Practice Gratitude, Break the Cycle of Judgement

How we see, and how we think we are seen, slides on a scale between negative and positive. This scale is based on the impressions created in our minds by psychological imprints that we have collected throughout our lives (samskaras). These concepts form habits which affect our personality and our view or judgement of other people and circumstances.

Fortunately, we can adjust how our views manifest when dealing with differences, which may help soothe some of their harmful effects.

Practice gratitude. Since judgement and gratitude are opposites, and in yoga we are taught pratipaksha-bhavana (opposite thinking), whenever you notice judgey thoughts popping up, take a moment to examine any bias that may be rising in your consciousness. Try to shift your attention to an aspect of the person or situation that you feel grateful for. Gratitude shifts our awareness from fear to compassion and helps us see things from a different perspective.

Decide not to project expectations about someone you have not met, greet new people with an open mind.

If you find yourself on the other end of a negative judgment, let it go. After all, no one can know you the way you know yourself.

Be friendly to someone who is friendly toward you, put your guard down and trust that their happiness can rub off on you.

Know that you can not control everything. People make mistakes, even you. Learn to cut yourself some slack and let this lesson extend to others.

“By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, the mind stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.” — Sri Swami Satchidananda, Yoga Sutra 1.33 from Patanjali