This reading is based on a writing from Maggie Stevens.
It's entitled,
Equanimity.
If you ever played Jenga or tried to hold tree pose in yoga,
You know something about the importance of balance.
We attempt to hold space in the middle and not go too far to the left or right.
Sometimes,
As soon as we congratulate ourselves for being there,
We fall.
Balance or equanimity serves us in everyday life as well.
In Buddhist teachings,
Equanimity is one of the divine abodes,
A favorable place to live.
Equanimity isn't indifference or aloofness.
Rather,
It is a letting go.
We neither cling to what we like nor push away what we dislike.
We rest in the middle of our busy,
Messy human lives.
There are two Pali words for equanimity.
The most widely used is upekka,
Which means to look over.
It implies that we give ourselves a wider perspective.
Additionally,
The Pali word tatra-majatatrata means to stand in the middle of all of this.
Equanimity reminds us that a constant in life is change.
The mug we love will shatter into pieces.
People we love will move out of our orbit.
Difficult experiences and illnesses will come and go.
Additionally,
Each of us has had our own history and experiences.
No matter how much we care about a person,
We cannot change them.
Equanimity reminds us to just love them as they are.
One might get the idea that an equanimous person is sitting blissfully in the lotus position,
But as with so much of life,
Equanimity is a practice.
We have moments when we're present and then we lose it,
Just like the yoga pose.
Each time we have a moment of equanimity,
The next moment of equanimity will become easier.
We can be aware of our thoughts,
Feelings,
And sensations and not try to push them away.
We can hold ourselves and others in compassion.
Just as with yoga balance poses,
We practice.
Some days we can balance for longer times.
Other days we can't balance at all.
But over time,
We get stronger and more stable.
As Rumi says,
Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.
So this week,
Be curious.
Where do you find your balance?
Thank you for listening.
If you're interested in other talks or meditations,
You can follow me at Insight Timer.
Thank you.
