Moving beyond mindfulness: defining equanimity as an outcome measure in meditation and contemplative research

G. Desbordes*, T. Gard, E.A. Hoge, B.K. Hölzel, C. Kerr, S.W. Lazar, A. Olendzki, D.R. Vago

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

In light of a growing interest in contemplative practices such as meditation, the emerging field of contemplative science has been challenged to describe and objectively measure how these practices affect health and well-being. While "mindfulness" itself has been proposed as a measurable outcome of contemplative practices, this concept encompasses multiple components, some of which, as we review here, may be better characterized as equanimity. Equanimity can be defined as an even-minded mental state or dispositional tendency toward all experiences or objects, regardless of their origin or their affective valence (pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral). In this article, we propose that equanimity be used as an outcome measure in contemplative research. We first define and discuss the inter-relationship between mindfulness and equanimity from the perspectives of both classical Buddhism and modern psychology and present existing meditation techniques for cultivating equanimity. We then review psychological, physiological, and neuroimaging methods that have been used to assess equanimity either directly or indirectly. In conclusion, we propose that equanimity captures potentially the most important psychological element in the improvement of well-being, and therefore should be a focus in future research studies.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)356-372
Number of pages17
JournalMindfulness
Volume6
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2015

Keywords

  • ANXIETY DISORDER
  • Acceptance
  • COGNITIVE THERAPY
  • COMPASSION MEDITATION
  • EMOTION REGULATION
  • Emotion regulation
  • Equanimity
  • FOCUSED ATTENTION
  • HEART-RATE-VARIABILITY
  • Meditation
  • Mindfulness
  • NEGATIVE EMOTION
  • NEURAL MECHANISMS
  • PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES
  • STRESS MEDIATORS

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