Principles: Equanimity

The following cards (#13-30) are additional spiritual principles and practices that can be essential in recovery.

A mountain

          The human brain may be capable of many wonderful capabilities, but its primary task is to keep us alive and out of danger. When we experience the unexpected, the brain chemically creates an emotional response to convince the body to react. Yet fear (fleeing) or anger (fighting) isn’t the best option to deal with every situation. Rather than react, we can choose to stay grounded in the moment and respond with discernment. Equanimity is calm awareness even in the midst of an emotional surge. It isn’t indifference or inertia, but the ability to observe without being caught up and swept away. We can use that ‘rush’ we feel as a warning to pause; mindfulness is the key. Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor explained that an automatic emotional response will only last 90 seconds unless we fuel it with our thoughts. Those types of thoughts are generally about how this situation is going to affect us. If we let go of such self-identification with the event, we create a much larger space around the experience. We then simply note what is actually happening; a less narrow perspective gives us a wider view of possible choices. Then we are better able to respond skillfully and compassionately.

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.

~ Viktor Frankl