Equanimity in Yoga

What a Social Media detox taught me

We talk a lot about equanimity in yoga: this idea of staying balanced, grounded, and steady no matter what life throws at us. But modern life has a way of pulling us in the opposite direction. We’re constantly absorbing information, comparing, striving, and reacting.

Recently, I did something simple but eye-opening: I took a social media detox. Two days without scrolling, and I felt… better. Clearer. Lighter. Not just because I had more time, but because I was no longer caught in an influence I hadn’t even been aware of.

It made me wonder:

How much of our suffering comes from the pressure to always be more? More productive, more successful, more evolved and ever more “equanimous”?

What Modern Suffering Looks Like

Most of us are probably not be battling external wars or physical hardships the way past generations did, but modern suffering has its own shape. It often looks like:

• Feeling behind - like everyone else has figured things out faster than you.

• Comparison fatigue - constantly seeing curated versions of people’s lives and feeling like yours is lacking.

• The pressure to be the best version of yourself - even self-improvement can become a never-ending competition which, in turn, can induce shame.

• Information overload - taking in more opinions, more advice, more “must-dos” than the mind can hold.

• Emotional exhaustion - caring about so much, so often, that there’s little energy left for simply being.

Even in yoga, the idea of self-growth can turn into another race. We start chasing stillness, competing with ourselves to be “more at peace” instead of simply allowing contentment to exist.

Equanimity in the Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita defines equanimity as Samatvam, aka a state of even-mindedness in both success and failure, pleasure and pain, praise and criticism. Krishna tells Arjuna:

“Samatvam yoga uchyate” (Bhagavad Gita 2.48)

“Equanimity is yoga.”

This means yoga isn’t just about movement or meditation, it’s about how we meet everything in life. Can we act without attachment? Can we stay steady whether things go our way or not?

The Gita teaches that equanimity isn’t passive, it’s fully engaging with life, but without getting swept away by the lurching of life’s highs and lows. In a modern world where we’re constantly influenced, pulled in different directions, and encouraged to chase external success, this teaching feels more relevant than ever.

A Short Exercise in Abundance

Instead of constantly seeking more, what if we took a moment to acknowledge what we already have? A big part of equanimity isn’t just balance in difficult times—it’s recognizing that, in many ways, we are already full.

Try this:

• List three things you have in abundance. These could be physical, emotional, or relational.

• Let yourself feel them as enough. Not as something to use or improve, just see if you can persuade yourself to accept them as they are.

Examples:

✔ I have an abundance of time to rest today.

✔ I can walk on the beach anytime I like.

✔ I have people in my life who care about me.

✔ I have enough knowledge right now to guide my students well enough.

So much of modern suffering comes from feeling like we don’t have enough, aren’t enough, or must constantly fix something. Equanimity isn’t about fixing, it’s about recognising where balance already exists.

Take the pause. Let go of the noise. And trust that sometimes, simply being is more than enough.

I’d love to know what your moments of abundance were, pop them in the comments below if you are happy to share.