Equanimity

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(see also Upeksa for the Buddhist concept)

Equanimity is the manifestation of equilibrium attained in terms of comprehension of the diverse human emotions. It is the state in which an individual associates identically not only with every emotion but also with the associated 'dynamism'. This is the commencement of culmination of an individual's spiritual journey towards liberation.

Humans by nature are a reactive species. Every situation they are confronted with triggers an impulse which essentially defines their state of mind at that very moment. The manner in which a person relates to her state of mind varies from individual to individual. The proportion of association, state transition time, and the magnitude of the resulting deviation from his previous state are the various parameters that vary and hence define an individual's temperament. But the very fact that we are able to talk about emotions is because we are able to broadly classify these states based on empirical observations in psychology. We know what is meant by being sad, happy, angry, excited etc. This is because there is a definitive transition in state.

Now, forcefully constricting reaction in a manner that resembles high levels of similarity towards diverse 'emotions' does not define equanimity. This results from an impulsive activity that occurs in the sub-conscious mind, that modulates the original spontaneous reaction to a form desired by the conscious mind. Equanimity means that there is an involuntary display of equality towards what is diversity in emotions to the common individual. This implies a lack of transition of the state. Actually, having reached this position, definition of state ceases to exist, as there is no perception of differentiation between the emotions. The individual's role is now elevated from a feeble reactive entity to a much stronger observer.

In a state of emotional equanimity the individual observes the 'changes' that take place around him but does not react, as he does not perceive them as change. He is much stronger now because, in an involuntary manner, he is in control of himself and is not vulnerable to the unpredictability of the events, and neither is he controlled by the events he cannot control.

The most interesting aspect of this phenomenon is the art behind achieving this. Some believe the way to reach a state of ultimate stability is to be an observer to continuous internal instability. They argue that the body is in a state of constant flux. At every instance, millions of cells are born, millions of them die, millions of them transform. They suggest meditation as a way to comprehend and observe these transitions, and see the physical state of the body is an illusion, and difference in the emotions as a psychological illusion. Followers of Judaism, Islam and Christianity see God as the creator of the emotions and so seek His help to deal with emotional turmoil. Many Christians see Jesus`s ability to calm the storm in the Gospel of Mark as symbolic of this. Paul referred to the same thing becareful for nothing in the epistles.

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