True freedom

For some of us, there may have been a time in our lives that we felt the need to be free. A strong desire for freedom. In fact, some of us may be feeling this way as we are reading this article. We are yearning for freedom! 

Why is this? Why do we have this deep desire to be free? 

See, we desire freedom, because it is in our nature to be free, our nature is one of freedom. Intuitively, we know this. We can sense this, and therefore we tend to feel uncomfortable with rules and restrictions. We don't like to be told what to do, how to live, what to be.

As soon as we feel restrained, we experience internal friction and it manifests as internal and external disharmony. We start to rebel against anyone or anything that appears as a threat to our freedom.

Misunderstood freedom

Yet, saying that our True Nature is one of freedom may not be our direct experience. Saying that we are actually free is not the reality for most of us. This becomes obvious when we pay attention to what is happening around us. People complaining that they are trapped in jobs they do not like, in studies they do not like, in countries or religions which makes them feel trapped. People feeling stuck and bound to their situations and wishing for freedom. We see this all over.

Not only are we observing this within other people, but we also tend to have these thoughts ourselves, is this not true? 

Let's be honest. We may think that if we can only move to this country, we shall be free. If we can just get rid of this religion, or of this partner, or of our strict parents, we can be free. If we can just quit this study or this job and find a new one, we shall be free. If we can get rid of our caste, we shall finally be free.

Needless to say, we are fooling ourselves. 

We can change our location, our jobs, we can have a different passport, we can have enough money to buy anything, but if we are caught in the same way of thinking, we shall never be free.

So, we investigate the reason for feeling trapped, imprisoned. We check up.

The illusionary prisoner

Upon investigation, we realize that it is simply this idea we have of ourselves that is making us feel trapped. It is this idea we are identifying with, which makes us feel restricted. It is actually quite obvious!

Let's take a deep look at this 'I' we believe to be. This person we believe ourselves to be. When we identify as this person, it is no wonder that we are feeling trapped, limited, bound. Bound by a physical body, a race, a sex, a religion, and what more! We believe to be all these ideas, and we start to feel trapped in all these mental restrictions we create and hold on to. 

Yes, not only are we creating and feeding these ideas, but we are also clinging to them.

Now, let's go straight to the core of this virtual prisoner. Who is not free? Who is trapped, limited, restricted? Let's do some self-enquiry and see who this prisoner is.

Upon deep and precise investigation, digging in thoroughly, we come to the clear understanding that the mind is a prison, but with no prisoner! The mind is a cage, but there is nobody in the cage. Therefore, there is also nobody to escape, nobody to be released! 

Who we truly are, is already free. We are already free, we have always been free. There has not been a single moment that we were not free. However, we do not know this, because we don't know who we are. We keep identifying as the ego, the illusion of a separate self, and this ego can never be free. It cannot be free, because it does not exist. It is only an idea. An idea we can gladly renounce.

It is actually funny. We create this idea of a separate self, and then we want to free this idea. What a paradox!

So, we drop the ideas of the past and we drop the ideas of the future.
What is left?
The here and now. The present moment.

Then, we drop the idea of the ego, of a separate self,

and be free!

See, freedom exists, in this very present moment, it is eternal.
When we know this, we can celebrate our freedom in every moment.

Freedom. Here, now, eternal. 

The only reason we feel trapped is because we limit ourselves by false beliefs.
Ignorance. Ignoring our True Nature.

Similar articles on this blog:

Waking up, Part 1 - 30 December 2020
A familiar feeling - 28 December 2020
The ego, the illusion - 30 August 2020