Jack Kornfield gives a beautiful dharma talk about the quality of equanimity and how this ever-changing world needs people whose hearts are at peace.
A Vast Perspective
Jack introduces the concept of equanimity, which is one of the qualities of an awakened heart. He talks about the gift of having a bigger perspective of life that is born from meditation practice and cultivation of equanimity.
“Equanimity is the willingness to be in life, but to be spacious and open, to have a vast perspective and say, ‘Yes, here I am, showing up, caring and loving, but I’m not in control of this game.’” – Jack Kornfield
Explore more about equanimity with Joseph Goldstein on Insight Hour Ep. 46
A Place of Stillness (24:00)
Another part of the gift of equanimity is it provides a place of stillness, a presence that allows what needs to happen in life to happen. Jack talks about this place, and how meditation is about connecting to that vastness, that spaciousness, that stillness.
“When we stop even for a moment, when we meditate, when we take a walk in the hills, when we quiet ourselves, we can sense that there’s a vast stillness that we long for amidst the clamor of the culture.” – Jack Kornfield
Equanimity in Action (38:40)
What does it look like when we act with the quality of equanimity in our heart? Jack explores bringing equanimity into social action and personal relationships, and how acting from a place of equanimity can lead to amazing things. He ends the talk by reminding everyone not to let the fear and terror from the news colonize their heart, because the world needs people whose hearts are at peace.
“You also have a good heart, you have all kinds of possibilities when you get quiet. You can do magnificent things in the smallest way, and it plants incredible seeds in this world.” – Jack Kornfield
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