What do we do when we feel stuck in our practice?

[Damian.D]

Perhaps try a little walking meditation. Take a slow deliberate walk and focus on your breathing. Let the thoughts come and go to see how unstable our minds are and how uncontrolled they can be. By being aware that the mind is soo wild will we come to understand that the results we expect are totally in accord with the causes we have created.

We may even reach a stage whereby a solution will present itself to us.

[Barzin]

Make more offering to our Lama (if we are near him), to Dorje Shugden, do Shugden Kawang daily to purify our karma and generate a lot of merits. (see what DharmaDefender posted http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1362.0 )

When we feel stuck mainly because we do not have enough merits, so we should not wait until we stuck then "do something", we should "do something" before we get into that situation.

Imagine the amount of negative karma that we collected even by doing nothing, thinking nothing...  I suppose when we run out of merits we need to push ourselves even more to gain more merits.  We have the formula, we just need to work on it.  It is totally up to us really, negative or positive karma.  Like me who don't have much wisdom, when things get rough.  I want to overcome it.  For example, lazy to do prayers, then have to do even more, have negative thoughts, think more positive things and don't hang on to the thought to enlarge it, all these I suppose is all in our mind.  It's just how we deal with it.

[Reena Searl]

When feel stuck, I always think of my guru and protector.
Check my mind, to realize and contemplate the cause and effect of not moving on with the practice.

[buddhalovely]

 if you look closely, can you really find an “I” there, a “me” there, or anything you can really call “mine,” except through the process of your own self-identification with it?  Think about it.  Do you have to call the feeling “me” and “mine?”  Is it really yours? What about the painful feeling could possibly be intrinsic to who and what you are?


Feelings come and go, with causes and conditions.  You don’t own them or control them at all.  They arise and pass away, whether you want them to or not!  The problem is, the feelings and emotions we self-identify with, well, they tend to stick around, literally getting stuck in the glue of “I” and “me” and “mine.”  But mindful attention helps dissolve this sticky, grasping, clinging “glue”—this “I glue/my glue” that entraps the energies of feelings and emotions and makes them throb and ache—because they need to be set free, released!

So, just pay attention to everything that’s going on, and try to see where you can let go, and where you are stuck.  Use your breath as an anchor and safe refuge.  Mindfulness of the breah is a safe place to come back to should you get stuck in the “glue” or get panicky about the fearfulness or strength of the emotions.  So, stay with your breath and bathe your feelings, and your “hurty places” with the gentle energy of the breath.

[Aurore]

I guess what you mean by being stuck is there is no transformation within us and we still feel unhappy?

I have also felt stuck numerous times and daily i think i am stuck too. Having a spiritual teacher, dharma brothers and sisters are one of the best way to tell you if you are stuck and degenerating. However, instead of sitting around and mopping about it, these are the few things you can do.

1. Think of what more you can do for others.
2. Push ourselves to do the things that we don't like to do and stick to it.
3. Finish what we promised our teacher to do but have been procrastinating.
4. Meditate on your bad habits and see what you have changed and what not.
5. Be consistent in our practices.

Basically, keep the momentum going so that there is no room to be stuck or stagnant. Being stuck is due to selfishness. So the solution to being unstuck is to be selfless.

[Positive Change]

This is rather relevant and ever present in a practitioner's journey. We "feel" stuck because we are stumped or do not know where or what to do at that particular moment. But as with every moment in life, that time will pass... the question is which path did we take while the moment passed. Did we choose to backtrack (quit) or did we choose to push on?

These "obstacles" in our spiritual life is often our monkey minds at work which creates doubts and disparity. If we realize that it is better to trudge onwards and deal with these obstacles rather than run to avoid them is really not avoiding it at all, as it will come back... that is the law of karma. We cannot "run" from our karma. We will eventually experience it, however it is best experience while in the familiarity of our Dhama community and safety blanket of our Guru (if we are so lucky to have one).

To summize, feeling stuck in a way is a good thing as we are purifying our negative karma... however whilst experiencing it could be the world as you see it ending. I say, trust in your Guru or Teacher and all will be well. After all, I do not think they will ever want any harm to befall you... or what is the point of having them as your Guru or the whole process of taking refuge!

[Barzin]

this is a very interesting topic.  I agree with all, most of us KNOW it. To purify, gain merits and have pure guru devotions to get by the tough times but how many can really be so pure and having the correct views and not blinded by the delusions?  When our minds are not stable, we tend to resolve things in a samsaric ways either manifesting selfishness, giving up, hence creating more negative karma during that time.  We totally forgot about the spiritual side of things.

In fact, I enjoy the obstacles and experiences, why?  Because it is a good time for us to contemplate and think how to resolve things in a dharmic way.  If we still insist in solving things in a samsaric way then why should we even learn the dharma?  It is actully the BEST time to contemplate and hopefully gain some understanding of dharma.  On top of that, it is very important to do our sadhana because we need the help of our protector, just like what Big Uncle said, we need the merits and he is swift and represent manjushri, hence quicken the progress of clearing inner obstacles.  And if we are doing any work for the dharma, do do your dedications if not dharma work is just work.

The world outside is crashing on you but as soon as you walk into a holy place, set your motivation right to purify, gain merits, and through your actions and motivations, dedicate to turn into merits.  It will definitely strengthen our mind and help us get through our obstacles.

[Q]

There will be times when we feel that we are stuck in our practice or our progress is painfully slow.  Despite having studied and listened to  Dharma teachings, nothing seemed to have sunk in.  Even when we contemplate and meditate on a certain Dharma topic nothing seemed to click.  The "problems" we face in our daily life, real or imagined tend to overwhelm us. We may even feel a sense of desperation. Why is that happening? And what should we do?

In the Lamrim, when the great Tsongkapa asked Manjushri what methods he should use to develop quick realisation in his mindstream, Manjushri had said that he must concentrate on a combination of three things:-
1.  To regard his Guru as inseparable from his meditational deity and request for his blessings
2.  Accumulation merits
3.  Purifying his past negative karma

I am sure if the above advice given by Manjushri to Tsongkapa is enough for Tsongkapa, it is definitely good enough for us.  In any case before we even get stuck we should already be doing the above 3 things if we know it already. 

If we have not and we feel stuck, do we even remember to apply the above 3 methods or do we succumb to our negative thoughts eg thinking that we are not good enough, feeling like we want to give up etc.  How consistent are we and how much effort are we giving in applying those methods given in the Dharma/Lamrim for our own spiritual progress?  Or are we wishfully thinking that we can still progress without making the required effort?

May be the very reason these instructions is given to Lama Tsongkhapa is the reason it's not enough for us... I'm VERY sure I'm not at the same caliber as Lama Tsongkhapa. Could there be a possibility that we will need something of a lower scope to practice or we need to concentrate on more things than only these 3?

[apprenticehealer]

There are times that i do feel 'stuck' in my practice, and not know what to do, and not doing anything only makes me feel more guilty, then more consumed in my own guilt and hence, even more stuck. it just goes round in circles.

I then realise that it's all about my attitude, all about my comfort zone, about not stepping out of the box. All about me , me, me.....!

Then i contemplate and realise how fortunate i am that i am in a time and place that i have the Dharma and the Sangha , and most importantly a Guru to guide and advise me. And we have our Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden with us - all the time !!!!

What good merits i have to be in a situation that i can learn and apply the teachings of Buddha , and with this in mind, comes gratitude. Then i am no longer stuck, but pick myself up, transform my mind and attitude and find myself with renewed devotion and dedication to Buddha, the Dharma, Dorje Shugden and my Guru.

Our time on earth in this lifetime is short and we have all the opportunity to commit and devote our lives

[Big Uncle]

There will be times when we feel that we are stuck in our practice or our progress is painfully slow.  Despite having studied and listened to  Dharma teachings, nothing seemed to have sunk in.  Even when we contemplate and meditate on a certain Dharma topic nothing seemed to click.  The "problems" we face in our daily life, real or imagined tend to overwhelm us. We may even feel a sense of desperation. Why is that happening? And what should we do?

In the Lamrim, when the great Tsongkapa asked Manjushri what methods he should use to develop quick realisation in his mindstream, Manjushri had said that he must concentrate on a combination of three things:-
1.  To regard his Guru as inseparable from his meditational deity and request for his blessings
2.  Accumulation merits
3.  Purifying his past negative karma

I am sure if the above advice given by Manjushri to Tsongkapa is enough for Tsongkapa, it is definitely good enough for us.  In any case before we even get stuck we should already be doing the above 3 things if we know it already. 

If we have not and we feel stuck, do we even remember to apply the above 3 methods or do we succumb to our negative thoughts eg thinking that we are not good enough, feeling like we want to give up etc.  How consistent are we and how much effort are we giving in applying those methods given in the Dharma/Lamrim for our own spiritual progress?  Or are we wishfully thinking that we can still progress without making the required effort?

For me would be to do black tea and pray to Dorje Shugden for inspiration on how to get out of this rut. However, it would take a lot of courage to face our deepest fears, problems and difficulties. Sometimes, it helps to think of what is the real source of the problem and apply solutions that are derived from the Dharma to solve it. But in the long run, accumulating merits through applying ourselves in the practice and finding many opportunities to make offerings, prayers and supplications to our Guru, Yidam and Protector. I think when one combine all these ways, any problem can be solved in time.