To observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.
— J. Krishnamurti quoted in The Zen of Listening by Rebecca Z. Shafir
How often do we observe without letting the mind become entangled and in charge of what see and feel?
As an example, I might notice that I am excited about an upcoming event. My mind might step in and try to explain why I am so excited. I might even begin some inner dialogue,
‘well, what if it rains that day and it is all ruined?’ or
‘you don’t deserve to enjoy that event’ or
‘the event might be such a success I will plan a bigger, larger event’ or
‘if I am too excited now I might be setting myself up for disappointment’
In this scenario I have already missed the nice feeling of excitement. Experiment with yourself this week, practice observation without judgment. See what you may notice about yourself and others without trying to analyze, judge or control what you witness.
To experiment with this concept: When listening to others, whether in a meeting or at the dinner table, do not mentally evaluate or judge them. On the Yoga mat, feel the sensations of a pose without wondering if your alignment is correct or what the next pose will be or why this pose is so hard for you but easy for your friend. Just watch and notice.
But doesn’t excitement come from the mind in first instance? If don’t think that I would be excited observing anything if I was brain dead….
And, to have intelligence of something, sometimes it does help evaluating… like i observe a car coming and i evaluate that i am in the middle of the street…
Good luck with the weather tonight!
P.S. sorry for the typo: “I don’t think that…” not “If don’t think that… “
Yes but you might agree that it is not useful to have the mind so engaged in what kind of car it is, where it is coming from, at what rate of speed it could be travelling, who is the driver, why you are standing in the middle of the road, how long it will take to get to the sidewalk, etc.
Observation as a form of intelligence is not intended to be a replacement for analysis. It is a piece that maybe sometimes humans neglect to practice because we are gifted with these amazing brains that are capable of so much more than just observation.
It was a gentle reminder to practice observation. Here is a good one, next time you eat an ice cream. Practice observation – feel the sensation of cold, the flavor, the visual experience of a melting blob changing before your eyes. Or maybe observe that the mind is counting the calories or that a little boy walking by is wanton for your ice cream. There is so much to notice in the moment of eating the ice cream – why not enjoy or not enjoy and analyze it later?
p.s. Oh, sorry I missed the big question – does excitement come from the mind? I don’t know. I think it comes from the heart! That’s a Yoga teacher tlaking.
Seriously, does anyone know? And how does the brain feel when it is excited? I feel excitement in my heart and on my skin and in my body. I guess it could come from the brain so another reason to be grateful for these giant brains us humans are gifted with!