Change is constant, and staying grounded through it takes more than willpower. Susan Bauer-Wu introduces equanimity as a quality that is both stable and receptive, combining an understanding mind with a compassionate heart and offers a step-by-step guided meditation to help readers access it directly.
Key ideas:
- What Equanimity Really Means: It is not indifference or detachment, but rather an openness to life’s unfolding without clinging to outcomes or taking experiences personally.
- Grounding in the Body First: The meditation begins by settling into the breath, using physical awareness as an anchor to the present moment before anything else.
- Intentions as Inner Anchors: Quietly repeating phrases like “things are just as they are” helps orient the mind toward acceptance and ease rather than resistance.
- Extending Care Without Control: A key practice involves calling to mind someone who is struggling and offering compassion while releasing the need to fix or control their happiness.
Mindful.org offers science-backed mindfulness practices and expert insights to help people navigate stress, build resilience, and live with greater awareness and compassion.
