Criticism Dojo : Overcoming Negativity

Welcome to the Criticism Dojo. We teach how to fight off negative energy and protect against criticism. Criticizing is a huge blow to our heart, a kink in our step, and a blemish on our soul. In this day and age, the enemy cannot be warded off by knives and nunchucks, no, the enemy is within. Transcending critical judgements is the first step in true self defense.     
    
    Unnecessary criticism of another is a very self destructive tendency of ours, something so heinous that it causes mothers and sons, husbands and wives, brothers and friends to cause harm to one another and leave them hurting. 

Criticism is a manifestation of the false ego, of envy, and of covering up the pain in our own heart. Such judgment leads only to separation, irritation, and remorse. A constant negative outlook hardens the heart, only making it more difficult to experience a light joyful existence. Most of the time, we criticize unnecessarily, for cheap self-promotion or as a defense mechanism. But it doesn't have to be this way.   
     Criticizing others (aside from managers adjusting) mostly stems from selfish pride or a lack of self-satisfaction. If we simply feel more love in ourself then we will naturally give more to others creating a positive, productive atmosphere of cooperation. So how to do this?
     The first belt given at the Criticism Dojo is for tackling the need for recognition. To do amazing things is great and should be recognized, but to endeavor for this adoration and distinction puts alot of pressure on us. There are so many people in the world, everyone with a talent or two, so lusting for distinction raises the stakes so high that we either are disappointed by the result or become puffed up with pride. Lose-Lose.
     Let's consider how many things must go in our favor in order to achieve our goals. We rely on many people, family, co workers, "lucky breaks", customers, supporters of many kinds. 
     Everyone improves more when others are doing good work as well. So instead of wanting to be the only one doing good for adoration's sake, we can see that "I myself" improve more when others also are doing inspiring work. 
If you pass this lesson then you may move up to the next challenge: overcoming envy. 

Karma and conditioning go way deeper than we can imagine. People act certain ways, almost instinctively, without really knowing why they act that way. This is called conditioning. In the ancient Vedic Texts it is described that each individual enters this life with conditioned behavior that is learned from experiences in past lives. And then, as we go through experiences in this life, our consciousness shifts moment by moment as we perceive ourselves and the world around us.  
Just as Pavlov's dog, who was conditioned to salivate upon the ringing of a bell, our mind is conditioned to make certain assumptions or conclusions upon certain stimuli. For instance, if a girl is constantly commented upon about the particular body she is in, then she will become very attached to that body and hyperfocus on her physical appearance. This will lead to certain actions that we may take as "vain" or "promiscuous" when in reality, she is only responding to her experience.
We all have conditioned behavior and thought processes like this that we have just accepted as, "that's how life is, I guess". Because of the conditioned mind and behavior of every person on this Earth, assumptions are dangerous and very rarely the true reality. 
     We don't know another's intentions and to be honest we often don't understand our own, intentions are so mixed.

     The ancient Vedic texts, such as Bhagavad Gita, informs us that this material world is a reformatory system to purify our selfishness enough to go back home, back to Godhead. Every bonafide metaphysical teaching describes us as spiritual beings from a non-material world, struggling in material existence like a fish out of water. No wonder we get irritated!
     If our hearts were completely pure, we would be back in the spiritual world, our home, and so while we're here: expect there to be friction, expect there to be let downs, expect there to be hardships, because we're meant to learn something about relationships. So let us use the friction we experience to polish our hearts instead of setting them ablaze. 
     The first two belts offered at the Criticism Dojo deal with overcoming surface level causes of criticizing. The deeper reason for criticizing others is a lack of satisfaction in our own heart. We are trained up to seek fulfillment outside of ourself but that exploration will always end up dry. The treasures we seek are already within our own self. 
     This is the special power of spiritual realization. A self-realized person is undisturbed by the duality of this world. Praise and disrespect don't faze such a person because they see others as the spiritual being that they are, struggling through their conditioned mind for loving relationships. We're all in the same boat and compassion will get us to shore. 

A daily spiritual practice will connect us with our true self resulting in self-satisfaction and understanding. The deeper within we go, the move we understand others to. We're one big spiritual family and remaining positive and encouraging not only connects us with our true self, but also, it helps others connect with their true self, but also, it helps others connect with their true selves as well.
     You can pass all of these tests at the Criticism Dojo with a solid spiritual practice and expert guidance from a bonafide spiritual ambassador. Receiving the highest belt is the perfection of this life and allows us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.