A question that many people have asked me is “In this time of political drama and critical decision-making how can I practice equanimity?”
In this blog I will address that question by looking at what equanimity means and how you can practice it even during an intense and dramatic political season.
I will begin by addressing some of the mistaken notions about equanimity.
One common error is believing that equanimity means you should always be calm and peaceful no matter what happens, and that you should always meet life with a Buddha-like smile.
Not necessarily so.
Equanimity is an internal practice. It has no particular face to it; it cannot be determined by external appearances.
A similar mistake is the belief that equanimity means having no preferences and that you never make a choice; you simply allow life to happen however it will. If you are a monk or nun living in a monastery then this might be possible, but even as a monastic you eventually must make choices. And for those of us who are householders, you just cannot raise a family, work a job, and have relationships without having preferences and making choices.
A similar mistake is believing that equanimity means having little or no interest in the outside world. Equanimity is an internal process but it does not mean that you should not be interested in the world around you.
Let’s look at what equanimity does mean.
Equanimity is the practice of relating to your present subjective experience in a certain way. It is a complete noninterference with your subjective experience. It is an internal practice of nonresistance. It has been described as “Making friends with every experience.”
Equanimity means that whatever you experience you experience it completely without any interference or editing by the mind.
Practicing equanimity has nothing to do with the content of your experience. No matter what you are feeling, thinking, seeing or hearing, equanimity is always about how you relate to your present experience. The intention is to make friends with whatever arises in your awareness.
This does not mean that you act out your impulses, it simply means to allow each experience to enter and to leave when naturally ready.
With the practice of equanimity, you won't always look like you're feeling peaceful; the practice is internal, without regards to appearances.
Awareness is always a prerequisite for equanimity. If there's no awareness of your experience, you cannot have equanimity.
Mindfulness practice is a combination of awareness and equanimity.
Equanimity is an intention, not a goal. If you set a goal of perfect equanimity all of the time it isn't going to happen, and you're likely to become frustrated or disappointed when it does not.
A goal is always about the future. An intention is always about the present moment. It simply means asking oneself, in this moment, “Am I on my intention?” “Am I practicing equanimity?” and if not then begin practicing now—without looking back.
With the practice of equanimity, it’s crucial to drop all blame and judgment. Let go of past, future, right, wrong, good and. bad. Drop “The Story.”
With equanimity you are better equipped to make wiser choices because you now have a clearer connection to your inner wisdom. When the mind is clouded with judgment and resistance, it obscures your natural wisdom.
To act with equanimity means to act only when free from craving and aversion and the mind is clear. When you do act then do so with clear intention and no attachment to outcome.
The practice of equanimity will eventually dissolve all suffering.