|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Letting Go of Judgment - Finding Good (God) In Others
"I resolve to speak ill of no man?and proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody."-Benjamin Franklin "Judge not, that ye be not judged." -Matthew 7:1 Letting Go of Judgment - Finding Good (God) in Others Everyday we make thousands of judgments about people, places, situations and events. These judgments happen so quickly and are such a part of our lives that we are not even aware that we are passing judgment. How we were raised and what we were taught play a significant role in how we judge what is happening around us. Judgment can protect us and keep us from making mistakes but judgment can also prevent us from seeing clearly. So how do we know the difference? Look to the source of the judgment. Is it coming from your intuition telling you that something doesn't quite feel right? This called discernment and is a valuable use of judgment. Or is it coming from your ego telling you that you are superior to another or that you know better than they do? When we judge another person's actions or behavior we are saying that we know what is best for them, that we have the best rule book or the best solution. We expect others to see things exactly the way we do. But how can they? Were they raised under the same circumstances as us? Dr. Loren Ekroth states: "No two people experience the same reality, so how can we know what is exactly right for another soul?" We can't. But there is something we can do. We can strive to put ourselves in the other person's shoes and reach across the difference of opinion to find the common ground on which we all stand. We can bring out the best in others by looking for what's good about them ? not what's wrong. What you focus on expands, so why not put your attention on the best in people? If we seek to understand and look below the surface of the behavior, we may find that the other person is in need of kindness from us. Then we can show our true nature by extending such kindness. There is a principle called the Pygmalion Effect. This principle states that if we expect the best from another and communicate such to them, they will respond by adjusting their behavior to match. Test this principle over the rest of the month. See what you can do to find and bring out the best out in others! Copyright February 2005 by Vicki Miller As a Life Transition Coach I work with clients to identify what's most important to them and prioritize around these values. I help my clients identify and remove obstacles in the way and bring clarity and focus to their dreams. What is your dream? Are you undergoing a major transition and not clear where to turn? Call (972-306-4489) or email me, (coach.v.miller@verizon.net), to set up a complimentary, no obligation 30 minute coaching session. Download my FREE e-Book, 12 Fun Ways to Change Your Life, or sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter at http://www.thrivingthroughchange.com
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
People May Let You Down Is your hope in God? Or, is it in people? 100 Steps To Eternity There is a chronology of events from creation to the eternal kingdom of God, which is distinctively presented to us within the scriptures. Like a three-dimensional picture, the more intently we focus on God's word, the more clearly we begin to see the complete picture emerge. Did You Use Your Sword Today? It's real easy to look at the physical world around us and not see swords being used. To even find one it is often necessary to go to a museum. So what am I talking about? Masculine Energy versus Feminine Energy I have been reading a lot lately about the concepts of masculine and feminine energy. It all sort of goes along with the yin and yang definitions of masculine and feminine. I do not think I need to define the differences for you. The ideas I feel called to address today have more to do with the finger pointing and blame going on in the spiritual communities. Some religions believe in a masculine god and others in a feminine goddess. There is this snobbish assumption that only one is correct and that the other belief is foolish and misguided. Each believes that if everyone would subscribe to their particular vision of power, then all would be right with the world. Response - Ability Divine Source The time has come for the mass population on Earth to respond with each of your Divine ability to connect to your Higher Self, God, Holy Spirit, or whatever name you may give to your Highest and purest Spiritual connection to All That Is in the universe. Why There Are Four Gospels The first gospel written by Matthew,who is Levi, is the first archtype of Christ in you as the fulness of the Godhead. The Best Laid Plans We all know that the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes go awry, so we shouldn't be surprised when the best laid lifeplans go awry, too. Near Death Experiences: Is there a Logical Explanation? In an edition of Reader's Digest, I stumbled upon a compelling article, "After Life," by Anita Bartholomew. The article takes an intricate look into the controversial world of "after life" or "near death experiences." I found myself being hurled into the riveting article like a child in a candy store. In Ms. Bartholomew's revealing summary, van Lommel (a British researcher) made an interesting statement, "You can compare the brain to a TV set. The TV program is not in your TV set." Thus, where lies the consciousness? 5 Shortcuts to a Life of Charity Charity isn't the easiest virtue to master. And with St. Paul's warning that our good works mean nothing without charity, we see how important it is to practice. Here's a few practical ways to install charity into every day life. Gods Name... Creation and Undoing! Over the past number of years, while going through my studies and research, information and answers come to the surface that are most astounding. I have come to understand things differently than I was taught in years of Catholic schooling. Although, I still believe in the "bigger picture" and "something greater", it has taken on a different tone and context. It has turned from a fearful system of faith to a confident system of knowledge and thought. Overcoming Burn Out Burn out, it can happen to anyone. Some of the common signs of burn out can be (although not an all inclusive list) depression, mental, emotional and spiritual fatigue, overreacting to little things, negativity, lack of concern over the work / tasks that need to be done, frustration, anger, feelings of powerlessness, weight loss or gain, insomnia. My Search for the Truth I am a Falun Dafa practitioner. Maybe you've heard about the persecution of Falun Dafa (or Falun Gong) practitioners in China. Over the past five years, many people have been committed to mental institutions, tortured, detained, imprisoned, and even killed, simply for refusing to give up this practice. Unfortunately, most Americans don't know about this situation, or they've been given a negative impression, and so the persecution goes on. My intention is to give my impression of Falun Dafa, and hopefully, bring an awareness of this situation to the people of this country--a country that was founded on the basis of religious and spiritual freedom. All of my life, I have been searching for answers to all of life's most fundamental questions: Why am I here? What is the purpose of life? Why do bad things happen to good people? Who is God? Why does He allow all of this? As a child and again as a teenager, I searched for the answers in Christianity, and even though I sensed wisdom and truth in the teachings of Jesus--being honest, loving thy neighbor, turning the other cheek--there seemed to be something missing. Maybe something got lost in the translation. I didn't have a problem with not understanding everything about God's actions--I mean He is God after all, and so how can I expect to understand Him? However, I did feel that I had some legitimate questions about justice. For instance, why do really bad things happen to seemingly good people? Why are babies born with deformities? How could this person's life of ninety years be equal to that person's life of 25 years? If all you have to do to go to heaven is believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, then what kind of a place would heaven be? I mean, I know a lot of people who believe that, and I'm not really sure that heaven would be better than earth if that were the case. Also, what happens to people who have never been exposed to Christianity or believe in some other god or religion? Obviously, I had a lot of questions that could not be answered within the framework of contemporary Christian religions. Consequently, I gave up the search--at least for the time being. When I was twenty-three years old, I became ill. Over the next few years, I became unable to work, and I was eventually diagnosed with lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and vasculitis. I had problems with every joint in my body; I couldn't stand, sit, or use my hands for any length of time; I had no stamina and slept for about twelve hours every day; I often had acute pain that came and went for apparently no reason and chronic pain that could last for hours; I often could not get comfortable enough to go to sleep; because of the amount and kind of medication that I took, I developed a lot of digestive problems; and I often ran a low-grade fever for days, and sometimes, weeks at a time. Over the last two years, the vasculitis had become quite bad. I would often break out in large hives all over my body, and would get large spontaneous 'bruises' on my legs and arms that were not the result of any trauma and which took an unusual length of time to heal. I knew that this could not go on indefinitely, and so I had come to accept the fact that the length of my life was severely limited. I thought that I would just try to live what was left of my life the best that I could, but I still longed for the answers to those age-old questions. Even though I believed I would receive the answers when I died, I decided that I would ask for them while I still lived. So, one day, I imagined myself crying out to the universe for help. I remembered reading in a book that if you ever have a question, you should go to the library. Even if they don't have the answer, they can probably help you find it or where to go to get it. So, I went to the library to look for the answer. In the foyer, there is a bulletin board with flyers, announcements, etc., and shelves beneath. I looked all over the bulletin board, all over the shelves, and on the bottom shelf, underneath something else, there was a brochure: a bright blue brochure with oriental characters on it. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was the answer. It was a Falun Dafa pamphlet, and inside was a contact name and number. That was February 6th of 2000. I started practicing Falun Dafa within days. Within weeks, I was able to stop taking all of my medication, I became free of my illnesses, and I was eventually able to go back to work. These things were really just fringe benefits to me--after all, I was just looking for answers, not healing--but I became well just the same! The practice of Falun Dafa is very simple. It consists of five exercises--four standing, and one sitting meditation--and a set of three principles, which we believe to be the nature of the universe: Zhen (True), Shan (Good), and Ren (Endure). The exercises are gentle and relaxing, as well as energizing. The practice of implementing the principles-to be True, Good, and Endure--is simple, and yet amazingly powerful. You may notice that they are the same basic principles that Jesus taught, as well. At the very base level, Falun Dafa is learning how to be a better person in every aspect of life: at home, at work, and socially. At a higher level, the goal is the same as other practices: wisdom and enlightenment. Falun Dafa is not a religion: we don't worship any particular God, although we do recognize the existence of great enlightened beings throughout history such as Jesus, Sakyamuni, Lao Zi, Amitabha, etc.; we don't have temples; we don't have any type of administration; we don't have any rituals; there are no requirements; there is no membership; and we absolutely do not involve ourselves with money. If you want to learn about Falun Dafa, any practitioner can and will teach you the exercises for free, all the books can be downloaded from the internet for free, and we do not even accept donations. It's a pace-yourself kind of course--you practice when you want to, how often you want to, and for how long you want to. It is completely up to you whether you practice or not. Falun Dafa may very well be the largest spiritual movement in the history of the world. Right now, there are an estimated 100 million practitioners world-wide, with practitioners in over 50 countries, including the United States and China. All we want is to be good people and be able to practice our beliefs--our cultivation--without persecution. Speaking of those answers: I did find them, as well. I also found a peace of mind and a sense of being that I never could have imagined. My goal is still to live my life the best that I can, but I also want to share what I have found with others who may be able to benefit as well. I would also like to inform those who believe that we all have a basic human right to practice our beliefs without being persecuted about the situation for millions of Falun Dafa practitioners in China. For more information, please see the following websites: Faluninfo.net (for information about the persecution/to sign an electronic appeal)Falundafa.org (for information about the practice itself) Watch Your Language! I have a big mouth. If you have read my testimony, you know that I have struggled with panic attacks and an anxiety disorder that most of the time left my tongue paralyzed when it came to simple things, such as ordering a meal or answering the phone. God delivered me from the solitude I had imprisoned myself in. However, I had a new problem--now I talked too much. True Justice and Freedom The world's idea of justice and freedom fall short of their purpose. Prison bars keep the guilty from repeating their crime while behind them. They cannot change the person. Freedom comes with a price. We have to take responsibility for our actions. We are never free from the tensions of living on the earth. We must pay the price of making a living and existing among people of different temperaments and cultures. Being in Christ is the perfect answer because he has already paid the price for our sins. Living Between Two Worlds! We are all here on this plane, thinking to ourselves "who am I and what am I doing here?" I believe this question is bouncing around in the heads of many people! Some of us then go in search of our answers by asking people whom we think know more than ourselves for help! We seek guidance from our mediums and psychics, from religions and other groups that we think we might find an answer and in most cases we are still left wondering. Have we ever stopped to question why? Have we asked ourselves why we are not convinced by the answers we get from other people? Why Would You Want to be Enlightened? Yesterday, a marketing guru asked me a question that left me speechless. Unforgiving Servant - Why Would You Hurt Yourself Like This? Everybody knows that if you stick your hand in a fireyou're going to be burned. This is a fact that wasbranded in our minds since childhood, therefore weusually take special precautions when dealing withfire. You wouldn't intentionally burn yourself becauseyou are aware of the pain and discomfort it will causeyou. Meta-Rational Thought We, the human species, stand on the threshold of a new era? True Health Some may ask, is there any truth to have a healthy life. I say yes it is. Let' see what the Bible says. First look at the book of Proverbs 3:3 it says Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck; write them on the table of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Now look further at verse 3:7 it says Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. It says also in the book of Proverbs 4:20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life. Trust in God Ecclesiasts 5:18 Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him-for this is his lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work-this is a gift of God. 20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
