What is freedom (and are we really free)?
I recently read an astounding book which has had a deep impact on me.
It weaved a tale of alchemy that transported me to a bygone era of Sufism, religion and faith, exploring many spiritual concepts on a deep and profound level.
I finished the book last night and had the most vivid dreams, of planets, movement and freedom. It created a feeling of bliss as I sunk into the words, like relaxing into a soft armchair or melting into a hot bath after a long day.
The book isn’t about freedom, it is a love story between man and the Divine (or Universe, God or whatever you like to call it) but it sparked something in me about the concept of freedom which I want to share with you now.
The illusion of freedom is real
It’s hard to imagine we’re free right now because we are not free. Freedom is really just an illusion. We are all in a system, a matrix-style system if you can imagine, where freedom of our physical selves is seemingly real, yet isn’t. However, does true freedom come from our physical reality or our spiritual one? This is the concept I want to explore.
In our physical reality we are constrained by laws, governed by a set of societal structures, in place to prevent wrong-doing. We know there are a lot of bad things which happen in the world so one might argue that these constraints and laws are fairly useless.
Most crimes are not committed by the common people but rather by those in positions of power, wealth and privilege. From wars, poverty, hunger, trafficking, drugs and arms, I feel the stories we see in the news of small localised crimes are nothing but a distraction from the real evil in the world. But I digress.
On a physical level we have to abide on many levels to function in our society. We need national insurance numbers, proof of education, identification, passports to travel, accounts, licences, references, checks, credit scores, it goes on and on. And the powers that be want to create more forms of identification, digitalising our existence into the computer system which runs the world.
To exist within the matrix-style world we live in there are certain hoops that we must jump through to maintain the status quo and give the appearance that we are abiding by the rules, toeing the line and functioning in society. We cannot function without living within these parameters. By this definition our physical freedom might seem limited.
When we find peace we become free
I crave freedom. I always have. It’s why I have this deep restlessness within me that keeps nudging me to move, change and go. It takes constant work for me to remain present, in the moment which matters, which is The Now.
I believe life will be more peaceful in the future. Yet, the future is just an illusion. It hasn’t happened yet. The future is a concept of my imagination that robs me of living in the present moment. To deny the present is to deny life and it’s not a great way to live.
Peace is freedom. If we are at peace with life then we are free to enjoy it. This is the very essence of freedom.
At the moment, and perhaps for most of this past year, I’ve had this restlessness, hovering under the misguided notion that life will be more comfortable elsewhere. Once things fall into place the way I want them to, I’ll find peace. Yet we know this isn’t how it works. It’s actually the other way round. When you find peace, everything will fall into place.
The problem for me is that life feels so sticky and uncertain right now, all I crave is knowing that it won’t always be this way. I want comfort and assurance. I yearn to be at a new point in the future where I don’t have to deal with this uncertainty.
Yet, the uncertainty I feel is the exact thing I need. It is this precise feeling which is inviting me in. If I learn to become comfortable and settled in the present moment then I find that peace, and freedom I’ve been craving. Add to which, it allows me to relax into the unkown future because the future is just an extension of the present moment. If I can find peace now, it will come to me on the road ahead.
It is only when we mould the present that the future can begin to take shape and form.
Freedom is born when we detach from fear
In the world we’re currently living in, with its limits, restrictions and rules, it feels hard to feel truly free. Our physical selves are constrained.
For anyone, like me, who has this restless urge to be anywhere else, it can feel pretty uncomfortable. Learning to explore the beauty of this moment in time is my focus right now as I now recognise the power of finding peace in the present moment.
Yet, while our physical selves must stay put and embrace the lessons of this moment, our spiritual selves are free to fly. This is where true freedom comes in.
We make decisions from one of two places. One is fear and the other is love. That’s it. There is no in-between, only those two driving forces. Our freedom is therefore limited when we live through fear. One of the main chains that bind us, unseen but ever prevalent, is the fear of judgement. It cages us with invisible bars.
Stepping into our light is terrifying when we consider the opinions of others’ and the society in which we live. True freedom is detachment from this fear of judgement. It is knowing our self-worth and stepping free of the constraints which keep us playing small.
When we are truly living, doing and being our most authentic selves we need not fear the thoughts, opinions and judgements of others. We know who we are, what we are capable of and what we deserve. We know that nothing external can affect the truth and passion within us. We are immune to criticism and doubt, leaving us free to fly and explore our place in the world.
When we are fearless doors open for us. When we are fearless there are no chains holding us down.
Freedom is moving from fear to trust
Lack of trust is the second set of chains which keep us bound and limited. When we live in doubt about who we are or where we are, then we are not free. When we don’t trust that we are in the right place, a layover on the road of our life, then it’s very tempting to stay put. We become paralysed with indecision.
Should we go forwards or backwards?
The road ahead lies in the darkness of the unknown. We all want to know that the lights will come on to guide us along. Yet, when we don’t trust the path ahead of us and fear the darkness, we become stuck, like a rabbit in headlights.
The ironic thing is that time passes anyway, whether we move forwards, backwards or nowhere. When you stay stuck you are only robbing yourself of your time here. You are trapping yourself and freedom slips away.
True freedom is born from trust. Knowing that everything is exactly as it’s meant to be, down to every detail in this precise moment. This means that there are no right or wrong decisions to be made, only the ones that we were always meant to take, guiding us down the path that is ours to travel.
We are all meant to be here
The Universe is an inter-connected web of individual threads of human life, weaving a rich tapestry of life. It is infinite in its complexity. Knowing that our thread is a vital part of this tapestry called life allows doubt to dissipate and trust to grow.
We are all meant to be here and we all carry a blueprint for our time on earth.
We are not random. We have purpose. This is a breaker of chains. We are meant to be free, create and evolve. It is our divine right as souls incarnated on this earth. If you believe in a power that drives life, whether it be God, the Universe or a Divine Consciousness, then you can never doubt your place here. You can fall into trust that everything is meant to be. You are meant to be.
With that trust comes freedom.
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