People in power do not give Freedom. They give privileges to those who help them stay in power. The more wealth we accumulate under their system of control, the more invested we become in keeping them in charge. We may feel comfortable knowing we are doing better than someone else and even believe we are justified in screwing others over to get ahead, but in the back of our minds, we know anything we think we have can be taken from us at any time. The anxiety of "losing" something makes us easier to control, so in that way, wealth becomes a weight that holds us down.
Possessions, wealth, a high-ranking title, real estate, privileges, believing we are better than someone else, and even enjoying the esteem of our community are fleeting traps that limit Freedom, not add to it. We devote our lives to worrying about losing things that, in the end, were never important at all.
Freedom is found in the moments we plug into our hearts, remove the crust of materialism from our eyes and see this world for the beautiful, energetic, living, incomprehensible marvel it is. Rank, possessions, envy, want, and the opinions of others are nothing but noise. Walking through a meadow, down a busy city street, or even sitting with our eyes closed in a prison cell while in a flow state of awareness, knowing we are part of the beating heart of all that is - this is true Freedom.
The more we align with our hearts, the more harmony we bring to ourselves and the world around us. This is the only Freedom that exists. Freedom is being free from anxiety. No one can take this peace from us unless we spend it on things that don't matter. Every moment presents a choice to let go of the "trappings" of life and connect more genuinely with our hearts and others.
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