Overcoming Drowsiness in Your Practice
Teachings from Namo Amituofo
Recorded on May 25, 2024
The Heart as the Source of
You may often wonder where the heavy, persistent feeling of drowsiness comes from during your practice. Namo Amituofo teaches us that this state does not originate in , but in the heart. When your heart is truly empty—free from the weight of past , free from the stains of worldly attachment, and free from the illusions of —there is no room for the appearance of drowsiness. However, when your heart is occupied by worldly concerns, the state of drowsiness inevitably manifests. This is because the presence of karma and the accumulation of impurities create the conditions for such a state to arise.
The Mechanics of Spiritual Disturbance
When you are burdened by karma, you become vulnerable to external influences. Your , attached spirits, and demon crowds are always waiting for an opportunity to act upon your karmic debts and impurities. They use these connections to pull your soul out of your physical body, which is what causes the body to fall into a state of deep, uncontrollable drowsiness. Once your soul is pulled out, it is drawn into other dimensions—spaces that the entities pulling you wish for you to enter. There are countless spaces within the body and countless spaces outside of it. Whether you are pulled into an internal space or an external one, the result is the same: your soul is being controlled, and you lose the ability to govern your own spirit.
The Consequence of a Dispersed Spirit
If the soul that is pulled out of the body is your true self, it can only be controlled within the confines of the body. However, if the soul enters these other spaces and fails to return to the body, or if it becomes trapped within the internal spaces of the body, it cannot remain unified. When the soul is not unified, your spirit becomes scattered and difficult to focus. This is why drowsiness appears repeatedly. In your practice, this forms a significant barrier. You may find that even with diligent practice, you struggle to achieve the desired effects of purification. This is because your body remains under the influence of these spirits, and your karmic obstacles remain unresolved. Sadly, your spiritual growth may stagnate or even regress under these conditions.
The Path to Overcoming Drowsiness
How, then, can you overcome this state of drowsiness? You must address the root causes through a disciplined approach:
- See through and let go: Since drowsiness has manifested, it is a sign that there are still people or matters in your life that you have not yet truly let go of. To save yourself, you must learn to see through and let go of these attachments. Only then can your heart attain true purity.
- Change your personality: You must work to change your personality traits. Any personality traits that are hidden within you should not be allowed to manifest; instead, keep them calm and still. If a trait does manifest, you must actively correct it. The manifestation of personality is essentially a fluctuation of the heart. When the heart fluctuates, karma manifests, forming obstacles to your practice. Traits such as greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, and doubt are all behaviors generated by the personality. If you allow these to persist, your karmic creditors will use them as a basis to seek revenge and repay grievances, which only leads to more suffering. Without a stable meditative concentration, it is difficult to achieve spiritual success.
- The path of : Strive for a state of no-self, where you are free from a subjective, rigid heart. Let go of your ego and stubborn self. Instead, keep the Buddha-name of Namo Amituofo with you at all times. This is the action of a wise person who knows how to see through and let go.
When you cultivate , Wisdom (Prajna), a vast mind-capacity, and the ability to embrace all beings, becoming an awakened being is a reality you can look forward to. Namo Amituofo.
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Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
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