As a coach and educator; I am constantly asking my players/students to evaluate, analyze, synthesize, build their understanding through the critical lens of thinking skill. Repetition and varied teaching techniques help accomplish these objectives in great measure.
In professional life; we pour over data, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize through the critical lens. We scrutinize production goals, profit and loss statements, that drive the bottom line at corporations through out North America. We critically evaluate the state of affairs in our nation; to a degree that divides us every minute of the day.
There is a school of thought in the West that tells us you have to be maniacal, crazy, obsessed with success if you are to reach the lofty goals you set; to acquire and amass, accolades, recognition, acknowledgement and riches from your critical evaluation of your professional domain.
What happens when this critical drive bleeds into our relationships? Questioning of our spouse and children’s drive and motivation may come up. We may bring the critical lens home; and ask why is he/she doing it that way? Why don’t my employees have the maniacal drive that I do to make this company the best?
When the critical lens seeps into our view of humanity, and relationships, condemnation is not far behind. The critical spirit leads to unrealistic expectations; robbing those around us of their dignity.
The critical spirit manifests it self in me when I focus too much on my needs in my relationships, which leads me to setting unrealistic expectations of the people I love the most. This cycle leads me to feelings of condemnation for those around me and myself. My safety mechanisms around withdrawing from those close to me and painshopping are magnified through my critical lens.
The Solution: be a source of life giving encouragement, love, and strength, which leads to an undeniable substance in the way we live and act that leads to a purpose led satisfaction that is rooted deep in one’s heart; like an Oak Tree coming to full growth.
The separation of mind and heart condemns the spirit. An integrated spirit is the place where we can be a starting point for ourselves and others. Vulnerability with ourselves and others let’s your spirit breathe and pours life into it; so you can pour life out.
In Romans 8:2 Paul proclaims,
because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
I am never more free than when my spirit leads the way. The critical spirit and condemnation have no room to manifest when I am focused on being a life generating, and life sustaining, source in this world.
“Life begins when we want to give life more than we want to be critical of it.”
The Oak Tree 
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