Hi there,
This is Anu.
Today I'd like to share with you a short equanimity practice.
Equanimity is known as Upeksha or Upeka in the Buddhist tradition and it's one of the four divine abodes or the house of the divine and it refers to a mental emotional state that is steady and balanced irrespective of what's happening in the external world.
In these times of massive disruption and uncertainty politically,
Economically,
Technologically,
I found myself returning to this practice over and over again.
So I invite you to practice equanimity with me.
We'll be sitting together for about 10 minutes.
So wherever you are,
I invite you to come to a comfortable seated position.
You can rest your hands on your lap or on your knees,
Your chin parallel to the ground below you and bringing your eyes to a gentle close or placing your gaze at a stationary point in front of you.
And as we begin this practice I invite you to just bring a sense of ease and relaxation to the body.
Noticing any place in your body that may feel tense and just inviting a softness and openness there.
And similarly bringing that softness,
That openness to your mind.
If there's thinking,
Planning or any other commotion in the mind,
Just bring that to awareness and with your breath see if you can return your attention to your body.
Perhaps feel your feet planted on the ground below you and just take a few breaths to find your center here.
Perhaps acknowledging and finding gratitude for this body,
This home that you have and for this breath that is still here despite what happens in the external world.
You are still present here in this body.
And with that gratitude see if you can affirm the following phrases to yourself.
And as you do really feel the meaning behind the words that I speak.
Not needing to go into analysis but really letting the meaning behind these words land in your body and in your consciousness.
I am the owner of my thoughts,
Words and deeds.
My happiness or unhappiness depends upon my thoughts,
Words and deeds and not my wishes for myself.
I am the owner of my thoughts,
Words and deeds.
My happiness or unhappiness depends upon my thoughts,
Words and deeds and not my wishes for myself.
Just let these words land in your body and in your consciousness.
And see if you can repeat these words,
Affirm these words and the meaning beneath these words to yourself a few more times at your own pace.
I am the owner of my thoughts,
Words and deeds.
My happiness or unhappiness depends upon my thoughts,
Words and deeds and not my wishes for myself.
Now see if you can extend these same words to a beloved being of yours.
Someone you truly love and someone who may be struggling given the external circumstances and world conditions.
And really affirming these words to this beloved being as well.
Bringing them to mind,
Perhaps in the window of your mind.
Noticing them smiling at you as you smile back at them.
And with that equanimity,
With the sense of steadiness and balance,
See if you can affirm these same words to them.
You are the owner of your thoughts,
Words and deeds.
Your happiness or unhappiness depends upon your thoughts,
Words and deeds and not my wishes for you.
You are the owner of your thoughts,
Words and deeds.
Your happiness or unhappiness depends upon your thoughts,
Words and deeds and not my wishes for you.
See if you can repeat these phrases a few more times to your beloved being.
You are the owner of your thoughts,
Words and deeds.
Your happiness or unhappiness depends upon your thoughts,
Words and deeds and not my wishes for you.
Just letting these words land in your own nervous system,
In your own consciousness.
And with curiosity really feel the somatic experience of equanimity,
The state of balance,
Clarity and steadiness.
It's like a tall tree standing amidst the storm.
Now let's extend this further to all beings,
All humans and living beings far and near.
All beings are the owner of their thoughts,
Words and deeds.
Their happiness or unhappiness depends upon their thoughts,
Words and deeds and not my wishes for them.
Just repeating these phrases a few more times at your own pace.
All beings are the owner of their thoughts,
Words and deeds.
Their happiness or unhappiness depends upon their thoughts,
Words and deeds and not my wishes for them.
All beings are the owner of their thoughts,
Words and deeds.
Their happiness or unhappiness depends upon their thoughts,
Words and deeds and not my wishes for them.
And just letting these words land in your nervous system as they slowly dissolve and I invite you to return to your body and to really feel the sensations that may be present and to savor them.
The sense of equanimity,
Upaksha that is embodied in your own experience.
There's a popular Christian prayer,
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
To change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
That is equanimity in practice.
Thank you for practicing with me.
You can bring your chin to your chest,
Stretching the back of your neck and then slowly open your eyes if they were closed and come back to awareness.
