Freedom

The theme for this issue is Freedom.  It’s a word that can bring up so many different ideas and feelings for different people at different times in their lives.  After all, Freedom is one of those words that invites the question  “from what.”  For those of us living in the free world, the emotion pulled up is often one of gratitude for the blessings offered to citizens of our countries.  Gratitude for the freedom to worship as our hearts dictate, the freedom of speech and assembly and the freedom to vote our conscience without fear of government oppression.  Like so many others, I value these freedoms and intend never to take them for granted.

On a more personal level, the word freedom can signify release from conditions that cause us pain; be it hunger, a debilitating disease, a destructive relationship, or even a spirit-numbing job.

For many on the journey of self-discovery and awareness, the word freedom can take on an even deeper meaning.  The focus is shifted from the world of externals to the internal world of ideas and beliefs that hold us in spiritual and psychological bondage.

Like so many others, along the winding road to adulthood, I learned or somehow acquired limiting and inaccurate beliefs about myself - beliefs prompting the voice that insists that “I can’t”, “I don’t know how” or “I don’t understand.”  Believing this voice keeps me feeling disempowered and a victim to the whims of the outside world.  The list of self-defeating self-talk varies for each of us but all can have the impact of keeping us from being our fully alive, passionate and healthy selves.

Freedom in this context signifies a recognition and understanding of these beliefs and then a gentle letting go.  With the release of these limiting ideas and beliefs, along with  their accompanying wounds, we are free to be the magnificent souls we truly are, complete with all of our innate talents, gifts and abilities - free to feel and express the joy of being our fully passionate Selves.

This is rarely, if ever, a short or easy process.  It requires a willingness to face oneself with honesty and integrity and an unbending desire to experience this freedom. Although there are no recipes, roadmaps or set of directions to achieve this freedom, we can be greatly assisted along the way by our fellow travelers -  those willing to share with us their own personal experiences, insights and wisdom.  The writers included in this issue, as in issues of the past, are such fellow travelers.  I am truly grateful to them for their willingness to share what they have learned along the way.  I think you will be too.

Pat Lutz
Managing Editor