Equanimity

‘Equanimity, not genius leads to riches’.

Parag.S.Parikh, chairman of Parag Financial Advisory Services, has made the above statement with regard to the financial markets which are always very volatile. He maintains that it is only equanimity that can help a person take sensible decisions while investing his/her money.

The current scenario however, requires much more equanimity on our part, then ever before.

Wikipedia defines Equanimity as ‘a state of psychological stability and composure which is undisturbed by experience of or exposure to emotions, pain or other phenomena that may cause others to lose the balance of their mind.

Today, we are in the midst of a pandemic which is global in nature. World over, people are struggling to survive the onslaught of the Corona Virus.

We in Mumbai are facing a ‘lockdown’ that has forced us to confine ourselves within the four walls of our homes.

The city that never slept has gone into a slumber, never ever experienced before.

In such a situation, one has to really struggle to keep one’s spirits high. Every day, news about how many people have fallen victim to the disease fills our ears. So many people are losing their lives. Our calm, peaceful and comfortable lives have been disturbed so badly, that only those who can maintain equanimity will be able to survive this phase.

Many religions have advocated ‘equanimity’ which can also be called ‘balance of mind’. In Buddhism, equanimity is considered one of the sublime attitudes and is considered: Neither a thought nor an emotion. It is rather the steady conscious realization of reality’s transience.

So how does on go about achieving equanimity in such turbulent times? Here are a few tips-

1)    Keep Busy- An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. In times like these, when we social creatures have been suddenly confined to our homes, keeping the mind fruitfully occupied is the only way to go. This is the time to pursue all those hobbies that we were unable to, due to our busy schedules. Join some online courses that may help you hone your skills and keep the mind fruitfully occupied. I have recently joined an online course by Sabira Merchant, and am thoroughly enjoying myself.  Homemakers and people working from home, in any case have their hands full and should hence try to keep their mind occupied with their work.

2)    Stay away from rumors- Do not believe all that you read on social media. If you do, you’re sure to lose your mind. Currently, the utter nonsense being circulated about the virus could send the most resilient of us into a tizzy. Believe only what information you get from reliable sources.

3)    Family Bonding- In a world which is becoming more and more distant and individualistic, this pandemic has done the job of bringing families together.

Spend quality time with your parents, spouses, siblings and children. Play board games, sing together…… anything to keep the spirits high.

Finally…….. Accept the fact that nothing is really in our hands. Let’s put our best efforts to ensure our safety and the safety of our loved ones. Beyond that, there’s nothing that we can do.

Que sera sera, whatever will be will be.

The future’s not ours to see.

Que sera sera!!

It is certain that life is uncertain. Take each day as it comes!!

Stay safe!! Ciao!!