Freedom
July 5th, 2008 Posted in Spirituality
Seven years ago, I made the bodhisattva vow. And now, I’m feeling it. There is nothing more I want to do with my life than to set people free. Everywhere I go, to whomever I speak, I see bondage and brainwashing.
—This is who you are.
This is the way it is.
This is what you should do.
—Why?
—Because I / your Mom / your Father / the teacher / our minister / the pope / the Bible / the Koran / the law / the president said so.”
—Oh. Okay.
The dialogue continues like that until the only change for most people, is that the “Why?” stops being asked. At that point, you enter the mind-made cell.
Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open?
—Rumi/Barks
The irony is no one can free another… all we can do is inspire them to freedom.
3 Responses to “Freedom”
By A. Julie on Jul 5, 2008
I think it’s easier and more comfortable to continue to believe in one’s bondage than to take responsibility for one’s freedom.
By Jon on Jul 5, 2008
Yeah. Freedom is scary… in bondage at least, you can blame others. What you wrote reminded of the title of a book by Erich Fromm: “Escape from Freedom.”
By Steve Mills on Jul 12, 2008
Yes freedom is something that people can only choose for themselves. It is up to people like you to give them an example of how to do so when the time comes.