Bring4th

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I was doing a bit of perusing of the material today and a particular passage moved me:

Quote:94.9 Questioner: Then she says, “If this is so, this seems to be part of the riddle about the manner of beingness that Ra spoke of. I fear if I do not work successfully on my human distortions I shall be responsible for losing the contact. Yet also Ra suggests the over-dedication to any outcome is unwise. Could Ra comment on these thoughts?”
Ra: I am Ra. We comment in general first upon the query about the contact which indicates once again that the instrument views the mind/body/spirit complex with jaundiced eye. Each mind/body/spirit complex that is seeking shall almost certainly have the immature and irrational behaviors. It is also the case that this entity, as well as almost all seekers, [has] done substantial work within the framework of the incarnative experience and [has] indeed developed maturity and rationality. That this instrument should fail to see that which has been accomplished and see only that which remains to be accomplished may well be noted. Indeed, any seeker discovering in itself this complex of mental and mental/emotional distortions shall ponder the possible non-efficacy of judgment.

This seems to be a common pitfall for me, as I'll often get caught up in thoughts of judging myself for doing something wrong or immature. Sometimes it's easy for me to forgive myself, sometimes I can really beat myself up. This can also very easily lead to projection, where I find myself upset or judgmental towards someone I perceive as acting immaturely, when I'm really deflecting my own self-judgment. Failing to acknowledge what I have accomplished can also lead to projection in failing to see the heart of self that others attempt to share. This passage helps remind me to stake a step back from my thoughts which circle around distortions of judgment and view the more complete me, whole and without judgment.

I think that lots of seekers struggle with this, so I thought I'd share.
I think the difficulty is being aware that you are beating yourself up. If you were that aware then there would be no need for forgiveness.
Judgement is an unnecessary distortion. However, a common belief in our society is the thought is that judgment is necessary for discerning action, which is not true.

You don't judge the shark for eating people near the beach. Yet you still take precautions against sharks.

You don't judge the child for making a mistake. Yet you still seek to learn and improve as a child.

I try to apply that rationale in all situations. Doing so negates the perceived need for judgment.
"Judgement" has different connotations, like "love". Primarily judgement is an evaluation, which we *have* to do of course. That's how we form experience.
It's true that judgement has different meanings; I use the term to refer to a type of condemnation.

I use discernment to refer to evaluation, though evaluation is a great term as well.
(09-15-2013, 07:32 PM)xise Wrote: [ -> ]Judgement is an unnecessary distortion. However, a common belief in our society is the thought is that judgment is necessary for discerning action, which is not true.

You don't judge the shark for eating people near the beach. Yet you still take precautions against sharks.

You don't judge the child for making a mistake. Yet you still seek to learn and improve as a child.

I try to apply that rationale in all situations. Doing so negates the perceived need for judgment.

Yeh the sense of judgement your thinking of is reflected in an early psychological framework by Kohlberg which I think is pretty damn accurate.

The stages of moral development Kohlberg put forward were

Quote:Level 1 - Pre-conventional morality
Authority is outside the individual and reasoning is based on the physical consequences of actions.

• Stage 1. Obedience and Punishment Orientation. The child/individual is good in order to avoid being punished. If a person is punished they must have done wrong.

• Stage 2. Individualism and Exchange. At this stage children recognize that there is not just one right view that is handed down by the authorities. Different individuals have different viewpoints.

Level 2 - Conventional morality
Authority is internalized but not questioned and reasoning is based on the norms of the group to which the person belongs.

• Stage 3. Good Interpersonal Relationships. The child/individual is good in order to be seen as being a good person by others. Therefore, answers are related to the approval of others.

• Stage 4. Maintaining the Social Order. The child/individual becomes aware of the wider rules of society so judgments concern obeying rules in order to uphold the law and to avoid guilt.

Level 3 - Post-conventional morality
Individual judgment is based on self-chosen principles, and moral reasoning is based on individual rights and justice.

• Stage 5. Social Contract and Individual Rights. The child/individual becomes aware that while rules/laws might exist for the good of the greatest number, there are times when they will work against the interest of particular individuals. The issues are not always clear cut. For example, in Heinz’s dilemma the protection of life is more important than breaking the law against stealing.

• Stage 6: Universal Principles. People at this stage have developed their own set of moral guidelines which may or may not fit the law. The principles apply to everyone. E.g. human rights, justice and equality. The person will be prepared to act to defend these principles even if it means going against the rest of society in the process and having to pay the consequences of disapproval and or imprisonment. Kohlberg doubted few people reached this stage.

Pretty obvious where we all fall in this regard. Also obvious to see most people operate in conventional morality, or the morality of the current time.

We took the test to work out were we stood at university and surprisingly to me most fell into the 2nd level.
(09-15-2013, 08:32 PM)xise Wrote: [ -> ]It's true that judgement has different meanings; I use the term to refer to a type of condemnation.

I use discernment to refer to evaluation, though evaluation is a great term as well.
I use "discernment" to refer to choices made when there is ambiguity involved (like when the channeller vomits a load of bullshit anticipatory "signposts" due to lack of actual experience). Evaluation is how things are determined, sort of like how unconscious questions are answered. Determining things involves an act of will (and judgement) - you are literally choosing, which is a process of creation. The creation is your "choice", your say in the matter, your focus of will - an expression of your individuality, and your rational world view. When Ra says "The function of intuition is to inform intelligence. In your illusion the unbridled predominance of intuition will tend to keep an entity from the greater polarizations due to the vagaries of intuitive perception. As you may see, these two types of brain structure need to be balanced in order that the net sum of experiential catalyst will be polarization and illumination, for without the acceptance by the rational mind of the worth of the intuitive faculty the creative aspects which aid in illumination will be stifled.", they are referring to the faculty of intuition in balance with the faculties of rational evaluation (thinking and/or feeling). With the latter being what actively transforms the passive perception into experience.

Back to judgement as condemnation: even if one condemns, I would suggest that it is only "unnecessary" to the extent that one is actually attached or identified with some idea that prompted the response. That is because any identification falls away with integration. Unless you want to say that any response is "unnecessary". Anything that is not true to oneself is "projection" and therefore "unnecessary" - even many people's ideas of "loving". "Thus the most fragile entity may be more balanced than one with extreme energy and activity in service to others due to the fastidiousness with which the will is focused upon the use of experience in knowing the self. "
(09-15-2013, 07:21 PM)zenmaster Wrote: [ -> ]I think the difficulty is being aware that you are beating yourself up. If you were that aware then there would be no need for forgiveness.

Forgiveness in this sense, for me, would be coupled with awareness. Once I become aware that I'm subtly condemning myself for an action sprung from immaturity or irrationality, forgiveness is usually only a matter of relaxing and allowing.

Sometimes though I'll have recurring distortions. I may go to sleep relaxing into the idea that I am human and I am allowed to make mistakes, and that I'm not defined only by what I have yet to accomplish. But then I might wake up the next morning dreading my actions the same as before, and my mind will circle around this judgment again and again. This is especially true for any action I take which affects others in major ways. It's hard for forgiveness to "stick" when I see active disharmony playing out as the result of my ill-informed action. These are the things I beat myself up over the most.


(09-15-2013, 07:32 PM)xise Wrote: [ -> ]Judgement is an unnecessary distortion. However, a common belief in our society is the thought is that judgment is necessary for discerning action, which is not true.
(09-15-2013, 09:44 PM)zenmaster Wrote: [ -> ]Back to judgement as condemnation: even if one condemns, I would suggest that it is only "unnecessary" to the extent that one is actually attached or identified with some idea that prompted the response. That is because any identification falls away with integration. Unless you want to say that any response is "unnecessary". Anything that is not true to oneself is "projection" and therefore "unnecessary" - even many people's ideas of "loving". "Thus the most fragile entity may be more balanced than one with extreme energy and activity in service to others due to the fastidiousness with which the will is focused upon the use of experience in knowing the self. "

As Ra might say, "This distortion is not in any case necessary. It is chosen by each of you as an alternative to understanding the complete unity of thought which binds all things."