True equanimity is not indifference,
But a deep calm in the face of both joy and sorrow.
Jack Kornfield.
In Pali and Sanskrit,
The word equanimity,
Or peka,
Has a number of translations to help understand its meaning.
Impartiality,
Balanced observation,
Non-attachment,
To look over,
And my favorite,
A spacious stillness of the heart.
It's also important to understand what equanimity is not.
It's not dissociation.
It doesn't require cutting off,
Numbing,
Or disengaging.
As my teacher,
Dr.
B.
Alawalla,
Says,
It's not stupid indifference.
Equanimity is not equal to not caring or apathy.
It's more like a calm,
Even-minded awareness,
Especially in the face of life's ups and downs.
It doesn't mean losing discernment,
But rather not being pulled to take sides.
Equanimity allows us to meet reality with acceptance,
Bringing a radical calm and inner balance.
It might not be easy,
But it does make life easier for ourselves when we apply it.
So it's worth practicing.
Find a comfortable position,
Somewhere you can be both alert and relaxed.
If it feels right,
Close your eyes,
Or simply soften your gaze.
Welcome yourself in with a gentle smile.
Now,
Bring your awareness to the body.
Notice how it feels at this moment.
Any sensations?
Warmth,
Tingling,
Tightness.
Feel the points of contact between your body and the earth.
Let yourself be supported.
Soften into that support,
Releasing any tension.
Letting that sense of contact with something solid really register in your awareness,
Feeling into the sense of groundness,
Support,
And the steadiness it lends.
This is how we can start exploring equanimity with the body.
Now,
Bring a gentle attention to your breath,
Gently focusing on the sensations of your body breathing.
Every time you inhale,
Feel the air traveling down your air pathways,
Making your chest expand,
Ribcages open,
Tummy to rise.
And when you exhale,
You're releasing and letting go.
Notice the sense of space that the breath offers.
This is how we can start exploring equanimity with the breath.
We're now going to use some imagery.
I've learned these visualizations through the work of Edith DeHisler,
And she says,
Trees are a great symbol of equanimity.
They go through many changes during the seasons.
They experience lots of weather,
And yet they stay in their ground.
First,
Bring to mind an image of the most majestic tree you've seen.
Her roots are deep in the earth.
Her trunk is steady.
Her branches are spacious,
Reaching into the sky.
Like the tree,
Can you feel a bit of spaciousness and groundedness within you?
Notice how this image makes you feel strong,
Steady,
Open.
The fourth and final technique to explore equanimity will be through simple phrases.
They are just an offer for you to try,
Experiment with.
Feel free to modify the words to resonate more clearly with you,
And to make the meditation your own.
You can also simplify them.
You can repeat this silently as we go.
May I be rooted like this tree,
Grounded in steadiness and balance.
Simplify grounded,
Steady,
Balanced.
May I rise with quiet confidence,
Trusting in the strength that supports me.
Simplify quiet confidence,
Trusting,
Strength.
May I offer care like the tree's shade,
Gentle,
Loving.
And sheltering to all who rest beneath me.
Simplify care,
Gentle,
And sheltering.
May I let go like autumn leaves,
Releasing what is no longer mine to carry.
Simplify,
Let go,
Releasing.
May I rest in spaciousness like branches opening wide to the endless sky.
Simplify,
Spaciousness,
Opening.
You can continue repeating the phrases,
Or you could choose one or two that especially resonate with you today,
And focus on those.
Feeling the resonance of these words internally as you invite the quality of the cannibity within.
Now,
As you release the phrases,
Rest the mind.
Bring your awareness back to the body.
Take a few deeper breaths.
And when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Welcome back.
And remember,
Equanimity requires practice because we all have our likes and dislikes,
Attachment and aversion,
A very much part of our human nature.
And that's precisely why equanimity is a gradual practice,
Meeting our likes and dislikes with patience until balance becomes more natural.
