“First you invent yourself, the you get to believe in your invention. That is not a process that is compatible with self-knowledge.”
– John Le Carre, The Pigeon Tunnel
Your self-criticism, your self-blaming and your self-praise, stem from an error of perception.
You cannot in reality criticize or blame yourself, since you do not know yourself. You can only ever know what you think you are – a product of your fertile creativity. So, rather, you criticize who you think you are. You have no access to what you really are.
Similarly, other people cannot in reality praise or blame you but only who they think you are.
As you begin to know yourself, who you really are, this praise and blame, whether yours or others, ceases to affect you. Your deep inner peace of mind and happiness become less affected, ultimately unaffected by your and others’ opinions.
Life is easier.
Meditation
Consider:
- Who are you if not what you think?
- If an answer arises, that is also an opinion, a thought, so discard it.
- Continue until you have exhausted all opinions, your own and others’ of yourself. What is left?
- If you know, that is also an opinion, a thought, so discard it also.
- What is left?
- …
Use this meditation for two years, then move on to the next stage.
If anything is unclear, please ask until all is clear.