I was always someone who needed a lot of freedom. Now that I am living a nomadic life I am enjoying my freedom even more and notice how important it is for me to feel content and in peace. But what is freedom actually and are humans really ever free?
I would divide into inner and outer freedom. Without feeling free inside it doesn't matter how free we are, if we don't feel it inside we will always be imprisoned. Maybe outer freedom means having enough money to do the things you want, to be able to go to other countries or to feel save in your own country, just to name a few. True freedom comes from the mind though. You will always feel free if you are free inside, if your mind is free - maybe if you are freed from your mind.
One way to feel inner freedom is through meditation. It helps you to gain awareness and presence and through that you are able to liberate yourself from your constant mind chatter or worrying thoughts. This will also help you to practice non-attachment, which is another step towards inner liberation. To become unattached to belongings, titles, images of your self. people, actually anything, is the way to freedom. If you are not afraid of losing something you are free. Not being attached doesn't mean to not care - it is actually the opposite - by not clinging on to things or people you start to really appreciate them for what they are without projecting your fears or issues on to them. I'd say that true love can only happen if you are not attached. Then it is unconditional. This realization will bring you immense freedom. Ask yourself if you are afraid of losing things in your life, if you hold on to things or people out of this fear. This is your mind imprisoning you, telling you that you need something on the outside to be or feel better. I know it is a bit difficult to grasp this concept, especially when it comes to people, as everyone is afraid of losing a loved one. Through mindfulness and awareness of your thoughts you will be able to realize the difference between love and attachment.
A lot of philosophers raised the question whether humans actually have free will at all. We grow up with so much conditioning, old believes - not only from this but also from past lives - and ideas that are not necessarily ours, that it can take a long time to free ourselves from them. Also our physical body makes us unfree in a way. We need food and sleep in order to survive and there is basically no way to be free from those needs. There are also our spirit guides, universal, divine guidance and a lot more who lead us in directions. Some people might believe in destiny, faith or karma. So where does this leave our free will? To be honest I am not sure if we will always be completely free but I think that we can reach a great amount of inner freedom through working on ourselves and our false believes.
I am enjoying my outer freedom, my free lifestyle, even more because I am so much more free inside now. I am also more free because I realized how little I need to live a fulfilled life. Being able to travel, buying food whenever I need to, having a roof over my head and spending quality time with the people I love or by myself is outer freedom for me. We have to remember that we create our own lives and we are the only ones that can imprison us. It is necessary for us to become aware of our own power in order to be free. Usually we limit ourselves because we have expectations or believes that things have to be a certain way but that is just our mind who likes to think inside the box. Our ego as well keeps us in a cage by putting certain limitations to our lives. The mind and the ego like the common, the known and the old ways. Through becoming conscious of our ego patterns and our mind we can see how free we really are. We have to get out of a victim mentality - the 'I can't and I shouldn't' mentality and realize our strength. Only this will set us free.
As always, I recommend meditation and journaling if you want learn more about yourself, become more conscious and find some answers within. Ask yourself in what area of your life you feel a lack of freedom. Where do you think you cannot do or have the things you want. Try to see if these limitations come from you or if they are false believes that were passed on to you. Meditate and go within - feel that place inside that is free.
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