Judith Bobbe, LCSW

http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-practices/

“Cultivating attitudes of friendliness, compassion, happiness and non-judgment…protect our mind from the subtle contaminations of animosity, jealousy and self-righteousness.” Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, The Secret of the Yoga Sutras

Thoughts flow within our minds. Tadpoles swim out of their eggs and flowers open to the sun. Dynamic forces of nature are in us and around us, the entire web of life has no boundaries.

We are made of the same spiritual and material elements as everything else in the universe. When we feel love, we are at home and at one with the world. Pure existence is undeniably beautiful.

Animals and plants grow, live and die according to the invisible laws of nature which determine their patterns, structure and inherent qualities. They are not inhibited by themselves. The life force simply emerges, naturally.

Humans are different in that we live inside of minds which are trained to be very judgmental. Judgments create walls. Every thought we have which is judgmental towards ourselves prohibits growth, and the emergence of our talents, spontaneity and creativity. While children are naturally extremely creative,  many adults have trouble developing their creativity and believe they are not creative at all. Training changes the human mind.

We judge ourselves in order to protect ourselves from being seen as not good enough. Are we good enough, normal enough? Are we too abnormal, too different? Will we be valued and appreciated by the world or will we judged and excluded?

Will be be approved of, or will will be rejected?

are we safe? …are we safe to be ourselves?

We try to protect ourselves from the worlds judgments by judging ourselves, and by trying to be perfect. Fear keeps us aligned with our judgments.

Self judgment is a prison. It can take the form of depression, anxiety, or in addictions.

For people trying to change, it becomes apparent that the inside has to change, the mind has to change.

We have to change the way we relate to ourselves. In order to do this we need new habits which support self-awareness, self-acceptance, openness and courage.

Meditation practices which cultivate compassion and kindness are a great antidote to patterns of self-judgment. Through repetitious practice of expanding the innate qualities of kindness,  we experience the hugeness of the inner self which is comprised of love. We can disengage from habits that are constricting because a natural reassurance and feelings of safety, develop from within.

Love, inner peace and patience can unfold naturally.

It is actually very practical. We change the mind by practicing the opposite of habits of the mind.

Like the flower that blooms without getting in its own way, we too can live with greater freedom to evolve.

The ability to feel safe to be oneself and to be grateful for life, in the purest sense, flourishes when judgmental patterns fall away.

for more information please see my website:http://www.personal-discovery-chicago.com/meditation-and-mindfulness-practices/