We are usually aware when we are totally against something, and we either make it okay because we feel the judgment is warranted, or we attempt to soften it by saying something like, “Bless their heart.”  But oftentimes we miss the subtle judgments because they only last a second, and poof! our mind is on to something else. For instance, I might go into a store that is short on service and instead of acknowledging that service is missing, I will just have a thought that I don’t like this store. In one instance I would be in judgment, and in the other I would be stating a fact. And if I am in a centered, heartful place, just recognizing a need for service would project that energy to them.

As you can see, your mind can be the director of negative or positive energy, but it will always be actively projecting something. With awareness you can have a choice. But the judgmental trap that takes away our choice is the silent judgments. I call them silent because of both the commonality and the speed with which they happen. Poof! They quickly fire in your mental synapses and then you are off to your next thought.

Passing judgments can range simply from noting an ugly colored garment to hating that your clerk did not return your smile. None of them are big enough to linger over, but at the end of the day, their total time taken might surprise you. Some judgments are considered to be so obviously right to you, that you may even forget to add them in as a “poof” space when you journal in the evening. You may not even count some judgments, because you consider them to be part of your moral code.

Many of your judgments can trap you into defending their existence. But all are destructive in their own way. However, the judgment I consider to be most destructive is the judgment you place against yourself. Most people can be extremely judgmental when they make even a small mistake. And a big mistake might cause mental ranting and raving for days. These negative thoughts take up a lot more space than the numerous “poof” judgments. But if your intent is to direct positive energy into the world, then you probably want to become aware of both.