Freedom Is Inside YOU

Freedom inside you

Freedom is inside you – a beautiful post be Ed and Deb Shapiro. This is something we all forget or lose sight of and maybe some of us don't even know this, which is a shame. But that what happens when fear rules your world.

True freedom enables you to accept both good and bad without identifying with either. ––Ed and Deb Shapiro

We are all so alike it amazes me sometimes. For instance I didn't know what freedom meant for decades yet I was always fighting against the strictures of my culture and society in general long after my teens. But I didn't know what I was seeking which was to be me. It's that simple.

I didn't know of course that it was inside me all along! Freedom is easily attainable as I have discovered and as Ed and Deb explain in the article. It is not something you achieve when everything works well; nor is it dependent on another's happiness or well-being.

You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet. ––Kafka

When you find your inner freedom, you can then assist others in attaining theirs and meditation is how you get there. There are many types of meditation and other stress-busting techniques and I have covered a few in 7 Ways to become stressless and tap into everyday spirituality.

Ed and Deb suggest you stop whatever you're doing at set intervals during the day and pay attention to what's going on around you. Be in the NOW. Be aware of what is right in front of you and embrace the wonder of it all.

Dance away fear

The wonderful Martha Beck writes We are all soldiers of freedom. Defeating fear and death by choosing to live now and dance is why we are here. That's the advice from her son who has Down's Syndrome.

Freedom is a choice

What I know for sure about freedom - it isn't about not having a master. Freedom is about having a choice. Revel in it and don't take it for granted. It's not often that I quote Oprah Winfrey but she is bang on target with this one.

Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry is own weight, this is a frightening prospect. – –Eleanor Roosevelt

Learn to be free in a moment

Develop conscious control over your mind is what the One Moment Meditation technique encourages. Learn to be free in a moment.

The article talks about people's knee-jerk reactions to daily situations and the fact that most don't question themselves or their habits. They therefore feel out of control when there is a simple procedure to "unhook" yourself from events.

Find your calm centre and free yourself from the daily humdrum, if that's what you believe it is, and go "home" to rest and recuperate.

This technique is brief and it works. I strongly suggest that you complete the 30-day One-Moment Meditation series.

We gain strength and courage and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot. ––Eleanor Roosevelt

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What Values Do You Personify?

Image by alicepopkorn via Flickr

What are you, and by that I mean what values do you personify which enables you to accomplish what you set out to do on any particular day? 

Why this topic... well, I awoke with the thought – I am love – I am life – I am heart – so I made it my meditation mantra this morning.

With that, it seems natural to know how to boost your energy, clear you mind and tone your body: do the Five Tibetans Ritual. It is downright fabulous and it reaffirms feelings of love for myself and others; sometimes that is a real challenge!

Practise one of these every day Justice (upholding the natural laws), Beauty, Love, Compassion, Peace, Kindness, Joy, Laughter, Giving, Receiving, Allowing, Strength, Forgiveness, Mercy, Tenderness, Prosperity, Riches (abundance in all things), Friendship, Happiness, Tolerance, Trust (in Infinite Intelligence), Hope, Knowledge, Harmony, Faith (you know what you know) Positivity, Confidence, Communication, Grace, Gratitude...? 

This is my list by the way so go ahead and create your own or modify this one. I created it after adopting a suggestion from Deepak Chopra's The Keys to Knowledge and Riches – translated from French – to practise and live a particular value each day. I did that a few times and now I choose to live one value each year. This year, it is Compassion.

Life goals do not change

Our feelings change throughout the day but our core values do not and our life goal does not change either, even when we do not know what it is. As I am sure most of you know, we find out what we do not like first of all before getting to the good part. 

Innate talent takes work

I know we each have one. For instance Oprah understood many years ago that she is a teacher (her words).  Of course that does not mean that one automatically assumes the mantle of values such a "vocation" requires. 

The talent may be innate but life lessons are required to flesh them out and make them bloom. Yes, you have to grow into who you are and what you are. It takes work! 

Meditation techniques to clear out the crud

Ed and Deb Shapiro's 3 mini meditations to help you through your day or night get you in a self-reflection mood where you can work on your core values

Your mind is like a garden so plant happy seeds -  Ed and Deb's fabulous Pulling Weeds Meditation

If you believe that you cannot meditate or do not have enough time or it seems so complicated, try these One Moment Meditation and work up. You will be amazed!

How about Fertilising the garden of the heart. After all, your heart is the centre of your being and that spells l.o.v.e. It is what we are all about after all.

My values may be different from yours, and I have no right to be the moral judge of anyone's values. It is important, however, to have core values, and respect them. Without values, we become spiritually bankrupt. ––Deepak Chopra

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Thought for Today: What Life Lessons Learned Are You Living Today?

You know, I firmly believe in living in the present although it is tough at times when I let my emotions blur my focus. And I do the same thing like everyone else, I move from past to future.

Living in the present becomes very challenging when you have grown up in a particularly dysfunctional family and are now physically closer to them. A lot of unsuspected garbage gets in the way.

I have therefore come to the conclusion that families bring out the worst in us because we all know each others triggers. More importantly however, I know that the way we live now is a choice we consciously make. And that is what is so fabulous about life!

So what life lessons are you living now or are you still stuck deliberately living the limiting life you were programmed for in childhood?

Since I haven't seen most of my family members in more than ten years and quite deliberately so, here are some of the scummy items which floated to the surface together with my responses:

• My mother was so mean to me (I've been there so suck it up and move on);
• Taking her anger out on me was so wrong (me too, see above);
• Everybody hated me (that's a perception linked to child-like emotions; if you're still there it's time to move on);
• I was so hurt (join the club but if you're attending pity parties, it's time to say goodbye and leave);
• I was her whipping boy for whatever ailed her (everything that happened to us and me in particular made me the strong person I am today);
• She never showed me any love or affection (probably because she never received any);
• They (the family) expect me to be the same and silently demand that I return to how they thought I was (when you have not learned any of life's lessons you are doomed to repeat  the experiences until you understand that life means change. nothing stays the same.);
• Why can't I be accepted for who I am now? (acceptance means change and when people constantly fight what is out of fear because that is what they have learned, they are also obliged to repudiate anything and anyone who represents it).

When we are at peace with ourselves and accepting of the lives we have led, we can reflect upon the bad times as well as the good and learn from what we have experienced. Until we come to terms with the fact that we are not the same people we once were, we can’t objectively delve into our individual histories.

Yet there is much we can discover in the annals of our lives, such as the root of our likes and dislikes and the cause of our fears. As we court tranquility within ourselves, we become less eager to react emotionally to the mistakes we have made and more apt to consider the practical applications of the memories we review in our reflections.

When your heart and mind are calm, you will have little difficulty gleaning the wisdom buried in your past. DailyOM

Life is meant to be lived in the NOW, not yesterday, not tomorrow - just right now. Are you there yet? It is a struggle for most of us at times so here's a wonderful thirty-day technique called One-Moment (minute) Meditations to help you stay right here.

Come share some of the life lessons learned that you are living today so that we can all grow together, individually.

Letting go is a beautiful beautiful thing and I wish it for all of you. Make a great day for yourself right now people. 

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