The “Real You” is Indefinable

The practice of equanimity is a characteristic feature of many Eastern religions, but modern Western culture tends not to emphasize it. In Eastern traditions, equanimity involves the ability to process life’s events in a calm, positive manner, without being overrun by the chaotic, self-serving machinations of the mind. Fundamental to this process is the understanding that the True-Self lives somewhere outside of your physical form and brain. The real “you” is not defined by life’s circumstances or by the roles you play in this lifetime. However, this viewpoint is in dramatic opposition to the perspective of most modern human beings because today’s societies believe that an individual’s ego is synonymous with self. In this modern paradigm, a person’s defined identity is connected to the brain’s assessment of what makes up self, such as:

• the roles we play within our family, tribe, and society;

• our physical appearance and the health of our body;

• past events embedded in our memory;

• feedback from society; and

• our occupations and interests; etc.

The practice of equanimity is based on the notion that in this physical realm, the real you is indefinable. When you recognize that your mind is not the seat of your authentic self, as noted earlier, you gain a powerful tool for achieving dominion over the mind-induced ego-state.

As events unfold in life, the mind’s natural inclination, moment to moment, is to process these events through the filter of one of the many “identities” it has established for you. These identities are stories (both positive and negative) you tell yourself about who you are and your place in the world. They are labels your brain uses to help it process the waterfall of stimuli coming in at every moment. When our mind-constructed labels and ideas about self are challenged, the mind goes to work, trying to protect our sense of self. We revert to our “fight-or-flight” instinct and either lash out against the challenge (fight) or bury the pain within our psyche, so we don’t have to deal with it (flight).

By separating yourself from your mind’s chatter, you realize that the events of life are only happening to your physical form, not to your True-Self. This allows you to respond to life from a position of strength and to make conscious decisions that contribute to your highest expression of self, instead of reacting to the whims of your emotional confusion. This is the gift of equanimity!

~Marc Max Pollock