Five Hindrances (descending order: from gross/severe to more subtle)
by Matt .
1. 4. Sloth(mental)&Torpor(physical)/Lethargy/Dullness&Drowsiness/Stiffness-Rigidity-of-mind, sinking/compressed
1.1. focus on light (perception of light) - what is this?, or vigorous walking meditation, walk backwards at end of walking med. path instead of turning around, yoga āsanas or vinyasa, cold shower, maraṇa sati - not much time in life - effort towards nibbaana, from kaula tantra - palms up on knees in sitting āsana (vs palms down), from tientai - sinking mind should be fixed to tip of nose from mahāmudrā - gaze up
2. 5. Doubt/Obssessive-Questioning/Uncertainty (not investigative doubt which is good)
2.1. ānapānasati (as antidote to delusion/speculation), from Chinese texts (Āgamas) ānapānasati to stop thoughts/thinking in general (would include thoughts of doubt, no?), sati and sampajañña should remove doubt with a knowing/wisdom quality, note the doubting, observe the doubting, go to a wise friend, good teacher, if you have doubts talk to wise friend or teacher, the dhamma should resolve your doubts and satisfy your doubt
3. 2. Ill-Will/Malice/Hatred/Aversion (dosa)
3.1. mettā, or the other brahmā-vihāras? not wanting to cultivate negative kamma for more general aversion?
4. 3. Restlessness/Worry/Remorse/Anxiety/Excitation/Guilt/Regret, floating/scattered/distracted
4.1. for intelligent disposition (recollection of death, or peace; the perception of disgust of food; or, the analysis of the four elements.), careful attention to peace of mind, meditation on the qualities of a Buddha, peacefulness of the Buddha, choose a meditation subject/object that suits the mind (breathing maybe) and using a technique conducive to coarse concentration (counting breaths maybe), for remorse confess your wrongdoing to the metaphorical Buddha, for remorse do good deeds cultivate wholesome states, for restlessness more grounding practices, from tantra - sitting meditation āsana with palms facing down (instead of up) on knees, from tientai - floating mind should be fixed to the navel from mahāmudrā - gaze down
5. 1. Sensory/Sensual-sense-Desire/Greed/Passion/Lust-sex-desire (lobha)
5.1. for greed - non-greed/generosity (dāna) for lust - focus on the unattractiveness asubha (usually translated as vileness/disgustingness/repulsiveness/ugliness) of the body and bodily parts, in other words not giving attention to (manasikāra) subha attractivness (beauty) of body for sensual desire - unattractiveness/ugliness of other sensual objects? like repulsiveness of food, etc. kāyagatāsati in general