A talk by James Baraz, a co-founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center, on working with the judging mind in meditation practice. Sometimes the best ones who can perform deep meditation are the worst ones.
When developing a mindfulness practice to work with feelings of anxiety, practicing non-judgment is central. It is a foundation of mindfulness, and it may help us open up to whatever our experience is. Rather than denying, invalidating, or pushing aside any feelings, we allow ourselves to come face to face with them. We give them space to breathe so that they can then be released.
We may not be aware of it, but judgment is often entwined with anxiety. When we feel anxious, chances are our judging mind is assessing the situation as threatening (whether the threat is real or perceived). Investigating the judgment we carry within us may help us release it. By naming (or labeling) the presence of aversive judgment within us, we may have a greater say over how much control it has.
More from: James Baraz
