Today is the first day of spring, when we experience an equal amount of daylight and darkness (the "equinox"), so it’s a good time to explore balance. In the various things I practice and teach, balance is a key factor. I've written about how balance is dynamic, I've discussed ways to stay rooted and unshakeable in the face of social and personal trauma, and how consistency in practice can lead to a balanced acceptance of difficult states of being.
As I have dived deeper into the Buddhist way and devoted more time to meditation and daily mindfulness, I have begun to experience one of the fruits of the practice: equanimity. Equanimity, or upekkha (the original Pali word), is one of the Seven Factors of Awakening, described as neutrality of mind or, as literally translated by Bhikku Bodhi, "there in the middleness." That may be a somewhat awkward construction but it accurately describes the experience of equanimity.
Mental neutrality might sound cold, removed, or even boring, but the truth is just the opposite. Rather than being disconnected or indifferent to life's experiences, equanimity puts one right in the middle of whatever is occurring, in a steady balanced way so that one is not thrown off by the ups and downs of daily life.
In his book Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening, Joseph Goldstein says that "it would be hard to overestimate [the] beneficial effects" of equanimity:
The first way we experience the cool, restful quality of equanimity is in the peace and balance it brings to our daily lives. Each of us is touched by what are called "the eight worldly vicissitudes." These are the endlessly changing conditions of gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and disrepute, and pleasure and pain. When equanimity is developed, we ride these waves with balance and ease. Without it, we're tossed about by the waves, often crashing into the circumstances of our lives. [p. 278]
Learning to surf the waves of life requires a commitment to turn toward direct experience, to include whatever is arising with acceptance, to learn how to balance in the gap between stimulus and response. Equanimity develops as the other factors of awakening are cultivated, and mindfulness is the link between them all. I have known the joy of calm, collected awareness, sitting right in the middle of it all, without preference or agenda. I've been able to experience this because of my years of practicing the Alexander Technique, a body-mind method of restoring balance and awareness in movement. I have actually lived in a state of equanimity for hours or even days while on retreat, and in my daily meditation practice equanimity often reveals itself as my concentration of mind and my devotion of heart get deeper and more tangible.
This all becomes possible whenever I am willing to be fully "there in the middleness."
May this first day of the season we call Spring bring you the possibility of balance and ease.
How are you finding balance during this time of isolation and uncertainty? Please share in the comments - maybe something you are doing can help someone else. <3