What does freedom mean to you?

[cowboyangel]

I've been thinking about what it means to be free lately. Real freedom, not this ammo military kill freedom but real freedom inside your head and inside your life.....like the real yogis have. It's a kind of freedom where it doesn't matter what external circumstances are, because the absolute certainty that the universe will care for you is so deeply lodged in your thinking and psyche that nothing can cause fear and dread to ever enter again. I want that and I want to be in love with that. Tough times can be opportunities to understand more deeply...gotta keep holding onto that.

[ygmir]

freedom for me, is not needing to be "taken care of".......universe or otherwise........feeling able to take care of myself.
And, the ability to help, whomever I wish, however I wish, without any thought of "forced philanthropy" (taxes).

[Trishntek]

Freedom is not the power and ability to do whatever you want to do; Freedom is the power and ability to do whatever you should do.

I've always thought my freedom ends when it interferes with someone else's freedom. It is very much like the animal world where all creatures can interact and explore and survive in a fashion that meets their needs. But humans tend to want what other humans have and are also sensitive to the needs of others who do not have. So with the incentives to acquire what you want by means of labor and enginuity is freedom.

I like the Wiccan creed which ends with this note of wisdom:

"If it harm none, do as you will."

[unjonharley]

I've been thinking about what it means to be free lately. Real freedom, not this ammo military kill freedom but real freedom inside your head and inside your life.....like the real yogis have. It's a kind of freedom where it doesn't matter what external circumstances are, because the absolute certainty that the universe will care for you is so deeply lodged in your thinking and psyche that nothing can cause fear and dread to ever enter again. I want that and I want to be in love with that. Tough times can be opportunities to understand more deeply...gotta keep holding onto that.

Yap!