Do you have a Judge in your mind making you wrong for who you are, what you do, why you do it, what you should have done and how you should have done it? Do you find yourself second-guessing yourself about what you are about to say or do... then don't do or say it? Do you ever call yourself "stupid" or "an idiot" for things you said or did or didn't do? What about the things you want from others, and don't ask for because it would be "wrong" or "foolish?"
All of this criticism in the mind is the voice of the inner judge. He is there to make sure you don't make mistakes. He thinks he's is in charge of proper behavior in all situations. And he does it by making you wrong for who you are and what you do.
I think for most of us, if a real person was following us around talking to us like the inner judge we would do everything we could to shut him up. Many people don't even realize the voice is there, or, as an apprentice once told me, "I thought that voice was there to help me, it sounds just like my mother, and she was helping me...or was she?"
The inner judge actually thinks he is helping us by keeping us from the danger of being judged and rejected. We cannot tolerate being rejected, so the judge keeps us in line. He keeps us small.
People have different strategies for dealing with the judge. Some procrastinate to postpone the judgment, others try to get everything perfectly right to avoid judgment. Some rebel against the judge, others get drunk to numb the pain of the rejection. Everyone has a strategy of choice.
On the Joydancer Toltec path, we learn to become the Spiritual Warrior -- that part of us connected to the perfection of the Divinity that creates and animates this universe. The Warrior knows the judge is lying if he says we are not perfect. How could we be defective or flawed if we are a part of one perfect whole universe...?
The Warrior goes to battle with the judge in the inner world, until he is quiet and all is at peace. This is the path of the Joydancer Spiritual Warrior, the path of peace.
Of course, there is much more to the story. We'll be sharing it during my radio show this Sunday, January 29, 7:00 pm pacific time. Information is below. Please join me for, "the rest of the story."
You can also find freedom from the inner judge as a member of our online community, "TACO," see below.
Good things are happening in Chacala, Nayarit, Mexico. I hope you'll come visit. More details below.
