First, from quora:. A thread on meditation, answered by Teja Anand, , Author of "Watching Your Life ‐ Meditation Simplified”
Question: Which form of meditation does not require any effort?
“All forms. Effort, of any kind, is the opposite of meditation, because it infers you are trying to change something or ‘get somewhere’ you are not already. Meditation is simply being exactly where you are, and being with the reality of that moment (and the next moment, and the next) instead of your mind’s psychological assessment of where you are, or want to be. As such, any ‘effort’ to meditate takes you right out of meditation.
“That said, we tend to feel like ‘separate egos,’ not already in a 24/7 state of meditativeness (i.e., identified with our thoughts and our dream selves instead of just being here in Reality,) and feel like we need to choose & learn a preferred form of meditation, then sit down and practice it daily. Which is fine.
“Check out as many excellent forms of meditation as you like ‐ there are scores ‐ and as many teachers/guides till you find the one that suits you.
Then sit regularly and enjoy practicing. Just leave the concept and ‘feeling’ of “effort” out of it. Do it because you love it, because you really enjoy watching your thoughts instead of being identified with them, because you love giving some time over to just Being each day, not to change something or attain some goal.”
Today I will talk about equanimity.
Equanimity is evenness of mind. A calm mind and even temper can help make peace with life's difficulties. Equanimity is the foundation for mindfulness practice.
The Buddha described a mind filled with equanimity as
“Abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill‐will.”
When we see beyond judgment and self‐interest and realize that we are choosing instead of reacting; those times when the pain of injustice is held in our hearts, while the mind is still, steady, and clear; those times when we make small choices that show great care and influence social balance. This is the power of equanimity.
One moment of equanimity causes a succeeding moment of equanimity to arise. Once equanimity is activated, it will be the cause for equanimity to continue and to deepen. It can bring you to deep levels of practice.
To develop equanimity cultivate the qualities of mind that support it. Seven mental qualities support the development of equanimity.
The first is virtue or integrity. When we live and act with integrity, we feel confident about our actions and words, which results in the equanimity of blamelessness.
The second support for equanimity is the sense of assurance that comes from faith. While any kind of faith can provide equanimity, faith grounded in wisdom is especially powerful. The Pali word for faith, saddha, is also translated as conviction or confidence. If we have confidence, for example, in our ability to engage in a spiritual practice, then we are more likely to meet its challenges with equanimity.
The third support is a well‐developed mind. Much as we might develop physical strength, balance, and stability of the body in a gym, so too can we develop strength, balance and stability of the mind. This is done through practices that cultivate calm, concentration and mindfulness.
When the mind is calm, we are less likely to be blown about by the worldly winds.
The fourth support is a sense of well‐being. We do not need to leave well‐being to chance. In Buddhism, it is considered appropriate and helpful to cultivate and enhance our well‐being. We often overlook the well‐being that is easily available in daily life. Even taking time to enjoy one’s tea or the sunset can be a training in well‐being.
The fifth support for equanimity is understanding or wisdom. Wisdom is an important factor in learning to have an accepting awareness, to be present for whatever is happening without the mind or heart contracting or resisting. Wisdom can teach us to separate people’s actions from who they are. We can agree or disagree with their actions, but remain balanced in our relationship with them. We can also understand that our own thoughts and impulses are the result of impersonal conditions. By not taking them so personally, we are more likely to stay at ease with their arising.
Another way wisdom supports equanimity is in understanding that people are responsible for their own decisions, which helps us to find equanimity in the face of other people’s suffering. We can wish the best for them, but we avoid being buffeted by a false sense of responsibility for their well‐being.
One of the most powerful ways to use wisdom to facilitate equanimity is to be mindful of when equanimity is absent. Honest awareness of what makes us imbalanced helps us to learn how to find balance.
The sixth support is insight, a deep seeing into the nature of things as they are. One of the primary insights is the nature of impermanence. In the deepest forms of this insight, we see that things change so quickly that we can’t hold onto anything, and eventually the mind lets go of clinging. Letting go brings equanimity; the greater the letting go, the deeper the equanimity.
This is a quote from monk Ajahn Chah from his book A Still Forest Pool:
If you let go a little, you will have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you will know complete peace and freedom. Your struggles with the world will have come to an end.
The final support is freedom, which comes as we begin to let go of our reactive tendencies. We can get a taste of what this means by noticing areas in which we were once reactive but are no longer. For example, some issues that upset us when we were teenagers prompt no reaction at all now that we are adults. In Buddhist practice, we work to expand the range of life experiences in which we are free.
The mindfulness practice of observing without judgment is also the practice of developing this equanimity.
VIDEO: EQUANIMITY, THE PRACTICE OF FREEDOM BY JEFF WARREN