Judgment of Others Hides Sleep

Judgment of Others Hides Sleep

Do you ever wonder why your friends do the silly things they do? I wonder and feel they really should know better. I catch myself often having strong feelings and a complete conversation in my head about the way people lead their lives. I also have strong views on what my family's priorities should be. When I’m in a store and I see behavior that seems inappropriate I am incredulous. People should make better choices and mind their behavior.

All these opinions and “should’s” can be classified as mechanical judgment ‘I’s. When I’m not on my guard, my machine runs wild and generates judgment ‘I’s about how other people should be behaving and filling their time. These ‘I’s come automatically and are fast and full of energy. And if I’m particularly identified with some person or some activity then my energy and vehemence level is further ramped up.

The psychological pitfalls of this form of sleep are manyfold. Such automatic and inattentive mind activity lacks understanding, compassion, and relativity. In other words, there is nothing easier than judging another person for what they do or don’t do. But that is the least of the pitfalls. The bigger problem is that my focus on others prevents me from seeing my own sleep and overshadows or covers up my inconsistencies and poor choices. How convenient! My focus on the behaviors of others keeps me asleep and props up my ego at the expense of others.

With self-remembering and self-observation, my level of compassion, understanding, and relativity is infinitely greater. You might even say that the judgment ‘I’s disappear, or at least fade into the background. To free ourselves from judgment ’I’s, we must judge less. To remember ourselves, we need to remember to be here, to accept the world as we find it.

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Woman Holding a Balance, Johannes Vermeer