Cultivating Equanimity

Here’s a Sample of the “Cultivating Equanimity” Guided Meditation Script:

Sit comfortably in a quiet place, with the spine up tall
Close the eyes and bring your attention to the breath
Breath quietly and patiently in and out through the nose

Recall that equanimity arises through continued mindfulness
Be mindful right here and right now, of sensation in the body,
Mindful, here and now, of movement or changes in the breath
And mindful, always, of activity in the mind itself

And then make a commitment to stay mindful or body, breath and mind
In each moment as you contemplate the following pairs of words…

The first is praise and blame
Contemplate the reaction in your body, or your mind, when someone compliments you. In what ways do compliments throw you off balance?
And what would it feel like, to receive a compliment, yet remain stable in body, breath and mind?

And when you receive criticism?
In what ways do you lose your balanced state of mind?
And is it possible to receive criticism, and with mindfulness, remain present, and undisturbed.
How does your body respond to praise, and how does it respond to blame?
Be present with the sensation that arises as you sit with the concepts of praise and blame.

(pause 3-5 breaths)

And now contemplate gain and loss
What arises in body and mind when you reflect upon gain and loss?
Do you feel pushed, or pulled in any one direction?
Reflect briefly upon an experience when you got exactly what you wanted,
Or recall an experience when you lost something dear to you.