Equanimity
photo credit: Eva Lin Photography
After my last blog post about yoga sutra 1.33, The Four Keys, I had a long discussion with my mom about the word “indifference”. In the context of sutra 1.33, Patanjali says that to maintain a calm mind, you must show “indifference to pleasure and pain, virtue and vice respectively…” B.K.S. Iyengar explains this idea further, “This sutra asks us to… be indifferent to those who continue to live in vice despite attempts to change them.”
What was tripping my mom up (and I suspect many of us may feel similarly) is that the word indifference connotes uncaring. Like you just shrug your shoulders and move on despite the hurtful actions of others or a traumatic experience.
So I did a deep dive into multiple translations of the sutras to see if I could find another word that resonated with us. Nischala Joy Devi, a yoga teacher and author of The Secret Power of Yoga; a Woman’s Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras used the word “equanimity” in her interpretation of Sutra 1.33. Equanimity is mental calmness, composure and evenness of temper especially in a difficult situation. (Leave it to one of the few interpretations of the sutras written by a woman to help us!)
To me, equanimity is engaging in a political debate without taking someone’s opposing opinions personally. It’s when your child gets hurt and you stay calm and treat their injury. It’s how people who have experienced horrible tragedy at the hand of another person or group of people go on to speak publicly about their experiences in order to influence change to prevent a similar tragedy. In all of these examples, it could not be said that these people do not care. In fact, it’s just the opposite. They care deeply.
What are some ways in your own life that you have shown equanimity in the face of difficulty?
Where in your life could you show more equanimity?
I’d love to hear your thoughts and I hope that this blog post sparks insight and reflection.
Namaste,
Kate
