We’ve all been there. You sit down to meditate, close your eyes, take a breath and within seconds, your mind becomes a theme park of distractions.
One minute you’re thinking about dinner, the next you’re planning a conversation that may or may not happen next Tuesday. Then comes the self-judgement: “Why can’t I just be still? What’s wrong with me?”
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone and more importantly, you’re not broken.
I recently came across a brilliant article from The Daily Meditation titled Why You Can’t Meditate: The 5 Hindrances, and it reframed the entire experience for me. It doesn’t just explain why meditation feels hard sometimes—it puts names to the invisible blocks and gives you tools to gently work with them, not against them.
The Big Idea: It’s Not You… It’s the Hindrances
The article digs into a core teaching from Buddhist philosophy: the Five Hindrances.
These aren’t moral failings or personal flaws, they’re just conditions of the mind that cloud your attention and make stillness feel out of reach. Understanding them is like switching on the light in a room you’ve been stumbling through in the dark.
Here’s a quick snapshot of each:
- Sensual Desire – That craving for comfort, pleasure, or stimulation. The itch to check your phone. The sudden desire for chocolate.
- Ill-Will – Resentment, frustration, annoyance (even toward yourself during meditation).
- Sloth & Torpor – That foggy, sleepy feeling where your mind starts to drift or shut down completely.
- Restlessness & Worry – The racing mind, jumping from one thought to the next like a monkey swinging from tree to tree.
- Doubt – That sneaky voice that whispers, “This isn’t working. You’re doing it wrong.”
The article does a great job of not only naming these hindrances but also giving simple, practical ways to work with each one, without judgement, without force. It’s more about noticing and softening than “fixing.” Which, in my experience, is a pretty good rule for life in general.
My Take: You Don’t Have to Fight the Noise. Just Notice It
I’ve often said that meditation isn’t about stopping your thoughts, it’s about changing your relationship to them. This article backs that up beautifully. What I love most is that it treats these hindrances not as enemies, but as part of the practice itself.
Trying to meditate while dealing with desire, irritation, or worry isn’t a sign you’re failing. It’s a sign that you’re in it. It’s the work. And sometimes, just naming what you’re feeling “Ah, this is restlessness” is enough to take the edge off.
It’s like sitting beside a barking dog instead of yelling at it to shut up. The barking may continue, but your tension around it softens. That shift in attitude can make all the difference.
A Gentle Invitation
If you’ve ever said, “I can’t meditate,” I’d encourage you to read this article. You might just find out that it’s not that you can’t, it’s that no one ever taught you what to expect when the road gets bumpy.
You can find the full article at Why You Can’t Meditate: The 5 Hindrances – The Daily Meditation
Give it a read. Let it sit with you. Then next time you find yourself fighting the stillness, maybe try something different: greet your distractions like old friends instead of unwanted guests.
It might not be perfect, but it will be real. And that’s more than enough.
