Are You Really Free?

Yes, most of us claim to be free but are you? The precious truth of freedom has been fought for and protected but it needs no guard. Basic rules of freedom are respectively worshiped as a collective and provides for those who are free – direction. Guidelines and positions are established through modifications to control freedom until aspects of slavery again reappear in whole or in part. The choice to be free is yours eternally to possess.

The majority of us think ourselves to be free but how true is this for you? Consider your heart felt feelings when answering these questions.

1. Do you stay in a relationship to make others content or happy?

There is no need to define the word relationship as it has broad application to all that is personally created around you. For example, many forms of intimate relationships can be beautiful mirrors of personal reflection in determining if you are really free.

During a private consultation, one woman stated “I stay married because… I have to… I have kids.” Another woman I met with reflected her thoughts “…I have been with him for 42 years (the kids are gone) I don’t know what he would do if I left…” A man might phrase his concern for another type of relationship another way “I work because… I have to…I have two kids…” Another masculine perspective is ” I have been in this job for 20 years I can’t leave now…what would I do?” Are they really free?

2. Do you promote freedom But can’t find it for yourself?

Consider, another woman who owns her own business with a staff dedicated to the service of others. The medical community and especially the patients that her company serves respect her. Desirous to share her success and wealth with others she considers a venture into professional speaking with her first presentation entitled “Living your dreams.” Beautifully prepared to teach, this lovely soul has internal conflict with her topic because secretly she is aware that she isn’t happy with what she does. Intellectually, with her true feelings awakened, she avoids the speaking idea and continues pursuing other things that bring her external recognition. However, she feels unhappy that others continue to take her encouragement to live their dreams while it seems personally outside her own ability to possess it. Is she really free?

3. Are you free to speak?

In my childhood household, due to the influence of a father who served in military intelligence, almost all forms of family communication were constrained. Even answering the family telephone had numerous rules as to what information could be revealed. Everyone in our family knew of the unwritten but very present rules that dedicated our “free” speech.

Our freedom of speech in this country is analogous to a majestic voice that crescendos the words “the land of the free” then suddenly the high note goes flat when a child or housewife can no longer speak freely within their own home. Are you able to speak freely within your household or job? Do you speak from your heart or do you speak only about those things that will be received well by others surrounding you? There is no judgment in your choice to speak or not to speak. But how do you feel about speaking to others intimately around you without any internal or external censorship? How do you feel about saying “anything” that you want? Are you free?

4. Are you free of fear?

If the first three questions didn’t give you pause then this one might. Logically, you may have already begun defending your position “is anyone free of fear?” While the answer is unimportant*, you might consider a life free of fear. If you were free of fear what alternatives would be open to you? If you didn’t have any fear of humiliation what would you do? Would your life be the same as it is now? What would do or express? Are you really free?

The truth is you are a slave. You are a slave because you have chosen to be. It has nothing to do with your experiences it has to do with your choices. History is filled with examples of individuals and nations that couldn’t find their freedom once it was granted. Do you remember the movie the Ten Commandments when the Israelite’s fled Egypt? Their freedom was granted Divinely yet they wanted to return to slavery because freedom seemed initially uncomfortable.

Consider examples of slavery in the year 2001; a battered woman who repeatedly returns to her abuser, a successful actor who can’t overcome an addiction, a workaholic who can’t leave the office, a child that is told they can’t sing, play, talk or read…

Is freedom only a dream? Some nations and individuals think so. What about you? Do you live in a free society? Are you free to exist as your true self?

The choice of free will

While you may have picked slavery as your initial option you always have free-will choice. Regardless of where you live, the rules and traditions that govern your house, state or country are illusionary. You possess Universal free-will choice. This choice extends beyond the dimension of this earthly plane. The choice not to choose is also recognized. The choice not to be free is accepted equally with those who choose total freedom. Become aware that your choice to be free is within your power. Let us create true freedom with every breath of our awareness.

Your choice to discover and remove old comfortable standards of confinement to free your real self is available to you now. In spite of perceptions of bondage that may presently encompass your life the choice to be free is yours. Old cyclic patterns of slavery that were once considered the norm are remade with your choice to be free. Let freedom ring in your choice to accept that which is Divinely yours. Let your dreams manifest everything that —is possible – in your choice of total freedom.

*Consider the many personal examples of “Masters” who have transcended illusions such as fear.