THE THREE TRIADS OF THE T.O.L. AND THE CHAKRAS

THE MIDDLE TRIAD OF LOVE #7

In the first Triad of Becoming on the T.O.L. we discussed Truth which is the balance of many factors; 

Understanding versus Wisdom, 

Hope, Faith, Belief, Trust, Surrender versus 

Hopelessness, Disbelief, Doubt, Denial, Resignation.

These polarities in yoga correspond to the 6th and 7th chakras - the Third Eye of wisdom and intuition and the Crown chakra of oneness with the cosmos and the divine. These qualities are not as clearly delineated in Yoga as the polarities on the T.O.L.

The properties, however, are more similar when we compare the Heart chakra to Tiferet, the central sephira on the T.O.L. which represents love balanced by Mercy and Judgment. The Fourth or Heart chakra in yoga is its equivalent and it houses the symbol of the hexagon. It is separated from the higher chakras by the diaphragm.

We can analyze the symbol of the hexagon as having three small triangles pointing downward (survival) and three upward (growth and transformation.) Those above include; Truth, Awareness and Being in the Present Moment which are also embodied in the Triangle of Becoming on the T.O.L. 

The three below or the Triangle of Ego are to be discussed later. These relate to the lower chakras especially the Third chakra of Ego which  can be impediment to fully opening the heart chakra. Ego has three components; self-Cherishing of the persona (the small self,) Desirous Attachment (attachment to the object of our desire) and Judgment. Spiritual practice will help subordinate these and open the heart chakra. The Yogis say that the most difficult chakra to open is this one. Kabbalists affirm that when the student has mastery over Tiferet (Beauty) - the love sephira - s/he can teach themselves.

On the T.O.L. Judgement is a higher order of challenge and part of the Triad of Love since it is a more difficult nut to crack. It is balanced by Mercy. The tension between the two is where we balance the sephira of Love and start to recognize the Divinity in all of us.

The wisdoms below relate to the tension between 

Judgment and Mercy.

Forgiveness, compassion and empathy and loving our neighbor as ourself (we do not have to like him/her) are key.

There can be judgment of Oneself, 

Judgment of Another and Judgement of Others.

Do not condemn yourself, or let others condemn you.

JUDGMENT OF ONESELF

 “Self condemnation strengthens guilt which is one of the greatest obstacles on the path of realization.” Sri Swami Rama

Self condemnation or recrimination put our higher consciousness resident in the prefrontal lobe of the brain in lockdown so that Monkey Mind which is about survival can prevail. We need to practice an unconditional positive regard not only for ourselves but also for others.  U.S.A. - universal self-acceptance. No-one is perfect.

Be patient with yourself, kind to yourself and, above all, release yourself from what you are not accountable.

“Just as its presumptuous to put ourselves above others, so is it pretentious to put ourselves below them.” Unknown 

The judgment of the 99 neither validates nor invalidates the worth of the one.
The many and the few do not speak to value – only to popularity. Popularity is not to be equated with value.

If we cannot embrace the other, do not think to embrace God. 

God is not a test of love, God's love is not a test. 

The Creator will forgive anything that is done to Him/Her in other words damage inflicted on one's Higher Self or soul 

but not anything we have done to another. 

For that we have to clean the slate.

“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts  become your words. 
Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior.
Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits.
Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values.
Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” Gandhi

JUDGMENT OF ANOTHER OR OTHERS

Reality usually follows its description. Hence it is ever changing and is perceived differently by different people.

We all dance to the beat of different drums. As long as someone is not doing harm we should be merciful with his or her "beat."

“Actions arise from conditions. Do not judge then the former until the latter is well understood. If you have eaten what the judged one has eaten, and worn his clothes, and thought his thoughts, and felt both his joy and pain then you may say you have stood in his place but only briefly compared to the length of his stay. So still you may not know the past or present plights that plague him. Our judgments are frequently fraught with error and usually tainted with arrogance. Compassion and love are our salvation and joy.” Hillel

In other words try to walk for a day in someone's moccasins.

“The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there.” Roshi

 Judgment accentuates the duality we already carry. The Ancestors teach we are all one, though not the same.

“See yourself in others then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?” Dammapada

“There is so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in the best of us that it hardly behooves any of us to talk about the rest of us.” New England Saying

"Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.” Goethe

We need to remember that we may be an older soul than the other and had probably done things as unskillful and possibly worse in one or another of our own past lives.

 

“Despise no person and consider nothing impossible, for there is no one who does not have his/her hour and there is nothing that does not have its place.” Talmud

HAS JUDGMENT CREATED HARM? 

Kabbalah teaches that when we slander we "murder" three people.

Our Self (as in Higher Self.) and our Karma. 

The person to whom we gossip, by possibly poisoning their mind.

And the one we are slandering, by character assassination.

"Hatred does not cease by hatred only by love. This is the eternal rule." The Buddha

 "Holding on to anger or hatred is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." The Buddha

Hatred or anger is self reflecting.

“… and do not give the Devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:27

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil…” Romans 12:17

Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord.

Karma will resolve all differences.

When judgment leads to covetousness we may transgress one of the ten commandments depending on what we do about our jealousy:

You shall not covet your neighbor's house or your neighbor's wife, or his male servant or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

If someone has a heart of envy this may lead them to want something that belongs to someone else or just as bad, to prevent them from having something that you yourself cannot have and want. We see this in politics all the time as well as character assassination where some methods go well beyond healthy competition. 

In the extreme it can lead to criminal acts, sorcery and the dark side of witchcraft.

MERCY

"Turn the other cheek" or respond positively depending on the situation. If you respond negatively you inherit their energy. It's not about them it's about you. Give compassion. Imagine them changing for the better.

Make of your opponent, a dance partner.

“The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become.” Goethe 

“Great are the righteous for they transform judgment into compassion.” Genesis Raba 33.3

“When you see a worthy person endeavor to emulate him, when you see an unworthy person then examine your inner self.” Confucius 

We tend to project our own shadow onto someone else so that our ego can feel better about itself.

“Do not spread a bad image of anyone or any group - even if true
 (or to the person himself.)
Do not share information that can cause harm.
Do not embarrass even in jest.
Do not pretend that innuendo or body language are not speech.” 
Chofetz Chaim

Do not refrain from judging but do not judge harshly, judge favorably.

The Ancestors tell us to; sweeten our judgments.

It is difficult not to judge - better to discern.

“Judge not that you not be judged. 
For with what judgment you judge you shall be judged 
and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matthew

What goes around comes around sooner or later or karmically when we ultimately face a spiritual tribunal on the other side of the veil.

Our judgments, thoughts, feelings and actions all have connections not just in the material world but in the spiritual realm. The spiritual influences the material. We invite, support, encourage or exclude, reject, discourage…

"Cosmic energy enters through the Energy (Etheric) Body and our thoughts determine whether this is positive  or negative and how our Etheric body will be – (imbalanced or balanced.) Spiritual Practice will encourage positive flow." Yoga philosophy

Click, play and meditate on the wisdoms most applicable. We all have many.

Dear God, so far today, I’ve done alright. I haven’t gossiped, I haven’t lost my temper, I haven’t been selfish, greedy, grumpy or over indulgent. I’m very proud of that.
But in a minute God I’m going to get out of bed and from then on I’m probably going to need a lot more help. Anonymous

 20_Judgement.mp3

 03_Druid_Vow_of_Friendship.mp3