Your Doubt Will Kill You!
8 Ways to Overcome Doubt Hindrances
These were the words of my late teacher, Padma Shree Balaji. For him, doubt was the evil #1 in our way of progress. When I first heard his words, I thought, wow, that sounds a bit excessive.
Now, I have been on the self-doubt team for as long as I can remember:
not good enough,
not intelligent enough,
not rich enough,
not enough, whatever you want to add to it,
and had ample opportunity to explore it in all its forms and facets.
Are you with me here?
Practising yoga mainly works on your mind, right? Postures are, respective of all their benefits for the body, the vehicle to access the mind. We learn to be resilient; we become more confident as we master more challenging poses. Whatever we achieve, what counts is the process that took us to this achievement, not the ability to 'do' something afterwards because these skills are transferrable.
Let's assume you always wanted to be able to do a headstand (just because this seems like a pretty scary pose). Working your way towards it, slowly strengthening the shoulders, back, and core, as well as the determination and discipline needed, will give you strength and confidence in other areas of your life, too.
The first time you raise your legs overhead, it makes you think you are unstoppable. You will think, now, I managed to do that, I can ask for a pay rise, I can unroll into this training, I can ask this person out…, right?
It works both ways. The more you say, sorry, I can't do that, my shoulders hurt, my back hurts at the moment, I am not flexible enough, etc., to the extent that you don't even start working on it, this attitude will equally filter into other aspects of your life.
So, the more you prove that you can do something or work your way towards it, the more confident you become. And vice versa.
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Doubt is an attitude of our mind. Staying with the headstand example, first, you manage to lift against the wall, great. Then, after a while, you must move away from the wall and leave your safety net. The whole process might restart. You start doubting until you do it.
Doubt is an attitude of our mind.
It is a work in progress, and doubt will show up in different disguises because it is an attitude of the mind, a pattern that gets triggered, and we need to be forever vigilant.
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (YS) see doubt as one of the hindrances, the Vikshepas:
Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground and slipping from the ground gained – these distractions of the mind are the obstacles. YS, I.30
He continues to explain how we experience these hindrances or, in our case, doubt in the following ways:
Accompaniments to the mental distractions include distress, despair, trembling of the body and disturbed breathing. YS, I.31
Constantly doubting yourself is distressing. We all know that feeling, and we get desperate; deep down, we want to achieve something but don't because we don't even try. At the same time, we see others succeed in our dreams; this feels like a knife rammed into our hearts and then turned for extra hurt.
Buddhism also mentions doubt. The Sanskrit word is Saṃśaya.
Saṃśaya means uncertainty. If different conflicting views are found about the same object, then doubt arises in the mind as to which is the reliable view. Gautama defines it as that in which different conflicting judgements arise about the real nature of an object because of the recognition of properties which are common to many things or which are not common to any object or due to contradiction or irregularity of perception and non-perception. Saṃśaya (doubt) is not an error, not an absence of knowledge, it is not sure knowledge.
https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samshaya
It is conflicting because we imagine different scenarios, but none are true because we are speculating, imagining, and fantasising. But this is not knowledge as we don't even try it to test.
How do we get out of the Cycle of Doom?
The path Patanjali offers is clear. Different routes are suggested that you can choose from according to your tendencies:
The practice of concentration on a single subject is the best way to prevent the obstacles and their accompaniments. YS, I.32
Patanjali wants us to focus on something; for example, if you say, ok, I give this headstand a go, go to a teacher and ask them to show you. Now, the point is that you receive the guidance, get the workout and start practising it. You don't go to YouTube; check out how other teachers teach it, and then do that or a mixture of both. No, you focus on that one workout and keep practising it no matter what.
If that's not to your liking, you can do this:
By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, the mind retains its undisturbed calmness. YS, I.33
This was my teacher's favourite. He used to say, if you implement only one thing, choose this.
But there is more:
Or that calm is retained by the controlled exhalation or retention of the breath. YS, I.34
You may be more of a doer; let the breath be your tool. Slow the exhalation down or lengthen the pauses between the in and outbreath.
Still not your cup of tea? Maybe this is more for you:
Or the concentration on subtle sense perceptions can cause steadiness of the mind. YS, 1.35
Subtle sense perceptions are concentrating on the tip of your nose, taking your gaze there without straining the eyes, or feeling the subtle draft of the breath at the entrance of your nostrils. Another point of focus could be the tip of your tongue.
Too difficult? How about this one:
Or by concentrating on the supreme, ever-blissful Light within. YS, I.36
The divine Light is in your heart, and you can imagine a golden-yellow globe of Light in your heart.
Maybe others inspire you and find connecting with a person more accessible:
Or by concentrating on a great soul's mind, which is totally free from attachment to sense objects. YS, I.37
I used to find Nelson Mandela beyond, and I still do. Imagine how it would be to be imprisoned (bear in mind that a prison can take many forms) without a shred of hope that this situation will swing in your favour. For 27 years, he had to wait and keep his spirits up. That is a pretty long time. When I feel stuck, thinking of him will always boost me and make me believe everything is possible.
Hold on, there is another one coming:
Or by concentrating on an experience they had during a dream or deep sleep. YS, I.38
This is for the ones who work with dreams and experience dreams that feel more like reality. But if that is not you, think about the peaceful state of sleeping.
Patanjali offers seven different ways to overcome doubt or any other hindrances. He asked you to choose one of those and focus on that, and that's it.
But then, to top it all, YS I.39 concludes:
Or by meditating on anything one chooses that is elevating.
So, if none of the above are for you, take something that lifts you up and focus on that. Patanjali leaves us with no excuse; that is very clever.
We even get the promise that gradually (this is important), one's mastery in concentration extends from the primal atom to the greatest magnitude (YS, I.40). This means that everything that we set our mind to is possible. We just need to stick with it.
That's why I love reading Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. There is always a suggestion for the issue and a way forward with multiple suggestions, considering that everyone is different and needs different means to reach the goal.
I hope you find this helpful. I am still discovering aspects of doubt in my mind and know all too well how difficult it is to eradicate thought and behaviour patterns that don't serve me. I am on a mission, though and have luckily been equipped with the same degree of relentlessness 😊
So, if you want to come out of your cycle of doom that keeps you repeating the same thoughts and doubting, self-sabotaging patterns, choose one of the above and get started OR select something else that uplifts you.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, overcoming doubt is a gradual process that requires consistent effort and the right mindset. The teachings of Patanjali offer a versatile toolkit for managing doubt, providing various paths to focus the mind and build resilience. Whether it's through concentration, breath control, connecting with inspiring figures, or meditating on uplifting thoughts, there is a strategy for everyone. The key is to find what resonates with you and commit to it. You can unlock your potential and lead a more fulfilling life by actively working to counter doubt.
Remember, the battle with doubt is ongoing and requires vigilance. It’s not about eliminating doubt completely but learning to manage it and not letting it hinder your progress. Embrace the process, celebrate small victories, and be patient with yourself. Progress may be slow, but you will cultivate a stronger, more confident mindset with persistence. Let Patanjali's wisdom guide you, and take the first step toward a life with less doubt and more self-assurance.
Resources
Swami Satchidananda,, Integral Yoga Publications, Yogaville, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (my go-to translation)
https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/samshaya
More About Patanjali:
What are Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
How to bring Yoga into your daily life
What if you could understand the universe
