The Last Judgment - 1/16/2012

I think it's only fitting that my first update of the year 2012 is on Martin Luther King Day and that it deals with an issue that almost all of us wrestles with on a daily basis. That issue is judgment, and regardless of whether we judge for or against a person, an idea, an experience, or a thing.....it will always be in stark contrast to reality, and thus it will invariably lead to suffering.

Buddhists believe that desire is the root of all suffering. But I think that's built upon a pre-existing assumption that is itself erroneous. Desire means we wish for something that isn't so, that's not actually occurring...and so we've judged against the moment and determined that we'd rather experience it differently. Therefore, one might assume judgment is directly correlated to suffering, and of course it is...but what does judgment represent? Judgment is simply a decision that we make, or ...to be precise, a decision that is made FOR us, by that which we believe we ARE; our ego.

Our ego is constantly judging our experience. It qualifies, praises, admonishes, and critiques every aspect of our lives, and would do so all the time if we allowed it. The ego does this because it must, it exists solely out of the need to substantiate and differentiate itself from everything else. It's an illusion derived from the biggest misconception we have; separation. So in order to prevent the awareness of our unity from ever becoming a part of our mindset, the ego judges, rants, and raves....elevating some experiences as desirable and some people as kin, but ridiculing most everyone and everything as something foreign, unexceptional, or even wholly unwanted.

Suffice it to say, the ego often takes precedence in our minds, shouting loudly over the still small voice within that reminds us of our oneness. And so we forget ourselves, we forget one another, and we identify with the egoic delusion that, because of its vigilance, easily usurps control of our thoughts.

And while I don't put much, if any, stock into the conspiracy theories involving December 21st, 2012, I DO believe that there will be Last Judgment. This will come for all of us eventually, for it is when we will resign our minds and our hearts to the spirit, and the ego shall dissolve in the light of our true nature. No longer shall we judge someone positively or negatively, rather we will embrace them fully, knowing that they too are children of God. This will hold true for all places, events, and moments in our lives. We'll set aside our labels and our preconceptions and just experience them for what they truly are. This day will herald a new world order, and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

I pray that day may come for each of us soon.