The Brain & Mindful Meditation
See https://www.lineagepac.org/ to keep track of Lineage Performing Arts Center’s array of offerings, ranging from the conventional to the experimental. Speaking of the latter, see which side of your brain reminds you, in May, to see "The Brain in Motion." This multi-media performance is choreographed by Hilary Thomas to an original composition by John Guth.
In a completely different exploration of the brain, Stacy Kesten recently led mindful meditation sessions and “Mindful Moves” workshops to live music.
One meditation session focused on equanimity, which she explains here:
Equanimity is letting things be as they are, without grasping or aversion. Some teachers might say that equanimity is all about letting go. But that concept of letting go can be tricky because things are not always ready to “go.” Then it can feel like there’s something inside of us that we need to get rid of. I like the phrase "let it be.”
The two things that get in the way of our equanimity are “grasping” and “aversion.” Both of these things are wrapped in fear and cause us to flinch, tighten, or have a certain amount of anxiety. If we can notice when we are doing this, and can allow our tightness to soften, we can find a little bit of freedom... aka equanimity.
Grasping is holding on tightly to the things we don’t want to lose or the things we don’t want to change. Aversion is pushing away or resisting the things we don’t want.
Equanimity is not the same thing as indifference. People wonder: If we accept everything, won’t we all just sit around and do nothing when there are clearly many things that need to change in the world?
But equanimity is about finding a way to have emotional peace about what is happening so that we can make changes skillfully. When we are reacting from a place of fear and frustration, we are not able to use our minds fully and clearly. With equanimity and acceptance, we can move toward change from a place of compassion, balance, and open-heartedness with a thoughtful mind.
We don’t have to get too caught up in deciding whether something is “good" or “bad." We can learn to ride the waves of fortune and misfortune with grace.
Stacy Kesten is a T.A. at UCLA, where she is completing her mindfulness facilitator certification.
—posted by H.P. Bhaskaran, February 2016