'The word “equanimity” translates two separate Pali words, upekkha and tatramajjhattata.
Upekkha means “to look over” and refers to the equanimity that arises from the power of observation—the ability to see without being caught by what we see. Tatramajjhattata means “to stand in the middle of all this.” As a form of equanimity, this “being in the middle” refers to balance, to remaining centered in the middle of whatever is happening. This form of balance comes from some inner strength or stability. The strong presence of inner calm, well-being, confidence, vitality, or integrity can keep us upright, like ballast keeps a ship upright in strong winds.' https://tricycle.org/magazine/perfect-balance/
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A change from the more usual routine this past week and a welcome change of perspective - the view from a Venice water bus. By our last morning in Italy my brain had decompressed from the busy term and a word gently surfaced as I gazed at this view... Equanimity.
I have always found this word beautiful and deeply aspirational. 'May I live with ease'. May I meet each moment whether lovely or not so lovely with balance and even mindedness. With a cool head and a warm heart. When I get caught up in the low-level conflict of parenting or self-critical habits of mind, as I have done these last couple of months, I know that it's equanimity that I need to draw on. The cultivation of equanimity is threaded through the practice of mindfulness, often without being named explicitly, but because of the way it surfaced like a wise friend in Venice, it feels right to explore it more actively and directly over the coming months... More to come... |
AuthorI'm Claire - and I (re)learn something every day from practising and teaching mindfulness... Archives
March 2022
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