"True freedom starts from within"
What is freedom? Have you ever asked yourself this question? We talk about it with our family, in relationships, in politics, religion, work, in every aspect of our lives, but what is it?
Now we will tell you one secret, we don’t really like this question. We don't want to define what freedom is, because as long as it is vague, we can say whatever we want about it.
The truth is that real freedom is a fiction. It simply doesn't exist. Freedom is a concept created by people, an idea that has contradiction right at its core.
You watch a lot of TV
A clear sign that you are a slave is that you spend most of your daily life watching carefully planned, manipulative television channels.
TV is constantly trying to control your life by selling through advertising what you don't really need. Most often, advertising wants to convince you that you are not good or lucky enough, and that you should spend money on certain products to make your life better. In addition, television promotes so-called journalism, which brainwashes you through the use of fear, instilling any beliefs in your mind, without providing any hard evidence of their existence. TV attracts mindless shows to turn you into a lazy, passive person who doesn't move, think or react to all the negative things that happen in your life and in the world.
Television is gradually turning you into a zombie, and the sooner you give it up, the more you can live a free life, with less fear and superficial desires. Ask yourself questions while watching a show: What did you learn that was useful? What new things have you learned? Have you been enriched spiritually? What emotions does watching this or that show or television program give you?
Components and components.
They may look different for everyone, let’s try to summarize them. What is freedom? We must realize it, recognize the need to become free, imprint it on our mind and soul. Only after these reflections will we understand whether we are truly free or whether we urgently need to act in order to feel this sweet smell. How to be a free person and live an easy life?
The opportunity and right of each of us to follow the path we want. Many of us do not pay attention to this point and do not gain independence. We can all be independent, think the way we want, have the right to choose in our lives, without anyone’s influence or prejudice. Everyone has a choice, in any life situation. There cannot be just one way for events to unfold. We are always free to choose whether to act or not act. This is the rule and it cannot be otherwise, until you understand this, you will not see the way.
Courage is one of the main companions of freedom. Courage pushes us, forces us to take a forced march, a decisive step, which we could not decide on for a long time, before which we gathered our courage for a long time. Freedom is the destiny of brave people.
Struggle and self-development are components that help us move forward, overcome our fears and doubts that crawl out of the darkness of our consciousness and try to slow us down and put pressure on us.
The desire to live and fortitude are what give us energy for every day. I wake up in the morning, we say, good morning, my beloved world. He answers you with freedom.
Do you support politicians?
Politicians don't want to bring real positive change to the world we live in. On the contrary, they are trying to prevent any changes so that they continue to sit on the throne of power, pretending that they care about the problems of the people.
Supporting politicians is a clear sign that you have a slave mentality who cannot think for themselves and take responsibility for their lives, no matter how many times history has proven that politicians do not solve problems. Freedom and responsibility always go hand in hand, so if you want to be free, take responsibility into your own hands and stop blaming others.
Politicians' PR campaigns are set up in such a way that you won't even realize that this is just a clever move to make you like the politician. And you turn a blind eye to the problems that are caused by the activities of some politician, blindly believing that all this is ultimately better for you. Think about it: is your life getting better or worse under the control of politicians?
Look for your goals, not those imposed by someone
Don't know how to become free? Then take a closer look at your goals. Every person wants something. Think about what you want. Everyone’s dreams are different: some want to sing, some want to draw, and some want to program. The aspiration of the soul is true desires. But they are often mixed with a person’s illusory ideas about a beautiful life. Such pictures are imposed on people by advertising. For example, the idea that life will be better if you get a car or a house by the sea is nonsense. Marketers have imposed on you the opinion that without a personal car you will not be an authoritative person.
Before you fulfill any dream, think about whether it is true. Let's look at the example of a car. Do you want a large luxury car? Why do you need a car? It is more convenient to go to work by metro, and the journey to work takes a total of 15 minutes. You rarely go on picnics outside the city, and when traveling you prefer to fly by plane. So why do you need a car? For status. All colleagues have cars, but you don’t. With the purchase of a car, a person will not become happier and freer, since the implementation of imposed goals makes freer only business owners who were able to successfully use good advertising.
Do you think that buying things will make you happy?
Do you always feel like you don't have enough material things? Do you follow fashion trends and always want to buy new things and preferably expensive products from famous brands, wanting to look like your favorite celebrities, thinking that owning them will make you look shiny and feel happy?
Manipulative advertising has made us believe that buying things will make us feel satisfied and happy. The reality, however, is that material things are like a primitive substitute for what we truly desire - that is, inner peace, love, and connection with people and nature. But in reality, material goods cannot replace and satisfy all this, so they always leave you disappointed and emotionally hungry.
Buy only those things that you really need. Pay attention to quality, regardless of the brand. Many companies spend more money on advertising their brand rather than on the quality of their products. Ignore trends and outside influences.
The true path.
Ask yourself why is this really so important to you? Realize what she will give you? What kind of freedom do you really need? Many people confuse material well-being with freedom. Very often, having the first, you remain a prisoner of someone or something. Learn to separate these things, think about your life, its values and move on.
Know that your own path of freedom ends where another person’s path begins, remember this, but do not get personal and offended. Forewarned is forearmed. Having the will of choice in relationships, the absence of pressure from the opposite side, we gain psychological breadth. This can happen in any situation: with your boss, mother, friends. Be equal in everything, we are all individuals and deserve to be treated appropriately.
Be free socially. A person chooses his path based on his interests in life. You are independent, choose work and education based on your inner motivations.
You should live in pleasure. A person following the true path always has such an opportunity.
You blindly follow religion
Another clear sign of slavery is when you blindly follow the beliefs and dogmas of a religious organization, without allowing even the slightest doubt, for fear of rebelling against, sinning and ending up in hell.
Most religions do have important spiritual lessons and teach us a lot, but following them blindly without giving them critical attention does nothing to improve the quality of your life - on the contrary, it overwhelms you and fills you with a psychological burden that can only make you you to suffer.
Think about it, why do you need religion? It is your desire to follow religion, or it was imposed on you by your parents from early childhood, and you take it for granted, as an unbreakable tradition. Think about how applicable the religious dogmas of ancient people are to the realities of modern life. Does religion really make you a better person, or does it make you suffer? Or maybe other people suffer because of it?
Stop worrying about what others think
People often overthink themselves because they cannot understand other people's reactions to their words and actions. How to free yourself from such thoughts? Will it make you feel better if you know that someone thinks well of you? This may improve your self-esteem, but only for a short period of time. In fact, all people worry in vain. Stop thinking that you are being judged and discussed. Even if those around you are really doing this, you shouldn’t pay attention to it. Only those who cannot think of a smarter thing to do gossip gossip. And do you really need to know what people think of you?
Remember that you can't please everyone. Therefore, do not try to gain the approval of everyone around you. Live the way you like and do what brings you pleasure. Do not regret the mistakes you have made and do not be sad that your failures will be widely discussed. Gossip like this should mean one thing to you. People are talking about you, which means you are really worth something.
You feel forced to work
We humans have the technological ability to easily meet the needs of every person living on Earth, without the tedious work that we have to do today. However, in the economic system we have created, money is scarce, so almost every person must work and compete with other workers to get food and shelter, even if their work does not contribute anything useful to society.
If every day more than half of your waking time is spent by the corporation you work for, doing things you hate doing, taking orders to earn low wages that allow you to simply survive, then you have to wonder if you are truly free or just a slave.
Don't be afraid to take steps to change jobs. Think about your childhood dreams and aspirations, perhaps they will tell you where to direct your energy and help you earn money while enjoying it.
Don't get attached to things and people
“I want to become free!” - this is a phrase you can hear from a girl who has driven herself into a box. A modern person who depends on his things and environment cannot be free. Why? The person is shaking over the phone and is afraid that a scratch will appear on it; buys a car with his savings and then can’t sleep at night, worrying about whether it will be stolen. Such people will not be free because they are dependent on their things. Possessions force them to be tied to one place.
But they don't always hold things. A person can become very attached to people. Friends, lovers and parents are the closest social circle that will not allow you to feel your freedom. You need to understand that all people in life are a temporary phenomenon. You should establish contact with yourself and pay more attention to yourself, because in the end a person is always left alone.
Habits do not give you the feeling of complete freedom. This is especially true for harmful ones. Cigarettes, alcohol, love for TV series - everything that gives pleasure has a detrimental effect on the psyche. Without these habits, life seems gray and dull. But this is not so. You need to clear your consciousness and not pollute it with attachments.
You don't care what you eat
Food corporations have turned us into slaves to food, convincing us to buy their products no matter how healthy and environmentally friendly they are, making us believe they are good for our bodies and minds. But in reality there is no other reason than their economic benefit.
Poor quality food is harmful to health and makes the body weak. A person with an unhealthy and weak body has a weak mind, and the weaker the mind, the easier it can be manipulated. So choose healthy foods, ignore junk food ads, take care of your body.
What does an independent person look like?
Anyone who knows how to be a free person and live an easy life has responsibility. He is responsible for his actions, for his choices, doing all this consciously. Making all decisions in life independently, based on your own inner feelings and experience, is one of the facets of the diamond of freedom.
Self-sufficiency. A person who has independence is awarded this quality. His self is formed based on his thoughts and outlook on life. Nothing and no one can influence his opinion except his own analysis of the situation and the picture. Such a person clearly manages his time and needs, his life is full of optimism and meaning, he becomes independent of other people and their opinions, material self-sufficiency comes.
Such a person is open to everything new. He does not resist changes in his life, letting everything new into himself. By leaving our comfort zone, we develop ourselves and make ourselves stronger. The body will always resist everything new, trying to maintain the old way of things. An independent person easily overcomes these obstacles. Don't be afraid and move forward boldly.
Each of us is unique in our own way. How is this, you ask. The answer is simple - the ability to make your own unique choice, no matter what. Be able to make a decision without regard to other people's opinions. When, for example, everyone is advised to run for a soft drink, a person may refuse such a pastime and go, for example, to the theater.
You use medications thoughtlessly
Are you sad? Take this pill and you will feel good. Are you tense? Don't worry, use this medicine and you will be free from worries. Can't sleep peacefully at night? Just take this medicine and you will sleep like a baby.
Medicine can be good if taken carefully and treat diseases, but when it comes to getting rid of the root cause of diseases, this is usually not achieved, especially when psychosomatic problems play a role.
Always remember that healthcare companies are profit machines that don't really care about your health. They - and many brainwashed doctors - want you to stay sick so you can continue to fill their pockets.
Get rid of complexes
Only those who love themselves and do not despise themselves can enjoy life. How to become free? Get rid of complexes. There are no perfect people in the world. Admit to yourself that you will never achieve ideal. And therefore, let go of all thoughts that you are too fat, unattractive, slow or narrow-minded. You need to accept yourself for who you are. This does not mean that you should stop developing and love yourself for your shortcomings. It is always important to strive for something. But you must love the path you are following, and not just the goal looming somewhere ahead.
What benefits will come from getting rid of complexes? Invulnerability. Why? A person is always offended by the truth, especially when it comes from someone else’s lips. By admitting your inferiority in some aspects, you will not be offended by truthful remarks, which means you will become free from unnecessary thoughts, misunderstandings and difficulties in relationships.
Who is a free person?
A free person is one who has the right to certain behavior enshrined in the Constitution of his country. This is from a legal standpoint. We are talking about regulated freedom. The more developed a country's democracy, the more rights its citizens have.
From an ethical point of view, human freedom is expressed in his ability to express his will. But, in this case, it is appropriate to talk about morality, when the will of one may negatively affect someone else. This means that people still have responsibility to society. Philosophers are the most democratic. Their definition of freedom resembles that at the beginning of this article, without reference to legislation or a sense of conscience. On the other hand, the possibility of uncontrolled behavior raises a number of moral and ethical questions, making the concept of “absolute” freedom a utopia.
It is most correct to talk about the possibility of freely performing certain actions if they do not pose a threat to the life or health of other people or do not infringe on their honor and dignity. Otherwise, those around you are also free to use their actions to prevent someone from immoral behavior. It turns out to be a vicious circle.
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A Proven Strategy for Finding Inner Freedom
Despite the fact that the topic of freedom seems so attractive, most people prefer to run away from it like hell (this is a famous phenomenon described by Erich Fromm in his book “Flight from Freedom”). At the same time, some sincerely lie to themselves that they are actually free, that they can do whatever they want, without noticing or not wanting to notice that the scope of their freedom is reliably and strictly limited by the norms of education, bourgeois or intellectual morality, parental attitudes, and behavioral stereotypes.
As Goethe said on this occasion, “ the greatest slavery is, without having freedom, to consider oneself free” (“Selective Affinity”). In this they resemble alcoholics who, drinking a “chekushka” every evening, sincerely believe that they are not slaves to alcohol, but are just “culturally drinking.”
The first step to freedom
As with any illness, where the path to recovery begins with the recognition of the very fact that you, friend, are sick, the path to gaining inner freedom begins with the realization that you are, in fact, a slave. First of all, a slave of the ways of thinking “installed” into your unconscious during education and socialization, worldviews, rules of behavior, decision-making criteria, etc., that are inadequate to reality. and so on.
As a result, many things that a person would like or could do and that would bring him new opportunities, new resources, pleasure in life, happiness, comfort and mental well-being, he does not do because “it’s indecent”, “shameful”, “so normal people don’t do this” and other “stoppers”. As a result, he lives a relatively well-fed and safe life, deceiving himself every single day that everything is, in general, not bad for him, that he lives, in principle, no worse than others.
The unfortunate fate of many people is a consequence of the choices they did not make. They are neither alive nor dead. Life turns out to be a burden, a pointless pursuit, and deeds are only a means of protection from the torments of existence in the kingdom of shadows Erich Fromm
Recognizing oneself as a slave is unpleasant, uncomfortable, painful for pride, but without this one cannot gain inner freedom. You can lay clean, fresh parquet on a holey, rotten floor and for a while everything will be fine, for a while the illusion of “repair” will work. But one day the floor will collapse along with the parquet and the unlucky poor fellow who laid it.
Methodically squeeze out the slave drop by drop
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, in a letter to his colleague Alexei Suvorin, advised:
Write a story about how a young man, the son of a serf, a former shopkeeper, choirboy, high school student and student, brought up on honoring rank, kissing priests' hands, worshiping other people's thoughts, thanked for every piece of bread, was flogged many times, went to class without galoshes who fought, tormented animals, loved to dine with rich relatives, was a hypocrite to both God and people without any need, only out of consciousness of his insignificance - write how this young man squeezes a slave out of himself drop by drop and how he, waking up one fine morning, feels that it is no longer slave blood that flows in his veins, but real human blood...
Suvorin did not write the story, but the phrase became a catchphrase.
It is precisely squeezing slaves out of oneself drop by drop that is the only possible, reliable and effective strategy for gaining inner freedom. This process is not very pleasant, painful, since you have to tear out from the flesh of your consciousness the slavish attitudes and ideas about life that have firmly sprouted there. This is definitely not a comfortable walk along the seashore (as many imagine the process of personal growth).
Well, WHAT exactly to do is generally clear. And now, please, HOW exactly to “squeeze the slave out of yourself,” HOW to increase the level of internal freedom in yourself? Perhaps this is the question that interests the reader most of all. And perhaps I will disappoint him by saying that HOW is, in fact, the whole process of methodical and consistent (but unlike technical instructions) personal growth, regular work on squeezing out various kinds of blockages from your psyche. Yes, there are special techniques for this (access to them can be obtained, for example, within the framework of the School [of systemic development]), but the point is not in the techniques, but in intention and self-discipline. What good is a pistol if at the right moment there is no internal readiness to pull the trigger to shoot?
On the way to freedom
The main obstacle on the path to freedom is not outside, but inside. This concentrated expression of all the restrictions imposed by society on an individual can be called an internal controller or overseer. You can consider it a “program”, an aspect, a subpersonality, an inner voice, a Freudian Super-I - the name does not matter. It is important to understand its function. And it is very simple - do not let you go beyond what is permitted by the prevailing system of ideas about life in society (morality, culture, historical and ideological mythologies, etc.).
The overseer points out what to think and what not to do, because it is “indecent”, “shameful”, “shameful”, “inconvenient”, “not good”, “wrong”, “bad” and so on and so forth. Since you are not aware of the fact that your behavior is controlled by an overseer, it seems that you think and do everything, that it is your choice. But that's not true.
The path to freedom is the path to weakening the taskmaster. It is impossible to defeat him, and it is unnecessary, since such a victory means a final break with society, and therefore a refusal of self-realization, because self-realization presupposes active activity in society, promoting its change and development. The desire for absolute freedom is essentially a fiction, unattainable within the framework of an individual human life.
And in order to weaken the overseer you need to be strong. Strong in your spirit. Become aware of and control your aspirations, desires and other motivations. This is again the path of working on oneself, the path of serious, adult personal growth.
Surrounded by slaves
Many researchers have noticed that despite all the progress in social relations, people did not become freer. The reason here is that freedom also has a downside - you have to be responsible for it. Before yourself. Since all your decisions have consequences, and the consequences tend to affect you most directly, before taking any serious step you need to think carefully and weigh the risks. It’s easier for a person who is not free – others make decisions for him. And even though he still feels the consequences on his own skin, the responsibility for this can always be shifted onto others - they say, “it’s their fault.” This makes your soul feel more comfortable.
Therefore, most people are internally slaves. This makes it easier and simpler for them. These slaves, like dogs tamed by humans, can be different. Well-fed slaves, hungry and dissatisfied slaves, well-groomed slaves, well-fed slaves, idle slaves, chain slaves, pitiful slaves in their insignificance, slaves in the “grain place”, retired slaves and so on. But one cannot despise them for this; only weak and vile people mock the unfortunate.
Therefore, we need the understanding that everyone around us is slaves, first of all, to understand one simple, but seemingly terrifying thought (from the point of view of the internal “overseer”). This idea is as follows: the opinion of others is ALWAYS the opinion of slaves, and the value of the opinion of slaves is equivalent to the value of a dog barking at a passing caravan. In other words, the quality of an internally free person is a complete disregard for the opinions of others. Agree, the idea is seditious. But there is no other way.
Inner freedom is the basis for successful self-realization
Obviously, the fewer boundaries there are within a person, the more successful he is in his actions, since he is able to do such things and solve problems in such ways that an ordinary person cannot even think about, since they are beyond his slavish worldview.
For example, it did not occur to people with a slavish worldview that medicine could be extracted from mold (the invention of penicillin by Fleming), because mold is “poop”, digging into it is “indecent”, it is somehow inconvenient to answer the question of others “what are you doing?” » answer “I’m digging in the mold.” It's not solid somehow.
If we imagine this in the form of a metaphor, then a free person climbs a tree (that is, engages in personal growth) and from there surveys life in all its breadth and splendor, understands what’s what, where, where, where and why. While an internally unfree person with a slave morality tramples around, because climbing up is scary and requires effort, if only without any difficulty! and immediately at the top. And the unfree one sees only bushes, trunks, windbreaks, and the darkness of the forest. And so he lives his life in ignorance and according to other people’s rules, without realizing his potential. Sorry for him.
Therefore, for those who want to build their life themselves, according to their own canons, according to their own developed, hard-won, worldview based on real facts. Who wants to live their life happily, fully, doing what they want, to realize their life purpose, building their relationship with the world in a way that is convenient for them. For such people, the question of gaining inner freedom is a matter of a breath of oxygen. Without any “either/or”.
PS Specific tactical issues of gaining inner freedom will be discussed at the online seminar “The ABCs of Excellence: 9 Tools for Personal Growth” . Hurry up to register.
Financial freedom
Do you think money will help you become free quickly? Nothing like this. Whatever condition you have, it will not make you happier. A person with money can be much more constrained and morally limited than one who works for pennies. The individual imposes all restrictions on himself. Nothing will make you feel better than being open, honest, and able to do what you want. Have you ever seen a millionaire who does what he wants? No. Such people always live under the guns of television cameras. They cannot live the way they want because they are protecting their reputation.
Leave the past in the past
You can become internally free only after you let go of the past. A person should not forget his mistakes, but he should not live in memories. Accept the actions you have committed and understand that you are not in your power to change them. What happened cannot be returned. Don't collect grievances.
Life goes on, and you must live it in such a way as not to repeat mistakes. Experience will help you avoid getting into trouble in the future. Freedom of action is determined by freedom of thought. And you can achieve freedom only by thinking about the present.
Overcoming internal barriers
According to experts, many people, to one degree or another, have various fears and complexes. The reason for their appearance is past failures. It is noteworthy that they can be both personal and failures that are passed on “inherited”. For example, if your parents did not succeed in something, most likely this insecurity will be passed on to you. Thus, you will already be programmed for failure. Of course, you can leave everything as is. However, this will only be your first barrier on the path to inner freedom and independence. Therefore, it is better to leave the negative experience behind and try to improve the situation.
