Insight Hour with Joseph Goldstein

Ep. 177 – Understanding Equanimity

Aug 15, 2023

Joseph Goldstein helps us understand equanimity and its role on the spiritual path. He explores the meaning and significance of equanimity, the importance of maintaining a sense of humor, and the difference between reactivity and responsiveness of mind. Goldstein discusses cultivating equanimity in meditation, reflecting on aging, illness, and death, and the connection between equanimity and wisdom. He also explores the practice of noting during meditation and shares a personal story about mindfulness in winter weather. The podcast concludes with a discussion on the manifestation of equity and the importance of mindfulness and equanimity.

01:06:18

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Quick takeaways

Equanimity is a fundamental state of mind that brings peace and balance to life.

Cultivating equanimity involves associating with wise and equanimous people and practicing meditation techniques to change reactive mindsets.

Deep dives

The Importance of Equanimity in Happiness and Awakening

Equanimity, a mental factor referred to as Upika in Buddhist psychology, is a universal beautiful quality that plays a critical role in daily happiness and the path to awakening. It is described as a neutrality of mind, evenness, and impartiality. Equanimity brings peace and balance to life by allowing us to navigate the inevitable changes, such as gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and disrepute, and pleasure and pain, with ease and without attachment. It helps us develop a non-reactive mindset, a deep understanding of impermanence, and a realization that our own actions determine our happiness. Cultivating equanimity involves associating with wise and equanimous people, practicing meditation techniques that change the tone of our reactions, and developing mindfulness and awareness to recognize the knowing aspect of experience. Ultimately, the cultivation of equanimity leads to a freedom from clinging, independence, and a state of profound openness and freedom.

Introduction

4min

The Significance of Equanimity

14min

Cultivating Equanimity in Meditation

15min

Reflecting on Aging, Illness, and Death

7min

The Importance of Equanimity in Buddhist Practice

15min

Cultivating Equanimity and its Connection to Wisdom

6min

Observing Reactions through Noting and Changing Mind State

2min

Mindfulness of Awareness in Winter Weather

4min

Understanding the Manifestation of Equity and the Freedom it Brings

2min

10.

Importance of Mindfulness and Equanimity, and Introduction of BetterHelp

2min

This time on the Insight Hour podcast, Joseph Goldstein helps us understand equanimity as a fundamental state of mind and the role it plays on the spiritual path.

This dharma talk from July 22, 2023, was recorded at the Insight Meditation Society and originally published on Dharma Seed.

This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/insighthour

In this lecture, Joseph explores:

The literal meaning of the word “equanimity” in Pali and the difficulty of translation
The Great 8 Vicissitudes, or the endlessly changing conditions of gain and loss that affect each of us
Using equanimity to foster steadiness in the face of changing conditions
Maintaining a sense of humor and lightness on the spiritual path
The difference between reactivity of mind and responsiveness of mind
The transmittable quality of equanimity

“Equanimity means understanding the difference between reactivity of mind and responsiveness. So this is a really important distinction because these two words reflect very different mindsets. Reactivity creates agitation. Responsiveness really is the basis for a balanced and compassionate engagement.” – Joseph Goldstein

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