What is freedom? Have you ever answered that question for yourself and with great interest? I have observed widespread false beliefs about freedom that create conflict and suffering for many. This conflict and the resulting suffering take many forms – including oppression, war, compulsory schooling, coercive government, argument, patriotism and divorce. The common thread that binds this conflict is a lack of clarity on what freedom is. Let’s take some time right now and drill into our ideas on freedom and cultivate a clear understanding of what it actually is.
What is freedom? Is it a lack of restriction? Is it the ability to do whatever you want whenever you want? I believe that most people would agree with that. However, there are subtleties there that you may not see. To have the ability to do whatever you want you must be free of all restrictions. That is not possible. At the minimum, you are bound by the restrictions placed on you by reality. For example, you are not free to live for long in the vacuum of space or to put the entire moon in your pocket. You cannot be in two places at once nor can you shrink yourself to the size of a pinhead. If you have no hands, you’re not free to finger paint. Isn’t it obvious that there are rules governing reality that you must work within? In essence, you are always operating under some kind of restriction – you are working within the rules of a system. Clearly freedom doesn’t come from a lack of restriction because there is no such thing as complete lack of restriction.
Does this mean that freedom comes from a minimization of restriction? Is it appropriate to say that freedom arises when there is less restriction placed on you? It seems to me that line of thinking is a trap that leads us away from clear vision on freedom. Let’s consider some examples to be sure. Consider a newborn human baby, for example. A newborn baby has no ability to talk. They cannot form words or communicate concepts until they have matured enough and learned enough to do so. Is a newborn baby less free than an older child with a command of speech? It seems to me that the answer is no. They are both equally free because they make choices based on the restrictions that they are confronted with. Consider a man that loses his sight at the age of 22. Before that age the man had full use of his eyes. Is the man less free because of the new restrictions placed on him from his loss of vision? Of course not…he is just as free as he was before his sight was lost. Just like the newborn, he’s simply subject to new rules and is making choices based on his situation.
It’s clear to me that freedom has nothing to do with the inherent capabilities of the body. Yet, does this also apply to restrictions placed on you by others? Does a government that drafts you into its military against your will reduce your freedom? If something is done to you against your will, are you less free? It seems that most people would answer that with a resounding yes! Still… I can’t help but question whether or not that is true. If you look closely at this, isn’t it the same situation as unwanted changes in your body? The man that loses his sight didn’t desire the situation any more than the person being drafted into military service. Both are simply operating under new rules and are making choices based on their situation.
What does this tell you about freedom? What it tells me is this: Lack of freedom is the violation of an ideal situation that exists only in The Image. Lack of freedom is an illusion created by a conflict of reality and The Image. If you believe you are free then you are free. If you believe you are not free then you are not free. Freedom, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Isn’t this obvious?
If lack of freedom is an illusion of The Image, what does that tell you about freedom? Doesn’t it mean that freedom simply is? Indeed it does... freedom simply is. Freedom is the ability to choose. You always have a choice in every situation. Now, some choices are more desirable than others. For example, you may pay your taxes because you feel that the alternative of jail time is not acceptable. Yet, the value of a choice doesn’t make it vanish. Being coerced into paying taxes is no different than steering around a dangerous obstacle on the freeway. You are always exercising your ability to choose between alternatives based on your current situation.
You are not having the experience of freedom right now because you believe that you are not free. Your focus on The Image of restriction is what keeps you from experiencing your freedom right now. The more you focus on your restrictions, the more you will strive to reduce them. The peculiar thing is that striving to reduce your restrictions will never make you free – the best it can do is increase the menu of alternatives to choose between. In most cases, your focus on restriction simply feeds your discontent.
Do you want to experience your freedom? If so then see clearly that you are already free in this moment now. It is not possible to be more or less free. You are as free now as you ever will be. If you feel that you are not free then you’re not seeing clearly. Indeed, it is your focus on imagined restrictions that keeps you from exercising your freedom. See clearly that you always make choices based on the rules of the system that you believe you are in. If you don’t like the rules that bind you then change them if you can. If you can’t change them then accept them and choose accordingly. What value is there in torturing yourself through conflict with the reality of your situation?