The Only ‘Esoteric’ in the Village – Discernment or Judgement

By Fumiyo Egashira, Japan

This is about my trying to be esoteric and discerning, but because there was no self-love to begin with, I ended up being judgemental. This was exposed through my noticing of a sense of ‘relief’ which followed an uncomfortable sensation in my body: this ‘contraction/relief’ mechanism was traced back to an old belief I had held.

The other day, when I was checking out what my friends were getting up to, reading about what they were recommending – practitioners/presenters/modalities/methods/events etc – I noticed something: I felt as if I was looking for an evidence, a clue to form a judgement and to satisfy myself that they were not esoteric, not of truth, and actually feeling almost relieved when I decided that they were not. Relieved as if I somehow believed that it would make me less if they turned out to be of truth. 

A very similar belief actually came up during my session with an Esoteric practitioner a long time ago, and I thought I had got over it.

This realisation horrified me, pushing me into deep self-loathing and shame, then reminded me of something which made me laugh out loud: ‘The Only Gay in the Village’ – a sketch in a British comedy series called ‘Little Britain’.

In this sketch, this gay guy is dressed and behaving in a very obvious gay manner. He basically shuts himself off from the world, refusing to make connections, and remains aloof, claiming ‘he is the only gay in the whole village’ – while in fact there is another who is willing to embrace him into the community. He likes his position of being the only one so much that he blatantly refuses to accept that there is another gay in the village.

I am not gay, and I don’t live in a village, but wasn’t I separating and excluding myself from the others just like this character while whinging about not having anyone nearby who understands me and my choices – when in fact, the world could be full of equally beautiful people, just like me?

What’s also poignant is this: in this sketch, it is hinted that this ‘gay’ guy may not really be gay after all – this stopped me. This is just so exposing, embarrassingly so.

Here I was, judging the others’ choices as loveless, while I was the one who was holding back that love because I was disconnected and could not feel it inside me – hence the belief that said I would be less if I acknowledged the others’ glory.  

I was desperately looking for that missing part – love – knowing it could not be found outside myself, yet I kept looking out, until I convinced myself that the world had let me down.

So I had to ask myself – do I discern, or do I judge?

It is probable that I do discern correctly. But something else can happen as well.

What has often taken place is this:

I don’t allow and honour my own feelings fully, so this leaves an opening for judgement to be formed very, very quickly – about the subject, and also about myself for making that judgement itself. Once there’s an opening, love starts leaking and what’s not love is so fast to take charge and make the whole thing so complicated and emotionally charged.

I could have gone on to beating myself up for falling for that, but that sketch was way too funny and I had to surrender.

After all, “The Only Esoteric in the Village” in itself is oxymoronic – because when a separative perception takes over the Truth for me to experience the world this way, that’s no longer esoteric.

The old beliefs, the judgements – do not stand a chance against the True Love.

332 thoughts on “The Only ‘Esoteric’ in the Village – Discernment or Judgement

  1. Fumiyo I can totally relate to “while I was the one who was holding back that love because I was disconnected and could not feel it inside me”. Because in that I can feel the judgment I placed upon others and, it’s a no wonder we then go into the spiral of circulation energy and criticising of others.

    When we go deep within ourselves and know that everything we need is within us all, we stop that search outside of ourselves. Then there is no need for us to go elsewhere. And in that we can bring a reflection to others that they can do the same, if they so wish to too.

    Beliefs do not serve anyone but something else instead. It is all designed to keep us separate from one another. Drop/release/heal them, then life can be observed from a different perspective.

  2. Fumiyo, thank you for this fantastic blog which I too can relate to – I too have judged, and seen others as lesser, and I am still in the process of learning to not do this in more and more refined ways. LIfe is a big classroom full of learnings, and I am a forever student, learning and growing each and every day, each and every life.

    1. I agree Henrietta there’s still flavours of judgments within all of us and as we drop more, they become more and more refined – I love the processes. Because in that, we realise that we are all connected as brothers and sisters and not just blood relations…

  3. Judgement comes when we do not see another as an equal. We judge them, and to do this we must see them as lesser than us. And in so doing, we hold an arrogance in seeing ourselves as better than them. It is an ugly picture to not allow an equality in a relationship – but what keeps us there is the responsibility we would otherwise naturally step up to.

  4. The Ageless wisdom reveals much to us and all the wisdom that is revealed also holds a practicality in application which is transformative in its simplicity.

  5. We can make anything into a label that divides us, even the word ‘Esoteric’, it’s something we have been doing in many different ways for centuries. When we can be love and truly love all around us, there is not any confusion, just a holding and acknowledging of all equally, and with understanding.

  6. Exploring your story Fumiyo, we can get caught up in an way of thinking that keeps us separated from others or we can embrace life and let everyone in.

  7. In truth we are all esoteric, it just depends on how much we are truly living our true self – simple.

  8. It is so simple, true love has no trace of judgement in it. By nominating any thoughts, behaviours or choices we make that are laced with judgement, this is our first step towards love. We need honesty in all areas of our life in order to step onto our journey of return to love.

    1. So true Lieke, it always comes back to our relationship with ourselves, how much are we willing to love ourselves reflects how much we are willing to love others.

  9. Yes, that is the hardest bit to understand, that the judgement we have and place on another is affecting ourselves twofold. If we lived and moved in a kinder way with ourselves then we would find the judgement was no longer part and parcel of our make up.

  10. Firstly, how great is it that we can be called to see truth through comedy?! Secondly, when we let ourselves fall into the pit of judgement we then have to justify our position, there is nothing loving about that and I have come to know the Esoteric as being all about Love.

    1. Absolutely love what you have shared here Lucy – humour is paramount for us to handle our ‘doosies’ – well really, we don’t have to have humour to get by in life but it sure makes a huge difference! And justification is a way of digging ourselves deeper into the pit of ‘self’ – that part of ourselves that is simply resisting taking responsibility.

  11. I love the great honesty and humbleness you use to expose the lies we can live Fumiyo. Judgement is not born of love. It is born of all we use to fight it. Living esoterically is about returning to our innermost – a place that is in no way exclusive but shared by all others.

    1. Beautiful words Liane – ‘Judgement is not born of love’ and living esoterically is all inclusive and always about returning to the innermost that is a space that is shared by all. GOLD.

  12. Brotherhood can be challenging to accept, especially when identification has been the way for so long. But I always firmly hold on to the fact that we are endlessly given more and more opportunities to have another go, to learn each lesson once agin, until it is no longer needed. Brotherhood is a big one however, and I feel that it will take us quite a while as a collective humanity to really get to grips with this one.

  13. In our connection to love we see and know the divinity, the Godliness that we are in essence and also know that this is who we all equally are in essence. It is only in our separation to our essence that we behave in ungodly ways, yet in essence we remain unchanged.

  14. The moment we think that we are the “only ones” then we have separated from ourselves and each other.

    1. It’s a good point Elizabeth, that to be separated from each other and brotherhood we first have to separate from ourselves.

  15. A very honest sharing where you are able to discern where your part in comparison is. The fact is we are only different by our choices, and so it is about respecting others make different decisions but to remember we are all from the same place.

  16. When your movements are propelled by identification, you learn to move in a certain way and to judge others based on what you identify in their movements.

    1. So true Elizabeth – we are all sparks of God, all borne of His light and so the can be no difference in who we are in essence, the lightness of our being, our innate beingness.

  17. What I have come to understand is the true meaning of Esoteric – which is living from our inner-most. Sure I can choose to want to explore this, but it does not make me any more than anyone else – simply because every single one of us has an innermost – the only difference is some people choose to explore it.

  18. Judgement always comes with a mixing bag of others emotions that lead us far from the true choices that are offered when we bring respect and decency to our everyday movements.

  19. Isn’t it fascinating how often the things we judge others for the most is often something we actually are doing ourselves, it’s super wise to always bring it back to ourselves and not continue to focus on others, we’re all learning after all.

  20. Judgement does not bring us anywhere and it does not belong to us either. When we judge we separate ourselves form another which is not our natural way of living, that is – connect to our inner most, the esoteric.

  21. When we come to the point that we reconnect to that innermost quality, our essence, the esoteric, we can have disturbing thoughts in which we may think we are the only ones and is explainable from where we come. But that is far from the truth because we are all esoteric by nature, but we only have to activate it, which is mostly done by having experienced a reflection from one who is already living from that place.

  22. It’s a great point about how we can have preconceived thoughts or judgements that then cloud our perception of others rather than being open to see what is there in the moment.

  23. An easy trip up that many of us have tripped into…”Here I was, judging the others’ choices as loveless, while I was the one who was holding back that love…” we get in to our heads that people are not being loving and react to it and do not realise we are choosing exactly that ourselves….it is so important to look at where we judge, others or ourselves and be honest about it.

    1. Sure Samantha, in judgement there is always an aspect of ourselves to look at. Possibly we use it to mask these areas we are not taking full responsibility for yet.

  24. The moment we are in ‘trying to be” mode, the less likely we are to be able to connect to this. With esoteric simply meaning our inner most, a very natural untouched place within us, we don’t need to try to do anything. In fact the more we try the more roadblocks we place in our path. When we try to be something there is a picture of what that something looks like. So therefore we are setting ourself up to not re-connect with our inner most because trying does not work.

  25. We do this in so many ways, we sometimes can seclude ourselves and think that we’re the only person who is going through something and in that ignorance miss out on the fact that our friends and family could be going through something too.

  26. ‘Do I discern, or do I judge?’ An easy way to tell: do we feel expanded and solid in our discernment, or controlling and squashing with our judgment? Discernment brings us closer to living more of who we really are, and judgment take us further away from feeling and enjoying that innate connection to ourselves, and others.

  27. Once we disconnect from the love that resides in us we are at the mercy of the what is not love, the abusive behaviours and thoughts, the lack of self worth and self bashing, you name it.

  28. It is interesting to look at our behaviour, how much we relate our behaviour to other people we live with or see on the streets. I experience that there is a constant tendency to compare, and then not in the way to feel equal like in the esoteric, but more so to distinguish myself from the other, am I more or less. It is all on the same scale comparison is delivering while we do not live the love that the esoteric brings to us.

  29. Yes, the world is full of beautiful people who respond when they are presented with love and beauty. That has been a revelation for me to experience this.

  30. “I don’t allow and honour my own feelings fully, so this leaves an opening for judgement to be formed very, very quickly – about the subject, and also about myself for making that judgement itself.” This is a great one, I am finding there is judgement in so many areas that we are not aware of because it is a reflection we are seeing and feeling around us all the time! Great to choose to be more aware of it and then not react when it starts to reveal itself… Top tip: it may feel a bit overwhelming but the less you take it personally and beat yourself up for it the quicker it passes.

  31. It is true, Fumiyo, an amazing number of people respond when you approach them with love. Some don’t but many others are so positive, something I didn’t expect.

    1. That is true Christoph, we tend to only clock the ones that do not accept the love we present, but indeed there are so much more people that do accept and embrace it in full.

      1. And it is those moments of acceptance and embracing that are pure gold… and totally worth appreciating and celebrating.

  32. Such a great insight Adele, and very humorous which is a great way to look at what we don’t want to look at! A dose of humour goes a long way in lifting the mask of ill living ways.

  33. I love this metaphor Fumiyo, as we can so easily separate ourselves from another in our differences and choices and all the time we are love in our innermost essence.

  34. I loved that Fumiyo, so honest and exposing of the spirits choices to stay individual, quite happily bastardising truth to fit it agenda.

    1. Yes, and making self-bashing and remaining in the cycle of making mistakes and bashing oneself a popular pastime.

  35. ‘The old beliefs, the judgements – do not stand a chance against the True Love.’ Spot on Fumiyo, true love doesn’t need to judge or hold ideals and beliefs as it simply just is.

  36. When there is the slightest hint of judgement in any moment, then anything expressed thereafter can be loveless, empty and can cause great harm to ourselves and others until we are willing to be honest. By being open to clearing, by being open to understanding the root cause of the judgment and by nominating why we felt that way opens up opportunities for us to learn and grow.

  37. Judgement is an empty movement in separation that combines blaming with supremacy. Certainly, it is not the way forward and does not lead anywhere, not even confirms the one judging because what confirms is not true.

  38. “The old beliefs, the judgements – do not stand a chance against the True Love.” With True Love anything is possible.

  39. When we don’t found our interactions with others on both love and understanding, judgment can easily slip into the equation and completely sabotage the potential of the interaction.

  40. It is interesting, and I have definitely been caught out by this before – to think that for one to be ‘esoteric’ they have to be ‘involved’ with the work of Universal Medicine. When this is simply not the case. An Esoteric Inner-Heart resides in each person because that is the way the human body is energetically made. There is a connection to the soul within everyone and so there can be no exclusivity. Therefore an ‘Esoteric’ life is merely a practise in the movements that openly work to acknowledge that soul-full connection, a connection that is already there, the Esoteric life does not create it or make it happen, it just lets the soul out to be a part of our expression.

    1. This is a very significant point you make, Shami, that living an Esoteric live does not create the soul-full connection, instead it confirms it and in that confirmation, our expression becomes increasingly soulful.

  41. When we try to be something that we are not, the effort can turn into a judgement of others, for we have already felt that we have taken something on that is not true to ourselves.

    1. Yes so true, I had this conversation with someone yesterday about the enthusiasm that can come in when we find something that works for us and wanting it for everyone else without actually having lived it in full to discern if it is indeed right for your body or just right in your head. It can bring in a whole heap of judgment, trying and justification when it is a theory not a practice

  42. It’s very true that the moment we stop choosing to be love everything that is not love pours in.

    1. Very much so and when we are love we very much notice what we left in the past that is not love and we have the opportunity to discard it.

  43. ” This is about my trying to be esoteric ” its quite funny for truly we cannot try to be esoteric , for we are all truly esoteric and trying to be what we are will never work. Its like a dog trying to be a dog its just not possible.

  44. Such a beautiful and clearly exposing article on how we can hold ourselves above and aloof from others, believing we are better, greater or more knowledgeable but in truth we are holding ourselves away from the possibility that there is love and support and great wisdom in everyone we meet and in holding back we are not in fact reflecting any of our so called love and wisdom we think we have.

  45. ” because when a separative perception takes over the Truth for me to experience the world this way, that’s no longer esoteric. ” This is very true but the esoteric (inner-most) still lives even though its not being expressed. Thank you for sharing Fumiyo.

  46. “the world could be full of equally beautiful people, just like me?” When we choose to be aware of the beauty within ourselves we see it reflected back in others.

  47. Gorgeous to read again and such a powerful reminder to be humble and how easy it is to be arrogant and complacent.

  48. To live esoterically simply means to live from our inner most. Hence the irony if we are get caught up TRYING to live from this space, because the very act of trying indicates we are being way laid simply because we cannot ever try to be something we already are. Game over.

  49. Absolutely — we are offered the world by this blog. We can do this with any thing in life – exclude ourselves from others, but we learn from this blog that this is simply an illusion.

  50. Thats so great, its amazing who we meet and how incredible people are when we open up to meeting everyone equally no matter who they are or what they do. Often I find I am deeply surprised!

  51. Brilliant – so true.. There is no “The Only one in the village”, and judgement is no expression of love. So whenever we exclude ourselves from the whole, that we are, is saying no to the key responsibility we have – be your part of the whole in full integrity to it.

  52. I still marvel in complete awe of just how finely tuned our bodies are in sending us specific messages, alerting us to the truth we need to be aware of in any moment. What a blessing it is to have our own personal guide with this degree of finesse, that lets us know whenever we step away from being all the love that we innately are.

  53. When we only know ourselves to be the misfit or loner we have made the choice to be that and obviously it gives us something (identification) even when we are suffering the negative consequences that come with it. We really need to get to the truth of why we are doing what we are doing otherwise we are lost in the illusion of being helpless, overwhelmed or fighting life whereby we are actually the creators of our own fate.

  54. As long as we seek for identification so that we can make it about us in contrast or separation to others we will compare and judge. All of that is the opposite of esoteric but nevertheless needs to be dealt with as part of the esoteric journey back to the esoteric, i.e. the essence within, hence the process of discarding the lies and patterns and ideals and beliefs that make us blind to the truth.

  55. ‘So I had to ask myself – do I discern, or do I judge?’ A great question to ponder on – are we truly observing.

  56. This feels like an important observation – the one about not allowing and honouring our feelings fully. It’s almost as if if we don’t read and appreciate in full what we feel, the process is corrupted from the start. This is as much about observing, reading, understanding and accepting as anything else.

  57. Stunning article, Fumiyo, super-insightful and super-honest. That phrase ‘…love starts leaking…’ is sublime and describes perfectly the process. Yes, when we’re busy judging there’s not a lot of love in the house! Love your surrender into the humorous aspect of what you’d created as well.

  58. This is one of the most beautifully honest and powerful blogs I’ve ever read. I can really relate to comparing myself to others and hoping I’m the only one with ‘the truth’ ha! It really is very funny. The more I get honest with myself the more I can appreciate that everyone has a connection to truth and when any one chooses truth we all benefit.

    1. ‘The more I get honest with myself the more I can appreciate that everyone has a connection to truth and when any one chooses truth we all benefit.’ Beautifully said Leonne, as through honesty we come to the truth, and in truth we are all equal, and our expression from here is one that represents and honors all of us.

    2. Truth is on tap each step we take. The responsibility is in whether we choose to turn the tap on and let it trinkle or flow.

  59. Lovely, Fumiyo. Your honesty is inspirational and what you present here is an illusion that is very easy to fall for – the oxymoron, which you so delightfully expose.

  60. I love the absolute honesty here Fumiyo. Its something I have felt myself before and it is very uncomfortable to admit it to ourselves, but it is only in exposing these separative thoughts and actions that we can unify into the Oneness and Brotherhood we all so desperately, if unconsciously seek.

  61. We all without exception have a soul, and are intrinsically full of love. Can we see it in another, can we always make a point of connecting to that rather than any other behaviour that is layered on top for whatever reason? Failure to do so just exposes our own judgements and reactions, which is equally something to be learnt and observed.

  62. The moment we ‘try’ we are gone, lost to the jaws of a beast that seeks to keep us from the truth of who we are. We are love first before we are anything else, therefore what is the depth of the illusion we are ensnared by if we in any way try to be something we already are?

  63. It’s so easy to tick the box of being “esoteric”, but that’s more a doing and a trying, and it can become a label that makes us separate from others. But if we aren’t being love and living from the connection to our innermost heart then we aren’t truly living esoterically. It’s something that is so simple yet boy do we know how to complicate and reinterpret things. Thanks for your honest expression Fumiyo.

  64. I love this blog. It is a total illusion to think that we are the “only” one who feels like we do. Underneath all the protection that we put up we are in fact all the same.

    1. We all have spikes and defenses – the fact we can see others more easily does not take away from the fact and we should take heed of what we bring to situation. Its why getting some help and being open to others is so important, because they can see things are so obvious, unless you are living them as your way not realising how wayward they are.

  65. A great example of how easily we can judge, I love the honesty you share, ‘Here I was, judging the others’ choices as loveless, while I was the one who was holding back that love because I was disconnected and could not feel it inside me.’

  66. I love the very real and revealing awareness you raise Fumiyo, we can kid ourselves for only so long, but underneath there is always a well of love waiting to be lived through us with everyone.

  67. ‘Here I was, judging the others’ choices as loveless, while I was the one who was holding back that love because I was disconnected and could not feel it inside me – hence the belief that said I would be less if I acknowledged the others’ glory.’ Wow, something to appreciate here, how you have let yourself feel the falseness of what you had gone into. I can relate to what you are sharing, for me it comes down to cherish and honour the relationship I have with myself first and from there I cannot but share my embodied love with others.

  68. Honesty is one of the key tools we need to embrace when tackling judgement. we judge more than we realise and it is one great barrier to letting another in. Who likes being judged?

  69. When we value and appreciate who we are, there is less room for judgement and a greater awareness and understanding of others and the ways in which the world works. When we connect and value who we are, we then connect to the quality of movements that allows us to discern and move in a way that supports us to make decisions and our natural abilities to observe the world without judgement just a full heart of honesty, openness to learn and oodles of understanding of the whole picture and that is a pretty cool outlook for any village, city, state or country to consider.

  70. I like what you are sharing here Fumiyo, it is a great example how that what we put out into the world is reflected back to us.

  71. We are vehicles of either truth or the picture of what we think truth is. This is the reason why many clash externally, and internally. I do my best to not hold back – this helps me discover the false beliefs, but also confirms what is true. I had an interview today and was ‘stumped’ by a question. I then found myself in nervousness and the interviewer asked me if I was. I was real and honest – I found the empowerment from it and was able to answer later on anyway. I didn’t get the job but I felt the power in being myself and my potential. It was profound. This was more valuable to feel inside than to get the job. More importantly they got to feel this too. I was honouring me which was inclusive to them and all around me.

  72. Very true, ‘Once there’s an opening, love starts leaking and what’s not love is so fast to take charge and make the whole thing so complicated and emotionally charged.’ Key here is to close and heal our openings, which I am still working on.

  73. So true Fumiyo – the more love we know in ourselves the more love and equalness we offer another person. Life is definitely not just about us getting there but us all getting there together.

  74. The judgements we have of ourselves is our trick of wanting to cap ourselves in limitedness when in truth we are always expansive and grand. This becomes judgements towards others and voila we have made judgement and separation rather than appreciation and love, our normal.

    1. Very timely to read your comment Adele, especially about how the judgements towards ourselves are a trick to cap us and confirm we are small instead of what is true how we are always expansive and grand.

  75. It is true Fumiyo how quickly a judgemental thought can come in when we are not being loving ourselves. We can so easily carry the arrogance of being the ‘only ‘eso’ in the village’, an arrogance that I have felt in myself too, when there are many who live lovingly and deeply caring, but do not need to make sure the world knows about it.

  76. Great blog Fumiyo and I love your honesty. There is a part of us that can really get off on being the only gay in the village. But it’s not the part of us that seeks truth, in fact it’s the part of us that seeks to keep us from truth.

  77. We can become enthusiastic when we find something that feels true and beignet to this that people just aren’t getting it the way that we are….but as is a fact we are all on an unfolding path equally, to our true essence and expression, we are a community, the whole of humanity.

  78. I love the comparison between the only gay in the village, a very funny english comedy, but not such a funny subject of separation and judgement at play! As I discover and allow myself to feel my inner beauty the more I am seeing it in people on the street. This is a major shift in how I see others and is simply a reflection of the shift that has happened within.

  79. A very powerful message , thank you so much for this brilliant example.. Showing how we can try and convince ourselves to be “Esoteric” or anything really, whilst avoiding the truth that in fact you are avoiding living it! So powerful.

  80. One word really stood out for me Fumiyo and that word is ‘Surrender’ – in every moment just by surrendering we allows space for truth to find its own way and the rest is history.

  81. This sort of honesty changes the world, it frees us from the imprisonment of our “private” thoughts which allow us to continue to propagate the systems that do not serve us. Freedom is through transparency, love it.

  82. Discernment is essential for anyone who chooses to live a life based on evolution. Judgement on the other hand retards evolution.

  83. “I don’t allow and honour my own feelings fully, so this leaves an opening for judgement to be formed very, very quickly” If we don’t honour our own feelings it means that someone else’s judgement can also influence us and we can join them in their separation, so to speak. When we honour our feelings we are making space for more honest expression and communication.

  84. I loved coming back and reading this again, as I love your willingness to look so honestly at yourself in the pursuit of truth but with the added bonus of humour.

  85. A brilliant, honest and amusing exposure of the judgement that so cripples us all, thank you Fumiyo. As we are each made of the same stuff – love – we are naturally discerning creatures in the sense that if we know love, then we know the moment something enters our field that is not of this vibration. However, enter judgement and that which we would so normally discern (by reading the energy at play) is clouded by an impost that is fed into us from consciousness that says ‘we’ must be better than ‘them’, and thus the age old separatism of the human race continues to divide a group of beings that in-truth only know how to move as One.

  86. I smiled to myself Fumiyo as I remembered ‘the only gay in the village’ series. I loved the learnings you took from it, thank you for sharing them with us. Taking responsibility for discerning and not judging and loving all equally is such a powerful teaching.

  87. No coincidence I come across this blog today after (eventually) understanding that I am choosing judgement rather than a victim of it. I judge myself for holding back and say that I can’t be me because I’ll be alone and no one will understand me because they are not the same. But we may not be the same based on our life choices and behaviours, even in myself I can feel when my movements don’t match my essence. But I am feeling how none of that matters when I choose to be the love that I am.

  88. I remember pondering on the struggle of being the only student of the Livingness in HK, and constantly wonder there must be some investment for myself if this is a reality for me, which immediately the truth exposed itself in front of me saying–you are freaking out there because to do this together with someone means you have to surrender even deeper into love, because what is freaking you out is that unity is the future unfolding and individuality is being challenged. I remember sitting with this feeling and really feeling it. I didn’t think further, but allowed my body to guide me and deepened my love with every person around. What I initially felt challenged in regards to life then touched me with the power of surrender I haven’t experienced before. Life does not have to be a struggle, it can be simple, and with that I held everyone around me with the same love that I know I can be, and then what I felt was power, the power of everyone–as what has come back in response when love is deepened, is the equal love that has been expressed. I am certainly not the only one, and the picture and label of a student has expanded much more for me.

  89. OMG! I’m the “only gay in the village”! I remember the sketch you refer to Fumiyo – hilarious, and so deeply exposing of any part of us that identifies ourselves as ‘different’ and makes a drama out of the world not understanding who we are… (a very comfortable stance to take, for in it, we go nowhere…)
    Love that you have taken this to such a point of self-responsibility here, i.e. that well, IF we want the world to understand us and ‘be the love we want to see’, it’s up to us to:
    1. Recognise that we are all, essentially the same within (and simply choosing different levels of awareness to the fact); and
    2. Let people into US – don’t withhold our love because it’s not met back in kind…
    Oo, that’s a big one for most if not all of us – and where so much mastery actually lies, isn’t it…

  90. An oxymoron indeed! But one that most of us live day in day out, as not many people I know are able to live in a truly selfless way. No judgement : ) but simply an observation. The more we are able to be with ourselves and be loving with ourselves especially in our mistakes etc the more we are going to be able to love others and live brotherhood.

  91. Beautifully exposed Fumiyo. Any judgment, comparison or ‘us and them’ mentality is not true as we are all one and the same. It is only our choices, which can change in a moment that make us appear different. And while we sit in any judgment we are in exactly the same mess that everyone else is in , just arrogantly thinking we are not. I find I tend to focus on other people when I don’t want to look at a lack of love in me.

  92. Definitely Fumiyo judgement is not the way forward! I can easily judge and fall into that trap of looking for problems rather than simply discerning energy and accepting with no criticism or judgement the choice of energetic alignment. I know that this judgement comes from a harsh inner judgement for my own non loving choices. What is really needed is to up the love for ourselves and then it is easy to love others no matter their choices. Love doesn’t mean being soppy and accepting abuse but rather holding and accepting someone as they are choosing to be knowing first and foremost that they are divine.

    1. Thank you for this Vanessa, if there are judgements then it’s a call to love ourselves and our mistakes or perceived imperfections. Makes me wonder now why I judge myself so much and what do I need to have more understanding for of my choices.

  93. Thanks for your amazing honesty Fumiyo. You have helped me feel a layer of judgment I wasn’t previously aware of.

  94. It’s without doubt to me that everybody in this world intimately feels energy, and misses the Love and grace of being who they truly are. So why do I blame them for seeking relief? Why do I hold them to ransom for not being a certain way with me? I feel Fumiyo it’s all just a big rouse to distract from the fact that it is my role, job and responsibility to bring this Love back. When we all do this for ourselves we can easily extend it to the rest of the global village too.

  95. I find your lightness and openness super inspiring Fumiyo. This is what makes a true student of life a true student of life! We all make mistakes and it is this honesty that is foundational to our inner growth

  96. It is great to feel the playfulness in this blog, dealing with a subject that many of us would be familiar with but, not always be willing to expose, whether Esoteric student or not, we can often go into judgement to bolster our positions and to not have to deal with something in our own behaviours that could heal…So powerful to expose this and be honest and light about it.

    1. I agree Samantha. This reminds me that nobody evolves when we get serious and start condemning ourselves or others.

  97. Thanks Fumiyo for sharing your reflection and your commitment to living from what is true.

  98. What if being Esoteric is a natural phenomenon, why then would we not go about our every day expressing our Esoteric ways fully, simply because we know we are the Sons of God, and we know everyone we meet is also an equal Son of God, and there are no bells or whistles in being Esoteric, there is nothing special to it, it is just simply an every day affair breathing and living from the depth of our hearts.

  99. Such a great read thank you Fumiyo. I can recognise myself in the looking for faults in others to feel better or assured in myself of living true – as they ‘are obviously not’! The arrogance! It is a smart way of keeping people out I have found. Because in the end we are all the same and do we not want love and share this?

  100. Having a self imposed view of ourselves can be one of the most difficult patterns to breakaway from. After all the only things you are fighting against are the choices you have made.

  101. It is only through our own acceptance that we understand that which we judge in another is also passing through us, the only difference is that we are choosing differently and it is our responsibility to reflect truth and inspiration to another.

  102. Such a beautiful sharing Fumiyo. There is no doubt judgement of ourselves and others is debilitating and harming to all concerned.

  103. When we see the divine essence that is truly there in each other, hidden or not, we can realise the great reflections and teachers we all are for each other – in many ways.

  104. I feel that many are guilty of judging others choices as loveless when they themselves are guilty of being disconnected and holding back the love they are… for in the connection judgment is impossible for only understanding can be felt. A great article to expose how we can separate ourselves at our own expense.

  105. The power of appreciation cannot be underestimated. When we appreciate ourselves in full, the love we are, we have no need to compare or judge another, for we then understand and know that there can be no ‘only ones’ as the love we are within is equal in all.

  106. ‘…I don’t allow and honour my own feelings fully, so this leaves an opening for judgement to be formed very, very quickly.’ The truth of this statement revealed to me how important it is to never dismiss my feelings because they are always related to what has come up to be healed. A great blog and so relatable Fumiyo.

  107. Fumiyo what a beautiful piece of honest writing that can be reflective of the way so many people live today, I know I would have huge amounts of judgement over people and yet this often came from my lack of loving and looking after myself.

  108. Ah you have struck a very familiar chord here Fumiyo – we often think that only a rare few of us are in tune with the symphony of life when the truth is we are all part of it equally.

  109. Humorous Fumiyo I had so much fun to read your honest blog. For me humor and the ability to laugh about myself are very good and simple tools to connect back to the love that I am. Therefore I really much appreciate it that you have chose to share your wonderful experience with all of us – it is such a good reminder.

  110. Such good insight into judgment Fumiyo and why we do it. I had not fully appreciated that when we don’t honour our own feelings fully it leaves an opening for judgement to be formed.
    I love how you have brought greater understanding to this and spelt it out for us all to see.

  111. I find when I am being overly picky or judging another it is because I don’t want to look at how I am living. For me stopping and looking at why am I behaving like that, or talking with someone honestly, helps me to see my part in it and where I have been judging or rejecting myself.

  112. I had to step down from having judgements and living in a very critical way with others and with myself. And it is such a joy to share the love I feel inside and to open my eyes and heart for the people I meet in my life. I do hold back though when I make it about me and close my eyes for what is there to truly see and feel…and to appreciate.

  113. I love what you’ve shared here Fumiyo, and I have recently come to see far more ‘evidence’ of the esoteric nature in everyone I meet. I have always been so fixated on what was ‘not esoteric’ about others that I missed seeing how much was actually spot on and true in them. Judgement was definitely my mode, and still often creeps in… but I now recognise it much faster and put a stop to it’s insidiously undermining ways.

  114. It is so true Fumiyo that appreciating ourselves and the love we are within first, is what build a loving and honoring foundation whereby we need not look to judge another to make ourselves feel better or greater as we know that in this Love we are all equal, and the quality of Love reflected through another is known and felt as such, a blessing.

  115. Loved your honesty Fumiyo, and the very clear example of the TV show. We can use anything to compare ourselves against another… even the esoteric. I’m realising that whenever I’m isolating myself, think everyone is against me or I am the only one, I know this is a part of me that I’m isolating and not appreciating therefore not being able to see the magnificence or reflection in another.

  116. So very exposing Fumiyo, I loved it, it exposed in me where I still slip up by shutting the one thing we are all from out, love.

  117. It’s a pitfall I am aware I have fallen into, judgement and critique. I now am aware of the key ingredient being self love which holds everyone equally, and observe and read the choices being made and knowing this does not alter the fact that we are all from the one.

  118. Ahahah Fumiyo I had so much fun to read your awesome blog! You made it very obvious that the only way to be is to take responsibility for what we are doing and thinking.

  119. Brilliantly said Fumiyo. The minute we make ourselves better than or less than another, we have separation….and absolutely nothing can grow from that because it simply is not the truth.

  120. Being myself, and as much as I can muster being the love that I am equally with everyone is what life is now about thanks to Universal Medicine.

  121. This is a brutally honest and funny piece of writing. It is quite fascinating (and hard at times) to see what is at play and how we actually are with others and what we are doing. I love that you share this with us all so we can in turn have an opportunity to reflect on our lives and see what is play out there.

    This line really stood out for me “Once there’s an opening, love starts leaking and what’s not love is so fast to take charge and make the whole thing so complicated and emotionally charged.”…this can happen at lightening speed. And a good way to know if it has happened if things are getting complicated and emotionally charged.

  122. Judgement is poison – but I detect it in myself really quickly these days. Bringing understanding – and love – to the equation transforms it. So true what Serge Benhayon has presented – appreciation is a key to ending comparison and also jealousy.

  123. You have outlined one of the greatest potential pitfalls of being an Esoteric student Fumiyo… to apply the teachings and principles as a set of rules to follow, as desirable and right ways of living life, leaves us open to the likelihood of judging both ourselves and others around us by these measures. There is no other way than to live the Ancient Wisdom teachings for ourselves, and to allow others to make their own choices as they feel to in their own lives.

  124. ‘ I don’t allow and honour my own feelings fully,’ This is a great realisation. Most of us do not allow ourselves the space to do this but when we do we find our way to a deeper relationship with ourselves and find that old ways of being get exposed and we can then choose to drop these in favour of a way of being that support us to feel more and more clearly.

  125. Fumiyo, super honest and very discerning! I love the sketch you speak of and can see how much it applies when I play my own version of it, be it the only ‘esoteric’, ‘woman’, etc. etc. – in other words any label I choose as a way of being to keep another out. The truth is, if at any stage I am doing something without being fully me, and feeling disconnected, then everything I see and feel in the world is separate, and I judge it in some way or form. We are all one brotherhood and so how can any one be more this or the only that, yes at times we may live and act in a way which does not express this brotherhood and love, but it is always there. The other thing that stands out in what you’ve shared is that it starts with us, so if as you say we do not fully own and feel our own feelings, if we dismiss them, we give a space or a window for love to leak (great image), and we set ourselves and the world up to be less. Thank you, it’s been so supportive to read this today.

  126. Very revealing Fumiyo. When we look to see what we think people are not we miss out on the natural beauty of who they are.

  127. I love the way you express Fumiyo! You share with such lightness, openness and honesty. How funny it is that we play the victim game believing we are all alone (an feeling miserable as a result) when the whole world is ready to connect with us.

  128. Self judgement is the most harsh critic, and is often behind the judgment we place upon another. A great exposure here in this blog about judgment, thank you

  129. Knowing the show you take the title of the blog from, I really enjoyed where you took this saying and how it opens up a whole consciousness about the choices we make and how we project them onto others, all to keep our individual identity, rather than choose harmony and the joy that true connection to other people brings.

  130. How can we possible know who everybody truly is when we all put on a show? Thank you Fumiyo for dropping the act and for seeing through the games we are playing.

  131. I love how you saw the truth of the situation. As you say the moment we separate ourselves as being the “only” one” then we are being anything but esoteric.

  132. Fumiyo this is a great subject to expose. It is an area that I too have been bringing to my awareness. The difference between discernment and Judgement? For me discernment is allowing all to be, including myself with understanding and equal love. Judgement is righteously exclusive and has no room for any depth . Judgement is seeded from some level of self- lacking in some way.

  133. “I felt as if I was looking for an evidence, a clue to form a judgement…”
    How often do we hold a picture inside of us, an idea how we perceive things to be and then look out to find the evidence, as if we need to prove it to ourselves as being true. Approaching life like this we miss out on so much that is there to be revealed to us. When we can find back to a way of true wonderment we have gained much.

  134. Such an honest sharing Fumiyo. I think we’ve all been partial to judgment at several times in our lives. I know I have to catch myself out constantly. It’s a funny thing how hard we are on ourselves and others. Serves no purpose at all but to separate us from eachother.

  135. Such fun to read this today Fumiyo. As I know the character you are talking about ‘the only gay in the village’ I could easily see the parallels here. Beautiful how a TV sketch can nudge our awareness and understanding.

  136. Gorgeous blog Fumiyo. Judgement has been something that has been coming up for me a lot recently and I’m realising how toxic and insidious it is. It is a very effective way for me to keep humanity out. When I bring in understanding I have no judgment. Understanding actually comes easily to me so I know it is a choice I am making and that it serves me in some way.

  137. Such a beautifully honest blog Fumiyo, and one that asked me to reflect upon the areas I may use judgement when discernment would be the more loving choice, allowing understanding and an opportunity to evolve.

  138. How absurd could it be that you could get a star that turns itself against the rest of the night sky? How strange would it be to see a flower delicately sprout up but then take pleasure in another plants decay? and yet we turn against each other here, thinking that we are greater, better or different. We live divided even in our own body, kept apart from breathing and knowing the whole truth of me and you – that we are one in the Love and place we originally come from. Thank you from me to you for returning to the truth Fumiyo.

  139. Love your blog Fumiyo, it reminds me when I have felt unconfident and insecure it is easy to make judgement on others, when I am with the real me I see first the love in everyone. This is quite a difference – one choice condemns and puts down when the other acknowledges we are all the same. One evolves us the other harms us.

    1. This is so true samanthaengland, it all depends on how connected and settled we are with ourselves to start with. When we relate to another in the fullness of the love that we also see love in them first and hold them as such. Only when we are separated from our own essence do we end up judging ourselves or other people.

  140. Our whole way in life has been formulated from seeing ourselves as ‘separate from’, divided, apart and ultimately at the end, isolated at heart. This is not just far from the truth but the complete opposite of who we really are. Your words Fumiyo illustrate how we are put all together in this life, in the most beautiful way so we come to see the only ‘one’ that is true is one humanity, one family and that is me and you. The idea we are not somehow the same beyond the race, nation and name is one of the biggest lies humankind has ever let run.

  141. So many of us hold the world to ransom because at some point our love has not been recognised or acknowledged. So, understandable that we do this ,but in its own way is ultimately irresponsible, for it then assists to create a world that is based on protection.

  142. Until we start to know ourselves from the inner heart out, we cannot help but be pushed in all directions by the winds of judgement and reaction that are deeply embedded in all of us.

  143. Yes Katie! I have fallen into these traps often, not taking the time to appreciate that I have read a situation correctly in the first place and instead going down the track that Fumiyo has described. Coming to this realisation has been a big revelation.

  144. What we may have been doing, especially if very successful in life, is to try the same formula in trying to be esoteric. We may very good at convincing others, yet deep within we can never fool ourselves, yet the tendency to impose on others our point of view or judgment, is giving it a pretty good try!

  145. Wow Fumiyo – how common is it for us to think of ourselves as just a little ‘different’ to others? Yes there is no one quite like us in our particular flavour, but underneath and inside all of this is the simple fact we are all equal brothers. Seeing and living anything less than this equality of essence is just not true.

  146. Fumiyo, it is so heartening to feel how we are all connected to truth even when we pretend not to be. Is this perhaps the actual truth about our hurts and why we hold on to them – because they separate us from others and keep us in the illusion that we are the only one? When we have to hold an identity, of course we cannot be esoteric, because in our innermost, we are all one.

  147. This was great to read Fumiyo and ‘judging’ by the comments 🙂 you are not alone. We humans can be so ridiculous sometimes, each one of us thinking we are alone or ‘the only one’ when that can never be as we are all connected and feel the judgements and separative thinking all the time. We also feel love and only need to support ourselves to connect to the gloriousness of that, allow ourselves to accept and be inspired by it in others knowing it is equally there within ourselves.

  148. Love this Fumiyo and can really relate to the arrogance of the ‘only Eso in the village’ feeling that I have hidden behind and chosen to feel sorry for myself for the lack of support when all along it was me who was not supporting myself and keeping myself separate and in judgement of everyone else. Thank you I how have a great/playful image to bring me back to Love.

    1. I love this blog too Helen, it is brilliant, so honest, playful and so true. What a great reminder for us to always connect to love no matter where we are, if we choose separation, exclusivity, judgement and anything less than love we are ultimately choosing to separate ourselves from love, from people and from God.

  149. Yes Fumiyo what if “the world could be full of equally beautiful people, just like me”? If we know it is so surely we would live feeling our true equality, no better no worse, free from judgement and this odd way of intentional choosing to see the world in reverse.

  150. “The old beliefs, the judgements – do not stand a chance against the True Love.” True love is something that cannot be altered as it is within us all forevermore. When we connect to this love we connect to all equally so.

  151. Such a beautifully honest and playful sharing Fumiyo, I know at times when I have judged others it feels uncomfortable in my body and stops the true expression of love.

  152. What a powerful question; do I discern, or do I judge?
    Fumiyo I just love the way you have expressed in this blog, incorporating truth, playfulness, self awareness, responsibility and analogy, to name but a few.
    I smiled to myself as I recalled The Only Gay in the Village, a very pertinent reflection for us all.

  153. Thank you Fumiyo for such an insightful reflection that is of classic value for me and for everyone. This line struck me. ‘Once there’s an opening, love starts leaking and what’s not love is so fast to take charge and make the whole thing so complicated and emotionally charged.’ The complication and emotion spirals into an abyss if not caught and arrested immediately. Loved reading this again and a great confirmation for my day!

  154. I like the truth that your blog presents Fumiyo, I know that I have allowed judgement to interfere with with my expression

  155. I re read your blog today and it is true when I not honour or trust my feelings it is so easy to judge another person and the after effect is like you say is judging myself. Humour is very powerful and is able to turn this around and it gives an honest and open look on what is truly happening and with that we can start to be responsible without any heaviness what so ever.

  156. This is a beauty Fumiyo, I bet a lot of us, or even most of us could admit that judgement has got in the way of us just being the love that we are. A lovely, playful and honest account spelled out with wisdom.

  157. Thank you Fumiyo for so honestly sharing your experience. I love how humour can change something that can be heavy and bring a sense of lightness, giving space for change. Wise words – “I don’t allow and honour my own feelings fully, so this leaves an opening for judgement to be formed very, very quickly – about the subject, and also about myself for making that judgement itself. Once there’s an opening, love starts leaking and what’s not love is so fast to take charge and make the whole thing so complicated and emotionally charged.”

  158. indeed… The foundation of true love and the abiding connection with ourselves that comes from this reconnection is the essential foundation for committing to a true and honest life that does actually evolve.

  159. A very honest blog written in a playful way and one I can relate to; ‘I was desperately looking for that missing part – love – knowing it could not be found outside myself, yet I kept looking out, until I convinced myself that the world had let me down.’ Yes blaming the world and getting frustrated and judgemental that was definitely what I did. But like you say ‘The old beliefs, the judgements – do not stand a chance against the True Love’

  160. I love your honesty Fumiyo and I can really relate to what you’ve written and the world of difference there is between discernment and that horrible judgemental and self righteous way of being. Or another possibly even more deceptive way is leaving us feeling less than or more than another and it’s called comparison. Neither of these ways come from love, for love accepts everyone equally, knowing that the essence of love resides deep within us all, barring none, and respects the choices we make whether we choose to be love or not.

  161. Thank you Fumiyo for sharing your experience, and sense of humour, you pose a good question for me to ask am I discerning or am I judging when I comment on any situation.

  162. This sharing really made me smile as I recognise so much of what you share Fumiyo especially the part of judging others. Humour lightens up the seriousness of many situations we find ourselves in – especially when we give ourselves such a hard time before we truly honour our own feelings fully first.

  163. “A very similar belief actually came up during my session with an Esoteric practitioner a long time ago, and I thought I had got over it.” We ‘think’ we have sorted it only to realise that we didn’t replace it with a true living way coming from our understanding of why we develop a belief in the first place.

  164. Love your honesty Fumiyo and your ability to look at yourself in a humorous way. I can so relate to how we can see ourselves as the ‘only esoteric in the village” when we let arrogance judgement and criticism rule our thoughts.

  165. It’s great Fumiyo that you could have a chuckle at yourself and realise what you were doing. Sometimes it can be that we’re actually shutting others out when we think it’s them – I know this is true for me – complaining that there’s no one there but they’re all actually standing right in front of me ready to connect. And what you say is true – if there’s no self love there can only be judgment. It’s vital to accepting ourselves and others as they are.

  166. Fumiyo I loved reading your blog, jealously is very divisive, it can destroy families and friendships. When we are able to be ourselves, know and hold the love that we are, we are able to feel that love in another, and accept ourselves and others for who they are.

  167. I loved this line, Fumiyo – ‘Once there’s an opening, love starts leaking and what’s not love is so fast to take charge and make the whole thing so complicated and emotionally charged.’ This is indeed the bane of life and requires us to discover our openings so we can heal what will allow them to close, ensuring that love doesn’t leak out and get rapidly replaced by something other than love which then wreaks havoc on the way we view the world.

    1. True Cathy, the leaking of love as Fumiyo describes here is a perfect description of the way in which we can choose to be less than we know ourselves to be, less than what we are made to reflect and to share. We all miss out when this occurs and indeed havoc develops. Makes me realise more fully how self responsibility is the key here.

    2. Yes I loved this line too Cathy – it’s a great visual to help with looking at our openings and repairing them so that we can avoid the havoc that is created when we have a love leakage.

  168. This is classic love it, although very funny so true if we don’t start with love firstly you have nothing to stand on

    1. I agree Jaime this blog is so funny yet so honest and exposing. I love reading it and the comments too. I love the lessons in all that is shared, so relatable and inspiring.

  169. Hilarious Fumiyo…and also not! How much we love to feel that we are the ‘only’ one. Oh! the suffering and the misery! The virtue of struggling by ourselves! We become the hero in our own tale of woe – minus the mesh and lycra outfits.
    I love the way you have recognised your part in this, and that being the “only esoteric in the village” is not esoteric at all. This is a beautiful lesson for all.

    1. Yes Rachel, this is a beautiful lesson for me too. It never feels true to create this false sense of ‘better than’ feeling toward another person. Exclusivity is a lonely place to be, shutting people out hurts ourselves and everyone around us.

  170. I enjoyed how you weaved the sketch so well into your own personal realisation – there is alot of value and philosophy in humour. For me, I’ve certainly felt this judgement myself, and what makes the difference is when I take a moment to apply understanding to other peoples choices. That brings a whole different perspective, and lets the love out in full.

    1. Yes Simonwilliams8, by letting the love out in full helps us eliminate judgment and jealousy. Once we are expressing love in full there is no room for anything else, just pure love.

  171. The heading made me laugh, I laughed so much with those sketches. In the sketch, they suggest that perhaps this guy isn’t even gay, it is truly revealing, as you wrote Fumiyo, to see for ourselves how we are not being who we think we are when the judgement, separation, ‘better than’, creeps in making us more harmful than those we are comparing ourselves to. Ouch!

    1. Yes Mark, I find myself with endless image that I create and don’t even realise and have recently begun to appreciate how much they are a controlling factor and support judgement and separation. Poisonous!

    2. Ouch indeed Mark! The harm of thinking we are better than another or separate from another is the reason we have the world we have today, full of jealousy, comparison and competition. Returning to equality is the only way we can return to harmony and brotherhood.

  172. Its so true Fumiyo, just like the ‘only gay in the village’ we all can easily get caught in the identification and recognition we get from being the ‘only one’ who can do something or be something better than or less than another. This fosters inequality and disconnection from each other and is certainly not foundational to a healthy society.

  173. What you shared about what happens when we don’t allow and honour our feelings fully, which leaves an opening for judgement to be formed and come in. Because there is an opening, love starts to leak out and ‘all’ that is not loving comes charging in!! This is so very very true and our own doing, even if we aren’t aware when this happens some times. It is our responsibility however to find what the openings are and shut them, this is how we can bring deeper understanding and less judgement.

  174. So beautifully honest and exposing of judgement and separatism. I have found that the more I judge myself, the more I judge others. When I am connected to the love that is inside me, I am able to connect to that same love in others too.

  175. This trying to be esoteric is making rules instead of choosing to love ourselves and make every choice from the connection with our body instead of only using our mind who will trick us into the ‘I am better than you are’. Something I have fallen for and sometimes still do when I look to much outside of myself and start to think instead of feel the love inside me.

  176. It is great to take a light-hearted approach to the harmful effects of judging. Whether I have judged myself inwardly, or another outwardly, both feel equally polluting in my body and this would also be communicated even if not spoken .. and when I am being loving and appreciative of myself I naturally enjoy and celebrate the unique qualities in another.
    How I perceive is what I see.

  177. Fumiyo, this is a fun way to expose the separateness of judgement in any form. As we let go of the harsh ways in which we judge ourselves we naturally become more accepting of others. I agree fully- “The old beliefs, the judgements – do not stand a chance against the True Love.”

  178. “The old beliefs, the judgements – do not stand a chance against the True Love.” This is so true Fumiyo, the deeper and more fully I’m able to embrace the love within me the more ideals, beliefs and judgements dissolve. I’m more able to see, feel, appreciate, and acknowledge the amazing glory of others.

  179. Great sharing Fumiyo, and your honesty and playfulness is inspiring and I’m sure many can relate to. The question you raise “So I had to ask myself – do I discern, or do I judge” is definitely one worth asking as self judgement and of others I have learnt does not work and I am surprised how much it can be there in my life in so many situations. When I feel judgement it is always a marker as to where I am at with myself.

  180. I know that sketch Fumiyo and agree with you… It is a cracker, I also know very well the paradigms that you are expressing, it is so much easier to proselytise than to live and from that livingness express.

  181. Awesome blog Fumiyo, so honest, thought provoking and inspiring. I can relate to what you’ve shared because I have done this myself, become judgmental of myself and others and then beat myself up for feeling this way. This part is very beautiful: ‘I could have gone on to beating myself up for falling for that, but that sketch was way too funny and I had to surrender.’ I am learning to surrender and learning to choose truth and love consistently. Thank you for this gentle reminder.

  182. Dear Fumiyo,
    I am revisiting your blog today and reading through the comments from others. Doing this has supported me to drop very deeply into my body. The love I feel for myself and everyone else is very present. Thank you for your blog, it is simply a gift that keeps on giving.

  183. Thank you Fumiyo what you share is very honest and profound. Most of the world goes around saying I won’t be love until you are first and yet it only takes one to start being love and we discover there is no separation. This jealousy thing is also extremely weird and does not make sense because the more people doing well or being love the more we all benefit. For some reason the whole way we operate in the world is one self-perpetuating negative cycle. Thank God for Serge Benhayon and the Way of the Livingness showing us another way – a glorious way out of this mess!

    1. I agree Nicola and love your comment. This mess seems to be upside-down, back to front and all over the place, so many of us are aware of this, want to change but not sure where to look or what to do. I certainly felt this way and definitely Thank God for Serge Benhayon and the Way of the Livingness for showing me that there is another way. Now, all this mess is making sense as in what has created it and why so many of us are still choosing to feed it. I am now able to accept it for what it is and it is empowering to know that there is a way for me to no longer make choices in my life that contributes or feed into this cycle of mess. This way is The Way of the Livingness.

  184. Re-reading your blog Fumiyo, I am aware how comparison can slip in and quickly create the recipe that makes up ‘Jealousy’. Checking in consistently allows me to clock when I begin to judge because for me this means I am comparing and seeing myself or another as less.

  185. Dear Fumiyo,
    I so know what you are saying here, I too have spent a long time being the only “esoteric in the village.” I have since felt the true harm in judging others and what they choose. I have also felt the true harm of having judged myself, even before I felt the judgement for the other. However there is such a well of love inside of me that I am beginning to feel that no amount of judgement can actually touch. My true challenge is in choosing to stay with my love in the face of that which comes towards me.

  186. “I could have gone on to beating myself up for falling for that, but that sketch was way too funny and I had to surrender”. Way to funny indeed Fumyio; what a wonderful way to catch yourself judging instead of discerning

  187. I had so much fun to read your amazing blog Fumyio. Your honesty made it easy to read it and to align to it. For me it is like this: If I don’t honor what I feel I automatically dismiss myself and that means I don’t love myself and that leads to I am not worth it and so I am not who I am in full. Therefore It is easier and more comfortable to say the others are not esoteric enough instead of looking at myself.

  188. Awesome reminder to not judge and think we are better than people not doing the esoteric work. This judgement keeps us shut down, superior and separate and is a form of protection, we than complain when we as esoteric students feel judged and attacked by others for our choices. Yet is us who have judged and separated ourselves in the first place. Thank you Fumiyo for your honesty and inspiration.

  189. The pun of the story is the best, “in the end he may not have been gay after all”
    That is very funny as everything that holds you up to possibly hold a judgement is not true anymore.

    So could I say that when every… and I mean whenever there is a judgement you are standing in a place where you.. yourself haven’t even come to full terms with.

    1. Yes Luke you can, In my experience I have chosen to judge to draw attention away from what it is that was coming up for me and to take me away from the feeling of how this felt in my body. As judgement took me to my head where I could make the problem about someone else. Surrendering to the process of knowing that my body holds with in it the tension of many life choices that have been made from the platform to protect or because of a need etc (essentially choices made with out love) has allowed me to be at ease more with what I am feeling in my body and supported me to stay with it when feeling uncomfortable. It is only from this space that I can begin to come to full terms with my choices, and the affect these choices have had on my body. To accept them and then choose differently from that moment forth.

      1. Indeed we can build a wall as high as we want to but it just mean more work to deconstructive every brick.

  190. Very profound sharing Fumyio – thank you. Being judgmental certainly exposes the lack of love being honoured within first. I have discovered this also and how toxic it feels in my body. And I love how you have shared that it does not serve to beat ourselves up as it only perpetuates the separation to our love and our love equally for others. Thank you again for this powerful reminder.

  191. This blog is so powerful and an absolute joy to read. Thank you for reminding me that I need to let go of my self judgement in order to truly accept and appreciate others.

  192. I love the honesty and humour shared in this blog Fumiyo. If I judge another it time for me to stop and choose again as I am needing to feel better about myself in someway – what I am truly seeking is love and connection.

  193. ‘I was desperately looking for that missing part – love – knowing it could not be found outside myself, yet I kept looking out, until I convinced myself that the world had let me down.’ This is a great realisation. I have known literally hundreds of people who have felt let down because of this very reason – and how many arguments and disputes and litigations arise just because of this simple turning away from our own love.

  194. I too have fallen into the trap of believing that -I- have it all and no one else does which completely cuts off everything the esoteric is actually about – that everyone has that same, equal essence within them no different to me, no different from Serge Benhayon or anyone else for that matter. And any focus away from that awareness of that essence leads to nothing but chaos and harm, more than is for now fathomable. Thank you Fumiyo for the reminder that the Esoteric is not not there or with us to be shared for all as if they don’t have it, but it actually lives within them as well. If the truth comes out of them then great! but that came from them not us, we are not the centre of the universe nor hold the whole universe sole in our hands, we each have a piece to share but if we don’t appreciate our part how will we ever be able to see each others pieces?

    1. So true Leighmatson, “we each have a piece to share but if we don’t appreciate our part how will we ever be able to see each others pieces?” We can only see the beauty of another when we feel our beauty within.

  195. Such a gorgeous and honest sharing. I have also found it fascinating, and equally crazy, how we can turn to judging others to make ourselves feel better about the loveless choices we have made, all the while just avoiding taking responsibility from making the loving choices that actually connect us to the love we crave!

  196. This is very honest Fumiyo. I have also judged myself for not being ‘esoteric’ enough – which in itself is a ridiculous contradiction.

  197. Thank you Fumiyo, I now have an image of “the only gay in the village” to bring me back when I go into judgement.

  198. “So I had to ask myself – do I discern, or do I judge”?
    A very poignant question for us all to ask ourselves.
    Thank you Fumiyo for a very revealing blog, with a powerful message.
    I laughed out loud as I remembered “The only gay in the Village”.

  199. Very cool, a “…spearative perception” indeed can not be Esoteric or Loving by its very nature. I love what you share, the experience you relate can be felt in many different areas of life, in many different situations. Thank you

  200. Judging others and oneself is something we know to do. Judging is always based on comparison. It is about placing people in boxes. That seeming innocent activity has not an ounce of innocence. It keeps us in separation.

    1. This pigeon holing is such a lazy approach to life – us not taking the time to understand what is happening for that person in that situation. And instead of support, the other gets hit with the judgement… no wonder if makes them feel separate.

  201. Yes, “the only gay in the whole village” does expose how desperately we can cling on to an image of exclusivity and being special, when the reality is that there are more than enough people to connect with – but pride likes separation and favours aloofness.

    1. Thank you Gabriele, ‘but pride likes separation and favours aloofness.” I will hold these words in my awareness for those times that I feel the want to be aloof. I now know that only pride can create this feeling, not the love of my soul.

  202. Judgement separates us/ me from others. Developing self love so that I don’t need to falsely bolster myself up with judging is still a work in progress. For me comparison goes alongside it too. But great that I now notice as soon as I do it and can put a stop to it. A great blog, still so relevant, thanks Fumiyo.

  203. I love what you wrote Fumiyo. I feel that we all communicate within the student community, therefore, we all see or hear about what others are doing, what happened, etc., it is inevitable. As long as we can keep it at “seeing and hearing what is happening”, accepting what it is as it is, then there will be no judgment. By the way, I love that sketch in Little Britain!

  204. I love the playfulness in this blog which is great medicine for the horrible reaction of judgement.

  205. A reveling truth Fumiyo in how ‘judgement’ separates as from everyone else in the ‘village’. It is a very easy trap to fall into for anyone ‘trying to be esoteric’. As Yoda said in star wars, “You are either esoteric or not. There is no trying”.

  206. Fumiyo I love what you have shared here, as it is so honest and exposes the way we can seperate, judge and make life not about love. I clearly recall the sketch you refer to and it’s such a perfect example of how in life we can fortify ourselves in our own ideals and beliefs, losing who we really are. It was awesome to read that through surrendering to the humour that you began to see the truth of life and that everyone has something amazing to offer.

  207. Fumiyo I love feeling the truth of what you share. This line particularly tickles me “but that sketch was way too funny and I had to surrender.” Humour is such a wonderful way to bring light and love into awareness, making surrendering to the truth much simpler, without the judgement.

  208. I love where you say you were judging others as loveless and discovering that in itself the judging was the most loveless thing to do as you did not acknowledge the other in their natural glory. What a beautiful reminder of letting everyone in equally.

  209. “What’s also poignant is this: in this sketch, it is hinted that this ‘gay’ guy may not really be gay after all – this stopped me. This is just so exposing, embarrassingly so.” Reading your blog Fumiyo I really had to laugh because I recognised a lot in it. I was a king in my own kingdom, letting no one in because of judging myself and others. I was holding back for sure and still do sometimes when I leave love behind.

  210. This is a brilliant article Fumiyo, I can really relate to what you have written, it makes me aware that I can be very judgemental about what people are into, what they are reading and listening to etc.. and almost hold myself higher for having ‘got it right’ and they are wrong – brilliant to have this exposed, thank you. This is a great reminder; ‘when a separative perception takes over the Truth for me to experience the world this way, that’s no longer esoteric.’

  211. “So I had to ask myself – do I discern or do I judge?” Thank you for the very timely reminder to be myself and allow others to be who they are.

  212. Thank you Fumiyo for your honest sharing – what is clear to me after reading your blog is to ‘Be’ Love first and all else will follow. Attempting to work it all out separates us and forms a judgement because we believe we know it all. So simple and it feels so beautiful and light – ‘Be the Love that you are and all else follows’.

  213. I used to love Little Britain and relate so well to this blog. Oxymoronic is the exact word to describe the observations of self here. Great blog, thank you.

  214. I just love your very first line “This is about my trying to be esoteric and discerning, but because there was no self-love to begin with, I ended up being judgmental” so much just in that!! I have ‘tried’ to be ‘esoteric’ and discerning, but without bringing love to the process, I have also ended up being judgmental and this has not been very loving at all. To me or anyone else around me. This has shifted, the more I was aware I was doing it, but building more love into my rhythm has been vital and how I lived, without perfection.

    1. I can relate to every word you have written Reagan, the more I love myself the less room there is for judgement of myself and others.

    2. I think a lot of us ‘try to be esoteric.’ The funny thing is, this ‘trying’ is what eventuates in us holding ourselves above others and interpreting and practicing the ageless wisdom teachings as rules.

      The result is generally living un-esoterically. To live esoterically is to live from our inner most, the connection to god that lives within all of us. The inner most doesn’t live according to rules, there may be general principals or themes it holds to be true but living from your innermost is feeling the truth moment to moment and acting upon what is felt. . . and living in accordance with the knowledge that you are equal to every single other person, both esoteric students and non-students alike.

  215. I love this Fumiyo, so real and so honest and it is a state we can all go to when rediscovering what love means and how it fits with us in our life, it’s great to bring a focus to it with such clarity.

  216. Oxymoronic is my word of the day, not only for my fascination for the word but also for the phenomenon of thinking to be esoteric or loving and in truth seeking identification in being special, different, better… basically comparing and judging – and how can one be further away from being loving than that. I have and sometimes still do fall for the trick, actually every time I am not fully embracing myself.

    1. Its a great word – my personal definition is ‘allowing the moron within to be exposed’! Its passing strange (and particularly awful) that we can mistake something so beautiful as the divine love that resides in us all with the feelings of comparison and jealousy of another. How strange are we, and open to total misinterpretation through our lack of wanting to be completely honest.

      1. Strange it is indeed, it may make one wonder how estranged to divine love we can be while in truth it is the most familiar state of being ever.

  217. Fumiyo, it was great to read your blog. Judging ourselves and others just doesn’t work. The only thing that works is being willing to be ourselves and to allow another to be themselves.

  218. Hi Fumiyo – thank you for your playfully presented and very insight-full article – there is so much in it I’m going to read it again. Thanks to the presentations of Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon I feel I can recognize with just a little more awareness now when the trickster energy slimily slithers and slips in and has the mind go into judgement in an instant -oh what a slippery slope it can take us down then. How awesome it is though that we now know we can choose to halt that energy in its’ tracks.

  219. Old beliefs really don’t stand a chance against true love and we know this deep down, which is often why we cling to those old beliefs in a vain attempt to stave of the love we are, crazy really; it’s like a lion not being ‘liony’ if you will, us not being love, it’s absolutely who we are, and yet we grab things to keep it at bay, judgment, a way to look at another so we can somehow reject them, a belief, anything not to be love. And yet ultimately we are, love that is, and isn’t it time to just let go and be it.

  220. They do say laughter is good medicine… laughter softens us and gives us the feel good factor supporting us to see things in a different light, and as you mentioned helped you to surrender.

  221. This was such a great read, I also love the analogy and how you have related it to what has been unfolding for you. I certainly could relate to what you have shared.

  222. Thank you Fumiyo, this blog holds a timeless message and I realised some of the ways I hold onto my individuality by not being fully open to everyone around me – just this morning I am sitting on a bus engrossed in reading blogs and not taking the time to connect with others boarding the bus…

  223. I just love the metaphor and your honesty with you being the ‘only esoteric in town’. To let people in, including the love that you/we are, is the true remedy.

  224. Ahah! this is awesome to expose!! it’s such a good question… are you truly discerning or are you judging to make yourself feel like you are doing good, better, super esoteric…?

  225. I love your honest account of something that is so true for many of us but something we try to hide.

  226. “So I had to ask myself – do I discern, or do I judge?” This really is a great question and one that we, humanity, have much to gain from if we ask ourselves this question and are open to the answer.

  227. Never truer words Fumiyo – this blog is rich with insight and a great point for self reflection. Thank you!

  228. Agreed Vicky, very honest, and healing for all of us to read, myself included. Crazy really, when the truth is all of humanity is naturally esoteric at their core. Especially when we consider esoteric to not mean “mysterious”, but rather to be “with your inner most”, which anyone can do naturally so. I love the only “gay in the village” metaphor. That skit was priceless for exposing the extremes we all can go to in life to identify ourselves with something that we are not in order to be accepted as being something unique.

  229. Fumiyo, fantastic article, funny poignant and so honest. As read this, I was uncomfortable and also felt the ridiculousness of what we do when we become ‘the only anything anywhere’. We cut off and blame others and the world, holding everyone else to ransom. It’s a silly game and one I’ve played often in the past (and can still do) – I can hold myself as being more, or less, than others and in each case I’m not being me, not being love – and yet I’m demanding it of another. The other thing that jumped out at me was the idea of ‘being esoteric’ – it’s our innermost, an essence each and every one of us have and is the love we naturally are, so the truth is, there’s never an ‘only esoteric’ anywhere. It’s all around, in all of us, but sometimes it is just not lived – and yes, the absolute irony is if I judge another not to be ‘esoteric’ (so not living from the love they are), then in that moment neither am I! Simple really, when I am love and live that love, I naturally see it in another even while seeing they may not be living it – this is discernment, it presents without any expectation or demand and allows another to know they too, are love.

    1. Beautifully expressed Monica. When we are truly connected to ourselves we can feel another’s essence – no expectation and no demand.

    2. Wow – yes, Fumiyo and Monika…that’s what equalness is about, isn’t it? If we can boot our arrogance into being more, less or in any way different to others, we can feel as brothers again – all equal. But for this we really have to take our responsibility for all that happens in our life…and in the world. Maybe uncomfortable at the beginning – but boy oh boy how empowering!

    3. “So the truth is, there’s never an ‘only esoteric’ anywhere. It’s all around, in all of us, but sometimes it is just not lived”. A lovely reminder Monica that we are all equal in love, whether we are choosing to live love or not….and when we do choose to live love to the best of our ability, others benefit from the reflection we put out.

  230. Wow Fumiyo, this is such a great article – very exposing and raises a lot of questions for me, such as, ‘So I had to ask myself – do I discern, or do I judge?’. I also feel that I discern and then can immediately go into judgement, thank you for this awareness.

  231. Love the honesty, Fumiyo. Do I discern or do I judge? Great question to ask oneself and great parallel with the only Gay in the Village sketch.

  232. “So I had to ask myself – do I discern, or do I judge?” This is a wonderful question and one recently I was also presented with at an airport – I identified quite clearly with the voice that seemingly had control – telling me to be aware here, watch that person, look at that over there and realised that this voice was one of fear and harshness not love. The judgement that ensued of all the others kept up the guard so as to form a protection and proclaim myself safe and better than because of the choices I had made in my life. As you point out Fumiyo there is no love in this protection just the separation confirms that something is very wrong. I was able to really feel this judgement of others and yet when the voice started on me I was able to call it and silence it. Very empowering. Thank you for sharing and reminding me of this – staying ever vigilant is key to holding a quality of love that serves all.

  233. I loved rereading this for the second time. “I am not gay, and I don’t live in a village, but wasn’t I separating and excluding myself from the others just like this character while whinging about not having anyone nearby who understands me and my choices – when in fact, the world could be full of equally beautiful people, just like me?” How symptomatic is this of us as a society – we look out and complain about the very things we are actually doing ourselves. A great example of the games we play.

  234. I love your important reminder of how we get lost – when we don’t fully honour how we are feeling “….this leaves an opening for judgement to be formed very, very quickly …..Once there’s an opening, love starts leaking and what’s not love is so fast to take charge.” So true!!

    1. It really shows how important it is to honour our feelings so we can stay present with ourself, so we can discern and not judge in any moment.

  235. Great blog Fumiyo, it is so true that when we lose sight of love, judgement creeps in – I have been there and done that. As I work with the love within me it is so much more easier for me to catch if judgement is coming through and I am able to stop it. This has been a great learning for me.

  236. I loved this, it’s great to have something light hearted to pull you back sometimes and this certainly did the trick!
    ….”hence the belief that said I would be less if I acknowledged the others’ glory.” I think this is something so prevalent in our society and is fostered by the emphasis we place on competition. We subconsciously learn to rank, and that detracts from the true glory that has been shown – it’s comparison at a very insidious level. The truth is we can all be equally glorious all of the time in our own special ways.

  237. What a lovely self analysis of how we can lose ourselves when our love is held back. You should change the title to ‘the corner stone in the village’ from which every one grows.

  238. Fumiyo, thank you for your honesty and for bringing humour to a topic often not brought up. It is so easy to cut myself off, stand back and judge thinking ‘I’m not doing that’; but if I am holding back love then I am not being love either. A great analogy and thank you for bringing it up.

  239. Wow, Fumiyo, this is such an insightful article. The use of the analogy with the commodity sketch so clearly exposes the hypocrisy that we can so easily express, believing that we are being truthful.

  240. Your article really made me laugh, it was so honest but really funny too, especially the reference to ” the only gay in the village”. It is amazing for you to have been able to feel this behaviour playing out in your day to day life, keeping other people at arms length. And it feels amazing to read your honest words and feel no judgement towards yourself, simply an unfolding of the behaviours we all use that aren’t really loving, and so aren’t really us. Thank you for sharing.

  241. Fumiyo I absolutely love your open honesty, and as a comment above says, your willingness to deeply explore yourself. I know how easily I can cast judgement that either puts me above or below someone, as you so rightly put, it’s often when I have not been truly self-loving. It’s also great to acknowledge how with total honesty and the application of true self care how easily this can change from judging people to loving them.

  242. Fumiyo, I love how beautifully you have exposed such a sneaky and entrenched behaviour we can all fall into so easily – and so righteously! Bringing humour to it is gorgeous, it helped me see the funny side and laugh at myself too. The ending beautifully sums it all up for me: ““The Only Esoteric in the Village” in itself is oxymoronic – because when a separative perception takes over the Truth for me to experience the world this way, that’s no longer esoteric. The old beliefs, the judgements – do not stand a chance against the True Love.”

  243. Great Blog Fumiyo. I love how you have exposed something that I too can fall into when I am not being love, and that is to kid myself that I am love and in that moment I separate and become the only esoteric in the office, the only esoteric in the pool, the only esoteric in shopping centre… It is so very different when interacting with people when you are love, when you are observing, discerning, and allowing, – to when there is judgement, absorption and imposition.

    Thank you for highlighting this in such humorous way!

  244. The title had me chuckling from the very beginning, a great way to start my day and a reflection for my week. I have definitely held this belief in the past and you have now given me an opportunity to make sure that I have truly let this go.

  245. You could apply this example to so many scenarios in life, all designed to keep us separated from each other when love and connection is what everyone really wants! I too have been fooled into thinking I was being discerning but instead fell deeply into judgment and boy what a mess!

    It does seems however to be part of the process for anyone attempting to bring more love and connection into their lives. Being hard on ourselves during this time is part of the trick that keeps us spiralling against returning to the truth that we all know. Thank you for exposing this Fumiyo … Awesome blog. Looking forward to seeing the sketch!

  246. Thank you for exposing this way of being, I have held this exact same view on the world. For me I noticed how lonely I began to feel – separating myself and making myself ‘ better’ than everyone else cost me great joy and in so doing I stopped seeing the sparkle in others’ eyes, and in my own eyes. I felt this was a protection to keep others from rejecting me – I would reject them first! Although it didn’t work, did it. Once I began accepting that all are equally the sons of god my connection to myself and to others has returned with a deeper understanding and how wonderful it is.

  247. Awesome Fumiyo. I too learn through the playfulness of humour and how it exposes the truth…for us individually, and then as a result of our own deepened awareness, the wider world family benefits..

    This village holds us all in equal love ….

  248. Dear Fumiyo. Thank-you so much for your honesty this really is a great reflection for me.

  249. I love the honesty of your blog, Fumiyo, and how you came to see what you were doing to yourself and everyone else as well. I too have found, as you say, that ‘Once there’s an opening, love starts leaking and what’s not love is so fast to take charge and make the whole thing so complicated and emotionally charged.’ That is such a perfect description of what happens when we ‘lose it’.

    1. I agree, that bit describes so well when there is an opening… our loving intentions and commitments get thrown away, and something love-less takes over…something that is always based on comparison, judgement and not feeling recognized or special. Those openings can be closed for good and forever through our willingness to honestly see and nominate what is really going on, as in this blog…and not falling into judgements, just connecting permanently to the knowing of who we really are and what we need to do to sustain our true nature.

  250. Thank you Fumiyo. Your honesty has exposed what I have felt, and you have offered much. I have found myself going straight to judgement – knowing that this course is not loving at all and actually totally shuts me off. There are times when I have looked for what is wrong rather than seen the beauty there before me and the love that is actually there. The ugliness of leaving love and going to judgement so as not to feel less, is a bitter pill but one that I realise I have swallowed many times.

    To quote:- “I don’t allow and honour my own feelings fully, so this leaves an opening for judgement to be formed very, very quickly – about the subject, and also about myself for making that judgement itself. Once there’s an opening, love starts leaking and what’s not love is so fast to take charge and make the whole thing so complicated and emotionally charged.” A very powerful and honest exposure. Awesome.

  251. Fumiyo,
    This is so insightful and exposingly honest – I can relate to it and I really appreciate having it called out. Thank you for taking the time to share this. I imagine there are many who will benefit from this insightful reminder.

  252. Hi Fumyio I remember “the only gay in the village” sketches well. It would make a great sketch to do “The only esoteric in the village”… I have certainly fallen for that one in the past, and how easily we can then judge others from that place.

  253. Beautifully said Fumiyo. A courageous blog that made me aware of my own guilt and shame when I am being unloving/judgemental, and how different my body feels when I am being discerning. Thank you

  254. Thank you Fumiyo, I totally loved your words of truth…totally healing for many, including me.

  255. Wow, I just love your expression here Fumiyo. It’s like you have exposed the deep corners of how we can be so arrogant behind our choices and true intentions to find true love in ourselves and the world. What is equally important though, is to celebrate when we expose the tricks and insidious nature of of what is not love and you do this magnificently… no being hard on ourselves!

  256. This is profoundly true! When you wrote about how you were searching for reasons to judge your friends and you were “relieved as if I somehow believed that it would make me less if they turned out to be of truth.” I became aware of just how true this statement is and how it plays a significant role in the reason we judge others.

    For me I now know the difference between judgement and discernment. Judgement is the forming of an opinion that someone is bad or good because of their choice. Discernment is simply an observation of what is happening, where as judgement goes one step further and identifies the person who made the choice in a certain way because of their choice. Thank you for your level of honesty Fumiyo, it is touching. We have all found ourselves to be judgemental, but admitting this can be difficult.

  257. Fumiyo, I have thought that I was the “only esoteric on the hill”. So I have judged and kept myself away. I had a conversation recently,where I listened,without judgment,and felt absolute love and connection ,and felt I was no longer separating myself from others. This feeling was divine.

  258. Dear Fumiyo, it is brilliant to read your honesty and reflection and how this takes you deeper in your love for you and humanity. To recognise and let go of judgment of others is huge, and developing acceptance of self and others can only help us unfold/return to a true way of living in a community, that blesses us all. Thank-you for sharing your experiences.

  259. This blog is awesome! It really hits home… I will have to re read it a few times.. I have been so judgemental but have found it a hard subject to get honest about so thank you for sharing this.

  260. Wow Fumiyo, your deep exploring of yourself is so wonderful, and so healing for me. This particular blog speaks exactly of how I have been. Such a lovely breath of clarity you have brought to me…thank you, you have nominated on my behalf it feels!

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