Up until last year, a focus of mine was to seek happiness. That was the wrong mentality.
I was chatting with one of my yoga teachers one morning and he discussed the equanimity mindset. He said, “It’s not about finding happiness, it’s about finding upeksha.” Upeksha is sanskrit for equanimity. The direct translation is detachment or indifference but its denotation is actually the opposite. It’s an awareness and acknowledgement of emotions or feelings of a situation. It’s that calm mental state when your mind is balanced. An equilibrium. A soft awareness like watching the waves crash along the beach or the clouds gently roll across the expansive sky.
In NYC, it’s hard to escape into nature to find stillness but I recently stumbled across Greenacre Park, pictured above. It’s a privately owned space open to the public. A place to visit when your mind is running in all directions. The lush greenery will soothe you, the sound of the waterfall rushing will lull you into serenity. I’ve found my city sanctuary. Where is your sanctuary?
Other moments in New York
-
Espressoing
in New York, United States -
A few more days
in New York, United States -
Goodbye
A final Hi meeting
in New York, United States -
meditation, Creativity
The local neighborhood bar has a quiet time between six and nine. It is a place that specializes in coffee, beer and seasonal menus. There is just enough of each for a satisfying snack and effective buzz. After the time when the laptop lids close and before the social gatherings start -- there is a sort of twilight*. Often this time is a fugitive ground rife with creative inspiration and meditative work -- of the kind that results in personal reward.*twilight may refer to civil, nautical or astronomical variety depending on your social or terrestrial condition
in New York, United States -
Web, development
A man positions his mouse on the edge of his browser window. He clicks, holds and drags the viewport first left then right. The content of a video game promo micro site responds and adapts to the available space. To the man, this is more delightful than the game itself.
in New York, United States -
subway, music
A man laboriously moves his piano down three levels onto the subway platform. Classic vocals and strided chords -- he played so well I swore he was blind. Oblivious to the heat on that August stage, he was most in touch with his audience -- whom he elevated with his music.
in New York, United States -
Feminism
A woman should do exactly as she pleases no matter what a man may think.
in New York, United States -
Travel
As the Dalai Lama once said, "It is a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room."
in New York, United States -
stars, Grandma, Love
"No one understands me," she said. Her grandmother was silent for a minute. It seemed she was searching for an answer in the star speckled sky. "But no one understands anyone in this world, darling. We are all unique. It is what gives us a sense of wonder."
in New York, United States