Something one hears quite often in the contemporary yoga scene is “Don’t be so judgmental.” This has some level of truth, but quite often it’s used inappropriately. In fact, the ability to make judgments is a not only a human tendency but a gift. We’re always making judgments, probably due to an evolutionary impulse to evaluate whether something in the environment is going to eat us or if it’s something we’d like to eat. We are always scanning our surroundings and making flash judgments about safety and threat. This expands to judgment of good and bad and the value of things; ultimately it aids us in making wise decisions.

From this perspective, judgment is useful for us. One needs it to effectively function in the world, and increased ability to do so enhances householder life. We need to judge whether the skillet is too hot to handle, the food is spoiled, or whether some particular course of action will be of benefit. And the broader concept of viveka, or discernment, is highly valued in the yoga tradition. The increased ability to be discerning and use good judgment is a hallmark of progress on the path of yoga.

Judgments are used to discern what is problematic, bad, or unacceptable in the world. At a societal or political level, for example, we use judgment to evaluate a person or policy and decide whether the associated words, actions, or likely results are uplifting, true, useful, and good—or whether they’re false or detrimental, and therefore problematic. In general, we need to use our judgement and then set boundaries around words and actions that are harmful, untruthful, and damaging.

This is by no means easy! It is a human tendency to quickly judge something as good and then attach to it. Likewise, when judging things as bad, there is a tendency to push them away. These are two of the kleśas/hindrances outlined by Patañjali in the Yoga Sūtra (YS 2.3). We must be aware of how judgment is operating in our lives, since thoughts are the result of innate human tendencies and saṃskāric patterning.

Judgment isn’t necessarily bad, just like the citta-vṛttis/fluctuations of the mind aren’t all bad. Judgments are simply thoughts that are more or less accurate and refined. One must learn to discern when thoughts are aligned with the Highest and when they are detrimental saṃskāric patterning. Meditation clears out the obstructions to the wisest Self so spontaneous judgments eventually become more accurate.

REFLECT AND EXPLORE

Notice how often you use your capacity of judgment. Does it feel like a gift or a hindrance?

When is judgment a good thing, and when is it problematic?

I generally go with my intuition on what needs to be said at a particular time, and this week it is also what is up for me right now: FEAR. I’ve been facing a number of challenges from the physical (nothing life-threatening, no worries!), to the mental and emotional, in addition to the existential crises we are facing politically and environmentally, and several other situations where I’m seeing it in myself and others. It is a lot to hold, and I’m sure some of you are similarly challenged.

Unlike many of the teachings we consider, I don’t have a specific text to point to this time, but fearlessness is alluded to in the tradition through many of the images of the Gods and Goddesses, as well as the Buddha. They raise a hand with the palm facing out, in a gesture known as abhaya mudra. It literally means “no fear,” fearlessness, or have no fear.

When I experience fear, it is important first of all to see and acknowledge it. So many times we’re driven by fear unconsciously, and it gets projected inappropriately on to someone or something else. Next it is a matter of assessing whether it is appropriate, because sometimes it is and we need to protect ourselves.

Often the fear boils down to a fear of uncertainty, of not knowing what is next, or wanting to control the situation and not being able to, fear of not being capable, failure, imperfection, having to let go of something or someone, or simply having to deal with something unpleasant. Often we are filled with fear when we’re on the cusp of something, starting a new enterprise, dealing with a health challenge, or a breakthrough in our personal or spiritual development. As I assess my fear, I often turn toward analyzing and processing, with myself or another, and that can be important as well.

But ultimately I’ve found my practices have helped me the most. My yoga asana practice can be incredibly useful. I faced fear many times approaching particular poses and I know I can breathe through it. A greater awareness of my breath allows me to more readily notice fear arising and breathe deeply since I’ve established that pattern over many years of practice, which physically relaxes me. Often when I get on my mat, breathe and move the energy through me, the fear dissipates.

I’ve learned philosophically how so much of fear is due fundamentally to the human condition of manifesting into a limited individuality with the associated occlusions which can lead to a feeling of lack, of feeling less than, inadequate, incapable, and so on. Through my practices, I am slowly removing the occlusions to my heart so that sourceplace of courage is more accessible. I also find myself able to keep a larger perspective on things, to keep in mind my svadharma, my life’s purpose, and to not let the fear take over from pursuing what I must.

One of the teachings I recently shared was about silence, and it actually takes a lot of courage to be quiet. Many people fill their awareness with stimuli of various sorts precisely so they do not have to look inside. It takes courage to close your eyes and look deep inside to see what is hidden there. It can be scary to see how much of our experience is of our own creation, how repetitive our thoughts and actions can be, and it requires courage to confront these realities of our inner workings. But as well, having mustered the courage to go inside, we discover the luminosity of our innermost self, the light of our heart which can give us courage and guide us through fearful situations.

Courage is something we can consciously muster, but with continued meditation, it also arises more spontaneously as our awareness becomes more clarified, and as we’ve gone through the process of moving through these uncomfortable shifts that often occur over the course of years of sadhana. In fact, we may even invite in those issues we need to deal with in order to move further along the path.

As we sit in meditation we see the arising of habitual thought patterns of different types, including fear, and we work with them so we are no longer held captive by them. This eventually allows us to mindfully observe and do the same on a moment-by-moment basis as we move through our everyday life.

So my sense is that abhaya mudra acknowledges that fear is part of the process of transformation on all levels of our life, but particularly in the deepest layers of our being. The gesture reminds us that ultimately we are bigger than our fear, since we are in fact divine ourselves, and we can harness the greater energy of the heart to face whatever is manifesting in both or inner and outer worlds.