On Emerging into Lightness

Tags

autumn, equanimity, lighness

There is a heaviness in the air as the first dense fog of the season is upon me this morning. Visibility is down to a few dozen feet as I drive out of the neighborhood towards school. However, as soon as I turn on to the Main Street, I barely go a quarter of a mile and it’s absolutely clear. It’s as if I emerged out of a ‘heaviness cocoon’ and into the lightness again. However, my mind cannot seem to shake the experience off that quickly.

The heaviness continues on my weekly walk around the lake after the drop off at school. The grass is heavy with moisture and soaks into my socks. I come under heavy attack by the mosquitoes as I approach the water. The water itself is heavy with algae from shore to shore. A lone mallard duck braves the swamp as she ever so slowly swims in the middle of the green coating formed over the past few weeks. Some of the bushes around the lake are heavy with the last of summer’s berries.

As I cut my walk around the lake a bit short so that my don’t become a feeding trough for the biters, I am beginning to think that today’s walk has been a bit of a wash. And then, out of the corner of my eye, I see one my daughter’s teachers coming my way. In all my Friday walks, I have never seen another human on the trail. I feel a bit of lightness at the sight of a fellow traveler. We have a short but nice chat about yellow jackets and mosquitoes, and the scavenger hunt he is setting out for the students.

The encounter lasts for less than a minute, but it helps me turn the corner towards lightness. As if on cue, I notice that the sun is emerging through the gloom. By the time I walk back to my car, the heaviness of a few minutes ago has become a distant memory. All I feel as I journal my morning experience while sitting in the driver’s seat is the lightness infused by the ever-so-brief human interaction with a fellow traveler. The rising warmth from the sun as it crests the tall  trees in the distance confirms my feeling. 

By the time I make the short drive back home, it is as if the fog had merely been a dream. And yet, I knew that it was real because I had seen it with my own eyes, heard its stillness and felt its heaviness in my mind. This wasn’t my first experience of waking up to dense morning fog, and yet I had let it so rapidly blindside my feelings and emotions. How can a single external stimulus send us into heaviness, if ever so briefly? 

And then came more questions. 

What symptoms tend to make us aware that we are in a mental or spiritual ‘fog’? What purpose or message may the energy of lightness our way?  What kind of awareness can we develop so as to preserve our equanimity of lightness?

Autumn is on its way. There will be a lot more fog-laden mornings on the mind’s lake. It’s time for me to find some answers, so that I don’t get blindsided again. How about you?

Kumud

Join us for our weekly gathering with the #SpiritChat community on twitter on Sunday, Sep 5 at 9am ET / 630pm India. We will discuss ways to emerge into lightness… Namaste ~ @AjmaniK

 

The lightness of every rose is unaffected by the thorns that surround it…

Energy Balance and Equanimity

Tags

balance, energy, equanimity, spiritchat, spiritual

Immediately following our live chat on ‘Energy of the Heart’ last week, I had the opportunity to be part of a ceremony with a group of more than two hundred people. The chanting of ancient mantras (seed-words) is combined with offerings into a ‘sacred-fire’, and is called a homa. The sound-vibrations created by the mantra various chants led by two priests, who train from childhood in the traditional methods of chanting, raised the energy level for all present in an unprecedented way.

I felt very fortunate to be part of this energy-raising and energy-balancing experience of the homa. On further research of some of the mantras used in the ceremony, it became clear that the energy-shift that I felt while being in that energetic-space was real, not imaginary. As Wikipedia suggests:

The Sanskrit word mantra- (m.; also n. mantram) consists of the root man- “to think” (also in manas “mind”) and the suffix -tra, designating tools or instruments, hence a literal translation would be “instrument of thought”. -Wikipedia

Why do I share this story with you? For one, it seemed to be relevant to the theme of ‘energy’ we have in #SpiritChat for the month of June. The energy balance created by the combination of sound, fire, heat, aromas (created by the fire offerings), and the food shared at the conclusion – it still resonates strong within me, almost a week later. The impromptu sense of community created by the sharing of vibrations by people from different backgrounds, color and age groups created waves of energy renewal that perhaps reached far beyond where the sounds faded to virtually nothing.

As I reflect some more on the necessity for restoring energy balance in our lives, I wonder – where does imbalance arise from? It is perhaps because we live our lives in a world of opposites – we want to gravitate towards joy, good health, happiness and wealth – away from sorrow, illness, pain and poverty. When the pendulum of life swings away from our preferred direction, we immediately seek balance towards the center.

But the center is a tough place, which once attained, to be able to remain in. We are not trained to remain in the center. Many of us feel more alive when we are strongly for- or against- something. Anything. Equanimity is such a transient state in our ‘normal’ lives that we are like ‘deer in the headlights’ when we do face it. What if we were to create a spiritual and emotional life where equanimity is our default state? A state where opposites disappear – where we accept both joy and sorrow – as one. As Osho says – true balance is a state where we do not merely immerse oursleves in the ocean, we dissolve into it, become one with.

It is in that balance wthat we shall truly know the ocean, won’t we? Be the water. Be the salt. Be the waves. Be the shores. Know That balance.

Namaste,

Kumud @AjmaniK

Join us in #SpiritChat on twitter – Sunday, June 19th at 9amET/1pmUTC for a conversation about ‘Energy Balance’. We will talk about personal energy balance, what affects it, how we have disturbed nature’s energy balance and how to restore it. I look forward to feeling the community’s energy and vibration. Namaste!

Equanimity and Simplicity on the Path

Tags

equanimity, journey, path, simplicity, spirit, spiritchat

We kicked off our second year of weekly discussions in SpiritChat in the month of August as we discussed the spirit of equanimity – what it means to us, how we practice it, the connection between equanimity and inner peace, and more. One thread that emerged from this discussion was that the continual development of equanimity is an important part of spiritual progress, and goes beyond mental calmness. The takeaway (reflection) question from this week was:

What practical steps can we take to strengthen our equanimity in the coming week?

The second topic for August was the simplicity and the spirit. This topic addressed the importance of us developing an attitude of voluntary simplicity and an exploration of how that influences our spiritual growth. The major thread that emerged from this discussion was that voluntary simplicity requires concrete action, and that simple action steps can put us on the path towards greater simplicity. Our takeaway question from this discussion was:

What action steps will you take towards greater simplicity in the future?

The third Sunday of August was a discussion about our spiritual journey, our spiritual path in life. This topic brought out some interesting perspectives in that some folks believed that the path emerges as we move forward, while others stated that a firm foundation and guidelines which define the path are necessary before we undertake the journey. What do you think? Here was the takeaway question from this topic:

What area of your spiritual journey needs the most work? How will you work it?

So, that brings us to the final Sunday in August – as has become our tradition, the final Sunday of the month is when we look back at the month’s discussions, weave them together, and lay the ground-work to look forward to the month to come. Is there a connection between equanimity, simplicity and the spiritual journey we all are undertaking? Well, of course there is! But what are the specifics of this connection? What can we learn from it and how can this connection help us as we move forward on the journey?

I invite you to join us in SpiritChat on Sunday, August 26th at 9am ET / 1pm GMT / 2pm UK / 6:30pm IST to reflect on the month of August and plan for the month of September.

May our journeys be peaceful as we embrace equanimity and simplicity.

Kumud

P.S. I invite you to send me your questions or add them in the comments below – I would love to include them in future conversations. Thank you!

Update: Here is the – link to the transcript for Sunday Aug 26th chat. The questions (as they evolved during the chat) are listed below:

Ready? Q1. Why is equanimity important to our spiritual life? Or is it? #SpiritChat

Q2. What are some sources that increase/decrease your equanimity? #SpiritChat  

Q3. What is the relationship between equanimity and simplicity? #SpiritChat 

Q4. Did you take any steps towards more simplicity recently? In what way? #SpiritChat 

Q5. How do simplicity and/or equanimity fuel your spiritual journey? #SpiritChat

Q6. Describe your spiritual path in seven words. #SpiritChat 

Q7. What area of your path are you planning to focus on more in September? How? #SpiritChat 

The Spirit of Equanimity

Tags

equanimity, spirit, spiritchat

We are often tested in our daily lives by challenges which seem to make us dig deep, find our inner reserves of faith, truth and resilience. Despite our well laid plans, events can sometimes blindside us and force us to react to new, unfamiliar situations. Some of us may be in life situations which are somewhat “chronic” in nature – long-term care of friends and/or family, business slowdowns, personal health situations, and so on.

One personal characteristic (some may refer to it as a virtue) that can help us navigate the ups and downs of daily life is referred to as equanimity. The word has two parts – equal (from the latin aequus and mind (animus. The dictionary defines equanimity as

mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation – equanimity

The development of equanimity or “evenness of mind” is one of the four major traits for those engaged in the practice of yoga (the other three are friendship, compassion and joy). Buddhists consider equanimity as “… the ground for wisdom and freedom and the protector of compassion and love.” Christianity considers “equanimity as essential for carrying out the theological virtues of gentleness, contentment, temperance, and charity.” There is perhaps similar importance given to equanimity in other schools of philosophy and religions.

“Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity, opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are incapable of forming such opinions.“ – Albert Einstein

The definitions of equanimity are perhaps not as important as its practice. What factors disturb your equanimity? How do we develop more equanimity for our spirit? Is the practice of equanimity practical in modern society? What is the connection between equanimity and inner peace? Does a state of equanimity equate to aloofness and detachment?

I invite you to join me (host) and the #SpiritChat community in our weekly chat at 9am ET on Sunday, August 5th, as we discuss the subject of equanimity. Please do join us – we would love to hear your thoughts.

Kumud

Update: Transcript link: http://bit.ly/sc-tr-0805 and questions asked during the live twitter chat –

Q1. What feelings does the word equanimity invoke in you?  #SpiritChat 

Q2. What are some factors that disrupt your sense of equanimity? Are you aware of them?  #SpiritChat 

Q3. It isn't just distress, but joy can also disrupt equanimity - Agree or disagree? Why? #SpiritChat 

Q4. How can we avoid our equanimity being viewed as indifference? Or can we? #SpiritChat 

This week's Q5. What are some techniques that you use to restore your balance of equanimity? #SpiritChat 

Q6. Can we help others develop more equanimity via social media? Why or why not? #SpiritChat 

Q7. Think of some role model(s) who demonstrate(d) great equanimity. What can we learn from them? #SpiritChat

Takeaway Q8. How will we strengthen our equanimity in the coming week? Practical steps? #SpiritChat