

Mindfulness - the practice of nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment - has been closely linked to equanimity. Conversely, by developing the ability to effectively understand and manage our emotions, we can cultivate equanimity and experience enhanced wellbeing. Gross and John (2003) have shown that individuals with greater emotional regulation skills exhibit higher levels of equanimity. Equanimity understood in that way remains closely related to ancient Stoic ideals. The skill of equanimity is linked to notions such as resilience, emotion regulation, emotional reactivity, mindfulness, cognitive flexibility, and perspective taking. Hosemans (2017), for example, created a scale to measure trait equanimity - the degree to which we remain open, receptive, balanced, nonjudgmental, and non-reactive when faced with external stimuli.īut equanimity is also understood as a mindset, even a skill that we can cultivate. Recently, a growing number of Western psychologists have become interested in the concept and have established that equanimity has a measurable positive impact on our mental wellbeing. These quotations neatly capture the idea that equanimity results from a carefully cultivated mindset and a calm inner attitude that makes us more resilient to the effects of external events. Man is affected not by events, but by the view he takes of them. If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it and this you have the power to revoke at any moment. The Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius (2003, p. It is particularly important in Buddhism and Stoicism. And it is well worth our effort, for when we are in a state of equanimity, we can respond to life’s ups and downs with more clarity and wisdom.Įquanimity is an important virtue in ancient wisdom traditions that cherish radical acceptance, non-attachment, and non-reactivity. We can seek to enhance our inner sense of peace, our reactivity to external stimuli, and our non-attachment to specific outcomes. Luckily, equanimity is not just a psychological trait with which we are born, but also a state of mind that we can actively cultivate.

The Art of Color: The Subjective Experience and Objective Rationale of Color (1997).The word “equanimity” comes from the combination of two Latin terms: aequus, meaning “even, level” and animus, meaning “mind” or “spirit.” Equanimity is characterized by the ability to remain calm, composed, open, and non-reactive in the face of challenging or distressing situations. Using Color as a Therapeutic Tool (2010). Thirty Days to Better Mental Health (2015). Change Your Brain, Change Your Life (1999). Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology (1993). Exercise and anxiety reduction: Examination of temperature as an explanation for affective change.

Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 11 (2013). Effect of theanine, r-glutamylethylamide, on brain monoamines and striatal dopamine release in conscious rats. Yokogoshi H, Kobayashi M, Mochizuki M, Terashima T. Effects of varying thermal and apneic conditions on the human diving reflex. Psychological stress and body temperature changes in humans. (2) Marazziti, Donatella, Angela Di Muro, and Paolo Castrogiovanni.
