Sunday Stream (8) ~ on Freedom

[mtmynd]

Freedom

An ill-used word...Freedom...to be free from restraint, to be free from bondage, to be free to speak your words, to be free of government interferences, to be free to do what you would like to do, to have open space not belonging to anyone, and on and on...

Without this intangible, freedom, love cannot fully exist. Freedom is a sacred thing, the holy space from which love is born. The freedom to pursue one's dreams, one's ideals, must have freedom first. But if the essence of freedom is found within us, deep within our consciousness, is that enough for our love to bloom? Once we find this freedom that transcends our material wants/needs, we find that we do indeed have all the freedom we require to love - our most important human quality.

Freedom in a material sense, like the freedom to gather as much money as one can, leaves others shortchanged, whether it be through their own ignorance, or their own ability to defend themselves from those that feel a need to gather as much material wealth as possible. Is this truly what we can call 'freedom'? Using others for our own material prosperity is akin to a type of slavery...having another work for your own personal gain.

Freedom in the sense of speaking your own mind is certainly necessary, because without that liberty, how can one communicate their desires, their wants, and most importantly their needs? However, in a similar vein, let us substitute 'words' for 'money' - we have 'words' being used to make better our own worth thru the belittlement of others. Not a kind and just thing to do. More succinctly -words used as proclamations of ego-enhancement have the power to reduce another to a subservient position, either thru force or ignorance upon another.

Freedom to create is important, unless that which is created is born of ill-intent. One can create a weapon of mass destruction, but is that weapon to be used for defense or offense? Whereas a work of art is non-aggressive in that it only makes an image. A poem only defines the thought of the writer.

So we find two things in opposition here: freedom and ignorance. Ignorance is not to be taken as stupidity, but simply choosing to ignore. If we choose to ignore something we are missing out on learning more, not only of the material, but more of our Self which retards our own freedom.

If all this sounds rather confusing and it is about freedom, and there is so much more to be said about freedom, how can we possibly agree as to what freedom truly means? If we envision freedom with putting others at risk, if we equate freedom to taking from others, if we imagine freedom at a cost to our environs... it is not true freedom, but only a false sense of security... limited by material gain.

The only complete freedom we can have is by returning to our Self...not through philosophies or religions, and not through politics, but through a genuine return within, through our own psyche, beyond our ego, past our chattering mind...for it is only there that we can realize what freedom honestly is – the Great Liberation from conditionings of Religions, Philosophies, Politics and from our fears, doubts and inhibitions. This liberation transcends the material, but also shapes our material existence. Reconnecting our true, given freedom that lies within brings us an ease with which we can feel what free is - no more belief systems, no more placing responsibility upon others for our well-being, no more doubt as to why we are here, no more questioning reality, no more using others for our own selfish gains, no more fears provoking defense posturing...indeed free from all the chains binding us to leaders, to nations, to believers...free from those things that we have been conditioned to accept, follow and trust without first knowing our true Self... the source of Being. Meditation is the knob that opens the door to Self, available to all... the Universal Gift.

From that highest peak of Freedom that we all can stand at our full potential and witness the greatest of mankind’s ability: Love - the mystical connection that unites us all with all of life. Thus redeemed the Garden is once again returned by the journey through our Mind Jungle where clarity awaits our arrival.

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power”. -- Tao Te Ching



Peace and Ease,

cecil
[originally written 5/25/02, revised 11/21/04]

[mtmynd]

[moving it to the top! ]

[Artguy]

Having the freedom to choose comes with the responsibility to accept your choice and all that comes with it. My ultimate freedom is the freedom from ego.......the burden the self imposes on the self.............ignorance of of the emptiness of existence is in itself an end to freedom..........

[mnaz]

Cecil...

The word "freedom" has lost its punch for me, recently. This word has been stolen so many times of late by purveyors of greed and fear that I suppose this was inevitable.

Of course, hijacking of the word "freedom" by the "military-industrial complex" goes back quite a few decades at this point, I suppose. To quote the English Beat, circa '79, in reference to Viet Nam and blind nationalism in general: "Freedom's just a new deodorant. The money's spent and you've been had. You don't believe me? Ask your dad"....

And so it is necessary at times to remind ourselves what this word really means and not what flavor of the month it is being used to sell. Thank you for taking the time to do this...

[Arcadia]

sí, freedom is a good word for today.
saludos,

Arcadia

[judih]

freedom to wear pink peruvian beauty
and nothing else

[WIREMAN]

Freedom to be an Artist....create and live in Peace....even in the inner city hood......maybe the forgotten wastelands of the city allow for that....yes I feel it does.....beautiful jewelery cecil balanced and befitting a Queen.........wired

[Lightning Rod]

nice stream, cec, and a good subject

have you read Skinner's "Beyond Freedom and Dignity?"

http://www.freeforessays.com/show_essay/30296.html

nice jewelry too, bro

[mtmynd]

Many thanks to you all for your replies!

Artguy - to realize the emptiness is become at once full. Be not in a rush to hurry your ulitmate freedom for that is the ego speaking. Thanks A'guy for your words.

mnaz- is not any military fighting for its freedom to wage war? Falsely all battles are raging outside of man, but the true war rages within... deciphering the possibilities thru mind only. Thanks, Mark. Always enjoy your replies.

Mi Arcadia -si, la palabra "libertad" esta la misma en lenguas todas, pero esta solamente "la mente" que tiene la pregunta, nunca el resultado de verdad. Thank you, mi amiga.

Ahh Judih, my desert angel.... to see you dressed in Pink Peruvian Opals would, indeed, be an enlightenment of a very special kind! Thank you for a sneak peek.

wired and rebarred... maintaining the peace of the 'hood is a great place to begin the constant rebirth of Being... always a circularity that spirals upwards and outwards with every success. Thx for those kind words, friend!

L'Rod el rod.... and thank you for your words of encouragement. You know I appreciate them and humbly bow to your soul and mind. I bookmarked the link for perusal when time allows. With Soo getting me involved in jewelry makin' time is limited... we have another show in Austin the first of December... Wheatsville Arts and Craft Show on Guadalupe.