Freedom
For this 4th of July, I will share something I wrote on April 19, 2015 in response to that day’s Daily Word, as an inspiration to be reminded that much of our freedom lies in our own hands. As Spirits we are free to release the power we give to any limitations with which we burden ourselves while also navigating the various expectations society puts on us. And, while we may struggle with some of the restrictions in place right now, seemingly contradicting the very nature of independence celebration, it is our Wisdom that recognizes the collective Goodness expressed throughout, even if not always entirely in its perfect form.
Freedom sometimes means surrendering to what is as to escape the bondage we would put on ourselves otherwise. Our mind is strong and our heart compassionate, and we will find our way to celebrate regardless of our circumstances. We come together in Spirit as we celebrate our spiritual independence among our human expression. We affirm the freedom with ourselves to choose how we relate to our experience, and we are delighted to recognize how truly grateful we are for what we already have.
And so it is. Amen.
Jean-Marie
Rev. Jean-Marie Schweizer
Senior Minister Unity Fort Worth
Originally posted on April 19, 2015:
Today’s Daily Word is “Freedom.”
We considered before the Power of Freedom and learned about how we can choose to be free in consciousness while our circumstances may reflect otherwise. As Viktor E. Frankl writes in his book Man’s Search for Meaning, “[t]he last of human freedoms — the ability to chose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances.” What we learn from that attitude to life is that Freedom is removed from our everyday reality in that its Potential is infinite and independent from it. And that is where we can truly utilize freedom in its purest form and for our own spiritual growth.
In everyday life, we often feel that we are limited in our range of mobility due to many different reasons: where we live, our work, our family, etc. Further, we may settle for a world that is set on living within a certain range, such as our social economic status, our level of education, or our culture. We may have spent a considerable amount of time and money to reach that range and are now finding comfort in it. In that sense, such range or “restrictions” are very real circumstances to which we have agree to, at least for the most part and whether we are conscious of it or not.
With that range in place, we often associate freedom with it. For example, we may have come accustomed to a certain lifestyle and know our budget so well that we can instantly judge whether a desired purchase or expense in general is within our range. While the ability to stay within a budget is certainly useful, it may also keep us from exploring what else is out there. Our freedom may be restricted past its usefulness.
True Freedom is infinite in Potential. What that means is that from a spiritual perspective we are truly free: no limitations, no restrictions, no circumstance that keeps us in line. When we tap into that infinite Potential the physical limitations simply dissolve and are no longer relevant because in infinity there cannot be any limitation; there cannot be any beginning or end. On the flip side, we are literally unable to deal with such infinite Potential in our world of physical and other restrictions. We must limit that Potential to a point where we can deal with it in our physical reality.
What’s the point then to even consider true Freedom, you might ask? Learning to understand true Freedom and dealing with infinite Potentials, such as our 12 Powers or our Divinity, is important because we need to learn the process of breaking up our limitations (unlimiting), at least in consciousness, in order to see new avenues and ways to be more of who or what we are from the perspective of the Divine. And once we have expanded our awareness, we may find that previous limitations that we have put on ourselves may no longer be useful or helpful, which is why we then choose to limit our Potential differently (also called the process of relimiting).
Many believe that after having worked most of their lives and settled into their job, house, and family that this is going to be it. And for those who are entirely happy and satisfied with that, it may be very well what is aligned with their Divinity. However, those who have settled but feel restless may not be aligned with their true Desires. They may simply recognize that their Potential goes far beyond what they have settled for. Those may be signs of conflict between our Divine Nature and what we have expressed of it thus far. Conflict or unhappiness in general are signs of an unbalance between our physical and spiritual reality.
This is when knowing about the true Potential of Freedom becomes important, because it informs us that we do not need to continue the way we have, regardless of how many years we have learned to come accustomed to our circumstances. Knowing that from a Divine Perspective, we are infinite and we can break up our limitations we have most likely put on ourselves. We can choose to tap into a vastness of new opportunities and learn to direct our process of limitation along the path of our spiritual growth.
And rather than burning down all the bridges and dive into the deep end, we may choose to start contemplating Freedom in consciousness and allow Unity’s third Principle, the law of mind action, to do its “magic.” By recognizing where we limit ourselves and being willing to explore and imagine new opportunities and avenues, we have already started on the path of freeing ourselves from any limiting circumstance, and all we need to do now is noticing the gifts showing up in our lives that support us in our new-found freedom.
Maybe today you take note of where you are at with your range of circumstances. Are you satisfied and happy how you have settled? Or are you keen on expanding your awareness beyond what you have settled for? There is no right or wrong way. There is only your way. Just simply ask yourself the questions “Am I being who I am?” and listen to your intuition. It will tell you honestly so that you can hear clearly.
And so it is. Amen.
Jean-Marie
Rev. Jean-Marie Schweizer
Senior Minister Unity Fort Worth