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Audio elesson_2014-0728
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How much freedom do we have to direct our lives? Our understanding of freedom can give us insight into what motivates us so we can direct and move our lives toward what we desire. There are three types of freedom. The first kind of freedom is “freedom from,” a freedom from the constraints of society. Second, is “freedom to,” a freedom to do what we want to do. Thirdly, there is “freedom to be,” a freedom, not just to do what we want, but a freedom to be who we were meant to be.
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Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the eighteenth century French philosopher, observed that “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” These chains are oppressive societal rules that restrict what we can physically do. But they are also mental chains, chains that restrict what we believe we can do. These are the chains of social conditioning, the values society projects onto us. We feel we have no power to move ourselves in the direction we want to go in our lives. Rather, we feel we’re moved by society, moved by whatever society deems valuable.
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We may want to climb, but if society tells us “it’s crazy and dangerous,” we don’t. We’re moved away from climbing by reacting to a conditioned societal value. If we remain unconscious we’ll only gain freedom if society removes the rules, or if someone removes our social conditioning. That never happens. The removal comes from an internal shift within us. We achieve “freedom from” when we wake up and realize we are more valuable than society’s values or our conditioning.
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The second freedom, “freedom to,” emerges after we’ve achieved “freedom from” society’s values and begin creating our own. If we value climbing, then we go climbing regardless of society’s crazy and dangerous labels. We’re moved, not by society, but by our values. This is a big step forward, but it tends to manifest itself through our ego. We are moved toward what we experience as easy, comfortable and pleasurable, and moved away from what we experience as hard, stressful and painful. In other words, we’re motivated toward pleasure and away from pain. This manifests itself unconsciously as striving for end results, which are realized after the stressful climbing experience.
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The third freedom, “freedom to be,” emerges when we develop more consciousness. We need to move beyond an egoistic approach to life, and how we’re motivated. We need to be the mover of our own life, moved by the universe. Being moved by the universe is surrendering to our own unique purpose for being here. If we can tap into that, then we live an authentic life, moved by a force greater than ourselves.
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A big part of accomplishing this level of freedom has to do with accepting and allowing. We accept our current state and allow whatever is happening, whether pain or pleasure, stress or comfort, hard or easy. Accepting and allowing don’t focus on end results; rather they are processes. Therefore, a shift to this third freedom requires a shift from end results to processes.
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Krishnamurti, the philosopher from India, once expressed his ultimate insight as: I don’t mind what happens. If a pleasurable, comfortable, easy experience comes into our lives, we accept and allow it. If a painful, stressful, hard experience comes into our lives, we accept and allow it. There is no resistance to what is. Resistance distracts our attention from the situation, with an emphasis of seeking comfort. This process of accepting and allowing provides many situations for developing awareness and self knowledge. We relax into the stress so we can be attentive and learn from it. We begin to find the truth of our being, who we are, and our purpose. This truth can then set us free.
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“Freedom to be” is a freedom where the chains of society are cast off, the veil of the ego is removed, and our authentic being can reveal itself. Once we reach this kind of freedom, our motivation becomes truly intrinsic. Energy can then flow unimpeded from the universe, through us and into our experience. Intrinsic motivation is powerful because it engages us in pleasure and pain equally. We do stressful climbing because there’s no where else we’d rather be. If we love climbing, then we know that to live the life we want, to have the freedom to be who we authentically are, we must climb. Reaching this level of freedom is no small feat, especially living in a society with plenty of rules and conditioned values. When we reach this level of freedom we live in society, but we’re not moved unconsciously by it. We’re part of the world, but not of it.
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This Post Has 37 Comments
Just yes. Thank you Arno. Thank you.
excellent & perfect timing. Thanks times thanks.
How would you describe a freedom from not being owned by someone or some government or some king, etc..? LIke the Native Americans did not know the concept of landownership like the Europeans. They would say the land does not belong to us we belong to the land
I’d call it “freedom from” since they would experience freedom from being a slave. I’m not sure how that ties into “land not belong to us, but rather we belong to the land.” a
The NA did not know the concept of landownership like Europeans and other nations, but they were dirt poor, had no rights, and practiced canibalism. Plus, this type of organization kept them locked in time and were an easy conquest.
Not the smartest and not the strongest prevails but the one who can adapt (Darwin).
Thank you for the lot of information about freedom of being person
The further I read, the greater your content is. I’ve covered a lot of the other resources;
nevertheless, only here, I’ve found valid information with this kind of necessary facts to keep in mind.
I suggest you’ll publish articles with numerous topics to update our
knowledge, mine specifically. The speech is another thing-just brilliant!
I believe I’ve found my perfect source of their most
up-to-date information, thanks to you!
Hello Hiroko, Thanks for your comments. I’m pleased you find the lessons up-to-date and helpful. We continue our journeys. Arno
Thank you Arno….this is on point view about freedom. Thanks!!!
Hi Arno,
I have been looking for an advice that helps me to understand how to face all of these changes that are happening in my life, and here you are! 🙂
I have always heard of the word “Freedom”, in multiple speeches and different contexts, but nothing that extracts in a very simple and beautiful way, the essence of being alive.
Namas te 🙏🏻
Thanks for your comments Alejandra. Yes, many ways to understand freedom. From a mental training perspective, we’re looking at freeing attention from limiting patterns so we can direct it more purposefully. 🙂 a
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Thank you so much, Arno. I reread your research on freedom, and it is quite useful for my project. I drew inspiration from your study to write my own. Thank you, and may God bless you.
Hi Vincent, I’m pleased you found it helpful. Continue to stay curious. 🙂 a
hello this makes comfortable enlightening sense, it this ideology your own or based off anothers work?
Hi Megan, these ideas have been around a long time. I put them into a context that thought might be helpful. a
WHAT HAPPENS TO FREEDOM IN ALL THESE THREE PHASES OF FREEDOM?
Interesting question. How would you answer it? From my perspective, how free we feel transforms as we progress from “freedom from” to “freedom to” to “freedom to be.” We experience more of what freedom truly means. Your thoughts? a
This is my answer to the question: “what do you want from life?”
I want to be free.
Nice Wilson. The three types of freedom move us in that direction, with the last one, freedom to be, perhaps freeing us most. Thanks for your comment. 🙂 a
Thanks a lot Arno for a brief summary of freedom (freedom from, freedom to, and from to be). Being a Christian, I now understand why Jesus once said that ‘Truth will make us free’ (John 8:32). Again, Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Hence TRUTH=JESUS=GOD. This implies that we should be free to be ‘OURSELVES’. We are free in Truth/God. We find peace in Him for He is Love (1John4:8).
Thanks for your comments Oswald. I’m pleased you found a helpful way to link freedom with your beliefs. Be well and attentive. Arno
Thank you Arno for the wonderful words.
While everything was building for me, I was particularly encouraged by the idea of the FREEDOM TO BE. The idea of being in the world but not being part of it, in a way to live above the world!!
It also reminded me of the words of Paul in the letter to the Philippians;
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
From Kenya
Thanks drew inspiration from your study to write my own. Thank you, and may God bless you.
sorry i wanted to ask about the jean jacque rousseau qoute about man is born free yet everywhere he is in chains in your opinion using this quote what is the least restricted freedom
Hello Sharon, Thanks for your question. The least restrictive freedom would be the third one: freedom to be. I interpret Rousseau’s quote that our social and societal conditions chains us into limiting habits and beliefs. We gain some freedom when we rebel against these, to gain freedom “from” them. That positions us for freedom “to” do more of what we deem important, not based on what society tells us we need to do. Finally, freedom “to be” is more than just doing what we want. We’re in my sync with the universe, the wider world. We have freedom to be because we’re able to be present to the challenges life presents to us.
Does this help? a
Society is not the big bad entity which has to be fought in order to experience and practice freedom. Spinozza is right to claim that it is liberating to understand the importance of rules/laws. For example, it is not an ‘imprisonment’ to have to respect the traffic rules and avoid accidents. We should also avoid thinking that we have to reinvent the wheel. As cultural and social beeings, we connect to the existing system and adapt it for the further needs of the population.
The truly free is the anarchist. I would never want to live in an anarchy, because that breaks down the entire society and causes poverty, high crimes rates, social Darwinism, loses of all types.
I believe in freedom from sins, to have peace of mind, also in the Rule of Law which enables us to produce wealth. When wealth is produced, people move out from the ‘fight or flight’ mindset and become more relaxed.
Rousseau is way over rated in my opinion.
Hey Chris, it’s a balance, right? There are concerns for individual rights and society needs rules to keep it cohesive. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. a
The three Cycles of life ….
Born free
Live free
Die free
Hi Kamtan, The big question is how free are we during that whole process of living and dying. That’s something we each need to investigate. a
So liberating. I finally feel fresh air. I am on my journey of ” Freedom to be”
🙂 Nice James. And, of course, it takes intention action. Enjoy the action and the journey. a
When we notice in someone “self-restraint” is the self just being (to be)? Or is it the Self seeking to be ‘free from’ desire? Or is the self seeking ‘freedom to’ role model sharing in society? Are all the 3 ‘self’ free to the same degree?
Hi Siva, great questions. I’ll share some thoughts. “Self restraint” may be very different from the perspective of the one who is doing it versus someone observing them restraining themselves. In other words, I can look at someone who seems like they are restraining themselves from engaging in an argument, but what is actually happening inside that person may be something totally different. They may NOT be motivated to engage the argument because they see there will be no learning lesson for them or for the other person. They don’t have to restrain their motivation because there is no motivation to engage to restrain. So, they are simply being present (freedom to be).
If they see an opportunity to learn (for themselves and others) then they can engage. They can feel the freedom to share with society (in this case one other person) to find ways to learn from each other and build connection.
My thoughts on your last question (all selves being free to the same degree) is that, no, we become progressively more free as we move from “freedom from” to “freedom to” to “freedom to be.” As we progress this way, we’re more free from habits, conditioning, and other people’s value. We’ve worked through our own habituation and moved beyond being directed by societal values. In other words, we’re now free to choose a better and new direction, not reacting to our past conditioning. We can notice the old habituation trying to move us in the old direction, decide a new direction, and take action in that new direction.
Good reply Arno, Losing all that binds me is freedom from all bondage in world but not from the worldy body I am in. it is freedom from habitual thought and action. it is not a logical state. it is a being state. I am aware existence. All else is appearance in my awareness.
Meditation (there are many guides who teach true meditation) gives a glimpse into ‘No mind’ where no thoughts, judgements, emotions, opinions exist. It is the state of pure Being-Ness. Meditation is a non-religious prayer. It has no beginning and no end. It is the state underlying all experience. Meditation (prayer) is not something you do. It is the foundation that you are. We begin existing in a meditative state (earliest childhood prior to anything ‘known’, we attach ‘doing ie learning language, interactions, attachments to people, opinions, societal ways, rules and how we are taught we ‘should’ be. We have merely covered, ‘hidden over’, been ‘blinded’ from the ‘state of no mind’, the Being state – BY the ‘Doing’, by total blindness of the Being. Learn Meditation means to return for periods of time each day to the simple pure Awareness state.. the nothing-ness state, emptying of the mind made self and the True blank, empty new-born state lays there, deep underneath – bring the unconscious forth in front of the conscious by revealing its existence and over time this ‘perfume’ will merge in daily life. Unconscious behaviours begin to fall away with no effort. A love, a one-ness, the knowledge that THAT is ALL of us, we are All THAT. Jesus’s said forgive them for they know not what they do.
Touching your individual ‘Being-ness’ is a glimpse into EVERY HUMAN BEING’S Being-ness. That is One Love. You cannot forgive another if you cannot know forgiveness. You cannot Love All if you do not know Love.
Love IS this Being-ness, Love IS the essential nature of you and I. Love is not an emotion. It IS you. It IS God. It gets forgotten in the depths of experience, out resistence to some experiences pulls us away and we forget our way back. We keep trying, through outside ‘things’ to return but that’s the wrong direction. We, through Meditation (prayer), go deeper INSIDE and look. We can be guided to peel the layers back temporarily, even just a 10 minute guided meditation, to sit in the Stillness, returns us FROM out thinking mind, and our ‘doing’ body, to rest them in Stillness for moments. This is the return Home.
Thanks for sharing your in-depth comments on beingness. Yes, what we all have in common is awareness which connects us all. It seems the biggest challenge in mental training is working with the thinking mind, so we don’t get lost in it, and shift to that awareness field for a better perspective. I appreciate you sharing your insights. Arno