Equanimity in Every Bite - Shaila Catherine – Tricycle Magazine
NEITHER the coarse feeling of unpleasantness nor the agitated
feeling of pleasure, equanimity, the Buddha said, is one of the highest kinds
of happiness, beyond compare with mere pleasant feelings. Superior to delight
and joy, true equanimity remains undisturbed as events change from hot to cold,
from bitter to sweet, from easy to difficult. This neutral feeling is so subtle
that it can be difficult to discern.
Equanimity is steady through
vicissitudes, equally close to the things you may like and the things you do
not like. Observe when the tendency to move away from what you do not like ends
and the tendency to hold on to what you like is also absent. Personal
preference no longer dictates the direction of attention. Equanimity contains
the complete willingness to behold the pleasant and the painful events of life
equally. It points to a deep balance in which you are not pushed and pulled
between the coercive energies of desire and aversion. Equanimity has the
capacity to embrace extremes without getting thrown off balance. Equanimity
takes interest in whatever is occurring simply because it is occurring.
Equanimity does not include the aversive states of indifference, boredom,
coldness, or hesitation. It is an expression of calm, radiant balance that
takes whatever comes in stride.
The taste of a favorite meal,
perhaps eggplant Parmesan, may be exquisitely clear: the sweetness of cooked
tomatoes, the aroma of basil, the soft texture of the eggplant that melts on
the tongue, the saltiness of the Parmesan cheese. Each taste may be discerned
with acute precision and clarity. They are also enjoyed as a unique blend and
appreciated for their combined qualities. When equanimity is dominant, the
experience of craving another morsel is absent. The eggplant Parmesan will
instead be fully experienced with equanimity rather than delight. For many
people such balance around taste would be a unique moment.
Some of my beginning students have
told me, "But I don't want that kind of happiness. I enjoy the gusto
of delight. I relish a passionate involvement with my life. I love the
excitement of experience." I understand. As a concept, equanimity may
appear unappealing, but students nonetheless discover, quite to their surprise,
that the exquisite peace of balanced states has a taste of happiness beyond
pleasure and beyond pain. Every experience of liking something has as its
counterpart disliking something else. The fickleness of personal preference
agitates consciousness. The deeply balanced state of equanimity makes a
sustained investigation of things possible. Out of this combination of
concentrated stability, penetrative investigation, and mindful awareness, consciousness
may awaken the unshakable nature of happiness.
Spiritual practitioners thrive in
unpredictable conditions, testing and refining the inner qualities of heart and
mind. Every situation becomes an opportunity to abandon judgment and opinions
and to simply give complete attention to what is. Situations of inconvenience
are terrific areas to discover, test, or develop your equanimity. How
gracefully can you compromise in a negotiation? Does your mind remain balanced
when you have to drive around the block three times to find a parking space?
Are you at ease waiting for a flight that is six hours delayed? These
inconveniences are opportunities to develop equanimity. Rather than shift the
blame onto an institution, system, or person, one can develop the capacity to
opt to rest within the experience of inconvenience.
From Focused and Fearless: A Meditator's Guide to States of Deep
Joy, Calm, and Clarity, © 2008 by Shaila Catherine. Reprinted with
permission from Wisdom Publications, wisdompubs.org.
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