Date: 05/24/2025 05/25/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Knowledge
Common Pitfalls in Spiritual Practice
The path of spiritual practice is subtle and prolonged precisely because it does not only confront obvious difficulties, but also navigates through misunderstandings that appear reasonable or even virtuous. Many deviations in practice arise not from lack of effort, but from subtle shifts in direction that go unnoticed. The most misleading pitfalls are those that present themselves under the name of “practice,” while quietly diverging from its essence.
One common pitfall is using practice as a means of escaping reality. When life becomes stressful, relationships strained, or emotions painful, some turn to practice not to face these conditions honestly, but to withdraw from them. When practice becomes a way to avoid responsibility, numb feeling, or reject human connection, it ceases to be a path of awakening and becomes a refined form of avoidance. Genuine practice does not remove one from life; it cultivates clarity within life.
Another frequent pitfall is the pursuit of experiences. Calmness, joy, emptiness, or unusual states are often mistaken for the goals of practice. Once the mind becomes attached to “good states,” practice shifts from awareness to acquisition. When such experiences fade, disappointment and doubt arise. This approach, though seemingly profound, remains driven by craving. The heart of practice lies not in the presence or absence of experience, but in the reduction of attachment.
Equating practice with self-improvement is another subtle but widespread misunderstanding. When practice is pursued primarily to become more successful, respected, or in control, it quietly serves the ego. Even refined conduct may reinforce self-centeredness. Authentic practice tends to soften the fixation on “becoming better,” rather than continually strengthening it.
Another pitfall is substituting understanding for practice. Knowing doctrines, explaining concepts clearly, or engaging in analysis does not necessarily transform the heart. When practice remains at the level of discussion and evaluation, without honest observation of one’s own habits, wisdom cannot take root. Teachings are meant to illuminate oneself, not to be used as tools for judging others.
Misunderstanding purity is another common obstacle. Some believe practice should eliminate emotion, and when anger, fear, or sadness arise, they conclude something has gone wrong. In truth, practice does not demand the absence of emotion, but the clarity to see it. Suppressing emotion does not lead to freedom; it merely drives confusion underground.
Comparison is another pitfall that easily arises. Observing others who appear more advanced or recognized can trigger self-doubt, competitiveness, or superiority. Such comparisons generate agitation and distort intention. Practice is not a competition; it points toward inner clarity rather than external ranking.
A more subtle pitfall lies in attachment to the identity of “being a practitioner.” When practice becomes a label, the mind may begin defending this identity. If questioned or challenged, rigidity and resentment can emerge. In this way, practice inadvertently strengthens the very self it aims to loosen.
It is important to emphasize that pitfalls themselves are not failures. The true difficulty lies in refusing to acknowledge or adjust them. Practice is inherently a process of continual recalibration. When approached with honesty and awareness, pitfalls often become valuable moments of learning and deepening.
Thus, the essence of practice is not the avoidance of error, but the capacity to recognize it. When one is willing to examine motivation, question attitudes, and not be deceived by the appearance of “being spiritual,” practice returns to its proper course. Genuine practice does not seek perfection or identity, but moves steadily toward clarity and freedom through repeated seeing and letting go.
