(10-26-2013, 05:51 PM)Icaro Wrote:(10-26-2013, 01:12 PM)Patrick Wrote: I believe that, whatever your intentions are, judging other-selves is not part of the positive path.
It certainly is part of it. What I find that most don't realize, and I know because I was the same way for years, is that once a certain level of development is achieved, when spiritual types look outward they seem to forget who they once were. And instead of seeing themselves, they see plenty of opportunity where people, their opinions, and mistakes need to be managed in what feels like a genuine effort to help. It seems to be self-serving though, in the sense that the catalyst must be controlled ("put power in a more correct configuration"). So guidance can be masked judgment. I think balance entails letting others be themselves, own their thoughts, and gently guide should they seem to be asking for it.
Self-judgment is part of all paths yes. How else are we to make choices if we can't judge the concepts that we want to associate with and which we do not want to. That is not the same as imposing your personal judgments onto other-selves. This is what I meant is not part of the positive path.
In my book guidance is not pushed onto another self, it is requested by another self (otherwise I would not call it guidance). Once requested by an other-self, yes your guidance could be in the form of judgment, but it's actually self-judgment from the other-self to the other-self through you as the instrument.
"...in what feels like a genuine effort to help..."
The troubles starts when the subjects of those efforts did not ask for it.
"...I think balance entails letting others be themselves, own their thoughts, and gently guide should they seem to be asking for it."
Exactly, so we are actually saying the same things using different semantic. "should they seem to be asking for it." this part can be very tricky though.
