In this engaging discussion, La Sarmiento, a seasoned Vipassana meditation practitioner and mindfulness teacher, explores the intricacies of judgment. They clarify the distinction between being judgmental and discerning, highlighting how mindfulness can help us recognize and mitigate harmful judgment. La gives insight into the allure of gossip, shares four vital questions for self-reflection, and emphasizes the importance of self-compassion on the path to true self-acceptance. This conversation is a refreshing take on navigating judgment, both of ourselves and others.
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Early Judgment
La Sarmiento realized they were queer and non-binary at five years old.
This led to feelings of being inherently wrong, fueling judgment of others to feel better.
insights INSIGHT
Internalized Judgment
La Sarmiento's judgmentalism internalized, leading to self-doubt, especially in their career.
They compared themselves to colleagues, feeling less qualified and questioning their worth.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Four Questions for Judgment
Ask yourself four questions when you notice judgment: Is my heart open or closed?
Am I suffering or free? Empowered or disempowered? Connected or disconnected?
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Can mindfulness really pull you out of a spiral of self-judgment? Don’t you need to be judgmental sometimes? What’s the difference between being discerning and judgmental?
Description:
Meditation and mindfulness doesn’t uproot your capacity to be judgmental, but it can help you see the value in being judgmental by learning how to work with the judging mind.
La Sarmiento has been practicing Vipassana meditation since 1998. La is a mentor for the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program, a teacher with Cloud Sangha, and a contributor to the Happier Meditation app.
In this episode we talk about:
How mindfulness can help us identify when we’re being judgmental
The difference between discernment and judgment
How it can be so delicious to be judgmental of others – but why it’s actually harmful to ourselves and others
The four questions to ask when we notice ourselves going into judgment mode
How to operationalize the phrase “am I suffering right now?”
Investigating the motivations behind striving for success
Why owning up to being a jerk is sometimes the exact right answer