Vipassana meditation practice leads to the arising of equanimity.  Equanimity is one of the four Divine Abidings, along with loving-kindness, compassion and sympathetic joy.  The Buddha said these are four states of consciousness worth cultivating.  Equanimity, though frequently the last of these states to develop fully, is actually the foundation of loving-kindness and compassion. Equanimity means eveness of mind. Without equanimity loving-kindess degenerates into attachment and clinging.  Without equanimity compassion becomes pity, feeling sorry for ones that are suffering.  Eveness of mind and heart are required for true loving-kindness, in order for unconditional positive regard to arise, free from attachment.
            The practice of anapana sati leads to the development of equanimity, through watching the breath, noticing and knowing, long short, deep, shallow, the quality and nature of each breath.  By anchoring our attention into the life force moving within the body, circulating throughout the body, we see with ease what comes, what goes, beginning, middle and end.  Just as our life has a beginning - our birth, a middle - the life we are living, and an end - our death, so too has each breath.  Through mindfulness of breathing we come into direct contact with the true nature of life and its impermanence.
            By knowing each thing as it arises, for what it is, a thought, a sensation, an emotion, we see, perceive directly the nature of life, and its components, it's fragility, liability to suffering, it's impermanent and insubstantial nature.   
            By seeing what is, we cultivate a non-reactive mind and heart.  An equanimous mind is a non-reactive mind.   When we see that all phenomena is of the nature to die, arises and passes away, is essentially empty, we realize: What is there to hold on to?
            And yet how hard we try!  To make the good things in our lives last, to get rid of unpleasant feelings, to get away from the people and situations to which we have aversion, to hold on for dear life to those people, places and things which we feel are the sources of our happiness.  
             The practice of mindfulness leads to equanimity by cultivating a continuity of consciousness, a continuity of awareness.  A silent meditation retreat provides a wonderful environment and opportunity to slow down, develop moment to moment attention on a sustained basis, stabilize and deepen concentration and develop one pointed focus. When the seed of mindfulness is planted, the fruit of equanimity arises.
                                                                
                                                                   Continued