Meditating through the cycles of life.
Transitions can be challenging, whether they involve seasonal changes, life events, or shifts in health. I find the seasonal transition from summer to autumn challenging for several reasons. Firstly, I experience seasonal pollen allergies this time of year that are hard to manage some days. Although my birthday is on the autumn equinox, I prefer summer because, as a mesa mermaid, swimming and paddling in the Rio Grande are favorite activities. Furthermore, watching my flower gardens slowly wilt and go dormant is something my heart struggles to accept. Wisdom teachers say that what we struggle with is our personal dharma practice, so mine is to accept seasonal changes with equanimity. Understanding that the cycles of life are reassuring reminds us to accept transitions. Mother Nature will rest for a while, and when spring comes, she will renew herself.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter how many times we experience transitions; they can leave us feeling uneasy and uncertain. Change is a constant in life and the Five Buddhist Remembrances mirror the understanding of the inevitability of transitions. All beings are of the nature to grow old, to have ill health, to grieve loss, and to die. Everything changes, from our health to our thoughts and our physical bodies. We grow in many ways as we experience the transitions of life, and meditating with equanimity is a way to respond to these changes.
Equanimity is defined as “mental calmness, composure, … especially in a difficult situation” and is a way to navigate change that helps us accept transitions with grace and patience. In an article in Lion’s Roar entitled Finding a Better Balance, author Christiane Wolf points out that meditating with equanimity helps us welcome a more balanced perspective.
- Mindfulness helps us accept change as we observe the flow of thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the body without rushing to fix them.
- Be open and willing to accept things as they are in each moment.
- Practice caring deeply with acceptance and nonreactivity.
- Consciously living life will help us be equanimous over time.
Meditation is referred to as a “practice” because it requires consistent repetition to reap its relaxing benefits. By practicing with equanimity, we learn to accept each moment as it is. We also express kindness and compassion to ourselves and others when life’s changes are challenging. Using mindfulness, we can accept what we can’t control. This awareness can be helpful because it reminds us that the cycle of life and the changing seasons are a natural, necessary part of life. Embracing change with equanimity and acceptance helps us stay present in the moment, identifying what we can change or alter and what we need to allow.
Welcoming seasonal changes can be a ritual that brings us closer to our surroundings and helps us find balance between our body and the natural world. Several meditation practices come to mind that help cultivate equanimity in our daily lives. Sitting outdoors, watching the yellow-orange leaves slowly drifting, can be a calming and grounding experience. Walking meditation without a specific destination in mind can help us flow with what is happening around us, noticing those special moments when nature shows us resilience. I particularly enjoy walking my backyard labyrinth as a flowing meditation, knowing that the path always returns to its origin.
Sitting on the porch, sipping a cup of tea mindfully, with a smile on the lips, is a meditation practice that welcomes equanimity. “Drink your tea” is a metaphor for staying present in the here and now, as taught by Thich Nhat Hanh. “To be mindful is to be fully present with whatever we are doing. If you are drinking tea, just drink your tea. Do not drink your worries, your projects, your regrets.” Equanimity enables us to be present with whatever life brings into our awareness, encouraging us to experience all the emotions that arise from life’s transitions.
Anne-Marie Emanuelli is the founder and Creative Director of Mindful Frontiers LLC, a Benefit Corporation (B-Corp) based in Taos, New Mexico, dedicated to promoting community wellness through mindfulness. We offer individuals, schools and organizations a variety of mindfulness and meditation tools designed to support and nurture positive social-emotional growth. Our mission is to “welcome a mindful future, one present moment at a time,” guiding people towards greater awareness, emotional resilience, and a deeper connection with themselves and others. Anne-Marie is a certified meditation leader and labyrinth facilitator, with over 25 years of experience practicing meditation. Mindful Frontiers can be found on the Insight Timer app, YouTube and at our website, MindfulFrontiers.net.
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