Eight remedial techniques.

The eight remedies are antidotes to the five flaws of meditation. 

Antidote to laziness

1.     Faith

Faith means to study and develop conviction in the teachings. This faith is based on reason and logic and our own experience of the Dharma.

2.     Intention

Intentions lead to mental actions, which eventually become habits. Be clear, be specific.

3.     Effort

Effort is the greatest predictor of progress in your practice. If it is difficult to develop a joyful effort towards practice, reexamine your faith and intention.

4.     Pliancy

Pliancy means that our mind and body become adaptable and dexterous. We become open to change, ready to change. Pliancy is like making friends with a horse and learning to ride it, at some point the horse becomes workable.

Antidote to forgetting the instructions

5.     Mindfulness

Mindfulness is strong and focused, it recalls our intention and the object of our meditation.

Antidote to dullness and agitation

6.     Vigilance

Vigilant awareness is sharp and clear. Vigilance is able to access the quality of our meditation, be aware of our mind, and notice problems as they start to come up. It notices agitation and dullness and can allow us to tighten up our mindfulness before we lose our focus.

Antidote to under-application

7.     Attention

Attention means that we recognize and respond to fault arising in our meditation. Vigilant awareness might notice dullness starting to creep into our meditation, but if we fail to pay attention that subtle dullness might turn into a lose of clarity or even gross dullness.

Antidote to over-application

8.     Equanimity

Equanimity is the mind resting naturally, free from agitation and dullness. It is a mind that is calm, clear and vibrant; like a calm lake during the daytime.