The more we clear the unnecessary clutter of mind, the less story there is; the less story, the less “me” to stand in the way. The Pure Emtiness of Infinite Richness fills and express Itself through the clean-as-a-whistle pail of a remaining me. I am filled and used by Essence according to It's intention and this vessel's design. My primary role in life shifts from being the doer to becoming a joyous witness of the miraculous life that happens in and around me.
Someone asked me yesterday if I was free. Without hesitation the response came, “Yes”.
I was totally surprised to hear that “yes” come from me. I didn't know I thought I was free.
Immeditely, I asked myself, “Is that true? Am I free?”
That afternoon I took the question into my practice.
The yoga mat is where I go to dialogue with the Essence Self through sitting, prayer and movement. In that state of receptivity I ask the important questions as they occur. I'd been asked a question and I doubted… so I asked it again here in the Light of Reality with an open heart to whatever Truth might bring.
I've found that there is only this one requirement for finding freedom … the willingness to be totally honest with self … to see truth simply as it is.
“Show me what prompted the response I gave… give me a deeper understanding … What did I mean by saying “yes” to being free?”
The response was multi-leveled and immediate. I began to see remaining tethers of the “Lynne” story – unquestioned stories that I've carried from the past came up for my “viewing pleasure”.
I could see limiting beliefs I was holding still – all the remnants of serfdom to a false self that remain came to surface.
Suddenly I laughed out loud, realizing how the question I'd been asked and my “yes” response had served as a wonderful set-up for bringing me this very moment of revelation. How else would I have been able to see these attachments to a self that I am dedicated to freeing except through such questions as these? How wonderful is this process of awakening! I see how powerfully every encounter in my day is designed to bring en-lightenment. That a seeming impertinent response to a question asked by another could lead me to this opportunity to make these old beliefs conscious so that I could free myself further – how awesome is that?! I love the way the mind gets seduced by the Essence Self into revealing its favorite lies for the sake of freedom!
Still, I found myself chastising the audacity of ego in making such a personal claim out loud. It was later that day that I recalled that proclaiming knowledge is the fastest route to knowing the very thing we claim to know. How like ego to judge as “phony” the very thing that will take me to the authentic experience.
I then realized that The Essence Self is always free …. Freedom is this moments surrender to That Essence.
Instead, most of us identify with some story about who we are and life in general. The very word “define” means to limit. When we are moving within any sort of definition we are simply believing in a made up story which can only limit. To be story free is the only and ultimate freedom! And that can only be experiened in this moment. That means that if there is no story running in this moment, I am free. But as soon as I invest belief in a story I become “defined” and therefore captive – freedom gone.
Am I free? … until I believe I'm not, I am.
Lynne