UNRULY FORCES
A popular quote from the Tao Te Ching describes life as 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows. The capacity to calmly navigate the ups and downs of life is called equanimity. Equanimity is the attitude of unshakableness that keeps us on an even keel, even in the face of the unruliness of life.
In his teachings, the Buddha spoke of eight worldly winds that have the potential to throw us off balance. These are four pairs of “good” and “bad” experiences: gain and loss; pleasure and pain; praise and blame; fame and disrepute. Buddhist philosophy recognises that these vicissitudes are simply part of life. To identify these forces as they are happening and to accept their inevitability is the first step towards cultivating the even-mindedness we need to navigate them.
One quote…
We can learn to be present with emotions without falling into the extremes of overwhelm or denial. Rather than spinning stories about our inability to cope with the difficulties of life, we can create space for ourselves to feel without drowning in any given feeling. The creation of that space is the essence of equanimity.
Sharon Salzberg
One question…
Which of the eight winds has the potential to blow you off course this week?
Sent with love,
Melissa x