EGO’S TRIAD  #6

JUDGMENT

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

The Higher Self or Soul cannot be realized in the presence of a dominant ego that judges others or oneself.  

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

Love's Triad on the Tree of Life is balanced by Judgment and Mercy. It is extremely difficult to discriminate or discern with an open heart and sweeten the judgments as well as ... to walk for a day in another person's moccasins.

We may never know the suffering of others and what may plague them day and night.

“We are all in the same boat in a stormy sea and we owe each other a terrible loyalty.” G.K. Chesterton

 Non-Attachment is key to opening us up to the Love and Mercy. This is because Non-Attachment does not only apply to self-Cherishing and attachment to "stuff" but also to our relationships. These should be governed for their own sake alone and not for any agenda, hidden or otherwise.

MERCY

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

  

Being compassionate and having empathy is not only good karma but healthful (bumps up the immune system by increasing T cells.) It takes the burden of a grudge off our back and lifts that albatross from our necks.

Discern and discriminated rather than judge.

Judge the action and not the person.

 

Do not refrain from not judging at all but rather attempt not to judge harshly but to judge favorably. 

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

Judgment arises from the fact with in order to navigate life we find it necessary to live in duality, when we are all one though not the same.

"The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose I am here, and you are out there." Yasutani Roshi

 

Sweetening of the Judgments

The Ancestors teach us to; sweeten our judgments.

It is difficult not to judge but we can use kinder words such as, he is different, she is intense or a bit odd or 'extra'... 

“Judge of me tenderly.” Emily Dickinson

 

“Mercy to the point of recalling only the good qualities of our tormentor.

Remembering them in the innocence of their infancy.
Mercy beyond the letter of the law …” Cordovero

 

The danger, however, is not to enable others by letting them off the hook. We need to inform, enlighten and/or correct gently with compassion, especially to those who are close to us. 

When it comes to our loved ones, friends and colleagues ...

 Of love be a little more careful!

Never judge in a condemnatory way, never with disavowing and lack of love.

You must support emotionally without condoning.

Whether its about judging harmfully consider:

"An eye for and eye can make the whole world blind." Gandhi

Jesus taught to turn the other cheek which we may also mean walking away from toxic emotions delivered by another unless they are doing harm. If appropriate, change the subject rather than effectively or ineffectively coming up against them. It helps to avoid making a stand or 'carrying a flag' especially around someone whose opinion is unalterable We should try to respond positively, even with humor, if at all possible. If we respond negatively we inherit their energy and give away our power. 

Sometimes it's better to be effective rather than right.

It’s not about them it’s about you. Give compassion. Imagine them changing for the better. 

Make of your opponent a dance partner.

However, if harm is being done then it may be appropriate to consider 

... an eye for an eye...

But using the justice system rather than ourselves.

 "And a man who injures his countryman – as he has done, so it shall be done to him; fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. 

Just as another person has received injury from him, so it will be given to him." Leviticus

 All of these three deadly sins of karma follow us along the road to 'Becoming' and will continue to challenge us especially Judgment. The work to counteract them is constant. We can never be complacent. As we get higher up the energy hiearchy, ego and shadow becomes more subtle and can elude us and slip in unknowingly.