What is Equanimity?
What is equanimity? Philosophy teaches us to bear with equanimity the bad luck of other people. Merriam-Webster defines equanimity as evenness of mind under stress a habit of mind that’s rarely disturbed under great strain; a controlling of emotional or mental agitation through will and habit; a steadiness when facing strain.
What is Equanimity?
Equanimity is a practice, most often discussed in Buddhist and Sufi traditions.
- Equanimity is the basis for wisdom and freedom and compassion and love.
- Few individuals are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions that differ from the prejudices of their social environment.
- Most individuals are even incapable of forming such opinions.
What does Equanimity look like?
- Equanimity is the capacity to stay neutral, observe from a distance, and be at peace without getting caught up in what we observe.
- It is the capacity to see the big picture with understanding and without reacting, for instance, to another’s words, ideology, perspective, position, premise, or philosophy.
- Essentially, we take nothing personally; refuse to be caught up in the drama of our own or other people.
Equanimity allows us to “stand in the midst,” of conflict or crisis in a way where we are balanced, grounded, and centered.
- Equanimity has the qualities of inner peace, well-being, vitality, strength, and steadfastness.
- Equanimity allows us to remain upright in the face of the strong winds of conflict and crisis, such as blame, failure, pain, or disrepute the winds that set us up for suffering when they begin to blow.
- Equanimity protects us from being “blown over” and helps us stay on an “even keel.”
How do we develop equanimity?
- Numerous mind/body qualities support the development of equanimity.
One is integrity.
- Do-ing and be-ing in integrity support our feeling confident when we speak and act.
- Being in integrity fosters an equanimity that results in “blamelessness,” feeling comfortable in any setting or with any group without the need to find fault or blame.
A faith based on wisdom
- Another quality that supports equanimity is faith (not necessarily a religious or theological faith) a faith based on wisdom, conviction, or confidence.
- This type of faith allows us to meet challenges, crises, or conflicts head-on with confidence, with equanimity.
A well-developed mind
- A third quality is that of a well-developed mind, a mind that reflects stability, balance, and strength.
- We develop such a mind through a conscious and consistent practice of focus, concentration, attention, and mindfulness.
- A well-developed, calm mind keeps us from being blown about by winds of conflict and crisis.
- A quality that supports equanimity is seeing reality for what it is, for instance, that change and impermanence are unpleasant facts.
We become detached and less clingy to our attachments.
- This means letting go of negative judgments about our experience and replacing them with an attitude of loving-kindness or acceptance and a compassionate matter-of-factness.
- The more we become detached, the deeper we experience equanimity.
The final quality is letting go of our need to be reactive so we can witness,
- Watch and observe without needing to get caught up in the fray, the winds – maintaining a consistent relaxed state within our body as sensations move through.
Equanimity, thus, has 2 aspects:
- The power of reflection and an inner balance, both of which support one to be mindful, awake, aware, and conscious.
- The greater the degree we are mindful, the greater our capacity for equanimity.
- The greater our equanimity, the greater our ability to remain steady and balanced as we navigate through the rough waters and gusty winds of change, challenge, and conflict.
What happens when we are out of balance lacking equanimity?
- In our everyday physical world, when we lose our balance, we fall. In our emotional world, we stuff our feelings and emotions, deny them or contract around them.
- Or we identify with a particular thought, feeling, or emotion, hold on to it rather than allow it to flow through us or pass like a cloud in the sky.
- The middle ground is equanimity the state of non-interference.
Equanimity allows for a deeper, more fulfilling experience.
- As we develop our capacity for equanimity, we can begin to notice when we drop into a “state of equanimity.”
- Being aware of our experience, we can explore the state and this practice will lead to more frequent and deeper states of equanimity.
- What we find with such practice is that people, events, and circumstances that once caused us to be reactive no longer have any “charge” and we are more and more able to let go and feel less “bothered.” We suffer less.
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