The freedom to be oneself is an innate sense of well-being, which springs forth as a byproduct of having done the inner spiritual work. This may sound like a lot of work; however, the reality behind one's inner transformation is that doing this work tends to simplify matters. All of life becomes easier to manage when the spiritual work is accomplished.
My life was a chaotic mess in my teens and early to mid-twenties. Anxiety was my prime emotional state and often the leader of my activities, which meant holding back from truly actualizing my dreams. I seemed to know there was more to life had I decided to take a bite out of the proverbial apple. I joined the meditation group between my 19th and 20th birthday and began to realize something for myself. That is, a simplified life is a spiritual phenomenon.
My ambition was to bridge the Eastern philosophy from my meditation studies with the Western science I was hammered with in college. The West left me feeling neurotic and ill-equipped, while Eastern philosophy spoke of the seeds latent within oneself, ready to unfold. The magic of the moment was when I began to discern for myself the seeds of understanding the causal link between these seemingly opposing philosophies stirring within me.
My meditations were uplifting and filled with love; meanwhile, my studies in college were overwhelming and unfulfilling. For graduate programs, I decided to look into alternative East meets West colleges, though I didn't entirely make it to one. Instead, I continued my inward travels and found a spiritual teacher or two to help me along the way—a path I'll never regret taking!
Almost 30 years later, I'm still in a meditation and yoga practice. Freedom is the ability to maintain a practice without getting caught up in the form. I don't typically burn incense, though occasionally I do, and candles are better left blown out after our county's massive fire. Also, I've given up certain forms of practice I held near and dear before but sometimes get in the way. For example, I was religious about reading material directly from a book, but when I began having realizations without books, I had to allow myself to make the change; holistic study includes a top-to-bottom approach - where intuition and insight guide spiritual research. My writing blossomed as I remembered to write down my innermost awakenings.
Other aspects of the work continue to bother me, however. For example, body image issues, diet and exercise advice from outside sources, age-related changes, etc., are common issues for many people, and I'm no different when it comes to them, except for maybe one thing. I've learned through sometimes bitter experiences it’s much better to let go of the form. That is the form of anything. So, I turn within myself to ask about my body weight, the food I know to eat, and the types of gentle exercise I give my body. Age is another factor, though I've noticed that people who are dedicated to a spiritual practice have a certain radiance that brings about a stunning inner beauty, even into their 90s or 100s. Ultimately, I'd say it's better to ignore unwanted advice from advertisers and seek the kingdom within for the "how to" on these matters.
Freedom is another word for divine grace. Grace is given when a person unfolds spiritually. Spiritual unfoldment is a "life by the horns" type of phenomenon.
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