Sea Change

Not long ago, I posted about “change.” I was, at the time, making reference to big changes in my personal life. I commented on the power of yoga and meditation to keep me balanced and centered … to broaden my perspective and help me maintain a state of equanimity.

This morning, I witnessed (via youtube) an amazing demonstration of equanimity on a grand scale. Scores of protestors in the Occupy Wall Street movement in NYC had gathered for a yoga class offered by one of their own. Others were offering and receiving seated massage while still others sat in silent meditation. One massage practitioner emphasized the importance of moving “stress” out of the body as a way of allowing the mind to remain focused on the goal of non-violent protest.

Mine is not a political blog. I will not take a position here on "Occupy Wall Street." Rather, I want to point to the fact that we are living in a time of great change, nationally and globally. Equanimity plays an important role in ensuring what Buddhists call “right action” through this sea change. Yoga teaches us that we are, each and every one, necessary parts of a whole. Just as individual drops of seawater are integral to a vast and powerful ocean, so are we essential components of the great sea of humanity. Regardless of where we stand politically, philosophically, economically or in our spiritual beliefs, the lives we live are interconnected and essential to the health, and yes, the wealth of the “whole.”

From this perspective, we are born into a state of interdependence. When each of us realizes that our own well-being is a direct function of another’s and another’s and another’s (… ad infinitum …) it becomes crucial to practice equanimity. In exploring our minds deeply in meditation, we come to see clearly that our deepest motivation is survival. We also realize that we live with a “survival conflict” of sorts. We know we cannot survive on our own and we fear our dependence on others. They might not come through for us. Survival fears lead to greed, violence, injustice, and actions arising from self-interest. In the grip of survival fears, we lose sight of our importance to others. Sadly and ironically, our motivation to survive can blind us to the beauty of our interdependence.

So, what is “right action” and what does equanimity have to do with it? Simply put, our deepest desire is survival. Right action requires that we embrace our interdependence and resist our individual survival fears. The equanimity of a peaceful and liberated mind, achieved through meditation, offers a spacious perspective from which to see the elegance of interdependence. We can then create an intention to act, to ensure not just individual survival, but health and wealth for the whole of humanity.

I offer this quote from the Dalai Lama:

"Because motivation pervades all action, it is important that we have a positive motivation. Whatever we are involved in, whether it's politics, education, medicine, law, engineering, science, business or industry, the nature of our motivation determines the character of our work."

My invitation to you today is to meditate on the nature of your deepest fears. Having done so, offer yourself love and compassion. Remind yourself that you are a unique and essential part of the whole of humanity. Contemplate the truth of our interdependence. Create an intention to live a life of “right action” moment to moment. Enjoy your equanimity. ~ Namaste ~