Our country is polarized. Many of us including me find ourselves bearing strong opinions and aligning with one group or another about how our country should be run. It is a highly charged time.
If we step back from the heat of the moment and consider the big picture, we might agree that what we want most is to serve ideals like love and peace, to nurture the best part of ourselves and others. Stoking our opinions and demonizing others is not the way to do so.
Equanimity is. The definition of equanimity is mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation. This evenness or balance allows us to access our best thinking no matter what is happening. Equanimity is a superpower, one that allows access to other powers.
It is an upright stance rather than leaning forward to convince others of our opinion, or backing off in retreat from conflict. We are poised and ready no matter what comes our way. When we are attached to how things turn out or winning, we lose our equanimity within and increase divisiveness in the world.
To maintain a state of equanimity, we need to replace judgment with acceptance, self-righteousness with tolerance, and dogmatism with impartiality. Instead of battling external forces, we need to balance internal ones.
This takes practice. There is no better time of year to start this work than now. On September 22nd, we will experience the autumn equinox. That is one of two days in the year when the hours of daylight are equal to the hours of darkness. It is nature’s demonstration of balance.
In a democracy, we formulate our own thoughts, beliefs, and opinions, then allow others the same right. Our thoughts are formed by experiences and propensities; they are a result of what we took in and how we processed it. If we had the same education and experiences as another, we would likely formulate the same opinions.
My aim is to search for the truth and strive for the good. All that I can do is my personal best, results are out of my hands. There may be chaos in the world, but when I trust in the greater wisdom of the universe, I can find calm within.
Until a few weeks ago, I was planning in advance how I would react to the uncertainty of upcoming election results. I found these thoughts disturbing, even panic inducing. That is until I realized a better use of my mental capacities would be to summon my superpower, equanimity.
When I practice equanimity, I still have thoughts and feelings, but I do not attach to them. Then information does not throw me out of balance, into despair or elation; I am able to accept and work with what is. I can sleep at night, act rather than react.
This is how I evolve and serve. I have always appreciated the image in this Rumi poem. “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”.
That’s where I want to stand. Will you join me there?
