We deeply need to understand the complexity of this oath. It's very important.

" I_________, promise to never, ever, ever, complain, criticize or condemn, anyone or anything, ever, ever, again, and that includes myself. "

Why create an oath so outrageous that we can't succeed? There are too many cool reasons...

The oath is admittedly one that is meant to be broken. It's over-the-top on purpose. If we already know it is unreachable, then when we fail and our mind tries to beat us up, we get to laugh! A very important practice. A perfect learning scenario.

It also lets us fantasize about what it could be like if we changed! To really feel the potential.

Just imagine if we could really let go of negative thoughts, what will fill the air space when we lose 80% of what usually fills our mind? If 8 out of 10 of our thoughts disappear, what then?

Imagine life, if randomly, spontaneously, obsessively, habitually and compulsively, (like how the complaining mind works), you thought gorgeous thoughts! Your automatic feelings reflect truth, and every time you're alone your mind just chirps out The Beatitudes. It just won't stop generating gratitude, appreciation, optimism, and faith! Your friends think you are losing it. There is nothing that can knock you off center. You couldn't believe a fear or hopelessness if you tried. And collectively when the studies are done, they show that 8 out of 10 of your thoughts are positive. Wooohoo! This is not an impossibility. It already exists in reverse. Imagining all this really shows us how far off this mark we actually are.

This oath sends us on an adventure to explore our abilities for the fun and experience of it. Not because we are trying to gain our own approval, or meet higher standards so we can finally love ourselves. That game is over. This oath implies a commitment to love your self now, not later. If you don't love yourself now you won't love yourself when you change. The unloving self mechanism will still be there. That is what we need to heal.

So we can just try our best, and still fail over and over again. We need to do this until it is fun! Seriously! Until we can fail and still be in love with ourselves, we are not finished. And every time we catch ourselves and do not believe the critical mind we make significant progress. Every time is a bulls-eye. And wonderfully, you not are not only changing the moment, you are creating a new pattern for the future.

This is what it is all about. This whole experience is designed to expose our condemning nature, replace it, and thereby change our future.

And only two more points:

This oath makes fun of our crazy attempts to " force" ourselves into change. Thinking that if we tie ourselves into a potential guilt trip, we will accomplish our goal more successfully. Wrong! lol. I doubt I had to tell you that.

Guilt is not an effective motivator to change at all. Strong consequences are, but not guilt. It just never works. There is always a backlash. Why? It is yet just another form of self-punishment. Any form wreaks havoc instead of benefiting us. It is just another expression of the part of the mind we are trying to rise above, and not from your authentic self.

And finally in regards to this oath; With all due respect,

If a strong aversion to this oath keeps you from considering the possible healing and benefit offered by being a part of this effort, then I carefully suggest that this opinion may be a bit over-reactive, and my guess is that the very part of you that feels like you should dismiss it, is what this movement wants you to see and heal. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is typically not the best idea.

Thank you!