How to Develop Equanimity According to Tibetan Buddhism (2023)

FAQs

How do Buddhists practice equanimity? ›

In Buddhist practice, we work to expand the range of life experiences in which we are free. These two forms of equanimity, the one that comes from the power of observation, and the one that comes from inner balance, come together in mindfulness practice. As mindfulness becomes stronger, so does our equanimity.

For a formal practice to cultivate equanimity, begin with some calming breaths or a mantra meditation. Once you feel calm, reflect on your desire for happiness and freedom from suffering, both for yourself and for others.

By cultivating equanimity, you are given the choice to accept rather than struggle with these emotions. In other words, through equanimity, you learn to acknowledge your emotions and let them be, instead of letting them overwhelm you.

In Buddhism, equanimity (Pali: upekkhā; Sanskrit: upekṣā) is one of the four sublime attitudes and is considered: Neither a thought nor an emotion, it is rather the steady conscious realization of reality's transience. It is the ground for wisdom and freedom and the protector of compassion and love.

Both "equanimity" and "equal" are derived from "aequus," a Latin adjective meaning "level" or "equal." "Equanimity" comes from the combination of "aequus" and "animus" ("soul" or "mind") in the Latin phrase aequo animo, which means "with even mind." English speakers began using "equanimity" early in the 17th century ...

a calm mental state, especially after a shock or disappointment or in a difficult situation: He received the news of his mother's death with remarkable equanimity. Three years after the tragedy she has only just begun to regain her equanimity.

Equanimity is defined as a gentle way of life, a state of conscious wisdom and freedom—the great protector of love and compassion. Equanimity is a Buddhism concept. Buddha describes a mind filled with equanimity as abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill-will.

Equanimity is a skill of mind and heart that underpins the many facets of emotional intelligence. By opening yourself to your full lived experience, you develop; greater self-awareness, including what you are actually feeling and thinking.

For example, equanimity can feel internally like a great mountain, with the mind solid and stable, undisturbed by the changing seasons. Or it can be like the ocean, with the mind vast, deep, and immeasurable, undisturbed by whatever swims, floats, or is housed in its waters.

The words composure and sangfroid are common synonyms of equanimity. While all three words mean "evenness of mind under stress," equanimity suggests a habit of mind that is only rarely disturbed under great strain.

What should human beings accept with equanimity? ›

A fifth quality that supports equanimity is understanding or wisdom which allows us to accept, be present and aware to our experience without our mind or heart resisting or contracting. In this place we separate people from their actions; we agree or disagree while being in balance with them.

Buddha said very clearly that humans have five main desires: food, sleep, sex, money, fame. As we grow these five desires all become stronger.

The Second Truth, on the other hand, seeks to determine the cause of suffering. In Buddhism, desire and ignorance lie at the root of suffering. By desire, Buddhists refer to craving pleasure, material goods, and immortality, all of which are wants that can never be satisfied.

A near enemy of equanimity is indifference or callousness. Mindfulness means being with what is non-judgmentally, not hardening ourselves against what is unwanted.

Equanimity is the emotional-spiritual state of warm and stable calmness. It is the undisturbed peace and clarity of mind of someone who has mastered themselves. The equanimous person does not allow negative thoughts and emotions to carry them away into suffering.

Samatva (Sanskrit: समत्व, also rendered samatvam or samata) is the Hindu concept of equanimity. Its root is sama (सम) meaning – equal or even. Sāmya - meaning equal consideration towards all human beings - is a variant of the word.

Recognizing the inherent equality of all living beings, and having gratitude, love, and respect for each and every person – these are core values in Buddhism, and very important teachings to practice.

Is equanimity a virtue? ›

In Buddhism, equanimity (in Pali, upekkha; in Sanskrit, upeksha) is one of the Four Immeasurables or four great virtues (along with compassion, loving kindness, and sympathetic joy) that the Buddha taught his disciples to cultivate.

While it is true that equanimity can allow you to detach yourself from the patient to make life altering decisions, empathy is the best way to heal. Empathy must be present in order to fully understand the patient's story.

Equanimity is a spacious stillness that can accept things as they are. The balance of compassion and equanimity allows us to care and yet not get overwhelmed and unable to cope because of that caring.

Samatha: Meditative calm. Jhana practice is the systematic meditative development of Samatha, leading to states of refined consciousness known as absorptions. Sangha: The community of followers and practitioners of the Buddha's path and teaching.

DESCRIPTION: Characters skilled in equanimity are able to control their emotions quickly because they understand that all experiences are valuable, even negative ones. This allows them to quickly recover from disappointments and move forward.

Equanimity means balance, and it's the balance that is born of wisdom. Mindfulness means a capacity or quality of awareness where our perception of what's happening in the moment is not distorted by bias, old fears, projection into the future, anything that may arise, holding on, or pushing away.

Buddhists pursue meditation as part of the path toward liberation from defilements (kleshas) and clinging and craving (upādāna), also called awakening, which results in the attainment of Nirvana, and includes a variety of meditation techniques, most notably anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing).

One of the teachings of Buddha is that: The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. We probably all worry unnecessary sometimes, which makes us all worrywarts.

The simplest way to calm the mind is with the basic meditation practice of sitting quietly, focusing on the breath. Calming the mind and body is stabilizing, but as Dung points out, it's also protective against unwise action. “As a collective energy, fear and anger can be very destructive,” he says.

Can a person be equanimity? ›

If you're equanimous, you're serene and calm. Some people meditate or do yoga in an attempt to be more equanimous. People who are equanimous seem enviably composed and balanced. You might be equanimous about some things, remaining calm when your dog barks or your smoke alarm goes off, but less equanimous about others.

Equanimity is an attitude of radical acceptance. It is regarding all sentient beings as equals. It is also the practice of viewing all apparent phenomena as dreamlike, illusory and impermanent. That way, we can accept whatever arises, whether or not the situation conforms to our wishes.

The word serene describes the look of a person who is calm and unworried.

a) excitement - The word 'excitement' refers to 'a feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness'. This word has the exact opposite meaning of the given word. It is the antonym of 'equanimity'.

3 placid, unruffled, serene, self-possessed.

Buddhism uses meditation as one of its strategies to achieve goals. A peaceful mind is better equipped to let go of and forgive hurtful memories. Buddhist teachings on how to be calm like a monk include mindfulness and meditation. Fear, wrath, and uncertainty may all be acknowledged via regular meditation.

Equanimity can be defined as an even-minded mental state or dispositional tendency toward all experiences or objects, regardless of their origin or their affective valence (pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral).

Equanimity enables us to know the energetic movements of mind without reactivity. It is an experience of grounded presence in the midst of extremes, when the mind is steady and responsive, and when we can say to ourselves, “This moment is like this, and it doesn't have to be different right now.

How do monks control their emotions? ›

In addition to practicing emotional control through mindfulness meditation, Tibetan Buddhist monks calm the mind by envisioning complex mental images, including Buddhist deities and symbolic geometric designs called mandalas.

Buddhists do it by taking a shower. This ritual is always at 5 or 5.30 p.m. — a few hours before going to bed so that they can spend the rest of the evening relaxed and fall asleep easily. The only catch is to surrender. As you are underneath the shower, feel the water on your body.

You stop playing stories in your head in which you fight with people from your past or fantasize about happy endings you might never get. After a while, the number of times you have to ask the question will decrease, and eventually, you'll stop overthinking for good.

Fearlessness also comes from benevolence and goodwill in the face of whatever oppresses you. You are afraid, but instead of fighting what faces you, you embrace it and accept it—you develop loving-kindness as a direct antidote to fear.

Buddhist teachings present useful ways to cope with stress by calming the mind, controlling negative emotions and feelings through tranquility meditation, and developing wisdom and insight in order to purify the mind to be free from stress and sufferings through insight meditation.

In addition to the Buddha's advice on preventing and handling depression, meditation — meaning the act of giving one's attention to only one thing, either as a religious activity or as a way of becoming calm and relaxed — particularly Mindfulness Meditation and Loving-kindness Meditation (Pali: Metta) is found to be of ...

Equanimity is an art fundamental for conscious living. It gives rise to emotional intelligence and self awareness. Many students confuse it with apathy and inexpressiveness or the suppression of emotion. Over time, through your own practice, your understanding and feeling for equanimity will deepen.