“The more we are restricted in our freedom, the more we are forced to create our freedom within ourselves. Freedom is a feeling. You find the feeling of freedom within yourself.” I read this in Edith Eva Eger’s book The Choice. I must confess: to continue to find that freedom within myself, is perhaps the greatest challenge of all time.
Science fiction is no longer fiction
As a child, I sat on the floor with my brothers in front of the television and watched science fiction movies. That great dark world between the many galaxies, spaceships that flashed about, and the eternal battle between good and evil. With wide eyes and a thumb in my mouth, I looked mesmerized. Many years later, I still find the film genre interesting, although it dawns on me more and more that this science fiction is no longer fiction. I read further in The Choice: ‘If you live from fear, you let the outside world determine your inner world. The world is a copy of your inner world or your inner consciousness.’
Currently, about 20% of the inhabitants in the Netherlands are restricted in their freedom. They must be tested before they are allowed access to certain opportunities in our society. It probably won’t take very long, I guess. Soon the people who dance with Jansen will be able to queue for their second shot. If they don’t, their screen will also turn red. Then it is the turn of the rest of the Dutch residents for a third booster and perhaps their fourth shot. Israel currently sets the tone for where it is heading, much to my surprise. “And I found my desire to rise above what I saw as limitations imposed on me. Little did I know that the limitations to be transcended did not come from without… they came from within” (The Choice, Edith Eva Eger).
As good as back to square one
It took me a long time to realign my head with my body, especially my heart. To be able to perceive, understand, and more importantly, act on the signals of my wise body. When I thought I was almost there, something happened in my life and I was pretty much back to square one. This, of course, happened in stressful situations in everyday life. Still, with every yoga pose, I come across sore spots that are stored in my body, especially in my right shoulder and hip at the moment. They are remnants of grief, regret, anger, or worse, anger and resentment. They may even be remnants of pain that are passed on from generation to generation.
Your self-healing ability
Your self-healing capacity is enormous. Healing is possible if you choose to. When you take on the responsibility of leaving the past and sadness behind. Do not consider your painful experiences as a burden, but consider them as a gift. Because that’s what they really are. They give you perspective and are meaningful. They offer you the opportunity to find your strength and your unique purpose. There is no universal method of healing, but there are steps you can learn and practice. Steps that everyone should take in their own way. Steps in search of freedom. The first step is taking responsibility for your own feelings. Stop suppressing or running away from feelings and don’t blame anyone else for your feelings. I am taking this step myself right now. I am learning to accept that these feelings are only my own.
Feel your pain
You should not avoid pain, but rather feel it and express it in a safe way so that you can eventually let it go. Recognize that it is there, that it may be there. Giving it words like sadness, anger, anger, fear, and much more. Naming these emotions gives you a kind of hands and feet. It also helps you recognize physical reactions. Pay attention, because they are sometimes subtle.
When you have to decide whether someone will tell you something, pay close attention to whether something is tense in your body. This is because your body often indicates that something is not right. It can be the corners of your mouth, or the well-known gut feelings, but also the muscles around your eyes. You actually feel a cramp, shrinkage, and less space. Sometimes you literally or figuratively hold your breath. Beware of such a chronically cramped energy field. It is sickening and costs energy. If something feels good, you experience space. You start to smile spontaneously, become happy, or feel the familiar relief and breathing space. The energy that flows gives you a warm, relaxed, and spacious feeling. Your body is whispering and it’s up to you to learn to listen to those subtle signals.
The challenge is always to be allowed to experience or, rather, to tolerate all physical reactions, with the thought that they are temporary. They flow through my body, I experience them and then they go away. In this way, I want to avoid storing them into my body. Like water flowing through a river: sometimes it splashes against a large rock, but does not hold on to it.
Choose to be free
No doctor, surgeon, psychologist, or therapist can heal me. No, not even a guru, pastor, or priest. Even the Dalai Lama himself cannot heal me or you. But we can consider the people we encounter in our lives as guides.
Never blame anyone in your life. Good people give you joy, bad people give you experience, the very worst teach you a lesson, and good people give you beautiful memories. Be selective about what you eat, who you associate with, what you read, and what you watch because before you know it you’ll be creating your own prison of thoughts. That’s why I choose carefully. I can choose how I want to live. Just like I can choose to be free.
Your higher self is in charge
Do we as humanity sense what is currently happening in our world? Do you believe like me that people with integrity can make a difference? My mission in life is unfolding. I want to create a green and healthy world for everyone. After many wanderings, I go back to where I originally came from. It has taken many lives and now the cycle is complete. My higher self directs and shows me the way.
I follow this road, no matter how exciting I find it. In surrender and trust, which is not always easy for me, I transform to a more spiritual path. I manifest my life mission. I take action for new generations to live in freedom. You can follow my (spiritual) journey and experiences and I would love to meet you on the way to a new world. I will share my experiences with you.
“In an age of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act” – George Orwell
