When the mind is overly excited, overly energetic, overly worked up about things, equanimity is one of the calming factors. When your energy is too low, though, that’s not the time to be developing equanimity.
"When the Buddha lists the factors for awakening, equanimity comes at the end of the list, which gives the impression that it’s the highest of the list. And in one way it is, but in many ways it’s not. It’s listed as one of the factors that are useful only on some occasions. When the mind is overly excited, overly energetic, overly worked up about things, equanimity is one of the calming factors. It goes together with calm and concentration. When your energy is too low, though, that’s not the time to be developing equanimity. You have to work on the factors that are more energizing: analysis of qualities, rapture, and persistence. Otherwise, your practice will stagnate.
So you have to use your equanimity together with your discernment to figure out what’s just right."
~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Equanimity"
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