Finding Balance – more equanimity please!

I was at my monthly woman’s Full Moon Bliss Night recently – oh, I think that might sound a bit much for some of you but don’t judge till you’ve tried it.  Honestly it’s one of the most amazing things I do each month and can I recomend you check out Louise’s website if you’re even a wee bit curious – One Woman Awake.

Anyway, I had a strong feeling of equanimity even though I wasn’t clear on the definition. I felt equinimious, equinamatic… when I looked it up (and found out how to spell it) I found it meant calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation.  On the button.

How often do you feel that way?

Me? Not often but more so recently than ever before.  I felt a strong sense of happiness and balance and a feeling of being able to cope.  Nice!

But these feelings are hard to come by when we are full to the brim with anger and resentment and stress and worries and whatever other baggage we cling onto through habit – and we have no release valve.

What’s shifted for me I think is I have found some proper release valves in my life to let go of some of the burden. Not just a sticking plaster (binging on Netflix, a glass of wine etc – although I am partial to both at times) but a proper activity which consciously or more often unconsciously pulls the plug on all the internal cr*p and leaves me feeling lighter and freeer and, yes, more equanimous.

My release valves include:

– getting crafty and making something useful (I recently did a fabulous candle making workshop at The Recycled Candle Company – yes, I think candles are useful before you say anything)

6357CA30-C946-4E10-A56D-56F75B4AA3EC– walking with friends in the countryside if possible

– early morning meditation and asana practice ON MY OWN

– reading inspiring books and articles, currently I’m reading Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport – worth another post which is coming next week)

– Baths in my new bathroom – some of you have been bored with me raving about how much I love my new bathroom so here’s a wee pic…

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In Buddhism, equanimity is one of the four sublime attitudes …

“Neither a thought nor an emotion, it is rather the steady conscious realisation of reality’s transience. It is the ground for wisdom and freedom and the protector of compassion and love”

And this is one of my focuses for the Spring Equinox workshop which is coming up on Saturday 23rd March (2-5pm Hedley Hall, Oldfield Park, Bath). And to be honest, the motivation for this post.

I have five places left and I’d love to fill them!

If you think you’d like to encourage more equanimity, more balance, mental calmness and evenness of temper I can’t promise a cure all in three hours, but I can promise that Michelle and I will do our best to share a balancing beautiful yoga practice – and a little goody bag to take home with you.

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Michelle is an ashtanga teacher but the practice is well suited to those who want a no impact practice as we will be offering safe alternatives. She’ll share with us a little of the history of ashtanga, we may do a little chanting (don’t be scared!) and we’ll be sewing some seeds – of various kinds (ooo cryptic).

We’ll have tea and snacks and I will be sharing a satisfyingly luxurious quiet and calm yin yoga practice suited to the Spring Equinox (which this year actually falls on Wednesday 20th March) – a time of the year when the day and night lengths are evenly balanced. Perfectly poised. Just like us!

I hope I’ve inspired you to find out more. You can do that here, and also book your place if you’d like to come.

See you soon –

Keep feeding your peaceful wolf 🙂