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perspectives, and you feel that the power of your insight generally outweighs that of the hindrances. If you feel that this is not yet the case, however, repeated, careful observation of the processes involved can contribute to making it so. The following exercise may therefore be helpful. Practice: Investigating what is being fabricated through the hindrances Both in formal meditation sessions and as you move through your day, devote a series of practices to noticing when hindrances are present, and when they are absent. It may be useful to label which hindrance(s) is/are colouring consciousness. (Recognizing that a hindrance is present already informs and transforms the view.) Then, as sensitively and precisely as you are able, begin to inquire: a)   Is the mind believing a story about something or about yourself? If so, what is the story? b)   Whether or not there is a story, how is this mind state affecting perceptions right now? In particular: c)   What do you notice about the self-view (how you feel and think about yourself, how you see yourself) in this state? d)   Is there some thing or element of experience upon which the mind is focusing and dwelling in particular? e)   What is the mind’s perspective and assessment of this thing? f)   How much belief is there in the truth of such a perception? g)   You may also want to become aware of how the mind is framing and relating to notions of past, present, and future right now. h)   See if you can pay attention to the feelings of dukkha involved in this whole experience, and notice just how and where they manifest in body and mind. i)   Based on what you have learnt from past experiences, can you accept that something is being fabricated here by the mind state? If so, is it possible to hold this insight more steadily (but still lightly) in the mind, and to see things now through the lens of that knowing? What effect does that have? It may be, until practice matures somewhat, that sometimes one has to wait for a particular wave of hindrances to subside to a certain extent before being able to see the voidness of whatever it is that one is reifying. So, when the above approach seems to have no effect, it may be more fruitful to work instead on cultivating a more wholesome mind state, or just sit out the storm with patience and mindfulness. When the hindrance dissolves – through insight, through somehow encouraging a more helpful mind state, or just through time – really feel how it feels when that dukkha has gone. Notice also then how perception has softened and is less locked-in to solidified perspectives of both the self and whatever was previously being unskilfully focused on. As stated previously, seeing emptiness even with hindsight like this is helpful. It is a vital and genuine step in understanding the whole principle of fabrication; and it can lessen the chances of getting so taken in by such perceptions in the future.