Resistance to meditation arises because you haven’t found the right meditation method, the one that brings joy. When you resist meditation, you lose the interest to meditate upon seeing the cushion. At that moment, there must be vexations in your mind, making it difficult to sit still, because the moment you sit down, vexations all arise.
If you move around or work on other things, you might not feel as agitated. However, when you start meditating, vexations suddenly appear, making you uncomfortable and unwilling to continue. For such individuals, you should refrain from meditation for now. Instead, you can engage in chanting, volunteering, and listening to the Dharma—anything that keeps you occupied. Listening to the Dharma is beneficial, as it helps you gradually reduce negative karma. Alternatively, you can make prostrations or chant, simply to keep yourself engaged. Do not rush into meditation. Otherwise, when you meditate, more than half of the time is spent in daydreaming, with only occasional moments of mindfulness. That won’t work. In that case, you should shorten your meditation time. Chant first, then sit. After ten or twenty minutes, if you notice your mind becoming filled with wandering thoughts, switch again to chanting, making prostrations, or listening to the Dharma. Once your mind settles a bit, return to meditation. Otherwise, your meditation becomes a waste of time. You sit there lost in thoughts, become exhausted, overheated from thinking, and after the session you come to me saying, “My tooth hurts,” or “My stomach feels unwell”—all of which are the results of the meditation you were doing. If you meditate without mindfulness and instead drift into useless thinking, no wonder you end up with toothaches or stomachaches. Meditation should make you increasingly comfortable. Whenever I meditate, I immediately feel refreshed and physically at ease. How could I feel uncomfortable? Moreover, a seasoned meditator can heal any illness. If your meditation is deep and stable, it can cure anything. You will have problems in meditation. Everybody does. But don’t be afraid; you can regard them as challenges. You must find where your attachment lies. Look inward and ask yourself: What am I clinging to? What am I trying to achieve? When you become preoccupied with gains and losses, you immediately become entangled. Your mind changes instantly—like clear water suddenly turning muddy, stirred into turbulence.