Freedom is really sort of a nebulous idea and touted a lot, but do we really have it? If you could have freedom from everything, would you really want it?

Would you be dead? Basically yes, you would.

Likely are rules there too? This is also right. No energy escapes the universe and order touches everything.

People easily say “I want my freedom”, but often fail to specify or really think about what they want to be free from or why. So really all they gain their freedom from is their own faculty of reason. Purpose is an omnipresent principle. You won’t escape it and would you want to?

A purposeless life would be really dull. Well yes, also lonely, because relationships are inherently purposeful.

Is freedom defined by choice? Yes.  Maybe freedom is just the right to have a choice? Actually no, freedom isn’t the right to have a choice. As most people will rightfully attest, the world doesn’t care what you think your rights are, does it? That concept of rights, and phrases like “You have no right” or “How dare you”, those are maybe two of the most meaningless phrases in the English language. In Hermetic philosophy, one of the principles they teach is for the student to “dare”. That is freedom. Not being given permission to make a choice, as ultimately no one is going to give you permission.

The more you dare, the more you are free? Exactly, but it isn’t the mindless challenging attitude of an immature teen.

Lack of freedom is self imposed? Ultimately, yes. Ultimately, any perceived lack of freedom is self denial, and if you are in conflict with the restriction, it’s you who are deluded and there is nothing real about your situation.

Deluded about the reality of your situation? Oh no, you might understand the reality of your situation as well as anyone else. What you fail to account for is the reality of your own self, your inner nature. Some people say “Well, I could never do that”, it isn’t true. In extremes, rationality will leave you. Mental illness or stress from physical mortification can totally warp what you think you are or what you think you would do.  Example: Many seemingly well adjusted people will experience radical personality change with the loss of a limb. It’s not uncommon is it? But another group of people facing the exact same hardship won’t be meaningfully derailed by it. Have any witnessed that?

People take different stressors differently? Well yes, people take different stressors differently, and the difference between freedom and restriction isn’t external.

Is a radical personality change always bad? Oh no, it isn’t. Some people rise to the challenge. When faced with what they stand to lose they find what they never really knew they had. There is a man with no legs who runs races. He’s very physically fit and just has to use prosthetics. This man with no legs, has freedom.

Freedom is internally defined? Yes.

Isn’t saying “I don’t want to” freedom in itself? It can be, but there is the snag. Because in fact, any time you make a self abdicating statement like “I can’t”, even if you know you just don’t want to, it acts like a suggestion. As it becomes habitual, you can really begin to believe it.

Can freedom to err or fall into attachment again also be freedom? If it draws you and you know there is still more to learn there? That you are still “sticky”?

I think it is because not all people will allow you to not want, to have your own preference, so you start to say ‘can‘t‘.

Indeed, on both points. Freedom is awareness. They are synonymous. There have been imprisoned people who were quite free. As I said earlier, it’s not about immature teenage defiance. You don’t just say “I’m free” and then just go do whatever random thing. That isn’t freedom, and it tends just to be foolishness. True freedom comes from awareness, and specifically self awareness. Awareness of the principles that lay closest to your path with heart.  Not, can you fight.  Not, can you destroy. Sure you can fight just at the drop of a hat, it’s easy. In this day and age anyone can kill, just pulling a trigger. It’s easy, and it isn’t freedom.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~