The Power & Wisdom of Equanimity: Getting Beyond Reactivity to Inner Calm & Clarity

Ep. 228 (Part 1 of 2) | In part 1 of our second What is Real Greatness Series podcast, Margaret Cullen, author of the newly published book Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly Through the Power of Equanimity, explains there is far more power in the virtue of equanimity than we may have thought. Because equanimity is associated with non-reactivity, people often confuse it with a neutral sort of feeling, a dampener of emotions, when actually, equanimity allows us to expand our capacity to feel; it widens our tolerance and empowers us to be comfortable with change. “Equanimity is big enough to include our broken, despairing hearts,” Margaret says. “We can hold a vision of equanimity that is completely inclusive of the human experience.” Practicing equanimity allows us to deepen our love—for the world and for others—without becoming attached.

Margaret shares practical ways we can access equanimity—ways we can achieve conceptual clarity or a “wedge of spaciousness” when a moment has been hijacked by out-of-control emotions; how we can learn to turn directly and fully to what is arising in the moment; and how we can unhook from reactivity by not taking things too personally. “How can we respond heroically to the times we live in?” co-host John Dupuy asks. Margaret shares what she has learned teaching military units and special forces to cultivate equanimity—equanimity can save lives—and describes a compassion cultivation training program that has been established for police officers in California. Takeaways from this discussion may have important, powerful, timely effects on your life—and all of our lives; as John put it, “Never before have we had such a need for the medicine Margaret brings us.” Recorded January 14, 2026.

“How do we care about this world that is in so much trouble without feeling overwhelmed? The answer is equanimity.“

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1

• Introducing podcast #2 in our What is Real Greatness Series with Margaret Cullen, psychotherapist, meditation & compassion cultivation trainer, author of Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly Through the Power of Equanimity (00:48)
• What is equanimity and how did Margaret begin to experience it? (03:07)
• Coming to understand we don’t have control over the happiness of our loved ones (07:27)
• Finding a way to deepen our love without attachment (11:21)
• How can we respond heroically to the times we live in? (13:21)
• Equanimity is wisdom; wisdom is equanimity (17:16)
• Equanimity is big enough to include our broken, despairing hearts—we can hold a vision of equanimity that is completely inclusive of the human experience (18:11)
• Ways to access equanimity: perspective taking (22:12)
• Remembering the reality of impermanence (26:18)
• Unhooking from reactivity: Am I taking things too personally? (26:31)
• Cultivating equanimity in the military can make a huge difference—it can save lives (30:55)
• Compassion cultivation training program for police officers (32:51)
• The reframing technique & the power of turning directly to what is arising in the moment (37:31)
• Emotions are packed with important information for us; we gradually learn we can turn towards an emotion and survive it (38:28)
• Studies show that when subjected to provocative stimuli, practiced meditators actually feel more than other people (40:03)

Resources & References – Part 1

• Margaret Cullen, Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly Through the Power of Equanimity
• Margaret Cullen founded Compassion Corps, offering free compassion & mindfulness training to under-resourced communities around the world; co-developed Compassion Cultivation Training at Stanford University, and is a founding faculty of the Compassion Institute
• Chögyam Trungpa, preeminent teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, founded Naropa University
• Sharon Salzburg, co-founder of the Barre Insight Meditation Society
• Dr. Dan Siegel’s window of tolerance is described in ​​The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are
• Joseph Goldstein, co-founder of the Barre Insight Meditation Society, on Deep Transformation: Living on the Spiritual Edge
• Amishi Jha & Elizabeth Stanley, pioneers of bringing mindfulness into the military
• Courageous Heart, compassion cultivation training program for police officers in California
• Chief Ryan Johansen & former officer Chris Orrey on Deep Transformation: Enlightened Ways to Make Policing Work For Everyone
• Paul & Eve Ekman’s Cultivating Emotional Balance training
• Richard Davidson & Daniel Goleman, Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body
• James Baraz on the Deep Transformation podcast: Awakening Joy

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Margaret Cullen, a Licensed Psychotherapist (MFT), has been at the cutting edge of translating contemplative trainings into universal and accessible formats in mainstream settings ranging from elite military to maximum security prisons. She was one of the first certified Teachers of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR); is the founder of Mindfulness-Based Emotional Balance; and is co-developer of Compassion Cultivation Training at the Stanford School of Medicine (with Thupten Jinpa). Margaret also co-developed Mindfulness Based Attention Training for military spouses with neuroscientist Amishi Jha at the University of Miami, and is the founder of Compassion Corps, offering free compassion and mindfulness programs to under-resourced communities around the world. Margaret is a Fellow of the Mind & Life Institute.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell