Run Free: The Paradox of Cultivating True Freedom
Run free.
I've been thinking about freedom & liberation a lot lately.
It's a dense & complex subject. In yogic philosophy it is referred to as Moksha, or freedom from ignorance.
Freedom is one of my highest personal values. In all its infinite forms. Freedom to choose the people we spend our time & energy with. Freedom to choose our work -- what we put our physical, mental, emotional & spiritual energy into. Freedom to express ourselves with power & authenticity.
Ultimately, what I want & choose daily is freedom to live a life that has heart & meaning.
But how can we have this freedom & liberation if we do not know ourselves?
Self-knowledge is the key to liberation. Without it we are lost to ourselves and lost to the world.
And in both cases we are left useless. Useless to ourselves because we are chained to a life that doesn't reflect our true inner desires & values. And in turn we are useless to others because if we cannot serve & lead our Self then how can we ever do that with lasting impact for others?
The answer is we cannot.
Nonetheless, self-knowledge is an ever unfolding lifelong process. It is not something you achieve and then you never have to work on it again. It is an integral part of our daily quest.
And here is the kicker:
“If we truly want to cultivate self-knowledge & self-actualization. If we truly want to be free. Then we must create & hold ourselves to empowering boundaries & restraints. This is the paradox of true freedom.”
It seems so paradoxical that we must have boundaries & restraints to achieve true freedom & liberation. But that is the lay of life. It is constantly brimming with paradox.
We must choose physical activity & emotional development over sloth & hatred. Laziness & unchecked darker emotions are easy. Choosing & cultivating physical & emotional fitness requires restraint from the easy path & boundaries that call forth our highest selves.
How easy is it to lash back in anger when someone says or does something that doesn't sit well with us?
How much easier is it so sit on the couch and watch some TV versus getting out of the house to take a hike, hit the gym or even take a walk around the neighborhood?
Furthermore, it takes powerful boundaries to choose health-affirming substances to put into our bodies & minds in a world that is constantly programming & encouraging us through all media channels to poison ourselves with information, food, alcohol & drugs.
Over-consuming is not freedom when you are left with a body that is too heavy & lacking energy, a mind that is screaming in anxiety, a fearful heart & a dwindling spirit.
We must actively pursue self-study, meditation & prayer. For these to occur we must create containers in which they can flourish. This takes vigilant effort in a world addicted to information & convenience.
It requires a powerful stand to turn within when we live in a world that is constantly pulling for our outward focus. Yet we must do it if we are to grow our mental & spiritual capacity.
Powerful boundaries & restraints that are consciously & proactively built into our life to foster ever deepening self-knowledge will set us free.
Self-dominion is the true path to freedom, liberation & self-actualization.
As we find our Self. We find our place in the world. As we serve our Self. We serve the world & its people.
And that is freedom running at full speed.
Some of my current constraints, restraints & boundaries that empower my true freedom:
Food Journaling: I log my food every day for everything I consume and have been doing so since September of 2013. How it empowers my freedom:
It encourages me to be mindful of what and how much I am eating while still allowing me to enjoy all foods (including ice cream, cookies, pizza, etc.)
This practice has lead me to be in the best shape of my life year-round. Being able to take my shirt off and feel good in body is one of the most liberating feelings.
This constraint frees me from using food like a drug (which I did for most of my life) and it keeps me from abusing my body with over-consumption.
Feel free to add me as a friend on MyFitnessPal if you want to see what I eat (my food diary is public).
Meditation: I have been meditating every day and have been since April of 2015 without missing single a day. How it empowers my freedom:
Meditation has been used throughout all time and all civilizations to cultivate self-knowledge. It is one of the tried & true paths to Self liberation. More on meditation here.
My meditation practice is the foundation & platform upon which I build my entire life. Each day of meditation makes the foundation a little wider and a little deeper. You can't build a skyscraper that reaches the stars without an incredibly strong foundation. In truth, you can't even build a solid & reliable 1-story house without a foundation.
Sobriety: I have been sober from marijuana & other harder drugs since February of 2013 and sober from alcohol since September of 2014. How it empowers my freedom:
For over a decade I was a slave to alcohol. My entire life revolved around the consumption of it. This led to even deeper enslavement to marijuana, adderrall & worse for over 5-years. During my addiction I thought I was free, but in truth I was chained to a life that required substances for me to be even be remotely happy or excited about life.
It took me a few years to remember how to have fun without drugs & alcohol but I finally woke up! And I feel like a kid again! As a child everything was magical and I had so much fun living life with a sense of wonder and I didn't need any drugs to get into that blissful state. I've rediscovered that super-power and I'm literally constantly high on life! This is ultimate freedom to me!
Vibing with my sobriety & high on life existence...? Here's a live video I filmed recently about it!
Physical Training: I am predominantly a bodybuilder & yogi but I also walk, hike, bike, rollerblade & trampoline weekly along with other forms of movement (swimming, frisbee, fitness classes, massage, etc.). How this empowers my freedom:
This is self-knowledge at the primal level. Knowing your body is knowing your Self. This daily practice removes ignorance & encourages connection to Self.
Training my body trains my mind, emotions and even my spirit. Being fit in all major life areas is a high form of liberation.
Reading/Listening: Every day I read & listen to empowering knowledge. How this empowers my freedom:
You are what you consume. If you consume empowering material you become empowered. If you consume garbage your life becomes garbage.
This practice is one of my major keys that keeps me constantly healing, growing & transforming.
Creating/Sharing In Service: Everyday I try to create something that will empower another life. Whether it's a blog post, a video, Facebook update, Instagram or creating an experience in-person with someone I always try to live from the guiding question: "Is what I am doing empowering & of service to others?" How this empowers my freedom:
Being of service in a way that I am authentically & personally passionate about is easily one of the best ways to get high on life for me. Each time I do it I am filled with an incredible energy & sense of satisfaction that I cannot seem to get any other way.
Alchemical Opportunity For The Reader:
What are the constraints, restraints & boundaries that you can proactively create & cultivate in your life now to truly give you the life of freedom you desire & deserve?
Leave me a comment below, send me an email or tweet me with your answer!
In alchemy & service,
Justin David Carl 🌒
END NOTES:
- Originally this was an Instagram post that ended up being too long so I only posted part of it. It was inspired by one of my amazing yoga teachers, Hana Raftery, after receiving her class/teaching focused on Moksha on Independence Day (July 4th).
- Photos by Noelle Johnson.