Doubts II

Doubt is the first specific hindrance that the Buddha mentions. There are many more that are interrelated, but for now, we will focus on Doubt.

This passage is from Doug Kraft in his book, Befriending the Mind.

…Doubt — a loss of confidence or loss of faith in oneself or the practice.

Nothing is wrong with a healthy skepticism if it motivates us to investigate our experience more openly. The doubt the Buddha is concerned about is the cynical closing of the mind and heart — a turning away out of a negative bias.

One antidote for this doubt is curiosity — taking more interest in our experience. Reflecting on our motivations [our intentions on the spiritual path] may also help. Curiosity and investigation are awakening factors or qualities that can bring us out of the dead end of overbearing doubt.

One of the ways we can stimulate interest and curiosity in our practice is to recall the definition of Mindfulness that Doug Kraft likes to give us: remembering to notice the movement of the mind.

If we are able to do this in our practice, we engage a broader awareness of our experience. We begin to see the thoughts and feelings and sensations that make up the experience of what we call “me” or “I,” are constantly changing. Our experiences arise and fade away based on our current state. However, there is a greater awareness that is able to notice this movement of mind while not moving itself. The awareness that knows the movement of the mind is stillness, spaciousness, and natural openness.