“The ability to observe without evaluating, is the highest form of intelligence.” – Jiddu Krishnamurthi
This might be my favourite piece of wisdom from Krisnamurthi, talking about our inherent compulsion to judge and the disservice we do to ourselves because of it.
Here are a few more thoughts on judgement:
“When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.” – Wayne Dyer
“When someone judges you, it isn’t actually about you. It’s about them and their own insecurities, limitations, and needs.” – Don Miguel Ruiz
The compulsion to instantly evaluate, judge, criticize or otherwise place things or people into a well defined box is such an inherent human survival trait, that we don’t even realize that over time we’ve created these patterns of evaluation to take over the “job” of judging things.
You see, it’s not just that we judge, it’s that we have well formed patterns of judgement that means our “programme” has already decided what our judgement will be before the event has even occurred!
In this way, our compulsion to evaluate everything has robbed us of actual freedom of choice, because now whatever happens to you, the decision that you will make is already pre-determined. You have given control of your life to a programme that prevents you from experiencing any more of life than your patterns of survival will allow.
“Judgements prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.” – Wayne Dyer
“Every time you judge someone, you reveal a part of yourself in need of healing.” – Joy Marino
How do we escape this trap and regain actual freedom of choice?
Stop judging everything, anything, everyone, anyone… and just observe. See it only for what it is.
This pattern of judgement, just like all our other patterns can only be softened in baby steps, and the simplest way I have found of doing this is to join us in meditation and pay attention to your own thoughts and emotions.
Are you able to observe your own thinking and feeling without “evaluating” as Krishnamurthi suggests? Without judging it as right or wrong? Good or bad?
If you can, if you’re able to observe and simply see a human brain producing human thoughts you’ve not only achieved “the highest form of intelligence” but also freedom, and more specifically freedom of choice.
Because now… when you do have to make a decision about something – when you are standing in front of a choice in the absence of an old pattern to judge something as good or bad, you will have the opportunity to exercise real “free will’, because you have broken free of compulsion.
Mantras for Freedom:
- Observe, don’t judge.
- See thoughts for what they are: brain activity.
- Break free from pre-programmed reactions.
- Embrace true freedom of choice.
I hope you enjoy today’s silent meditation, and take the opportunity to observe your own thoughts without judgement.
Have a beautiful Sunday,
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: Finding silence.