states that destroy happiness in life

Our journey to fully understanding our purpose and worth in life – or achieving “self-mastery” – begins the second we are born. It requires a commitment to building patience, discipline, and a sense of self-discipline.

In my journey to becoming a Shaolin master, I have spent nearly 30 years studying and practicing the mind-body interaction. It is an essential part of Shaolin martial arts culture and philosophy, dating back more than 1,500 years.

One of the most important teachings is the “five hindrances to self-mastery.” These are the core mental states that keep us from seeing clearly, making smart decisions, achieving goals, and living a happier, more harmonious life.

Lust is an intertwining pleasure, and it arises when we deeply crave something that stimulates one or more of our five senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste). taste).

Imagine you’ve spent the past week training to run a half marathon. But on the second week, you are interrupted by a smartphone begging for your attention.

You give in and end up scrolling through your social media feeds for hours. The time you spent practicing is now wasted. You have lost track.

Lust is not always bad. The idea is that any desire (healthy or unhealthy) can easily turn into an obsession or addiction that distracts us from our goals.

Practice overcoming your desires: The only way to truly resist temptation is to think deeply and carefully about the ultimate consequences of giving in to it. Next time sexual desire strikes, ask yourself: Will this help or hurt me in the long run? In what ways?

Will is the opposite of lust. That is the mental state of do not want something, because of a strong dislike or rejection of it. It can be related to an activity, situation or person.

For example, to mend a relationship with a friend, you need to sit down and talk about the issues affecting your relationship. But because you hate confrontations, even non-aggressive ones, you avoid conversation altogether. And you can continue to do the same with other relationships as well.

Negative emotions (e.g., fear, anger, frustration) are a natural part of life. But above them they prevent us from moving forward; we’re just stuck in that emotional state.

Practice overcoming bad will: Instead of ignoring your malice, investigate its roots. If you don’t like confrontation, ask yourself why. Maybe it’s because you’ve never been successful in finding solutions to conflicts. Reflect on past experiences: What happened? What could have been done differently?

See this as an opportunity to learn more about yourself by letting go of old ways and trying new ones.

Inactive state leads to laziness and laziness. It is the result of lack of energy and lack of motivation. Laziness and laziness can also appear in the form of failure, self-pity, thoughts of futility, complacency, or even depression.

Maybe you’re going through that in your career, because you feel unmotivated with the work you do, or you just don’t think you’re good enough.

In Buddhism, it is often described as imprisonment. The more you allow it to control your mind and body, the faster the walls will close on you.

Practice overcoming laziness and laziness: As with all obstacles, you must determine what led you to this mental state. Then, remind yourself of your goals and what inspired them in the first place. Start taking steps to push through walls; they can be as small and simple as contacting a mentor or walking meditation.

Restlessness is the result of an restless mind. This often happens to people who are constantly worried or worried about the future, or who judge themselves (or others) for their actions.

In Buddhism, a restless mood is considered to have a “monkey mind”: Constantly jumping from branch to branch, unable to concentrate.

During times of restlessness, we become susceptible to whims and may act in ways we later regret, thus becoming more of a hindrance.

Practice overcoming restlessness: Observe your restlessness like it is happening. Your mind may be churning with frustration over something you regret doing last week. Acknowledge the feeling, understand it, then let it go.

Meditation is one of the most effective ways to overcome restlessness. It is important for you to clear your mind of compulsive clutter, so that you can find peace and quiet in the present moment.

Skepticism leads to hesitation and uncontrollable questioning. This obstruction can be likened to a tub of water stirred with mud, and placed in a dark room. The lack of light and clouds make it difficult to see clearly.

You can question your own abilities (“Am I qualified to do this?” “What if I fail?”), or a mentor’s advice (“He’s not experienced enough?” “. “I know more than him.”), Or your decision. (“Am I doing the right thing?” What if something bad happens?”).

Practice overcoming skepticism: The real doubt can be your friend. It can exist as a sign that you need to step back to reconsider your options, or it can indicate that something (for example, a decision or assignment) violates the rules. Your values.

The key is to challenge your doubts. Ask yourself: Is the reason behind my suspicion valid? Is there logic to it? Or does it just really disconnect me from my goals?

Shi Heng Yi belongs to the 35th generation of Shaolin masters. He is the principal of Shaolin Templewhere he teaches kung fu and methods that develop unity of body and mind.

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