Spiritual Solutions

Here’s a great article by Kevin Schoeninger of Mind-Body Training and Spiritual Growth Monthly that I don’t want you to miss, because it highlights so well the difference between assumption and experience. So, I’ll just let your experience of the story speak for itself. . . .

Is It Possible To Move Beyond Judgment?

Have you ever been in the supermarket where you witness a mother or father struggling with their kids and yelling at them? Did you get upset at the “meanness” of these parents? Did you feel that the kids weren’t being respected and cared for? Have you ever been shocked to find yourself being that parent?

Or have you found yourself annoyed at a driver weaving in and out of traffic because he was only thinking of himself and putting the rest of us at risk? Have you also found yourself occasionally being that driver?

Do you get angry when you see wars of religion—one trying to dominate the other with its “right” point of view? Do you find yourself being intolerant of intolerance?
The web of judgment is certainly tangled.

Is it possible to move beyond that?

Let me share a brief story that opened my eyes about this.
 
As I related in last week’s post, my wife and I take an annual trip to Sedona Arizona for our anniversary. On this trip we like to take a hike up onto Cathedral Rock. It’s one of our favorite spots. The lush environment around the base of the rock is so peaceful and serene, while the heights of the perches at the top are simply majestic. Legend has it that this gigantic red rock formation has a powerful energy that comforts you and makes you feel like everything is O.K. It’s even said, as I shared last week, that, if you are open to it, you can receive messages from this rock.

Any judgments come up for you yet?

So, my wife and I are enjoying the two hour climb around the north face to east face and upward to the top. At several points, the rock gets pretty steep and some folks balk at this point. On my first time here, I had serious doubts and had to take a moment to relax and dig for some courage. To an experienced hiker or climber, it’s probably nothing too exciting or dangerous. Nevertheless, everyone seems quite accepting of varying levels of courage when you reach these points. The comfortable ones take a break and wait for the less confident ones. The fearless ones assure the scared ones that everything will be O.K.

When my wife and I reached the top, or as high as you can go without equipment, we took some pictures and then settled into a comfortable spot to rest up and enjoy the “energy” of the mountain. We lay down on the red rocks, my wife in the sun and me with my back against the cool red rock wall in the shade. I enjoyed the silence, punctuated only by the occasional “thunderous” helicopter flying by for a bird’s eye view. As an experiment, I asked the big rock if it had any message for me.

Shortly, there came a blustery, athletic presence storming up the hill, huffing and puffing. He took the top, had a brief look around, made some loud comments to his girlfriend, and then quickly began his descent. “In it for the workout,” came to my mind.

Next there came a middle-aged couple. When they reached the top it was clear that the woman was pretty scared. She stared at the way back down with trepidation. Almost immediately she began her descent, backing down on all fours, while being coached enthusiastically by her husband. “Missed the experience,” I thought.
Soon thereafter, came a barefooted girl with tattoos on her arms. She arrived at the top silently, like a cat, found a nice slab in the sun, and lay down with a smile on her face. “She’s really got it right,” I thought.

I followed suit, closed my eyes, and felt “soooo” relaxed against the soft, cool, red rock. I asked again for a message.

Before long these words came into my head: “Everyone’s experience is valid.”

I instantly felt how this released my judgments against those who “raced” up the mountain, were “too scared” to enjoy the experience at the top, or “too noisy” to listen and feel the silence. As I let this realization soak in, I understood it in a visceral way, in a way I hadn’t before.

Everyone’s experience is valid from their point of view. It makes sense to them given who they are, where they’ve come from, and where they are going. Who am I to judge that? I have no idea about any of those things for someone else.

In that moment, I felt free of judgment toward others and free to be myself. These two fit perfectly hand in hand. I’ve since discovered that, when I carry this phrase into life—“everyone’s experience is valid”—it frees me to appreciate the unique qualities that each of us bring to the table. The consciousness behind this phrase creates a fertile ground of understanding which can be used to resolve conflict and cooperate toward what we all truly desire—which is, at once, different and the same.

Enjoy your practice,

Kevin

Kevin Schoeninger

If you are interested in knowing more about the Mind-Body Training Community and Spiritual Growth Monthly, I can tell you that I have enjoyed several of their programs and the Spiritual Growth Monthly newsletter for several years. You can go to Raise Your Vibration / Core Energy Meditation (Gift Page) for a powerful free meditation technique.

Remember, God is Blessing You, Right Now!

Rev. Alan Rowbotham

—————————————————–             

Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over forty years, invites you to subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions.

Please feel free to publish this article in your blog or newsletter or share it with a friend, as long as you include this resource box.

If you’d like to receive weekday inspirational quotes, you can subscribe at Rich Words.

——————————————————   

Tweet This Post

Today, Tuesday, April 12, is the thirtieth day of Lent. Lent is the period of time during which we can prepare ourselves for the Easter experience.
 
 
Assignment 30
 
We have a unique relationship with other human beings, not only with those who are near and dear to us but with all humanity. Each living soul is complete in itself, one with an inner pattern that is the sum total of all that is to be accomplished in life. This pattern is never duplicated and is unlike any other expression on earth.
 
This means you cannot direct, force or influence others to leave their pattern for yours or what you think is right for them. This is very harmful. The world is full of misfits and wanderers in life, seeking surcease from the unbearable emptiness of their inner pattern which is the God direction or the very rudder of the ship of life.
 
Interference with another’s pattern comes in the field of judgment, and we are told not to judge under any circumstances. Judgment is such an insidious thing, we are sometimes of the opinion we are helping and directing another. A great deal of judgment is done under the guise of love and helpfulness.
 
All judgment is presumptive and unfair because we do not have access to the heart and mind of another. The law is exact, your way or belief is for you alone and never good judgment for another. You have only one measure, what you can or would do! What another is doing has nothing whatsoever to do with you.
 
You may cry out that they are doing it to you or that it affects you, but it is because you have involved yourself where you do not belong. This is why we are taught to pray “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The path of detachment may seem a hard path, but in truth it is the path of freedom. Freedom of the soul is the salvation of the individual. Sometimes our soul cries out to be free from the judgment and dictates of others.
 
There is only law giver and director, and that one is within every soul. The greatest gift you can give to another is to direct them to their own inner voice. This voice is not the opinion or direction of the world, which so often leads us astray. We must listen to our own guidance that we may know how to make the necessary change in our own life.
 
You have your own assignment, You! If Judgment is turned outward like a searchlight, one’s own soul and mind is shrouded in darkness. Do not judge what happens to you or to another, just wait, for God is always back of, in, and through all of our doings.
 
 
(This series of Lenten messages was first developed by Unity minister Dr. Sue Sikking, founder of Unity-by-the-Sea, Santa Monica, California, author of God Always Says Yes and Seed of the New Age.)
 
 
God is Blessing You, Right Now!
 
Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham
 
——————————————————————–
Rev. Alan A. Rowbotham, a Unity minister for over thirty-nine years, invites you to subscribe to his free inspirational newsletter, Spiritual Solutions, at www.spiritualsolutionsblog.com
 
To subscribe for free weekday inspirational quotes, Rich Words, go to www.alanrowbotham.com
 

Previous in series Next in series

Tweet This Post