Judgement

If you wish to change the world, change yourself

“The Walk”

My eyes already touch the sunny hill,

going far ahead of the road I have begun.

So we are grasped by what we cannot grasp;

it has its inner light, even from a distance –

 

and changes us, even if we do not reach it,

into something else, which, hardly sensing it, we already are;

a gesture waves us on, answering our own wave …

but what we feel is the wind in our faces.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1924)

 

You do not live in a world of chaos.  Each of us orders our world according to how we perceive it. As Vadim Zeland said:  “The world is a mirror of your attitude towards it.”

Your attitude towards the events you encounter make them good or bad, fortunate or unfortunate.  It is your judgement that colours them blue or red or yellow.  If you wish to change the world, start with an analysis of your judgements because what is right or wrong for you depends on what you inherited, were taught, lived through, and accepted as how the world is.  So, going full circle; if you want the world to bring you happiness, wealth and contentment, then change yourself.

 

You are deeply affected by your desires and intent.  If you cannot see yourself achieving this or that or just cannot see yourself having what you want, then you probably will attain only the measure that you feel is achievable.  What Rilke may be pointing out is that our dreams are attainable; our waves of desire are answered but we do not realize them, we feel only the wind in our faces.

 

 

 

Being Annoyed

I get annoyed more and more often nowadays by what I see as exploitation.  I also realize that the meaning of words that I grew to understand years ago have changed whilst the implication that they still stand for the former is encouraged.  “Truthspeak” I seem to remember from George Orwell.  Not everything he predicted in the book “1984” came about by 1984 but there is very little remaining today.   I paid £2.16 to mail some bank booklets that could have been sent direct from the bank.  However, the bank will only send information to one address and that is the one indicated on the account application.  I guess sending you the means to lodge money with them is a “service” and services have no correlation to what would be convenient and helpful to the customer.  Procedures are designed for the convenience of the bank staff.  When I call “customer Services” the only telephone number I am given is one that I have to pay for.  It is especially annoying because we have a small connection charge – free telephone service that we can use everywhere else but the bank.  The not-for-profit business that I am involved with is having trouble getting a direct debit removed that we didn’t ask for or authorize.  I requested that they deny the implementation of direct debits on our account so this situation could not occur again.  Fine, said the first customer service representative, we’ll do that.  However, a week later when the erroneous debit had not been removed, I asked them again to remove it and asked them to check on the ban on direct debits.  Oh, this rep said, we don’t allow that, you’ll just have to check your statements.  Of course this is just one example out of many.  Now a process of logical deductions is beginning to form. I am tired of the negativity.  One, when the rest of the world looks to be screwed up, you should look at yourself in the mirror Two, as I was walking home this morning, I suddenly heard the following song in my minds ear.  “Everything is beautiful in its own way.”  Three, The Hsin Hsin Ming came to mind and I realized that I had gone astray again, veered off the path, fallen into the old habit of dissatisfaction with what is because I know how things “outa” be.  Four, what does the Hsin Hsin Ming tell us? 

Well, how about:  “The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences.”  and “If you wish to see the truth then hold no opinions for or against anything. To set up what you like against what you dislike is the disease of the mind.” Or, “Do not search for the truth; only cease to cherish opinions.” 

Jean Klein has said:  “It is not what you do, it is how you are while you are doing it.”

And so I am reminded again that when you are in the habit of looking out for something that you judge as wrong, there will be no end of those things about.  So, if you see this as a problem, then it is your judgement which is the real problem.  We really don’t have the wisdom to judge how life ought to be.  Acceptance and judgement.  They are both important to ponder.  Now I am not using acceptance as a reason not to oppose those actions that are obviously harmful to yourself or other beings.  Whatever is, is, and it is useless to dwell on your opinion that it shouldn’t be there if you see what I mean.  Just feel into the situation, accept it for what it is and look into your intuitive self for a correct action that fits the circumstances. A fruitful response will come to you if you but trust.  Returning negativity simply strengthens the negativity.