Your perceptions define your freedom

Jul 27, 2009, 12.00am IST

Is freedom a choice or bondage?


People imagine that they are free. If you look at yourself closely, it will become clear to you that you are bound. Most of us lead mechanical lives. Our perceptions, conclusions and beliefs are mechanical, too. So freedom in this scenario is no more than an illusion.
In order to be free, your functioning has to change from the lower states of consciousness to the higher states of consciousness. You are free to evolve, but if you are mechanical, you are not free.
Our inner nature is freedom. In fact, freedom is not the absence of bondage. If freedom is other than bondage, then freedom is bound by its freedom for it is free only in freedom and not in bondage.

Why are we not satisfied with life despite abundance?


Even though existence is in abundance, man is bound by poverty. Generally people are not prosperity consciousness, but are poverty consciousness. People operate from scarcity and not from abundance.
We are not satisfied with life as our level of being attracts a particular kind of life. Your life is like a small wheel and one is connected to bigger or smaller wheels. It is necessary that we disconnect from the smaller wheels of life and connect to the bigger ones. The smaller wheel represents name and fame, money, power... learn to disconnect. We are connected to them through our attitudes. There is a collective consciousness of small wheels and hence we are pulled by this consciousness into an abyss. Even wars are caused by these influences not necessarily by those who want war.

Living in this consciousness, one will be more a wanting being rather than a satisfied being.

Does our inner growth impact the collective consciousness?


There is the principle of the ladder. Imagine a ladder in which people are climbing. If one is unwilling to move up, it blocks others. If one helps the other to climb, one is not only helping oneself but also others. If everyone is disciplined, the process becomes smooth. If not, it is because of sleeping consciousness that one does not see the sanity of harmony and order.


If one is not ready to be awake, then one blocks another. If one is willing to grow, it impacts the collective consciousness and in turn it also impacts people around. So it becomes necessary to make the right connection and disconnection.


How important is the role of a Master?


An enlightened Master's being is awakened to higher levels of consciousness. His 'presence' has a rippling effect on others. He can see your blocks clearly and helps you open up. We have four doors to be opened. They are a conscious mind, a subconscious mind, an unconscious mind and a divine mind.


Conscious mind involves thoughts, decisions and discussions. Then the subconscious mind has to be opened. One has to have affinity to one's Master with a deep feeling of love and oneness. Even in disagreement with a conscious mind, a deep feeling of love opens the other's door.
The unconscious mind has to be opened through surrender. Surrendering to a Master can be a great opening. Surrendering involves considering the Master's teaching as one's breath. Surrender your ego. Then the third door opens.


Finally, the last door has to be opened by the power of grace. When all the three doors are opened, you will be flooded with grace.
Satsang: Swami Sukhabodhananda