Five Pathways to Inner Calm
Feeling stressed lately? Our stress responses are being activated by a lot of stressors floating around lately. Activation is generally fine (and can be good stress!), as long as it recedes in a reasonable amount of time. If that doesn’t happen, we can really lock ourselves into a chronic state of stress. Here’s where equanimity can come in. In this episode, we explore equanimity (we also like to call it inner calm), the science behind it, and how it has been sought after throughout human history. We share some learnings from those quests and five pathways to experiment with to help ease our stress responses and bring more equanimity back into our lives–even after just a single equanimity practice.
The Joy Lab Podcast offers science-backed strategies and soulful insights from Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek to help you beat stress, ease anxiety, improve mood, and rediscover a deep sense of joy.
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IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction to Joy Lab Podcast
00:43 Understanding the Concept of Equanimity
02:12 Historical Perspectives on Equanimity
03:50 Personal Experiences with Equanimity
10:12 The Neuroscience of Equanimity
13:38 The Science of Equanimity
19:21 Pathways to Inner Calm and Equanimity
27:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Equanimity is defined as an even-minded mental state where clear action can come from. It is not the same as indifference or apathy.
- Stress is not a bad thing, it is a normal and healthy reaction. But it is essential that we learn to respond to it in more healthy ways.
- Individuals taught practices that helped them cultivate equanimity respond more calmly to a stressor and rebound more quickly compared to individuals who have not engaged in an equanimity practice.
Sources and Notes:
- Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
- Joan Halifax: https://gratefulness.org/resource/equanimity-the-fourth-abode/
- Pema Chodron: https://pemachodronfoundation.org/product/working-directly-with-the-mind-audio-download/
- Interoceptive Awareness Skills for Emotion Regulation- Theory and Approach of Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy (MABT): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5985305/
- Mindfulness and Psychological Process: http://www.contemplativemind.org/enewsletter/2011_Spring/Mindfulness_and_Psychology-Mark_Williams.pdf
- Moving beyond Mindfulness- Defining Equanimity as an Outcome Measure in Meditation and Contemplative Research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4350240/#R148
- Mind over Matter: Reappraising Arousal Improves Cardiovascular and Cognitive Responses to Stress: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3410434/
- Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at Joylab.coach for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
- Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads: https://bookshop.org/shop/joylab
On Jan 1st, 2025, the Joy Lab Podcast and Program moved from Natural Mental Health to the nonprofit Pathways North.
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