EQUANIMITY: I have been studying equanimity at a deeper level recently. Equanimity in the most simple term is the ability to be able to hold hard and soft at the same time. The acknowledgement that we can hold both positive and negative at the same time is very powerful. When we put this into practice daily we can see how we can have a tough emotion or moment with more grace and less judgement of ourselves.
If ever there is a time this might be showing up it is now….This week particularly for parents and teachers allow yourself grace right now and notice without judgement when you are having one of those “hard” moments even though there is joy in being a parent and teacher. The gift in noticing and non-judgmentally acknowledging the “hard” moment can often give you just the right amount of space to be with what is showing up with less guilt and judgement letting it “just be” long enough to pass through to the be with the joy of being a parent and or teacher.
I attached a picture of my kitty and coffee that I use as a visual to remind me of equanimity-I can have calm and anxiousness at the same time…My cat reflects my calm and my coffee reflects my anxiousness….I don’t have to pick one over the other and sometimes one might show up stronger for sure but practicing equanimity reminds me that both show up for me. Both are not permanent states of mind and I have the mental power to be with both. Give it a try/play with it…..it has taken me a long time to make it part of my practice and I still really struggle with it when I am having a hard moment but it really has made a big difference for me.