Greetings from Madrid, Reader,

Galavanting around Spain for the past few weeks has been quite an adventure.

And, as one would hope, I’ve learned to speak a little Spanish.

Okay, very little.

As in, just enough to be a polite American tourist who obviously doesn’t speak Spanish.

¡Hola! ¿Vegetariano? La cuenta, por favor. Gracias. Adiós.

See? ¡Sí!

But the most significant word I learned is tranqui. It’s short for tranquilo, which means calm or peaceful, like the English word “tranquil.”

Tranqui is a friendly expression that’s meant to reassure someone who’s getting worked up about something that there’s no need to panic, that a cooler head will prevail.

It’s not meant to be dismissive, as if to imply that there’s nothing to worry about or that whatever it is doesn't really matter.

Nor is it an empty promise that nothing bad will happen.

Saying “tranqui” is more a way of inviting someone to not let themselves be consumed by worry.

The midterm elections in the U.S. are now just three days away.

Worried?

¡Tranqui!

Yes, I know: easier said than done. For me, too.

I’ve been following the news and watching the polls while I’ve been away.

And I’ll admit that I’m very attached to a preferred outcome.

So how can we be tranqui at a time like this?

This is pretty much the question Arjuna asks Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita when Krishna invites Arjuna not to be consumed by worry:

It’s worth remembering that Arjuna isn't calmly contemplating some abstract philosophical idea; he’s having a full-blown panic attack over what appears to be an imminent catastrophe.

Krishna is basically talking Arjuna off the ledge. And he begins by saying, in essence, “tranqui.”

Arjuna’s breakdown is a good example of what happens when panic takes over: it undermines our ability to think clearly, choose wisely, and act purposefully.

Krishna’s supportive response shows us how to understand and apply the yogic principle of equanimity when the stakes are high.

Krishna doesn't promise Arjuna that his circumstances will be painless or that his actions will produce the results he desires. He teaches Arjuna how to keep his composure, use good judgement, and act with integrity when the outcome isn't his to command.

So how can we attain tranquility in such an anxious moment?

Vote. Help others vote. Support people doing good work. Protect the vulnerable. Tell the truth. Stay engaged.

And also remember to eat, sleep, laugh, love, and spend time with people who remind you why you’re staying engaged.

These may sound like ordinary things, but they can actually be an important part of our spiritual practice when we do them in the right state of mind.

Hope for a particular outcome is based on our belief that what happens really matters. Personally, I’m hoping for a blue tsunami.

But we don't have to know how everything will turn out in order to meet the moment well.

The future is always uncertain and there's always the possibility of building a better one. Our work of cultivating wisdom, protecting life, building community, and serving others doesn't begin or end on Election Day.

And yoga's instruction to cultivate equanimity as we go about that work isn’t meant to encourage feigned indifference to how things will turn out. It’s a strategy for continuing to care deeply about what happens without allowing fear of a catastrophic future prevent us from taking meaningful action in the here and now.

Whatever happens on Tuesday, I think we’re all going to need a lot of tranqui to get us through the next few months and, even with the best possible outcome, the next few years.

Let’s do our best to make it so.

Adiós, mon capitaine.

Wishing you all good fortune,

- Hari-k