These days when people ask, “How are you?”, if I’m honest I say, “When I think about my own life, I’m so incredibly blessed and grateful. And when I think about the world, my heart breaks for the sorrow and the suffering, as well as seeing the beauty in it.” To go even wider out, the Dalai Lama says, “If you truly see the way things are, world systems come and go.” Do your part—that’s all you can do. Equanimity holds the bigger perspective, where you’re not completely devastated by the sorrow, and not living in denial. Equanimity allows for it all.
James Baraz
Spirit Rock Residential Teacher
James Baraz is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock. James started the Community Dharma Leader program and Spirit's Rock Family Program. James leads the online course "Awakening Joy" since 2003. He is a guiding teacher to One Earth Sangha, a platform devoted to Buddhist responses to Climate Change.