Let's begin our equanimity meditation as you find a comfortable but alert position in which to sit you can allow your eyes to be gently closed probably want to put our hands aside or put our hands away from the keyboard or wherever we have them and as we find a stillness in the body it helps to support a stillness in the mind we'll pay attention to how the body is find a posture that's upright without being too stiff or rigid see if there are any minor adjustments that'll help you maintain the position for the duration of the meditation and we'll start with a minute of concentration practice to help our minds settle and arrive in our present time experience you can allow your breathing to be natural as you breathe try to sense where you can feel your breath most easily might be in the stomach or abdomen where you could feel rising and falling as the body breathes might be in the chest and shoulders where you can notice the expansion and contraction as body inhales and exhales sometimes it's at the nose where you can feel a coolness as the air comes in and that subtle warmth as you exhale breathing in just bring a gentle awareness to your breath and breathing out be aware of the breath leaving the body stay with the breath here okay so it's perfectly natural for our minds to begin wandering and the magic of meditation happens when we notice that so noticing this offers us the opportunity to cultivate mindfulness each time we notice the mind wandering we're strengthening our ability to recognize our present experience each time we bring the mind back to the breath we strengthen our ability to refocus it's a lot like muscles so use that brain muscle and these moments of distraction aren't problems whatsoever they're perfect opportunities for practicing mindfulness with that note let's return happily and gently to our breath breathing in breathing out So let's begin the equanimity practice,
Where we'll cultivate a mind and a heart that stays balanced and at ease with our surroundings.
When we experience equanimity,
We come to understand that our happiness and suffering aren't caused by our experiences and circumstances,
But rather in our responses to them.
And we can begin our equanimity practice by repeating the following phrases for ourselves.
I'm responsible for my own actions.
The attention I give my thoughts determines my happiness.
May I find peace exactly where I am.
And we can repeat these phrases to ourselves slowly and gently with as much sincerity as we can.
I'm responsible for my own actions.
The attention I give to my thoughts determines my happiness.
May I find peace exactly where I am.
Great.
I looked up equanimity on Google and it says here,
Noun,
Mental calmness,
Composure,
And evenness of temper,
Especially in a difficult situation.
When I think of that,
It's like this is the superpower I've been looking for all my life.
And as we let go of offering equanimity to ourselves,
We'll move on to the next stage of the practice and bring to mind someone who has benefited us or has been especially kind.
The benefactor could be a loved one,
A friend,
A teacher,
A pet.
And as this benevolent being comes to mind,
Tune into your natural desire to see them happy,
Free from suffering,
And at ease with life.
The practice in this step is to recognize that although we may offer this person compassion,
We're not in control of their happiness.
Equanimity helps us let go of the outcome and focus on our own intentions and understanding.
So,
With this benevolent being in your mind,
Hold them there and repeat silently to yourself the following phrases.
You are responsible for your own actions.
The attention you give your thoughts determines your happiness.
May you find peace exactly where you are.
And if you find you've gotten lost in stories,
Worries,
Or planning,
Just return to the phrases,
Maybe just one of your choosing,
Continue wishing your loved one peace and understanding over and over.
You are responsible for your own actions.
The attention you give your thoughts determines your happiness.
May you find peace exactly where you are.
Now,
Letting this person go,
We'll move on to the next stage.
And we'll think of somebody whom we might find a little difficult,
Someone toward whom we feel resentment,
Hurt,
Or envy.
You probably don't want to pick the most difficult person in your life,
Just the person who is currently agitating or annoying a bit.
Let's hold this difficult person in our minds,
Picturing them,
And then with a sense of love,
Compassion,
And patience,
We can offer the phrases of equanimity with as much sincerity as we can,
Recognizing that they are in charge of their happiness and ease.
So we'll say,
You are responsible for your own actions.
The attention you give your thoughts determines your happiness.
May you too find peace exactly where you are.
And with this person in our hearts,
Still,
Along with anyone else we might find difficult,
Along with those we don't know or care about,
Along with all those we love,
We can say to them all,
And together,
We are responsible for our own actions.
The attention we give to our thoughts determines our happiness.
May we all find peace exactly where we are.
And letting go of all the thoughts of others,
Turn your focus to your own body,
Mind,
And heart.
Notice any discomfort,
Tension,
Or difficulty you might be feeling.
Also notice if you're experiencing some lightness,
Relaxation,
Calmness,
Or joy.
And let's take notice especially if you feel any increase in your ability to care without controlling,
To accept that each of us is responsible for the consequences of our own actions,
To find a reliable source of happiness,
And to find peace wherever you are.
