Freedom

In celebration of Martin Luther King Day, I’ve been pondering the idea of freedom. In this country founded upon the idea of freedom, how free are we really? The question, ‘Am I free?’ brings up many layers of complexity for me, defying an easy answer.

One realization I’ve had is that the most important freedom to me is in the mind. I may be free to go wherever I want or to choose a career path -  but if I am a slave to mental conditioning, to what other people tell me to do or think, or to harmful habits, then how free am I really?

The fourth and final chapter of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is all about freedom of the mind. One thing it teaches is that humans suffer because we identify ourselves with the thoughts in our mind (which are transient, and limited in perspective). For example, someone at work calls me stupid (oh no, the ‘s’ word!) and if I am not strong and centered in my true self, that label wedges into my self-conception. I come to identify with the label, and then my actions become self-fulfilling prophecies. I self-sabotage with ‘stupid’ choices because I’m acting out what someone else told me I am.

The bumper-sticker phrase ‘freedom is not free’ comes to mind here. The price of freedom: I have to be willing to give up my neuroses, and my wrong ideas of who I am. Surely this is an exhilarating and wonderful opportunity, but it can also be scary as hell. Think of the animals who spend their lives in cages and when the door is opened, they don’t leave because the safe space of the cage has become too familiar. I find similar reactions in myself as I journey toward freedom, and feel myself recoiling at times from fear of the unknown. The Eagles said it well in Take It Easy: we live our lives in chains never knowing we have the key.

The key, I’m learning, is in my own mind. Ironically, I’m finding that mental freedom can be cultivated by limiting other types of ‘freedom.’ Just like children need appropriate boundaries in order to grow up feeling secure, setting boundaries for the mind can bring focus and tranquility. One way to do this is to use a mantra (a word or sound repeated silently, linked to the breath). For example, inhale and think to yourself “I AM.” Exhale, and think “FREE.” Every time you notice that you’ve gone off on a train of thought, gently bring your mind back to focusing on your breath and repeating the mantra. You can sit or lie down comfortably and practice this technique for a few minutes each day, gradually increasing the duration of time you spend in this type of meditation. I have noticed tremendous benefits accruing over time from this practice. Like anything else, if you just do it occasionally its power to transform your situation will be limited. Commit to this practice daily for at least one month, and notice the effects in your life.