Judgment is Asking, “So What?”

Just because you notice something happening in the world and comment on it, that doesn’t mean you’re judging.

Witnessing is saying “what’s so.”

Judging is saying “so what?”

When you simply look at something and witness what is, you’re giving a direct perspective on what is.

When the mind jumps in and starts concocting a whole story around what’s so, that’s when judgment starts entering the picture, regardless of if the story is good or bad.

Discernment would be saying that this tree is taller than that tree.

Judgment would be saying that this tree is somehow better than that tree because it’s taller, straighter, or has more fruit.

“Thou shalt not judge” is not a suggestion to ignore the fact that your food is rotten and smelly and eat it anyways. If your food has gone bad, simply don’t eat it. Thank goodness you have the ability to discern that it’s not healthy for you. At the same time, nothing wrong is happening. You’re witnessing the decomposition of physical form, a critical part of the process in the circle of life.

You can witness yourself smiling and waving at a stranger and not getting any response back from them. This is witnessing “what’s so.” Nothing wrong with this.

The mind can then take this any number of ways and make up different stories about it to try and keep you safe. This is the “so what?” part. For example,

“That person didn’t wave back. What a rude and inconsiderate person!”

or

“They didn’t like me. I must be worthless and unworthy. Perhaps I’m ugly and I smell too.”

or

“I need to work on being more outgoing and energetic. I need to work at getting better at getting people’s attention.”

or

“People are easily distracted and often caught up in their own worlds which is unfortunate. I’m such a nice person in that I make a conscious effort to brighten up their worlds. It’s okay if they’re too wrapped up in their thinking to see me. I understand.”

or

“Life is such a fun place. There’s so many wonderful people around I can interact with. Everyone is a great person including me for seeing life like this.”

All of these stories are stories spun in the mind to answer the question, “so what?” in response to “what’s so.”

Any time you seek to answer the question “so what?” by determining “what does this mean,” judgment is coming into the picture.

It is this judgment that is coloring your experience of the world. It is judgment that is distorting your perception of reality.

Judgment can be dropped. It covers up your true nature by getting you lost in your head rather than being right here in this moment, witnessing what is.

There’s no need to label anything good or bad.

In fact, there’s no need to label or story-tell at all. “I’m smiling and waving at this person.” Why would you need to tell yourself that? You already know you’re doing it.

Labeling and story-telling in your mind is a great way to lead to more illusion rather than Truth.