For many people who live in the United States of America, the early days of July are energetic times, full of fond memories with family and friends. It’s a time to celebrate this country and the freedoms that come with it, in the warm weather, eating good food and watching fireworks, like the grand finale to the day.
There are also a lot of people in the USA that do not celebrate this federal holiday, because they do not yet feel free themselves. To be entirely honest, this is a strange time for me, a cisgender woman, to be writing about freedom, at a time when there are heavy limitations being placed upon my decision-making over my own body. So, I guess you could say that it can be difficult to feel free when there are systems set in place that do not support everyone justly.
Freedom is a complex idea. There are philosophers and professors who dedicate their entire lives to this topic, and the discussion of whether or not we actually have any free-will or freedom at all. Economic theory says “there is no such thing as free lunch.” When I hear the word freedom, an image of a soaring eagle comes to mind: the ideal image of patriotism within the USA. Our constitution lays out our perceived freedoms, but there is constant debate over these topics still, centuries later.
So, what is freedom really?
Freedom is often presented to us as a thing we have, or something that can be attained through a series of actions and legal requirements. The USA has historically been called “the land of the free,” but does this include everyone, or just a privileged few?
People can also experience freedom as a feeling– or perhaps the lack of freedom, which can ultimately be called marginalization or oppression. Through personal experience communicating with individuals within the prison system– people who have no freedoms within those four walls– I have seen and heard how people are able to experience feeling free even in the most constricting environments. If this is the case, then can anyone or anything tell us if we are free or not?
There are freedoms that can be taken away, freedoms that we elect people to be in charge of, freedoms that come with our birth location, and freedoms that we can create for ourselves through making changes to our daily routines. What I am trying to say is, there are some forms of freedom that are in our control, and others that are entirely out of our control. This is why we must learn to see the difference and navigate accordingly.
So if freedom is such an abstract concept – something that is difficult to describe, and something that each individual will have a different relationship with, then what can we do to access it more?
Freedom of mind is something that is always available to each of us. The key is getting to know our authentic self, and the way that our human mind works organically. Once we understand the way something works, we are able to use it more confidently, and the same goes for our mind. Once we see that we are in charge of creating our reality through thought, we can choose to follow the thoughts and feelings that guide us to feeling the most free. Once we know which freedoms we have control over and which ones we do not, we have more energy to focus on the freedoms readily available to us.
Freedom of mind is the most essential type of freedom. It is equally important for everyone because this is what allows us access to feeling free, even while in jail, or sitting in a tiny cubicle you despise, or feeling stuck in your hometown watching fireworks on July 4th.
Accessing freedom of mind will give you ideas on how to change or adjust a situation you may not be happy with. To me, freedom of mind means knowing my unlimited potential, and knowing that I am smart enough and capable enough right now, regardless of where I am, to create the life I want to experience. It is through accessing my freedom of mind that I was able to form a new path for my life and move from a place that makes me feel very stuck, while some people around me and my bank account were saying it was illogical and delusional. So the next time you are feeling stuck or stifled, please remember your limitless potential, and the expansive freedom you always have access to– that freedom of mind may just become your reality.