Question

Before I got here I saw photos of thousands of people, adults and children, starving to death in Guatemala. Although there is enough food, they just can't afford it. How can I feel equanamous about it? Doesn't this stop me from helping, like sending money there or becoming a development worker?

Answer

Equanimity doesn't stop you from sending money, there is no reason to stop that. Equanimity doesn't stop you if you want to go and become a development worker. Some of these countries need a lot of help. Equanimity helps you to be strong. I mentioned last night about compassion and equanimity and the note from yesterday morning. So maybe the person who wrote this note wasn't refreshed on the compassion/equanimity aspect. With the two together we are very strong, ready and willing to help. We are ready to be helpful, but we are not going to be weighed down by it. You see the thousand of people starving, yes, if you have got some extra money, send some. If you have extra time in your life, you want to take time off from work, you want to go and help out in Guatemala, good, I can give you an address of somebody to stay with. But in no way at all is Equanimity going to interfere with helping, no way at all. The indifference factor interferes, not Equanimity.

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