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Free Yourself


I am not free to jump from the balcony of my residence.  If I jump, I may break one of my limbs. Because I stay on the first floor. 

Freedom does not mean permission to do whatever I like.  “We are free only where we know,” said Will Durant [The Story of Philosophy].  Knowledge gives freedom.  Knowledge is freedom.

Most of us make the mistake of thinking that doing what we like to do is freedom.  What we like is determined by our knowledge or awareness or consciousness level.  The rapist in Delhi whose number keeps rising by the day (in spite of the equally rising number of religious leaders) thinks he is free to rape a child. His knowledge or consciousness level is too low to understand why his act is based on an incomplete understanding of himself.  

Passion is good and necessary for any human being.  Anyone without passion will be as good as a rock in the denuded Himalayas.

Freedom is not freedom passions. 

Freedom is freedom from uncoordinated or un-understood passion.  Freedom is the freedom from the thief within me.  From the politician in me.  From the assaulter in me.  From the rapist in me...

Freedom does not make me a superman who is free from social restraints.  Freedom does not make me a Spiderman of filmy heroism, either.  Freedom does not make me a godman or godwoman who will condemn other people as irredeemable... or see oneself as capable of working miracles in any institution.

Freedom is understanding myself properly and working toward my own self-fulfilment.  Unfolding my individuality.  Achieving my potential to its fullest.  Becoming what I can.  What I really wish.  What my heart really wishes.  And helping other individuals unfold their potential in the process.

In the words of Will Durant, “To be great is not to be placed above humanity, ruling others; but to stand above the partialities and futilities of uninformed desire, and to rule one’s self.”

To rule one’s self.

To rule one’s self.  That’s the real freedom. That’s the real power. 


PS.  This post is dedicated to a person whose speech I listened to this morning.  Yet another speech ad nauseam.

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Comments

  1. Easwar ArumugamApril 23, 2013 at 9:35 PM

    I agree that knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery.

    Nice, thought-provoking read.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalApril 23, 2013 at 9:48 PM

      That knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery is ancient wisdom, Easwar ji. I was just repeating it in different words. People simply refuse to understand it, you see.

      Delete
  2. Vishal AroraApril 23, 2013 at 10:58 PM

    very nice post sir....I believe it is even so more important for the todays youth to understand these as we get flown away in today fast life and the rat race....and then form our over skewed definition of life...

    InkMyTravel

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalApril 24, 2013 at 7:13 AM

      There's so much lack of self-understanding today, Vishal, which leads to so many problems.

      It is a skewed definition of life, as you say...

      Delete
  3. KISLAYA GOPALApril 24, 2013 at 12:45 AM

    This is so true, if we rule ourselves everyone can enjoy freedom in real sense. Freedom for someone should not become slavery or drudgery or opression for someone else!
    A very good and meaningful post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalApril 24, 2013 at 7:14 AM

      Everyone can live happily on this planet if everyone thinks a little differently... Thanks.

      Delete
  4. mandakolathurApril 24, 2013 at 5:58 AM

    EXCELLENT!

    RE

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousApril 24, 2013 at 10:36 AM

    Sir, you have definitely defined freedom to its best .. and that is knowledge ... the fact that many of our lives are restricted from this beautiful freedom .. understanding the knowledge of freedom is in itself freedom ! a must read for all the youth !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalApril 24, 2013 at 11:33 AM

      I'm indebted to Will Durant and his essay on Spinoza for most of the views expressed here. Thanks for your appreciation.

      Delete
  6. RatApril 24, 2013 at 3:00 PM

    very good read

    ReplyDelete
  7. MaliniApril 25, 2013 at 6:48 AM

    As an aspiring entrepreneur, I can relate to each and every word of this post. In fact, it reflects the deepest thought in my mind right now. Thanks for writing this at this point in time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalApril 26, 2013 at 10:30 AM

      I'm immensely happy to hear your words, Malini. It's good to know that my writing makes sense to people.

      Delete
  8. Anupam KarnApril 25, 2013 at 12:01 PM

    Freedom - So truely defined! Liked the words of Durant:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalApril 26, 2013 at 10:31 AM

      Durant can teach us all much more than all the contemporary psychological writers who give easy solutions to everything...

      Delete
  9. AnonymousApril 28, 2013 at 10:24 AM

    Thought Provoking. Simply Great!!!

    ReplyDelete

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