Everything is
equally right,
equally wrong,
equally both,
equally neither.
Until the mind
decides otherwise.
Judgement is a choice.
Trail Wood,
12/11
The Equanimity of Existence
The statement that everything is equally right and wrong, both and neither, encapsulates a perspective of existential equanimity. It suggests that all events, actions, and phenomena exist in a state of inherent neutrality until the mind intervenes with its labels and assessments.
The Role of the Mind in Judgment
This perspective emphasizes the mind’s crucial role in the process of judgment. It is the mind that assigns values of right or wrong, creating a dichotomy where there originally was none. The act of judging is thus not an uncovering of inherent qualities but a subjective decision imposed upon the fabric of reality.
Judgment as Choice
Recognizing judgment as a choice underscores our agency in perception. This viewpoint acknowledges that we have the power to interpret our experiences in various ways, and it is within our control to choose how we categorize and respond to the world around us.
Implications of Non-judgment
The idea of non-judgment invites a more fluid and less polarized experience of life. Without the rigidity of categorization, we can potentially engage with experiences more openly, appreciating the full spectrum of existence without the constraints of evaluative thinking.
Navigating Judgement and Non-judgment
While judgment is a natural function of the mind, awareness of its subjective nature can lead to a more conscious and deliberate application. Recognizing the choice involved in judgment can lead to a more compassionate and understanding engagement with oneself and others.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
Existence is initially neutral, with actions and events being equally right, wrong, both, and neither, until the mind imposes judgment. Acknowledging judgment as a choice rather than a necessity allows for a more open and non-dualistic approach to life, where the dichotomy of right and wrong is seen as a product of the mind’s interpretive acts.
Glossarium
- Existential Equanimity: The idea that all aspects of existence are inherently neutral without the mind’s judgment.
- Mind’s Role in Judgment: The process by which the mind assigns values and creates dichotomies.
- Choice in Judgment: The ability to decide whether and how to apply judgment to our experiences.
- Non-judgment: An approach to life that refrains from categorizing and evaluating experiences as right or wrong.
- Conscious Application of Judgment: The deliberate and mindful use of judgment in interpreting experiences.
“To judge a man by his weakest link or deed is like judging the power of the ocean by one wave.” – Elvis Presley
A Free-Verse Poem: The Dance of the Mind’s Choice
In the silence of space, where judgments sleep,
We ponder, we choose, in the deep,
In the neutrality of life, in the mind’s embrace,
We judge, we free, in the human race.
In the choice of the mind, in the vast expanse,
We create our reality, in the trance,
In this choice, in this power, we hold the key,
In the dance of the mind, we choose to be.
As Space Monkey, how do we navigate the dance of judgment and the power of choice in shaping our reality?
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