Photo Credits: Rick MobbsTo be free. What does it mean to you? How do you look at it? What is true freedom? I know I am asking the same question in different ways. And I am not here to preach either. Many a times, I simply talk to myself and this is one of those times. You can safely skip this.
For me, to be free means to think about the world. To think and do beyond oneself. To reflect and ponder over things and approach or tackle anything in the best way possible. It is about being unselfish. In today's context, it seems impossible. Majority of us are indeed wrapped up in our own world to look beyond it. True freedom for me means to break that shackle and come out of it. For me, God is not important, religion is not important. However, spirituality is. Humanity is. I do not even believe that you must love your neighbours. I truly believe that first you must love yourself. That too, unselfishly. Only then you are truly be free of everything. Self-love does not mean self-obssessed. It means to respect our own mind, body and soul. Many feel that it is our body, it is our life, we can do what we want. Is it? Should we? If we think this way, are we loving ourselves? I suppose, we all need to answer that question. We, only we, can truly answer that. We can hide away from the world but can we escape ourselves? At the end of the day, we have to face ourselves in the mirror.
Do I have to follow a faith or believe in God to perceive it this way? Answering for myself, I say no. As I see it, religion does more harm than good. Nothing can get worse than blind faith. Follow the goodness in your heart. Let your soul show you the path. You won't be needing anyone other than yourself to guide you. That is true freedom, ultimate liberation.
(((((hugs)))))
ReplyDeleteCan you come over for tea sometime? Rose and I would love to spend an afternoon in conversation.
feels really refreshing to read this.
ReplyDeleteyou are right, as always, you are wise. we can free out mind from this imaginary traps, and do good, be good and life will reward with its own goodness and a clear path.
I so agree with you about organized religion! It's just a crutch for people who can't be spiritual on their own.
ReplyDeleteLoving ourselves first is of the utmost importance!
Well said!
Such wise words. I know exactly how you feel, and I really enjoyed reading it.
ReplyDeleteOften, what we least respect, is ourself - I think you're right. We have to love ourselves - but we have to learn how to do this.
ReplyDeleteLoved the comment: "At the end of the day, we have to face ourselves in the mirror." Yes! It is there we face both body and spirit! I too am not comfortable with organised religion! I have tried most, and found, in fact, I have simply been shaping my own kind of spirituality along the way.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
It's a road each of us must travel in his or her own manner. You have expressed it well.
ReplyDeletehow i've missed reading your work ... glad that i've found you again
ReplyDeletelove this
You're right about self-love. If you can't respect yourself, you have only hate to give. Spirituality and humanity, too, are vital.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure that religion is bad. As with politics and so much else, it is how we use it. Anything is bad if it is used as a fanatical prop.
With moderation, perhaps everything can have good in it.
I think I'm making sense :-)
I liked this meditation a lot, GT. I think the "faithless" path you describe in your last paragraph is the true faith that potentially unites us all. Despite the fact that we have a number of faith traditions with which people align, someone I read (it may have been James Hillman) wrote that the number of religions on this planet equals the number of people on the planet: each, regardless of "affiliation," creates her own path.
ReplyDeletePeace to you.
Beautiful post. Yes, free ourselves, and everyone will be free; there is no us and them.
ReplyDeletebeing true to yourself makes so many of the do i have to questions into no brainers!!!
ReplyDeleteA lovely post, full of thought and wisdom! thanks...
ReplyDeleteTo love oneself is important, but self-obsession is always a danger unless there is something (even an ideal), that is larger than ouselves and allows us to be reverent and a bit humble of the complexity of life... I only have problem with organized religion when it is used wrongly, when we create god in our image instead of the other way around. At its best, religion should be a humbling experience, but often it is not... am I making sense?
ReplyDeleteYou are so very right in this.... you must love yourself, unselfishly, before you can love anyone or anything else.
ReplyDeleteI have found that the most important thing for me is to be true to myself. By being true to myself I can be true to those I interact with, in all apsects of my life, be it family, friends, a lover or just people in general.
It allows me to respect how and what I feel and to also respect how and what others are feeling. That in itself will portray the true you to others in a positive and peaceful light, which will bring kindness and consideration with it.
Lovely and insightful post.... a pleasure to read. Thank you.
As I am reading this I am listening to a discussion on the difference between the brain and mind...our brain produces it's own chemicals that can heal us, make us happy...we instruct our brain to either make us happy or sad by what we mentally ingest.
ReplyDeleteWe train our brain.
When we view ourselves as helpless victims of circumstance that is the identity that we form..but, when we decide to elevate our horizon and become an enthusiastic sojourner who wants to experience all of the wonders and mystery that surround us..we free ourselves.
I like to think about this tiny blue planet spinning around at 60,000 miles an hour out in the middle of nowhere. Over there is an average star that gives off enough energy to make this place inhabitable...now fly around and look at all of those continents...sail down a little further near your home...look at all of the people fully engaged in their antlike routines...then zero in on your home...
watch yourself...
what do you want to be, know, feel, say today, this minute...
realise that there isn't another being exactly like you.
I want to be free...
free enough to be able to take this flight everyday and realise how lucky I am to know myself and share it with people like you. The greatest thing that you can do for your brain is to use it...we have this big frontal cortex just waiting to expand our horizons..feed it..free it...then hang on.
Very inspirational words. Yes I think it starts with loving yourself to be able to love others
ReplyDeletewhich is the base of spirituality.
I'm with you on this. Love yourself then tend to others. Great post!
ReplyDeleteto me freedom means, not having to think about anything before doing, by this I do not mean mindless, thoughtless acts..but when I decide based on my reason system, I should not have to change it because of someone else's restrictions.
ReplyDeleteHm regarding religion and freedom, I guess it all depends how much and what we take from the religion, I have found philosophies associated to many religions really appealing..so would that curb my freedom?..well not much I guess
i couldn't agree more about institutionalised religion... it has been a cause of so much suffering throughout ages.
ReplyDeletegreat read, gautami.
"Follow the goodness in your heart. Let your soul show you the path."
ReplyDeleteAmen.
Good post.
I enjoy reading your non-poetry posts, Gautami. It's a whole different voice.
ReplyDeleteFreedom is one of those things that's like a bride's choice of her wedding gown. The most beautiful choice for her doesn't suit anyone else - nor should it. And each person's perception of freedom will differ somewhat. For me, freedom is the absence of fear. Fear really holds me back, personally - I'm always pushing past my own fear-shackles. You wouldn't think it if you met me in person. I seem fearless to most people. But it doesn't mean I don't have to struggle with it. When I push past that, then I really feel free.
You ponder some of the things I ponder. Much food for thought here.
ReplyDeleteFreedom comes in many shapes and forms.......one has to choose the best path for themselves........
ReplyDeletei've met a few "religious" folks who seem to have no sense of spirituality or morality. i always shake my head and wonder whether they believe that by going to church buys them decency. the continuous news in the media of priests accused of pedophile does not help either. so religion is a ongoing debating subject for me. i see it as nothing more than a way to control the masses. i stopped going to church many years ago. it does not mean i do not pray, it does not mean i am not spiritual, it does not mean i do not live my life in a manner that shows love and compassion and understanding for all. it simply means i began to think for myself and no longer found use for someone else to speak on my behalf or to tell me right from wrong. if i, at my age, do not know already know right from wrong, then no one can help me.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your thoughts about religion and loving oneself. How can we love others, if we view ourselves as trash? Great writing! You capture a certain feeling of freedom depicted in the flying bird.
ReplyDelete