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 ..

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



what is the distinction between discernment and