Spiritual Evolution: between Judgement and Discernment

While "Judge not, that ye be judged..." (Mat 7:1) can be considered a sacred law, the interpretation of it may not be realized by many, for what is the difference between judgment and discernment? While judgement leads to fear, perpetuating illusions of separation, shame and guilt, one's discernment leads them to Truth; compassion, wisdom,and greater awareness of Self (realization).

To judge someone essentially is to miss the mark, to not see the True self, the Awakened One within the sleepless, crying child's wound reality of fear and separation. Most of the time, this wound is mirrored outside ourselves and yet, reflect to us our own internal beliefs, such as that we are guilty, bad, and unworthy. We internalized many beliefs when we were children and perpetuated them throughout life, through our judgments of "others" and inability to see ourselves clearly.


Perhaps we can say that to judge is to make guilty and real what it is we see with our two eyes, all that which there is to be ashamed and fearful of. By judging, we perpetuate illusions, feeding beliefs in fear and separation, forgetting the Truth within us. We suffer from the illusions of the world and yet we multiply them, by reacting in defense. "Judge not, that ye be judged," is a sacred law in that when we strive in life to withhold judgment, to see Love or Truth despite evidence, we realize more quickly and heal. To judge, on the other hand, is to perpetuate a horizontal view of reality in which fear and separation is the main view of life. To withhold judgment is to move vertically, closer to Heaven, toward greater peace, wisdom, and Oneness.

Discernment leads to salvation, but can be perceived as judgment oftentimes. This can cause us to doubt and shame ourselves and therefore, judge our choices. "What is love/Truth?" the spiritual warrior may ask at any given time, when faced with the challenge to choose. When faced with challenges and circumstances, the weight of discernment may feel judgmental and visa versa; it can leave one stuck in fear and another one doubting the choices they made.

True discernment is not based on judgment but on One's commitment to a greater Love. First, it is useful to realize that life is always leading us to learn. In everything, there are ALWAYS lessons that will help us to grow and mature and thus evolve spiritually. When we use discernment, we make choices, knowing that there really is no wrong choice, person, place or thing for which to separate ourselves from; every choice can help us to see clearly the Love inside the clouds of illusions that we perpetuate. A discerning mind is a state of mind that is filled with Love and compassion, yet choices to be made about which will lead us closer to our evolutionary potential. The discerning mind is one that is contemplative and directed toward Truth.

Discernment leads to Truth because it isn't that we make the "right" choices but that we follow our hearts and acknowledge the lessons along the way. In life, there are unavoidable lessons, which we all must go through; in order to realize Truth, we must, at least eventually, look at every experience as an opportunity to grow and learn. Thus, at any given time, upon making choices, we learn to look and be grateful for the opportunity which leads to growth and Oneness. Discernment helps us to realize the Truth within ourselves because our attention is primarily on making sure we see Love and making choices based on what we believe will bring us closer to it.

A discerning mind can be automatic, intuitive, and direct. At the same time, discernment may take weighting, looking at costs and benefits and tapping into deeper reserves of feeling. Ultimately, discernment leads us to Truth/salvation because we are making decisions based on our relative truth, the truth about how we think, feel, and honor ourselves.


When we trust ourselves, we are more open to the divine intelligence that speaks through and to us. While all choices may be perceived as consequential on some level, self-development and discovery comes when we trust; we commit to look inside long enough to listen, to find Truth: peace, understanding, and perspective.

A discerning mind confronts, acknowledges, makes requests, and ask questions based on the feelings and thoughts that come from the heart. A judging mind, on the other hand, assumes, expects, blames and shames for failing to understand. The discerning mind may confront in a way that the ego does not like, but its intent is not to judge or reject, however to set boundaries and honor their own evolutionary capacity to listen and honor themselves.

To discern is to make choices based on honoring one's capacity to embody the consciousness of love. The ego judges discernment as attack, however, and often fails to listen. The ego does not want to look at itself as the source of its judgment, but wishes to project it onto "others" who are really just listening and honoring their personal truth, as they see in the moment. The judging mind reacts to the discerning mind because it is wounded.

Thus, while judgment multiplies illusions, discernment leads to Truth. For one attacks and defends and the other does not. One makes guilty and ashamed, while the other sees Truth and moves closer to the vibrational frequency that matches that Truth. The discerning mind makes choices based on its commitment to a greater love and thus, travels vertically rather than horizontally. The ego-ic, judging mind makes wrong and attacks choices, while the discerning mind makes choices and then moves on.

To heal, one must become aware of how much they judge and how much this judgment leads them to Oneness, which is Truth. To become aware, one must have the courage to look at where in their life they resist seeing themselves, where it is they blame and what it is they shame (perhaps with a spiritual teacher, healer, or guide to help at first)... In looking at these things, one has the opportunity to realign with Truth and to discern their choices, however, with love still present. This is at least one way spiritual healing begins.

The primary difference between judgement and discernment is that One's focus is on Truth, seeing Love, and the other is not. To focus on Truth/Oneness/Love in the face of choices, and to discern, rather than judge, is healing and takes first our commitment. This supports our evolutionary development into the new Age of Aquarius.






















that we always have to make choices.


The "idols" in the dream, we may call them, the "enemies," is the perhaps the excuse we make tuck and earth bound.































, but


What it takes to heal them is the courage and capacity to go deeper within Oneself, to look inside and ack

the obscure images within one's own mind ..

.
and pereceived as judgment is the face of one's own ignorance of who they are.



what is the distinction between discernment and

Perspective: when adversity shows up.

When there is adversity outside, it is really a reflection of the adversity inside. The mirror in which seeing causes chaos is when one is unwilling to look at the lack of seeing herself in "others" and/or seeing from a further range of perspective, that she create her own self-adversity.

Oftentimes, the adversity opposes you because you oppose yourself and until you start to believe in yourself, the adversity wreaks havoc on your state of mind.
There will be people in your life to reflect where healing is called for and they will come and go as people who doubt, deny, and even react to the gifts which you bestow. They may come at different times and take many forms. Oftentimes, we reject seeing ourselves and what there is to learn; we fight, we run away, we make wrong because we don't want to feel the pain. However, the pain we must feel in order to move on, to realize there not true.

If we skip the pain, we often end up angry and resentful, judging and punitive. The truth of the matter is never at the surface, always deeper and harder to grasp. To believe that the adversity comes from your own self can be difficult to understand indeed. However, feel the pain, surrender, let go, and replace these difficult thoughts with thoughts of Truth and love. Keep your heart open and commit to see yourself within all. Then, you will see your "adversities" will be tackled and you will even realize them to have been necessary to your growth.

Does it mean there will not be people who resist what you offer? It does not; for big lights cast greater shadows and resistance to your light will surely occur. At the same time, the "adversity" once thought will no longer wreak such a havoc, as your confidence and courage grow to mean little in the face of adversity.

Love the wounded child? Yes, but even more, love the Truth and see that Truth in you as a gift and a light, with truly something worthy of being offered to. When you embrace your gifts with confidence, you will see that the adversity does not come without bigger lights to support you.

When fear and doubt emerge, we turn to God.

Think not that you are afraid for what looks to be lack or scarcity; we
are never upset for the reasons we think. What we think comes from somewhere else and that somewhere else merely seeks to multiply illusions and suffering. That something else feeds the belief in scarcity and would have us live in fear, withholding and withdrawn. It would have us practice the belief to such a degree that we create habit out of what it says, reacting to confirm that what we see is real. Hardly is what we see or believe the Truth of the matter. To our demise, we get stuck in views and one-way thinking only to portend more suffering.

When the time is ripe, the glory of God emerges fully alive in man. This is a time when man learns to pardon his old ways and instead,begins to practice- accepting and loving himself. “Over spiritual matters,” he may decide to take on the practice. Only until he willfully loves himself and "others," does he open himself up to receiving the love of God. Through experiencing this kind of unconditional love presence, he strives to bring it to all his interactions. Though this takes commitment, the more he embodies the love of God, the more convinced he is that he is loved.

Leaving more room for God to enter, a “new” man emerges from the ashes of what at least felt to him like death. Fully enlightened, is he? Perhaps he is but possibly not. In whichever case, he a forklift for humanity, inspiring and uplifting all that surround him. His heart rings with compassion like never before and he finds greater delight in simple pleasures; for him, there is nothing he cannot be grateful for.

Whose will is it but God’s alone that leads us to discover peace, unity and Oneness within our Self. “Suffer less, dear child; so that I may be at peace.” God the father may say, whose will is for you to see clearly, your brother and sister beside you, united as One. The will of God asks that you not be afraid of what seems to be lacking and instead choose to open your heart up to his will to love: forgive, accept, and trust.

These are the markings of a spiritual warrior because the spiritual warrior's greatest commitment is to will the love of God, despite the challenges and fears he/she may encounter. Through surrendering to love, one becomes more available to miracles and is guided.

Therefore, pray. When the voice of doubt, fear and shame are loud within you, ask for guidance. “May my will be thy will. May I want what you want,” is a prayer that helps us to align our actions with our intention to love God. Despite outer conditions, our commitment to see beyond what we think we know, see, think or believe puts us in alignment with the will of God. In surrendering our will, we grow our light and learn to listen. This is the sutra for the new age, "there is a way through every block." This way is the way of love and this love is God, beckoning each and everyone of us home. Make this your will so that at all times, you are a forklift and an inspiration, full of peace, wisdom and love.

May we emerge from the ashes, brighter,lighter, happy and free.

Amen.