How would you define interior freedom?
Or, let’s put it this way: what holds you back? What gets in your way? What stops your words, tamps down your emotions, freezes your desires? What won’t turn loose of you?
When do you notice that you’re stuck—and what forms of stuck usually show up in your life?
What patterns seem impossible to change? What habits are so deeply dug into your soul that they seem to have become parts of your personality?
Freedom means the ability to move, to choose, to speak, to think, to learn, to heal, and so on.
We have some powerful material on freedom to share this month on DDF. I suggest we begin by looking at these various questions I’ve posed. This week, try to finish a few simple sentences (I know; it’s never as simple as it appears!):
- For me, the opposite of freedom is . . .
- I know I am not free when . . .
- The part of me that is least free right now is . . .
Peace and grace as we begin some crucial discernment.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
What a great focus for a new year. I have been doing this on my own over the past few days: thinking about “reclaiming” parts of myself that I have suffocated over the years. Much of it is about watering, sunning and loving good parts of myself that have been shamed. Succumbing to society’s/family’s/everyone’s notions of who I *should* (oh, that word) be … that is prison. That is hell. I look forward to exploring this more here, with you, with others. Happy New Year, friends.
Yes, Suzanne, to be free of shame is to be free indeed. Peace–Vinita
I’m really looking forward to the weeks to come!
Thank you :-)
Well worth the time and consideration. I am an SD myself and often catch myself giving advice I should take myself. Thank you +x
What a gift to find your sight. Thanks to addiction to Brian Campbell’s thoughtful insights ( I am a lover of all things Jesuit) I found this on Face Book. Thank you for this gift that you give to others. I’m a chick in transition from a lifetime career teaching in Boston, raising two magnificent young adults with the best husband in the whole world. I’m looking forward to whatever comes next. Blessings.
Welcome, Donna from Boston!
From my personal experience freedom is not something that we can achieve, but it is a grace offered and sometimes, God leaves us with a limitation, illness or wound for whatever reason. We may wish to be free, but we are granted grace to just live with it instead. (Like Paul’s thorn in the flesh) When we are weak he is strong. So it’s important, at least for me, to not get into a game of trying to fix. I name it, give it to God, and then it is really out of my hands for the most part. Examples are addiction of any kind, mental illness, such as depression or bipolar, eating disorders, ect. These are not jobs to do yourself. Be careful of that.
I know I am not free when my mind gets “twisted”, turning in a hundred directions, instead of a deep peace of mind. When I can speak and talk fom my heart, not what others want to hear.
I have found over the years that my greatest stumbling block to freedom has been my dependance on the love and admiration given by others.I have gone the rounds with this dependance quite a few times. After silent tears and great anxiety, when I have felt unloved or in last place, I always come to the same conclusion: the only love and strength I need has already been given to me by the love of God, through Jesus Christ. I have to keep this in front of me at all times to live in true freedom of spirit.
The opposite of freedom is repression and control. I know I am not free when I am afraid. The part of me that is the least free is my attitude-the way i think and perceive situations and people. Thanks for the great awareness. I like Stephens naming it and giving it up to God. AMEN!
Thank you Stephen. In “being there” for my mom and her mental illness for six years and giving it up to God all the way, she is now in my sister’s hands. Sometimes I feel guilt in that I quit and gave up. But realize more that in giving it to God, He has handed her over to my sister. …. I wasn’t “free” to “keep” her. I couldn’t. I had limitations. So, when we meditate on internal freedom, it is so wise to come to realize that part of this meaning is letting go. I am not free to love the way I think I “should”, as Suzanne says. The opposite of freedom is fear. In accepting limitations, I am free to not be afraid of letting go. I want more and more the realization and acceptance of the letting go. And not being afraid of it. Of releasing the guilt. O Lord, help me release the negative feelings I have with my limitations and be free to go on with my life in the joy you want me to have.
Yes, freedom involves open hands, and sometimes we must open hands to let go–of the responsibility to make ourselves well, as Stephen so wisely put it. Or to let go of the expectations placed upon us by others, a culture, or ourselves. Freedom is a posture in which we can receive grace. Peace–Vinita
Sorry to hear about your mom. I know being a caregiver can be very intense and hard. I have suffered with depression most of my adult life and I’ve seen the damage done by well-intentioned people who write books or give out advice as to the 10 steps to fix your situation or become a better person. Having my own limitations has taught me that I am not able to fix myself or a lot of things/people in my life. It’s all God’s work and this means that if I meant to do something, like take action — I can be sure that God will def fill me on that and give me the grace to do it…..and if He doesn’t do that, then I can just lay my head on his shoulder for the time being. Happy New Year to you and everyone here. Many blessings….
“Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” ***I Will Give you….
Oh, Jesus, I’m sooo weary and tired of trying to control the course of my life and to fix myself and make myself acceptable to the world and to fix other people in my life. I’m burned out from trying to attain freedom as if it were attainable and within my power. I’m tired of obsessing over my shortcomings, my failures and my sins. So instead of all of this, I will just come to you for rest. I will abandon myself into your arms with trust and confidence in your Love and Mercy. You will guide me, heal me and help me. Thank you. Amen.
Sounds like you’ve done and won the first of the twelve steps! Right on.
You undoubtedly love the story of St. Ignatius upon whose “exercises” (stages) those Twelve Step programmes are based.
It isn’t what happens, it’s how we are with it.
My interior freedom happened when I realized I cannot change another person/situation/circumstance. I can change only myself and my response to those. Now that takes a load off the mind.
Stephen, i was touched by your last comment. Jesus tells us that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. I remember praying , in a sort of angry way with Jesus, “how is your burden light, Lord? Tell me! Show me!” … and he did and still does. It’s the present moment. Peace in the present moment. And being guided by the Holy Spirit to fill my heart with His delight. …. He’s there … always for us. …. now what could be more free than living the present moment? … not worrying about what’s to come … or what came …. His gace sustains us as we do so. …. the blessings that come are truly delightful …
And thank you Vinita for your response. “freedom is a posture where we can receive grace” … receiving grace … this is coming up more for me lately … actually receiving the grace of God … I have been given God’s graces over and over in my lifetime … but it isn’t up until now in my life that I am more aware that it is God’s grace and the receiving it , is very new to me. To stop and really receive the goodness of God in my life. …. What an important balance to my spirituality …
Just wrote this a.m. on the freedom questions. I am most unfree in my communications with those close to me.
A defensive husband and very private daughter make me feel that I need to choose my words so carefully. I hate it. I want to really speak to both of them from my heart. (should some things be left unsaid . . .)
They are so different in their relationships with me and their personalities that I find it interesting that they both make me react in the same way!!!
m.