Monthly Sparkle

The Power of Equanimity

Today was one of those days. It seemed like everything went wrong. There was a tornado coming. Usually I would not be worried, but this is the first time a tornado was near, and I had two babies to protect. When taking my dogs out one last time beofre we hunkered down for the night, I could feel the pressure in the air which paled in comparison to the pressure of the millions of fearful thoughts pulsing in my skull. That is when I remembered my skills. I took a deep breath and called upon an image that always centers me: a rooted tree. Not just any rooted tree, a tree that has seen many a tornado but has such strong roots that it continues to persist. While cuddling in the bathtub with my two babies and watching my husband sit with our dogs and keep an eye on the weather radar, I pictured every fearful thought as a gust of wind, or bolt of lightening that may damage the tree, but never knocks it down. Equanimity is that feeling. It is the ability to be so rooted in the present, your values, and your strengths that you remain grounded throughout the “weather” or life. In good times and bad, you refrain from judgement and have the insight to look within for contentment rather than looking without.  The seeds that we plant every day are what make up our roots. What seeds are you planting today? fear, anxiety, judgement, or trust, compassion, hope? In my darkest moments, picturing my equanimity tree helps me to remember that if I rely on my “roots” to weather the storm, I will always be able to see the light again.