What does “FREEDOM” actually mean!?
“Freedom” — the word, in itself, is enslaved by people with the idea of some unrealistic expectations. The notion that true freedom is a final destination and not the actual journey in itself, this leads individuals to believe that the only way we can ever be free is to reach the end goal, trapping themselves in this very delusion for the rest of their lives.
So, the question arises: What does the word freedom actually mean? According to me, the right question would be: Are we actually free in the very moment? And my answer will be YES, we are free, free in all senses. All we need is to realize the privilege we were always blessed with.
The only thing that binds us as individuals to actually feel free is our senses themselves. HOW? Well Right now, you are probably in autopilot mode while sitting in the backseat. What does this mean? The idea is pretty straightforward, but before I explain the philosophy, I would like to quote the phase where it originally originates from. It goes like this: “Reactivity is Enslavement. Responsibility is Freedom.” Let’s explore this a bit more to give you an idea about what this actually means.
The basic idea is when you feel responsible for something and everything that is under your control, when everything within you — your emotions, your feelings, your aura, and your body — responds to your will, and not the other way around is when you really feel free. When you have a choice. You are no longer enslaved or dependent on other means. And I would like to emphasize the word “choice”. Having a choice is what we associate real freedom with, and it’s true. Let’s understand this with a simple example: Imagine you are sitting at a table, and your pen falls. Now there can be two cases,
- Case-1: You try not to hold yourself accountable for that, which means you just reacted to the situation because you are not bothered by it. Or,
- Case-2: You felt responsible for a certain action. Now, what this does is that you have several choices from as simple as bending down to pick it up, to asking someone for help, and even if you are not feeling like picking it up right now, you have the option to pick it up later.
Now, let me ask you which one is freedom, responsibility, or reactivity? The answer is pretty straightforward for me. The ability to respond gives you the freedom to act, and also the freedom not to act.
There is one more very common question: If I am responsible for everything that happens to me and around me, does that mean I am the one to blame for all? No, being responsible doesn’t mean taking all the blame and assigning it to yourself. It simply means being conscious about the decisions you make, and how you respond to things. You can’t control things that are beyond your reach; however, you can control how your body and mind assist that situation. I say it again: Responsibility simply means your ability to respond, being responsible is to be fully conscious.
This whole idea actually comes from a very influential person and his book “INNER ENGINEERING,” where he also quotes a beautiful paragraph that goes: “My ability to respond is limitless, but my ability to react is limited. I am one hundred percent responsible for everything I am and everything I am not, for my capacities and my incapacities, for my joy and my miseries. I am the one who determines the nature of my experience in this life and beyond. I am the maker of my life.” by ~ Sadhguru.
