Beyond Judgement
Have you met people who judge so fast and strongly believe that it is an absolute truth? Do you recognize yourself to judge people and believe that you are right and they are wrong? Have you tried to see the situation from another person’s point of view? How bad do you judge yourself?
Judgement involves an opinion regarding the relative value or worth of what is being observed. Judgement basically comes from our minds, while shutting down our hearts. Judgement indicate an opinionated, subjective value. As Carl Jung said, “we should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect. The judgment of the intellect is only part of the truth.” It is important to remember that we are limited in our understanding of another person’s life by our own range of experience, beliefs and values.
When we judge others, we usually make them wrong and if they do not feel wrong, it gives a sense of irritation as somebody chooses something that is not to our own preference. It is all about games of mind. In each of the judgmental statements, the speaker is assuming to know something about something s/he does not truly know anything about, but the statement, indeed, sounds very opinionated. He/she also usually place himself/herself in a superior position, where compassion and understanding is not felt. How shall we act in these situations, so other people beliefs do not affect us in a long run?
If you are irritated by somebody who judges you or your work via their lensis, even you feel it is not true, but very likely your mind will be running some false programming, that maybe this judgement can be more true than yours? Stop here and look within. If it still triggers you as Carl Jung said, “everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves“, it might be an opportunity for growth. Maybe it is a message for you to stand up for you truth, stop judging yourself, open up more compassion towards people who create life in the jungles of mind or maybe to learn to walk away from certain people and give up the fight?
Sometimes we meet people who simply do not know how else to relate to us than through judgment. Image that when you are judged by someone, there are three people in a room, you, the person who judges you and the imaginary person, who is being judged. Can you leave them both and walk away? This awareness that other people are trapped in their judgement can free us and help us to find openness and compassion towards them. Remember, that people who judge others, judge themselves the most.
Expressing your own truth/opinion will always come in an open and compassionate manner. We can always choose to be more loving, like Mother Teresa said, “if you judge people, you have no time to love them.” On the other hand, how could you transform your judgement about others and yourself to a more compassionate, open minded and peaceful attitude? Giving a second or two to feel (not to think) what is really required in a certain situation? What does really serve to overall good of all in the situation? Instead of making you right and him/her wrong and putting the world of others to fit in your lenses, could you give space for yourself that maybe both worlds are equally good and you might not know everything? Give a slight opportunity of openness to yourself – what if you are wrong, because your judgement depends on cliches of beliefs you have learnt through your lifetime?