Thoughts on FREEDOM Challenge by @freedomtribe “What's the one thing you have lost - or would be afraid to lose - which would limit (or has already limited) your personal Freedom?”

Hello Kind Mindful Steemians!

So as I was writing my response to @FreedomTribe contest “What's the one thing you have lost - or would be afraid to lose - which would limit (or has already limited) your personal Freedom?", E-mail just dropped in my inbox. The subject heading was “Freedom….”. Then I recalled reading “everything is connected” in post by @snook. Indeed, it felt like it.

Sending my prayers, love and strength to previous contributors who have been brave to tell us about their lost. Yes, it does take huge courage Thank you @snooks @owasco and others – hats off to you!

I read with interest Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the preamble reads “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom”. It really chimed with me. And then beautiful song “[Imagine] (

)” by Jonn Lennon started playing in my head. How deluded we have to be to divide ourselves between “Us” and “Them”. Then I heard the universe whisper in my ear “how sad for waves to think it is separate from the ocean.”

Marriage, Kids and Broken Leg
Many years ago I got married to my lovely wife. Enjoyed our life together for many months. Then suddenly felt that my life has slowed down so much. Before marriage life was running at a speed of 70-80 miles per hour (mph) but after marriage it felt life has slowed down to 40-50 mph. Instead of one head deciding (as a bachelor) now two head has to make decision. Instead of doing what one wants to do two, heads has to agree what both want to do. Did I lose my freedom?

Then kids come – now life really slowed down. Life was dragging at 10-20 mph. Getting out of the house with kids was a big ask. Every decision centred on kids – where do we buy house? Where do we go on holiday? What time to drive to friend’s house? And so on. Did we lose our freedom?

A couple of years ago I broke my leg and was in the hospital for 4-5 days. I could not do much – my freedom was limited or at least so I thought. I was in pain - my freedom was limited or so I thought. Then discharged from hospital but had to be bed bound for couple of weeks – my freedom was limited or so I thought.

But did they really limit my personal freedom? It may seem so but I would not have the freedom to be with my great wife or freedom to play and enjoy with kids otherwise. Did I have choices? I did for marriage and for having kids. Every choice has consequence, right? So, did I lose my freedom? No, I just made the choices or shall I say I was free to choose.

Even the unfortunate and painful experience of broken leg provided the freedom to introspect, reflect and go deeper into inner journey. Are we taking apparent truth for the ultimate reality? Answering the question with a question huh……must be a social learning thing.

But, are we free yet?
I feel freedom is a gradient concept rather than absolute one. What one consider freedom in the some countries might be unjust subjugation in another country or culture. Take polygamy for example.

Economical, socio-political and physical (health etc.) situation may create a sense of freedom for some and subjugation to others. Of course, we still see many injustices and lack of 4 pillars of freedom in the world. And of course it matters and it matters more than we are led to believe.

But even if one has all those freedom, are we absolutely free? Let’s dig deeper then. In the email that just dropped in my inbox I mentioned in the beginning was a very interesting perceptual challenge. It was from “Ideapod”. And in the email was an embedded video by Upworthy co-founder and CEO Eli Pariser talking about “filter bubble”. In it, Pariser says “The filter bubble is the personalized universe of information that we increasingly live in online. Websites know who we are, and they tailor their content to what they think we want to see. And when you add all of that up, you get your own personal filter bubble.” So, we are being imprisoned within our own thoughts. And in a way, decentralisation, the likes of #STEEMIT, in one way or the other trying to challenge current status quo of that filter bubble.

But Viktor Frankl’s following quote takes me even deeper:

Credit: pinterest

What freedom means for awakened?
Freedom is an experiential wisdom one gain when s/he realizes that there is nothing that can be lost. As Buddha, Mahavira and many other enlightened beings put it “all conditioned things are impermanent. Everything arises and passes away. When we know this experientially then we truly are free. Then are awakened from the dream. Then all delusions (such as we are separate entity) are swept away.” Of course, I am just accepting this through my intellect from what I’ve heard or read but I truly don’t know that yet. But I believe, I have seen the path shown by awakened one: the 8-fold noble path. I named this 8-fold noble path “E-MUSICAL”. This is the picture on my door to meditation room.

And my main fear is dying without realizing the truth.

So, yes there is fear of losing health, losing this body and loved ones, losing what I have and so on. Summing it all up, I am afraid to lose everything that I have. But, for me, at the moment, I am most afraid to lose what I am yet to achieve – Freedom from the fear losing.

With Peace Love & Joy 🕉❤️😊
Let’s grow together in wisdom through #meditation 🧘🏼‍♂️🧘🏼‍♀️