Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose. Janis Joplin
“Now that she had nothing to lose, she was free.”― Paulo Coelho, Eleven Minutes
“Do not accept any of my words on faith,
Believing them just because I said them.
Be like an analyst buying gold, who cuts, burns,
And critically examines his product for authenticity.
Only accept what passes the test
By proving useful and beneficial in your life.” – Buddha
“The word freedom is a relative term: freedom from something [eg. impatience], otherwise there is no freedom. And since it is freedom from something, one must first create the right situation, which is patience. This kind of freedom cannot be created by an outsider or some superior authority. One must develop the ability to know the situation. In other words, one has to develop a paranomic awareness, an all-pervading awareness, knowing the situation at that very moment. It is a question of knowing the situation and opening one’s eyes to that very moment of nowness, and this is not particularly a mystical experience or anything mysterious at all, but just direct, open and clear perception of what is now without being influenced by the past or any expectation of the future, but just seeing the very moment of now, then at that moment there is no barrier at all.
For a barrier could only arise from association with the past or expectation of the future. So the present moment has no barriers at all. And then he finds there is a tremendous energy in him, a tremendous strength to practice patience. He becomes like a warrior. When a warrior goes to [a spiritual; not physical] war [which he must participate] he does not think of the past or his previous experience of war, nor does he think of the consequences for the future; he just sails through it and fights, and that is the right way to be a warrior. Similarly, when there is a tremendous conflict going on, one has to develop this energy combined with patience. And this is known as right patience with the all-seeing eye, patience with clarity……Chogyam Trungpa Meditation in Action
People often prefer a very limited, punishing regime—rather than face the anxiety of freedom. — Jean-Paul Sartre
“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.”
― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
Ghandi said: “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.” Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Step out. Fly. Even if you get burned, you can fall back to earth and start again.
Zen Master Dogen laughingly called life “one continuous mistake.”
Not knowing, a famous Zen practice, conveys the truth of life. Acting freely, you cede control of the outcome and willingly cast your unique spirit into the mystery.
Don’t worry when freedom seems daunting.
In the Bible, angels of light always approach with the words, “Fear not.”
https://jackkornfield.com/fearoffreedom/ and https://jackkornfield.com
Quotes are taken from No Time Like the Present: Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy Right Where You Are by Jack Kornfield.
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. After graduating from Dartmouth College in Asian Studies in 1967 he joined the Peace Corps and worked on tropical medicine teams in the Mekong River valley. Returning to the United States, Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. He collaborates with Tara Brach teaching mindfulness. Over the years, Jack has taught in centers and universities worldwide, led International Buddhist Teacher meetings, and worked with many of the great teachers of our time. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a father, husband and activist.
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