In the fourth century, the Christian monk Evagrius of Pontus identified a group of "obstructive thoughts" that he believed hindered individuals from focusing their minds on knowledge of God. Ranging from sadness and anger to gluttony and lust, Evagrius' list would later form the basis for the church's "seven deadly sins." Notably, early Buddhist scriptures likewise described a set of mental "hindrances" to religious insight, which included problems such as sloth and sensory desire. Christian and Buddhist traditions thus pinpointed similar obstacles for the believer who is pursuing contemplative practice.
In Obstacles to Stillness, Shodhin Geiman provides a comparison of these Christian and Buddhist approaches for identifying, and overcoming, hindrances to religious contemplation. Offering a fresh approach to Buddhist-Christian dialogue, this book allows readers to find common ground by pointing to the shared difficulties they face on their respective spiritual paths.
