Roger Harty: A Non-Judgemental Attitude

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OK, as humans we like to engage in things that are worthwhile and that are both beneficial to ourselves and to the world around us.

Well that is the ordinary run-of-the-mill way, but we all know, it’s a funny world we live in. As my father used to say, “the problem with common sense is that they gave it the wrong name”.

Why? Then he’d laugh and say “because it isn’t that common at all”.

If you ‘Google’ ‘What percentage of the average human being’s thoughts are negative?’ You will find that the answer is between 80 and 95%. Our thoughts are either conditioned to be both negative and also repetitive.

This may (should!) absolutely amaze you, but as the famous Ripley used to say; “believe it or not” it’s true!

Let’s go on the assumption that what is said on ‘Google’ is true – and as we know ‘Google is never wrong’ – then that would suggest that there is an enormous waste of very valuable energy going on here.

You see our ‘thoughts’ are energy and it is another known fact that the average person has over 60,000 thoughts in any one day.

Now if approximately 90% of these thoughts are either negative or repetitive then that is by its very nature a ‘hell of a lot’ of wasted energy – the very energy that we need to live happy and healthy lives.

So what is the answer? Well the same old answer that I always give – Meditation. (Call it mindfulness, presence, The Now, Zen, Spiritual connection, Energy awareness, Whatever you want !).

For instance ‘What is the benefit of worry?’ Answer; none!

Therefore if there is no benefit to it – Why Do It?

If we focus on our breath (meditate) then we cannot be in our thoughts at the same time as you cannot be in two places at the exact same time.

Our breath acts like a distraction from our thoughts and I often refer to it as ‘an anchor’.

So when we use our breath in this manner, it can prevent us from wasting negative energy 90% of the time.

That means that 9 out 10 times our breath hits ‘the jackpot’ by preventing us from wasting all of this energy. In any casino, anywhere in the world, they are ‘odds’ that would be snapped up in a flash.

What gives us a great insight into this is the word ‘Worry’ itself. Back to Google!

If you Google ‘Origin of the word Worry’ you will find that it is derived from the Dutch – Auld English word ‘Wurghen’ which means – wait for it! – To Strangle.

So when we worry we ‘strangle’ the energy out of ourselves. Indeed if you prolongate the word worry you get the word worrying. Now do an exercise. Say the word worrying quickly three times in a row. What word tends to emerge – ‘Wring!’

That is where the phrase to ‘Wring a towel out to dry’ comes from. We are strangling the water out of a towel.

Developing a non-judgemental attitude which is basically what meditation is – If you are with your breath for example then you are not in your thoughts and if you are not with your thoughts then how can you judge?

This in turn saves us all that energy which is good for our health and wellbeing and also for the health and wellbeing of others and the world in general. Now how good is that I ask you?

Next week I am going to write about – It’s a funny Auld World!