Step Sixty

 Tatiana Samoilova as Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina in 1967

Today is the 186th anniversary of Leo Tolstoy's birth

Step 60. I Will Not Judge The World Today.

Without your judgments, Knowledge can indicate what you must do and what you must understand. Knowledge represents a greater judgment, but it is a judgment that is very different from your own, for it is not born of fear. It does not possess anger. It is always meant to serve and to nourish. It is just, in that it gives true recognition to every person’s current state without belittling their meaning or their destiny.

Do not judge the world today so that you may see the world as it is. Do not judge the world today so that you may accept the world as it is. Allow the world to be exactly as it is so that you can recognize it. Once the world has been recognized, you will realize how much it needs you and how much you will want to give to it. The world does not need blame. It needs service. It needs truth. And above all, it needs Knowledge.

Every hour today, take a moment and look at the world without judgment. Repeat the affirmation for today and spend a moment looking at the world without judgment. Regardless of what appearance you may see, whether it pleases you or displeases you, whether you find it beautiful or ugly, whether you think it is worthy or unworthy, look at it without judgment.

Practice 60: Hourly practice.

Here you will find the entire book free for download http://stepstoknowledge.com/

Here you will find pointers for getting started if this is your first encounter with this practice: Taking the Steps to Knowledge.

January 19, 2013 Round One: The world does indeed need Knowledge, I am very acutely aware of this, but I am able to look at the world without judgment and see that it has not yet reached the level of Knowledge required to make global, across-the-board changes. I am hopeful that this will occur, although I also sometimes feel that my hope is naïve. However, I feel no anger or judgment at the state of the world, just a desire to do my very small part to make it a better place.

September 8, 2014 Round Two: "Above all, the world needs Knowledge." 

I so agree with this, it confirms and affirms all I know. Knowledge removes the need for judgment, because in Knowledge there is no judgment, there is only what is.

This Step says to look at the world without judgment even if it is pleasing, beautiful, and worthy. Today while I was out walking I saw so many pleasing, beautiful and worthy scenes involving small children and babies. And I thought to myself, am I not judging still by naming them beautiful? Is judgment only negative, or is putting any label on what I see, even if it is inspiring and uplifting, still judgment? 

Judgment tends to be thought of as criticism, disparagement, finding fault, but this Step adds another dimension by asking me not to judge, no matter how things appear to me, “whether it pleases you or displeases you, whether you find it beautiful or ugly, whether you think it is worthy or unworthy.” 

This makes the assignment harder, it means I need to look with impartiality, without having an opinion, without having a personal preference. Just look and see, but don’t qualify.

August 22, 2018 Round Three: I am to look at the world without judgment, recognize it as it is. It does not need blame, it needs service, truth and Knowledge. I was not judging the world at 6 and 7 am. Michael is coming today with his girlfriend Lera, whom I have never met. I am wondering if she is the girl I have been seeing for Michael? I will find out today. 

She is. She is wonderful - clear, pure, open, confident, joyous and true.