The Nature of Judgment

I have used the word judgment numerous times. The word has far greater implications than most of us would ever believe. A significant portion of our rational minds programming is based on the function of discerning, while the act of judgment is that of discerning (we do so by contrasting), and then valuation or more typically criticizing. I will explain.

In order to be able to judge something we must first become aware of it. We do this by using contrast. We learn to perceive objects based on what distinguishes them from their surroundings based on colour, shape and other factors combined with what we have learned through our other physical senses. The same applies to our judgments regarding ideas or beliefs as well. We attach judgments to everything, in that we determine they have value, are right, helpful, hurtful, neutral, useful or even useless. We need to do this as a matter of course in order to go about our lives; we run into problems when we extend our judgments by including “good and bad”.

When we look at a painting, say of a nature scene, we distinguish the elements of the scene because they are familiar in some fashion to something we have seen or experienced before. When we perceive this painting, we make a determination as to its importance, its value and of course its interest to us. If we like the painting we judge it to be a “good painting”, if we do not we may be inclined to criticize. We forget it is just a painting, and while we can debate its merit or value to us as individuals, we do not help ourselves by criticism or negative judgment. We need to be able to contrast, to notice the differences, we do not have to or need to criticize it, we simply do.

The difference...

Harmful activities aside, if we do not like something then the issue is ours, not the other way around. We may not appreciate people who are different from us, we may even choose to avoid them, but we do not need to criticize them for it. Ideally, we should see the wondrous diversity of expression that is all around us. Certainly, we can do this; however, this allows judgments to cloud our minds thereby creating blocks and negative energies within our auras. This happens whether we see them or not, and whether we believe it or not. Beliefs to the contrary are irrelevant.

We have touched on this concept before. I like the old sayings “judge not lest yea be judged” and “before you start pointing the finger look in the mirror.” Ideally, we should see the marvelous diversity of expression that is all around and within us. It is possible to view the world with wonder, to not look out and see ugly, fat, gross, nerdy, weird, sick, stupid or worse. See the difference, notice it, do not criticize it, and do not judge it. Working on this will yield substantial, indeed incredible results. It will lead to you to understand why you judged in the manner you did. You may not know why you do it at first; however, it is unlikely you will if you never try.

When we try to see differences in a positive manner, we learn to see the world in a new way, to contribute to the world. Consider how doing so adds to the beauty of the world. All day we make judgments, thousands of them, and many are all of the negative variety. Think of the garbage you will not be putting in your mind, body or out into the world if you can just judge less today than yesterday. The buildup of judgments can be controlled and modified. It comes down to working on our thoughts; we are the only one who can do this for us.

When we look around, we actually perceive a great deal. How much of what we perceive are we consciously aware of? The short answer is not as much as you would think. When you look at a picture, your mind filters out a large portion of the surroundings focusing on the matter at hand. When we walk about, we notice certain things based on what our experiences have trained our minds to focus on. Police receive training in perception, on how to notice particular traits or actions of people that indicate a potential problem. This also explains why a number of people can view the same event, yet their statements on it diverge greatly. All of us do this in our own way for our own reasons. These acts of judgment, therefore, control how we see the world, what we experience and more.

Is some act or “thing” we do right or wrong? We have all, hopefully thought about this question. Indeed this is a good one to contemplate. In our life, we make decisions all the time. We choose to do certain types of activities, associate with certain kinds of people, go certain kinds of places. Why do we choose one place or action over another? What is “right” and what is “wrong” for us about one choice versus the other? I try not to use these words. Right and wrong begs the question of “by which measuring stick?”

There is no such thing as right or wrong in the sense that we commonly use it. There are only acts, each with their own purpose, reasons and consequences. Do not mistake this for the notion that lack of a fixed determination of what is right or wrong leads to there being no right or wrong in any sense. There are choices and consequences, and there is going with the way the Cosmos works just as there is going against it. Consciousness has its own rules or laws, if you will. The great Masters and others have shared this over the millennia and it is in various figurative or allegorical forms in every spiritual or religious text ever written. This is not an accident.

When we are out of balance, we do not act in ways that benefit us. We base our choices at any given moment on time on where we are at that point. Every decision is simply the one we make. We can say if we could do it over, we would do it differently; however, this is not so. This is an illusion. The only way we would do it differently is if we had our present knowledge of the outcome or consequences to guide us back then. If we go back in time, we do not take our present awareness with us.

As much as we may deplore someone’s actions and that we may have to confine him or her, we still cannot decide whether the act itself was right or wrong. If I strike you as you are getting ready for a flight, and you miss the flight, which subsequently crashed, killing all on board, were my actions right or wrong? We, as a society have chosen to make certain acts punishable, that does not make them right or wrong. The laws of society do not correlate to some all encompassing universal moral standards.

We pass away when it is our time, not before (except in rare circumstances). It is an illusion of our physical based existence that someone can do something that was not set up to happen. I believe we put ourselves into particular experiences to learn, and that our experiences are not an accident, they are there due to our choices. This means there is no excusing people of their responsibility. However, I speak of this to expose guilt and blame as illusions we build ourselves, ones that can literally torment us.

Seeing man as the decoder of justice has given us a twisted sense of the true meaning of right and wrong. It is not for me to decide whether what someone has done is right or wrong. I have a right to protect myself, to act in such a manner as to minimize the chance of attracting situations or influences that may put me in danger. I would prefer that parents were better parents, that we were nicer to each other as children, that our prison systems actually rehabilitated people, but such is not the case. In the end, there is the judgment life gives each of us by where our choices lead us now and in the future. Make no mistakes about it, true judgment is not ours to make.

Lifestyle is one area where people make strong judgments. There is no doubt that it touches everyone. A great many people are quick to put down people with alternative lifestyles or beliefs, those who look or act differently. We do not benefit by our judgments, we benefit by letting others lead their own lives, and make their own choices. We benefit by helping when we can and by not interfering when we cannot. I really like the concept of “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”. Not that I believe in sin, it is that we all make mistakes. None of us has fixed all their issues, so how can we pick on others for theirs? We lock ourselves into a mental house built on an illusion and add to our karmic burden with such thoughts. We need to change this within us.

The power of criticism to make us negative

Ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Do you have strong opinions about right and wrong?
• Do discussions of other people include negative attributes?
• How do you react when someone criticizes you?
• How does criticism make you feel?
• Do you make jokes about people who are different?
• Do you put down others, or support them?
• Is “the cup half empty or half full”?

The above list is a short one, it could have been pages long, but I am confident it is long enough to give you the idea of what I mean. We are the sum of our experiences, and from them come our thoughts. Our thoughts are the basis of our reality. As we think, so we are.

Consider the number of positive thoughts you have compared to those that are negative. By positive, I not only mean good thoughts, but those that elevate people, put them in a positive light. Negative thoughts are those of the opposite kind. When you add them up, assuming you are being as honest as you can be and not indulging in wishful thinking, you might be surprised to find that the negative thoughts outweigh the positive thoughts by a great deal. Luckily, the power of positive thoughts is far greater than negative thoughts or our society would have long ago regressed into anarchy. This is due to natural laws that apply to consciousness as they do to physics and chemistry. When we have negative thoughts, it is much like fighting the wind, where in this case the wind is the very nature of the Cosmos itself. With positive or higher vibration thoughts and feelings, we ride that very same wind.

After you have considered the number of each type of thought you have, you may be able to see the opportunity you have to aid your own growth by trying to clean up your thoughts. The more positive, higher vibration thoughts you have the less it is that you will attract negative experiences and vice versa.

Where does our tendency to judge and criticize come from? It is a negative thought based on learned responses. While we may be born with a potential perhaps even predisposition of being judgmental, we are not born with negative attitudes. We learn to be negative. A great many parents use criticism to teach their children. Parents need to guide, to encourage, and naturally to set an example. When parents criticize their own children and others their children learn to do the same. They build thought forms that incorporate this attitude perpetuating the cycle. It is literally an epidemic in our society.

I remind you again, if you have nothing nice to say better to say nothing at all. This applies to your thoughts as it does your words. The words are only the tip of the iceberg. In a manner of speaking, thoughts are the body and soul of the issue. Once you have started the process of reducing your negatively towards others you begin to get a better understanding of why you had those thoughts in the first place. A thousand miles journey begins with a single step, take it. Do not worry about how big a step it is or if it is big enough. Just take that first step into a new future for yourself.

© 2010 Allan Beveridge