subject: Freedom - What does it really mean? [print this page] In the United Kingdom, we live in a democratic society. Which means; we have the freedom to vote for which party we would like to govern the country. Last month we voted for a coalition government.
In the world of Personal Development, freedom has a different meaning. It is the ability to be free of any limitations, be that thoughts, actions, behavioural patterns or negative feelings. Wouldn't that be good? The main things that hold us back in life are our thoughts. These thoughts can be how we think of ourselves, that internal head chatter that keeps us awake at night, that fills us with doubt. This thing we call the ego. The ego can be extremely subtle but we all have one whether we like to admit it or not.
Freedom to me means having no attachments to anything. It is not that you don't care it is that things are perfect the way they are without attaching too many thoughts or feelings to whatever it is. This is beingness. No thoughts or feelings to hold you back. You just are, living in the moment.
Before I became interested in Personal Development, my understanding was that the ego was what bigheaded people had. People who were full of themselves! But then I discovered I was wrong. Yes these people do have a large ego, which is right out there for everyone to see, but the thing is we all have an ego. For me, my ego holds me back by sowing doubt in my mind that I am not good enough/ clever enough/capable enough to do what I would like to do. My ego stops me from believing in myself 100%. But don't misunderstand me, I have achieved lots of things in my life, what I am saying is that if you desire freedom of spirit, to be who you are, you have to take the decision to batter that ego into submission!
How many people actually sit down and are In the moment'. Being aware of exactly what is happening right now. It is all well and good thinking about tomorrow but what if tomorrow never comes! How about enjoying now? Sitting in your garden absorbing the sounds around you or looking at a beautiful sunset. Now is a marvellous place to be. We are human BEings after all.
In the animal kingdom they don't plan their next day/week/month/retirement! They just live in the NOW. They trust that everything will be provided for them. This is of course what nature intended until us humans started interfering and meddling: that's another subject for another time.
Anyway here's a tip. Try at least once during the day to find time to get quiet. This means finding a space for you where you can sit, relax, breathe and have absolutely no interruptions, artificial noise (Tv's music, phones etc) or people interrupting.
Right at this moment I am sitting in my garden, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and I am looking at the tranquil scene in front of me. Would I like to be anywhere else? No. I am so grateful for living in such a beautiful place. Counting your blessings is such a positive thing to do and finding something positive out of every situation you encounter through life can help you feel free.
Give yourself permission to sit and do nothing! Try it, you may like it and might even find it helps you on your journey through life's ups and downs.
