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The human experience is a tapestry woven with threads of both light and also shadow, joy and also sorrow, strength and also vulnerability. We often find ourselves caught in the internal struggle of reconciling these opposing forces, conditioned to label one as “good” and the other as “bad,” to cling to certainty and avoid the discomfort of the unknown.
Do you have the ability to hold both? Are you able to tell both stories? Let’s ask Krishnamurti to explain:
“Freedom from the desire for an answer, is essential to the understanding of the problem.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
“The highest form of human intelligence, is to observe yourself without judgement.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
“The ability to observe without evaluating, is the highest form of intelligence.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
It took me many years to fully understand this teaching by Krishnamurti and he was by no means the first, the same wisdom was taught through such great teachers as Lao Tzu, the Buddha, Aristotle and Jesus.
So let’s look at some practical examples and see if we can build an understanding by getting into the application of it.
Take a look at YOU. See if you can form an awareness of both sides of you? Can you see the scared human who often reacts in fear? Can you also see the Fearless Creator who strives to act in freedom? Can you see the part of you that feels heavy and is easily negative as well as the part of you that loves to feel light and see the positive side to everything? While you’re looking at all of this, do you “need” to make one side right and one side wrong? A part of you “good” and another part “bad”? Or can you just hold both?
Now here’s the real question: In this moment while I AM able to hold both – WHO am I BEING??? If I am able to look at both these sides of being human and not feel the need to judge, which part of me am I “being”?
Here’s something that you might not know about the “ego”. Ego is invested in physical survival and as such, fear drives the ego to double down on the “either/or” kind of certainty, “something is either black or it’s white,” there are no shades of grey.
So while I can see both sides of me I’m certainly not being ego, I’m not being my small-self who desperately needs some sort of certainty in order to feel like I can survive.
My ability to hold both without judgement comes from my higher-self, from my soul.
Now of course we can’t always be only observing and saying “nothing is either good or bad”. Sometimes action is required. Sometimes a decision needs to be made… but which part of me do I want to give that responsibility to?
Do you want to give the responsibility to make important decisions to your ego? To the part of you that judges harshly and is so ready to condemn you for all your past sins? Or do you want to give the responsibility of making decisions to wisdom? To the part that can gently hold it all and then say, “I can see both sides, and now here is what’s best for you.” ???
Practice observing without judgement. Practice seeing both sides without choosing either – practice this in all things. What you are practicing is seeing through the eyes of your soul, and everything you continue practicing you will become better at. Seeing through the eyes of your soul will lead you to clarity, always.
Guiding mantras for self-reflection:
- I see both sides, embracing the wholeness of my being.
- My soul is the wise observer, guiding me with compassion.
- I choose to act from clarity and wisdom, not fear or negativity.
Wishing you a beautiful day!
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: The observer.