And by freedom we do not mean; the license, to do what we want, when we want? This freedom of choice, this freedom to decide for ourselves carry with it a response-ability of discrimination. So we might choose between those things which are necessary as opposed to those things that are unnecessary. In light of that which is the best, better or more excellent for us and others. If this is to be so; then a certain amount of self-knowledge and self-understanding is needed to help facilitate this process. Plus, the skill of discriminating between that which is Real as opposed to that which is Unreal. And that which is Truth as opposed to that which is False.

The question ;"Are we ever free?" Is always there, until each answers the question themselves.

The word "freedom" has suffered almost as much as the over-worn, glibly used word, we call "love". There is; freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of worship, freedom to vote, freedom to bear arms, freedom to express ourselves in writing, or in other forms of media. And even the freedom to live or to die. We have stretched all these various freedoms to their utmost limits and in doing so; we have in some cases violated good common-sense to protect them.

The "cry for freedom" has been the "clarion call" that has split the heavens ever since that point in time, when ""We"" finally realized that we had dominion over all there was. And then again when the light dawned; that we alone had been given the power and the gifts to transform and change the path of evolution; in the way it would evolve.

And whether we like it or not this fact is unfolding once again before our very eyes and picking up momentum, each and every second. We have "The Race" towards the speed of light. The "Race" to create {to clone or not to clone?} "a race" is on. The beginnings to bring about "One World". The beginnings of colonizing and living in outer space. These possibilities are on the horizons.

We are not aware of how we think, why we think as we do or do as we do. We are not aware of the multiplicity of influences that bombard us daily. And have ever single day of our lives since the day one. We are not aware that we are the product of centuries "ad infinitum" of fragmentary thinking. Years piled upon years of partial thinking, of piecemeal thinking, of simplistic thinking. All our sciences, philosophies, religions, economics, politics, academics now and then suffer because of this. The entire fabric of all our past civilizations, up to the present and even the present itself have been affected and influence by this virus; this virus of fragmentation. We see only partially, yes!

We are like the five wise blind men that were sent out from their Village. A Village where all the inhabitants were blind; to examine an elephant that was tied to a tree just out side their walls. The owner of the elephant could see but could not speak. So he took the five blind men and placed them around the elephant. After the men return back to their village. They were asked to describe to everyone what was the elephant like?. One said, that it was very big and it felt like a huge leather wall. Another who had been standing by the leg, said, it was like a huge tree. The third one who felt the ear of the elephant, agreed with his friend, that it was like a tree for he had touched a large palm leaf. The fourth said, "no", they were all wrong. It was like a snake a big snake., as he had touched the trunk. The last one would have none of his friends explanations. He said, there was no elephant. For you see he had gotten turned around, and headed in the wrong direction.

All the collective and consensual experiences, memories and knowledge of the past and that of the "Now", were and are of the same nature as the blind men's observations and their knowledge of. We do not have the 'whole enchilada'. The puzzle is incomplete. But we are getting there. What did the little worm say; " It's a cinch inch by inch."

If we are to be free to make the right choices, be whole and complete. It is important that we be aware of the influences and the conditioning, that limits us. And how these influences have come into being and been given life "The truth of this can {indeed} set us free". And we can just be, be that which we were intended to be and are.

In other writings, we have said that, we have the possibility of being "Truth." That one can become "Truth." Yes, this is or can be a reality. But at the same time this possibility is not achieved by any effort or striving on our part. For it is this very effort and striving that throws us into the conflict between trying to be; what we believe, or think we should be over and against that which we believe we are. Or, what others, or some belief, or system, or whatever we have identified ourselves with to achieve this end of self improvement says we should be. There can be no freedom, no truth, if conflict and self-identification enters into the picture

This conflict and self-identification we get grabbed by, are two of the main culprits that keep us from seeing, from being aware of that which "just is". With things as they are. With the very now-ness of the moment. With the actually, the reality of all our relationships with the World, with others and the things of this World. These two, twin assassins keep you and I from being ourselves in the truest sense. These two, rob us of our selfhood, our freedom, our creativity, our awareness, our spontaneity and our alive- ness. And the list goes on.

I am going close this out by simply saying; if anyone is passionately, intensely interested in finding out the why and wherefore of the living process of life. And how one fits into the ""Wholeness"" of "All and Everything." One first needs to solve the problem of why, we do not know what life is all about? Since we represent and are life. The same as we are the World, and the World is us. The problems of the World, and our personal worlds. Are one and the same. The solution to both of these, lies within us. Because we are the problem. Of course if we do not believe this to be true. There is little left to say, wouldn't you agree.

But if by chance, perhaps you are interested in coming to terms, with who and what you are? And why you are here. Let the "Recovery" begin. Always remembering, that things are not necessarily what they seem to be. I can offer no methods, no systems, no belief structures, no chiseled thought or idea. But I will say, become a learner, a life time learner. And it would be best if one does not become a follower or an imitator. Both of these keeps the mind from remaining fresh, alive, aware and innocence. While at the same time, setting up boundaries and limitations. Killing the freedom to become and be.

And along the way, inquire, look into the following words and see if they might speak to you, "Know thyself" and "Unto thyself be true."

Happy trails!

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