WORD: FREEDOM
Recently I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my dear friend, Jane, who hails from South Africa. We met in the early 90’s and have remained close ever since, a beautiful ebb and flow, in and out, and back into each other’s lives for the past 30 years. Jane’s story is one of self-imposed displacement – fleeing a violent marriage and life of affluence in her home country she arrived in Melbourne with nothing but the clothes on her back and a young son to start life anew. Over the years, her life has been a stunning example of unbending resolve, courage, and self-leadership in the face of adversity, and whenever I have found myself in a highly charged or volatile situation, I am reminded of her words, “go gently”. It got me thinking about freedom and the sacrifices people make to attain it, and that no solution to a challenge can possibly exist when we are stuck in the energy of a problem. What does freedom mean for you?
BOOK: The Untethered Soul – The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer. This book is as beautiful and profound as it is practical, answering the question of what it would be like to be free from limitations and soar beyond your boundaries. Whether you’re just getting started on the journey of self-discovery or you’ve devoted your life to the inward journey – this book will transform your relationship with yourself and the world around you.
QUOTE: “To attain true inner freedom, you must be able to objectively watch your problems instead of being lost in them” – Michael A. Singer
LESS OF: Reacting and wasting energy on things I cannot control
MORE OF: Learning to see the patterns of my reactions and choosing to act differently.
REFLECTION – To experience true freedom, we must be conscious enough to understand a predicament, then distance from the problem (because problems are often not what they seem). Here’s the thing: you will not be able to solve an external problem until you know how it affects you internally. In other words – break the habit of thinking the solution to your problems is to rearrange things externally. The only permanent solution is self-discovery – to explore within and let go of the part of you that conflicts with reality.
Until next time...
Stephen