Week Three: Equanimity

"When we become centered enough, we have the ability to accept the things we cannot change, and are able to instantly and humbly admit that our willpower and ego are ultimately powerless over most of the realities in our lives."

Notice how much time we spend each day in reactive mode. "We spill coffee on ourselves...we react. We hit a traffic jam, we react. The boss takes out his or her mood on us, we react. Our kids act up, we react....the endless cycle of stress, reactivity, and blame."

"Equanimity is the art of meeting life as it meets you-calmly, without drama, or fuss."

Our efforts these last few weeks have prepared us for this next step. By practicing presence and seeking our True Self, our Vitality, we are ready to address our reactive tendencies. What pushes your buttons? Does it change based on how you are feeling? I am more reactive when I have not gotten enough sleep, eaten well, had time for myself, or just plain feel disorganized or out of sorts. I personalize, argue, attack. Baron encourages us to practice staying centered amid the inevitable highs and lows of life.

Baron asks: "Can you see yourself as the same person who maintains composure on a sinking ship, which allows you to help save the lives of others on board? In truth our equanimity is full of courage and can save lives."

This week we will focus on equanimity...when we hit our thresholds...in yoga, work, relationships...lets not fight it, lets learn to stay centered and move through it "The winds of grace will carry you."


1. Week Three Yoga Practice: Keep doing what you are doing! Be sure to create ease, back off as your intuition guides you.

2. Week Three Balancing Diet: "In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires." Benjamin Franklin

1. What is your comfort food? When do you reach for it? Stress is the perfect trigger for overeating, indulging in unhealthy foods. Then add the guilt we pile on when we indulge. It's a no win situation. There is nothing wrong with enjoying good foods, as long as we are conscious. Most of us tend to deny ourselves and then overdo it when stressed. We crave sweets and then feel guilty when we indulge. Bad combination.
2. Baron also suggests that we overeat as a reaction to a deeper, spiritual emptiness. We shovel food in, without awareness, the moment an uncomfortable feeling arises. We are too afraid of riding out the storm of discomfort. What are we afraid of? With the mindfulness that comes with presence we should learn that our worst fears will not be realized if we feel what we feel. In fact when we step out of our comfort zone, without fear, we are more likely to start to feel our true selves, the person we know we are deep inside. The one who doesn't run and hide. The one who knows God and knows that this is enough to ride out any storm safely. Let's give ourselves this gift this week.
3. Week Three Diet To-Do
1. Continue to choose fresh, whole food to balance your body.
2. What does sweetness mean to you? When do you crave sweets? Do you resist what comes up in life, and fail to meet it as it meets you?
3. When you have a craving for sweets, take a moment to be still, breathe, and seek the truth of what is really going on.
4. Interrupt your habitual pattern and ask yourself honestly what is causing it. Did you get bad news. Trying to numb out?
5. This is a study in the art of staying...you won't die if you don't have that chocolate bar. Stay and breathe.
6. Craving for salt is different than sweet cravings. We crave sweets for energy and comfort. We crave salt for minerals and grounding. If you crave salt, incorporate more mineral-rich food such as fish, seafood and green leafy vegetables into your diet to bring you into balance.

3. Week Three Equanimity Meditation:
"The greatest challenge to our equinimity is our reactivity."

"A calm, equanimous mind does not react to circumstances or sensations around it and cn turn a poison of distraction and aversion into nectar for growth."

Meditation To-Do Week Three:
1. 15 minutes twice a day.
2. Set intention to sit with strong determination.
3. Simply and gently notice resistance to meditate, desire to stop or get up.
4. Notice the urge to fidget, move your posture, scratch an itch.
5. Resolve not to give in to these feelings.
6. Stay present, stay conscious, just STAY.