no response or reaction, to anyone or anything,
is necessary for self and other to be in harmony
First and foremost, let us understand equanimity with appreciation for serenity and tranquility.
Let us be crystal clear: serenity is only possible when one is alone (all one) or when two or more hearts meet as one; equanimity is only ever possible when a challenge arises. Without a challenge, I have no cause to be equanimous, no cause to face up to it with equanimity.
As I’ve noted elsewhere, “the devil (challenge, problem, difficulty, obstacle, inadequacy, struggle, conflict) is in the details.” When I stay calm and composed in the face of a perceived challenge, and keep an even keel when the challenge heats up, I am that much more able to take the perceived bad with the perceived good, and do so with presence of mind imbued with heartfelt assurance.
Moreover, at the heart of any perceived slight or insult applied against my person, and at the heart of any prospect of a perceived slight or insult being applied against my person, lies a perceived challenge (problem, difficulty, obstacle, inadequacy, struggle, or conflict) awaiting resolution.
In my experience, most challenges are not entirely real, and cannot be made real, unless or until they are perceived, and they can only ever be perceived after someone offers a well-timed (though not always well-intentioned) reminder, insight, instruction, comment, question, or directive.
Unity and Harmony – and Equanimity
In my post Practical Harmonics, I wrote, and I quote:
We are energetic beings, every single one of us, and it behooves us to understand ourselves energetically, in terms of frequency, making the ultimate in harmony our default position as we move and flow through the days of our lives in a quest for the ultimate in true fulfillment.
In reading this passage, two related questions are begging to be asked: what is the ultimate in harmony? And how do we make it our default position as we move and flow through the days of our lives?
Let me offer a critical distinction that lies at the heart of harmony in the ultimate sense.
Going with the flow, whenever and wherever and with whomever we please, is but one piece to the puzzle of allowing the bliss of harmony to have its way with us – going (and growing) with the flow is but one expression of a deeper truth about the nature of ultimate harmony.
Ultimate harmony requires presence of mind to be at choice at all times about how we respond or react to events in our experience. As we follow our bliss, we flow through a series of events in keeping with a core intention. By contrast, as we find our peace, we remain at rest.
As I mention in my post, Signature Vibrations, my core intention captures a signature vibration buttressed by a constellation of supportive vibrations, and I can now affirm this core intention as follows: “be clear to explore what you really desire as you follow your bliss.”
As I share this core intention with you, I am guided to imbue it richly and deeply with feeling, by having the muse of my dreams, with my best interests at heart, whisper intimately in my ear: “be clear to explore what you really desire as you follow your bliss … be clear to explore what you really desire as you follow your bliss … third time’s the charm: be clear to explore what you really desire as you follow your bliss.”
This loving albeit admonitive act on the part of my lovely muse inspires me to round out the expression of this core intention, as follows: “be free to be clear to explore what you really and truly desire as you follow your bliss with equanimity, in harmony with unity.”
With this core intention, I have a unifying, integrating resource by which to embody and express personal sovereignty, and with presence of mind resting on a platform of peace, I can remain forever at choice about how to respond or react to any event in my experience.
As I keep bringing this core intention to life with presence of mind, I remain at peace in knowing why a challenge suddenly appears in my experience, even as I remain in my bliss, knowing how to respond or react with equanimity ~ or whether to respond or react at all.
Are We Integral Facets of One Being?
“We are One.” Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? At some level – at a very deep level, I would say – there is no doubt in my mind that We are One, that we are inextricably bound to each other in ways we are not even aware, indeed, perhaps cannot even be aware, and yet we behave as if this is not so, that this never could be so, given how conflicted we are, both within (with ourselves) and without (with each other).
And yet, here’s the grand cosmic irony: to function and operate according to Harmony would not even be possible in this world without allowing some kind of organic relationship with Unity to emerge, without allowing some kind of organic relationship with the heart of soul to arise.
A robust presence of mind at the heart of soul is not a quality easily retained and conveyed from one situation to the next, from one social interaction to the next, in a world structured to ensure that very few of us can spare the time of day for anyone who is not a someone.
Certainly, we have novels and short stories, movies, films, and plays to reassure us as the need arises, wherein the heart of the soul has a little room to breathe to play a role in reminding us of who we truly are, but for the most part, heart of soul is pretty much absent in everyday life, arising in a feeble way on occasion and only when the mood is sober or somber – a sad commentary on the state of our civilization.
A personal shift in consciousness that broadcasts a robust presence of mind at the heart of soul, performed en masse by many souls, would trigger a mass awakening in collective consciousness that would enable the heart of soul to breathe new life into this dark world.
Three challenges at three levels of awakening await our collective involvement and engagement:
- take up
- face up
- rise up
The first challenge is floating on the surface of awareness: taking up the challenge of addressing the denial of pretense that is hiding in plain sight, of negotiating light and dark pretense, of navigating the gray pre-tense that deftly sidesteps all that is tense before it occurs.
The second challenge is bubbling just below the surface of awareness: facing up to the challenge of sacred embodiment, of treating the body like the temple that it is, healing the inflammation, purging the opportunistic organisms, and eliminating the toxins and heavy metals.
The third challenge is pulsating dangerously in the depths of awareness: rising up to the challenge of presence, of pre-sensing what needs saying and doing, and then saying and doing it, will invariably cause us to suffer for speaking our truth to power with love and wisdom.
These challenges are inter-related, mutually reinforcing, and best confronted holistically.
These challenges are already apparent to some of us, at some level of awareness, and the solutions are simple though by no means easy to implement in a world where awareness is at a premium: enlighten the pre-tense with pre-sense; sacralize the body to embody heart and soul; and disclose the truth of this world by speaking cautious truth to corrupting power with love and wisdom, skillfully and artfully applied.
Individually, we can all do our bit to implement these solutions, steadily and consistently, making it a game to resolve pre-tense with pre-sense as required or desired; to purify the body with effective detox protocols; and to spread truth to anyone ready, willing, and able to listen.
As I said, equanimity is only ever possible when challenge arises. Without challenge, we have no cause to be equanimous, no cause to take it up, to face up to it and rise up to it with equanimity.
Equanimity: A Blessing or A Curse?
Equanimity: a blessing or a curse? What a strange question – let us explore it in depth.
First, how could equanimity be anything but a blessing in the overall scheme of things?
As I wrote near the beginning of this post, “when I remain calm and composed in the face of a perceived challenge, and keep an even keel when the challenge heats up, I am that much more able to take the perceived bad with the perceived good, and do so with presence of mind imbued with heartfelt assurance …”, adding “… to better negotiate and navigate pre-tense with pre-sence in response to the challenge.
In the light of this insight, what is not to like about the efficacy of equanimity? Let me put it this way: at what point does equanimity cease to be a blessing and a benefit to those who exercise it? To answer these questions, and to answer them well, requires a very potent distinction.
The blessing of equanimity? It provides the wherewithal to confront challenge efficaciously with the pre-sense of calm and composure. The curse of equanimity? It can actually provide the wherewithal to avoid challenge effectively with the pre-tense of calm and composure.
This distinction is very potent because it points to a very potent reality: the tyranny of positivity.
If we could all pretend that “it’s all good”, that everything is fine, that everything is good, that everything can be met with a positive attitude and a positive outlook, then would conformity not rule the day?
Would you join the rulers and rule-makers of conformity?
With proper surveillance, could all situations and circumstances everywhere not be orchestrated and arranged in such a way that no trouble could ensue? That no complications could arise? That no complexities could be addressed? How best to answer, “Is everything okay?”
How best to answer, “Is everything alright?”
Maybe with this: “not everything” – as many times as required, until it becomes a revolutionary act.
No challenge means no growth; no growth means no life; no life means no meaning; with no meaning, we have no choice but to play at being one of the following: a slave, a robot, a puppet, or a zombie.
Take your pick.
Let us take care to make equanimity a baseline vibration not a signature vibration (unless, of course, you feel deep down that equanimity is one of your native frequencies at the heart of your soul, in which case, by all means, have it be one of your signature vibrations).
Equanimity: for Wholing or for Healing?
Wholing or healing? Ask yourself: do I now need to be wholed or healed?
In my view, to be “wholed” simply means to be made whole or to make oneself whole, to accept and balance light with dark, and dark with light, whereas to be healed is to come into creative, productive, constructive relationship with any black holes that lie at the heart of soul.
I would suggest that many if not most of us have black holes at the heart of soul, and by this I don’t just mean energetic black holes that impel souls to commit (or tolerate) acts of evil or wrong-doing; I also mean those deep dark pockets of resistance to wholeness created or generated by trauma or neglect, which show up in daily life as addictions and distractions by way of obsessions and compulsions.
Entire systems of healing have been mindfully conceived, artfully developed, and skillfully applied to deal with all manner of symptoms that broadcast trauma and neglect, but before adopting any one of these, I recommend exploring the world of “detox” (short for detoxification).
Herewith, a quick and dirty list to see whether a detox is for you. If you suffer from …
constipation
bloating
gas
headaches
fatigue
aches and pains
nausea
belly fat (that is hard to lose)
skin problems
food cravings (especially for fake foods)
low energy
bad breath, and/or
irritability, mood swings
… then a proper detox may just be the thing you need to address these signs of a toxic overload in both body and brain. With a detox that is appropriate for you, you have a physical baseline of health that makes having a baseline equanimity so much easier to activate and cultivate.
In spiritual circles, self-described gurus often urge their would-be disciples to “just feel good and everything else will follow,” which is nonsense when you place this advice in the context of someone in dire need of detoxification. First, do a thorough detox, cleansing the detox pathways, and then purge the body of any foreign organisms, ridding the body of any chemicals and heavy metals, and then assess whether you need to address your health further with any one of many excellent systems of healing that have been generated in our times – and then, if you feel so inclined (you probably won’t, though, but just in case), follow these bon mots: “just feel good and everything else will follow.”
I understand that a detox can be expensive, and in reality (in a reality where people truly cared about one another), we really should be making this a priority for everyone, one might well ask: what price health to establish a sound and flexible foundation for personal well-being?
With a proper, thorough detox, you’ll know where you stand with a need for healing; in becoming confident that healing is for others, you can then point your focus in the direction of being wholed.
Equanimity: A Baseline Vibration for Reception
Equanimity chosen (not enforced through the tyranny of positivity) is an excellent baseline vibration for reception, for receiving the signs and signals that tell you in no uncertain terms that you’re on track to having and enjoying the very best life that you can conceive for yourself.
As someone who carries an unusually powerful and persistent need to have that which is innocent and pure be protected and fostered by any and all means necessary, equanimity, as a baseline vibration for reception (in contrast to creation), serves me well in meeting this need.
As a baseline vibration, equanimity allows me to remain open, not only to navigating sticky situations and negotiating difficult interactions, but also to confronting the challenge of language as manipulation, even as I continue to respond to the challenge of language as liberation.
As a baseline vibration, equanimity allows me to remain open to exploring my curiosity streams, open to finding where these streams intersect at those points where my passions reside, and open to having these points of passion be applied to challenges in need of resolution.
As a baseline vibration, equanimity allows me to remain open to fine-tuning my energy centers, traditionally known as the seven chakras, by moving up and down their axis with relative grace and ease, bringing them into relative balance without favoring one over the other.
7. I feel truly, deeply connected to everyone and everything (crown)
6. I follow the intuition of my inner guidance when necessary (pineal)
5. I speak truth to power, purposefully, with love and wisdom (larynx)
4. I am, when appropriate, a loving, compassionate presence (heart)
3. I respond with confidence to what arises in my experience (plexus)
2. I do so enjoy being sensuous, erotic, sensual, and sexual (groin)
1. I rarely have accidents because I feel so safe and secure (root)
As a baseline vibration, equanimity allows me to remain open to knowing when someone is distracted, rather than focused; confused, rather than clear; out of alignment with their preferred habits, rather than aligned; stuck in loss or lack, rather than playing and swimming in the waters of abundance; feeling dissatisfied with their lives and their work, rather than fulfilled; wishy-washy in character, rather than decisive; feeling alone in the world, rather than connecting meaningfully with like-hearted souls; stressed out and numb to their feelings, rather than calm and centered; doubting, rather than trusting – in oneself, others, or the world at large; mindless, rather than mindful; artless, rather than artful; skillful, rather than masterful. Equanimity allows one to remain open to knowing when some one is asleep to soul or spirit, rather than awake. As a baseline vibration, equanimity allows me to remain open, period.
Equanimity: A Baseline Vibration for Creation
Being a sovereign creator of your own experience of reality is a beautiful thing, and there is no better place to start than to embrace the significance of claiming your own signature vibration.
In my post, Signature Vibrations, I broached notions of ordination (rapid manifestation), parallel timelines and realities, as well as learning to live with higher and lower frequencies of consciousness.
In this (for me) ground-breaking post, I wrote, and I quote:
In following my bliss, I set my core intention thus: “be clear as I explore what I really desire.”
I also remain present enough to my energies to change my vibratory preferences over time.
So, for example, in following my bliss, I may come to realize that love is more in keeping with serving as my signature vibration, such that intimacy, cultivation, purity, and exuberance become the primary vibrations that best support and complement my signature vibration.
Here, I generate creative tension between where I am now and where I see myself going:
be free to be clear to explore what you really and truly desire
as you follow your bliss with equanimity in harmony with unity;
be free to be pure to cultivate intimate contact with your desire
as you express your love with exuberance in harmony with unity
The best baseline vibration for orchestrating this creative tension, in my view, is equanimity. In being mindful of the caveats for cultivating equanimity, in re-minding myself of the value of having equanimity serve as my baseline vibration for reception (in contrast to creation), I have a sound and proper foundation from which to have equanimity serve as my baseline vibration for creative execution.
I have a current inkling that I am moving towards love as my signature vibration, especially in relation to “forbidden” desire (sensuous, erotic, sensual, sexual), with intimacy, cultivation, purity, and exuberance serving as my primary vibrations in support of this signature vibration.
Again, in following my bliss, I set this core intention: “be clear as I explore what I really desire.”
In seeking to extend this core intention to encompass the signature vibration of love, I elaborate as follows: “be free to be clear to explore what you really and truly desire as you follow your bliss with equanimity in harmony with unity.” With this more robust intention, I now have a unifying, integrating resource by which to embody and express sovereignty as a creator, and with presence of mind resting in peace, I have an inner platform on which to remain at choice about how to respond or react to any event in my experience. As I keep bringing this intention to life with presence of heart and mind, I can remain at peace in knowing why a challenge might suddenly appear in my experience, even as I remain in my bliss to know how I might respond or react with equanimity to any such challenge – or whether to even respond or react at all.
With equanimity serving as my baseline vibration for ordination, I would do well to ask myself, referencing multiple timelines: how urgently do I wish to bridge the gap between bliss and a love of desire? How urgently do I wish to liquefy my fate in service to my desired destiny?
Equanimity: Realize, Optimize, Actualize
If reception (at the heart of soul) by way of equanimity serves to optimize, then creation (in the mind of spirit buoyed by the heart of soul) by way of equanimity serves to actualize. Here, equanimity does triple duty, serving itself to support reception and sustain creation.
It truly is unfortunate for us all that equanimity must be given such undue emphasis. Surely, the mark of an advanced, truly enlightened and empowered civilization is that its business and pleasure can be conducted freely without using equanimity as a constant defense.
Some insight into why equanimity must bear such a burden is offered by this passage:
And what I learned [about eating well] was almost identical, in a way, to what I learned from my pursuit of creating wealth and achieving success in other areas of life, which is this: the majority is always wrong, misinformation is ubiquitous, open-mindedness is almost non-existent, reliable sources of information are painfully rare, and firsthand experience is the best mentor of all. I had to go on a long and challenging, yet exciting, journey to discover a way of eating that truly empowered me, and made a monumental difference in my life. (emphasis mine)
Source: [The Superman Diet] (link no longer available, as of March 20, 2022)
The penetration of pretense provided by this passage can be pressed into the light of presence by perusing the particulars of this powerful perspective placed against the cosmic field of play:
abandonment to the presence of light / development in the presence of light / entitlement to the presence of light in the gray zone of conformity, where souls compromise the spirit to prioritize safety, security, satiety, and significance misery: abandonment via pessimism / depravity: willful abandonment to lust / insanity: reckless entitlement to self
This cosmic sandwich – light on top, dark at the bottom, gray in the middle – serves to have us read the passage above in a fresh light, in the light of an overview of where humanity now stands kneels.
Here is my take: the majority is almost always right about what occurs inside the gray zone of conformity, but almost always wrong about what lies outside the gray zone of conformity; misinformation is ubiquitous because the poop of the proverbial elephant in the room on this particular planet is huge; open-mindedness is almost non-existent because the gray zone of conformity has widespread appeal at this time and because those identified with misery, depravity, or insanity are legion; reliable sources of information are painfully rare, again because the gray zone of conformity is so comfortable to so many; and firsthand experience is the best mentor of all (especially in light of the reasons given).
Perhaps a day will soon come when equanimity can relax and take a breath.
Engage the Ultimate Resource: Resourcefulness
Operating effectively in this world with a baseline equanimity is fraught with challenge on a minefield of challenges. I cannot help but think that this world was conceived and designed and manifested for the sake of those among us whose souls are highly advanced and evolved.
But then again, maybe not.
Be that as it may, for all of its troubles and challenges, this world does offer up some juicy incentives for anyone willing enough (and daring enough) to apply themselves with an unrelenting, uncompromising fervency, not unlike that of Tony Robbins in this captivating clip:
{ This video contains content from Collab DRM, who blocked it on copyright grounds }
Mr. Robbins prioritizes, correctly in my view, the best approach for being resourceful:
1. what is my best strategy for making a breakthrough that serves my highest good?
2. what is my best story for having breakthroughs that continue to serve my highest good?
3. what is my best state of being for getting breakthroughs that serve my highest good?
Apply a strategy and watch what happens; if this fails, craft a story with fulfillment in mind and see what happens; if this fails, enter into a state of being you call your signature vibration and observe what happens. Even if this fails (at first), keep coming back to your favored state of being, all the while remaining mindful of the stories you tell yourself and the strategies you apply to realize your desires.
In exploring the state of your health and wealth, the extent of your fame and fortune, the quality of your relationships with self and other, with friends and family, with colleagues and superiors, and in plumbing the depths of wisdom and creativity in realizing a vision of your life at work and in play, it is all too easy to get distracted, all too easy to get sidetracked on your way to realizing and actualizing your full potential.
Rather than remain attached to your creations, to the outcomes of your experience, stay focused on feeling good about what you say and do, and how you say and do it, all the while being at choice, as much as this is possible, with how you respond and react with equanimity.
Equanimity, as a baseline vibration, has much to offer in support of sustaining a signature vibration through reception and creation; this post is but an outline of its promise, as well as its possibilities.
In concluding this overview of the role of equanimity in approaching a realization of the ultimate in fulfillment, let me say this: remain dedicated to realizing the next best version of yourself and your life, while keeping your focus on being fluid and flexible in exercising your choices of vibration.
This post has been filed under Basis in the Ultimate Outline.
Note: my evolving outline on approaching a realization of the ultimate in personal fulfillment can be found here, accessible from the nav menu under the page “Be Here Now”.
Note: this ever growing perspective began here: Ultimate Perspective