PRACTICE SECTION 06 | Judging the Results of Practice: Fruit and Right Mindfulness
The Metrics of Practice — The Fruit
How do we determine if our practice is yielding results? We look at our emotions. The love of God ultimately manifests within our emotional reality. Our objective is to consistently maintain the following emotional states:
- Joy: A buoyant spirit regardless of circumstances.
- Peace: A tranquil heart that remains unshaken.
- Gratitude: A continuous recognition of the gifts received.
- Trust: The absolute conviction that no one can truly harm me, and therefore, all things will eventually point toward good.
- Certainty: An unwavering internal clarity and stability.
- Overloved: The profound sensation of being infinitely cherished by God.
- Love: An overflow of benevolence toward all, even those who cause harm.
- Abundance: A soul-deep feeling of having more than enough.
- Humility: A natural state of self-forgetfulness.
Right Mindfulness: The Christian Cognition
What constitutes the "Right Mindfulness" of a Christian? It is the specific way we process reality. To think like a true follower of Christ is to run the following internal algorithms:
(1) All Things Work for Good: Every event is inherently "good" because it is an arrangement of God for the ultimate benefit of the soul.
(2) No One Has Wronged Me: The focus is always on the "log in one's own eye" (one’s own reaction and Ego) rather than the "speck in another's eye" (the other person's fault). This eliminates the victim mentality.
(3) Unexpected Events = Trials, Preparation, or Purification: Surprises are not "obstacles" but necessary training, divine preparation, or the removal of sin from the system.
(4) Serenity in Sacrifice: Even in the face of grievance, sacrifice, or martyrdom, one remains at peace. This is because life is viewed through the lens of Eternity, rendering temporary loss irrelevant.
(5) Sustained Joy and Gratitude: Residing in a state of abundance that far exceeds what one "deserves" by earthly standards.
Summary | Judging Results
- The Output (Fruit): If the dominant frequency of your life is Joy, Peace, and a sense of being Overloved, the "Kingdom-OS" is running correctly.
- The Algorithm (Mindfulness): If your first reaction to conflict or crisis is "God's arrangement" and "No one has wronged me," your "Right Mindfulness" has been successfully installed.
In one sentence: Spiritual maturity is not measured by religious knowledge, but by the emotional output of the soul and the automatic re-framing of reality through the lens of Grace.
