Find a comfortable seat,
Either in a chair or on a cushion.
Let it be one where your back can be upright and straight,
Yet not stiff.
As you close your eyes,
Begin to tune inward and make any minor physical adjustments.
It can be helpful to remember that we set the intention of both ease and awareness in our practice.
Soften any places or spaces of tension in the body.
Then as you allow your mind to settle,
Begin to bring awareness to your breath.
This helps your mind arrive in the present experience.
Allow the breath in the body to flow naturally and normally.
Notice how you feel the sensations of the breath in the body.
Perhaps it is in the rise and the fall of the chest.
Maybe it's in the stomach expanding or contracting.
Perhaps you notice the sensations in the nostrils as the air freely flows in and out.
If there's more than one spot where you notice it,
You can choose the dominant one for this meditation practice.
As you notice the sensation of the breath,
Bring close attention to its entirety.
The fullness of the inhale,
The pause,
The fullness of the exhale,
And the pause.
You may have noticed your mind wandering.
When this happens,
It offers us a beautiful opportunity to cultivate mindfulness and concentration.
It is not a measurement of how effective or great a meditator you are.
Every time you notice the mind wandering,
You are strengthening your ability to recognize the experience.
Invite this in as an opportunity rather than a problem.
Now to begin the practice of equanimity,
Begin by reflecting on the benefits of a mind that is balanced,
Peaceful,
And has equanimity.
Sense what a gift it is to bring a peacefulness to this world.
Allow for an inner state of ease.
And in the same way that your heart offers loving kindness to others,
You can begin to silently repeat the phrases like,
May I be balanced.
May I be peaceful.
May my heart be at ease amidst all things.
May I be balanced.
May I be peaceful.
May my heart be at ease amidst all things.
May I be balanced.
May I be peaceful.
May my heart be at ease amidst all things.
And then bring to mind someone you love dearly.
A friend,
A teacher,
A mentor,
A spouse,
A pet.
And as you have them in your mind's eye,
You may honor your wishes for them.
We practice recognizing that we may wish for this person's happiness.
We are not in control of it.
Equanimity helps us to let go of the outcome and focus on our own practice.
We honor that this person is in charge of their own actions.
May you be balanced.
May you be peaceful.
May your heart be at ease amidst all things.
May you be balanced.
May you be peaceful.
May your heart be at ease amidst all things.
And you will keep going silently,
Repeating the phrases or one similar if these aren't working for you.
Now you can let this person go and bring to mind a neutral person.
This is someone you see from time to time but don't know very well.
A neighbor,
A coworker,
Maybe someone who serves you coffee at Starbucks.
And again,
Repeat the phrases.
May you be balanced.
May you be peaceful.
May your heart be at ease amidst all things.
May you be balanced.
May you be peaceful.
May your heart be at ease amidst all things.
You can acknowledge that all things rise and pass away.
Joys and sorrows,
Pain and pleasure,
Events,
Peoples,
Animals,
Nations,
Whole civilizations.
Let yourself rest in peace in the midst of a changing world.
Now offer the phrases of equanimity to someone you find yourself agitated with or annoyed by.
May you be balanced.
May you be peaceful.
May your heart be at ease amidst all things.
May you be balanced.
May you be peaceful.
May your heart be at ease amidst all things.
May you be balanced.
May you be peaceful.
May your heart be at ease amidst all things.
Know that you can hold them in a compassionate heart,
But acknowledge that their happiness is in their actions and deeds,
Their karma.
And then return to the self.
May I be balanced.
May I be peaceful.
May my heart be at ease amidst all things.
May I be balanced.
May I be peaceful.
May my heart be at ease amidst all things.
And then bring your awareness back to your breath.
The sensation of the inhalation and its exhalation.
And even now the sensations in the body.
Sending breath to any remaining tightness or tension.
And then when you're ready,
Bring energy back into the body.
Figgling fingers and toes.
And open your eyes,
Returning to the room.
