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My Experiments with ‘Freedom’ by John Channings.

Posted on February 13th, 2008 by Wilma (7 Responses)

As Wilma has been informally introducing me via her stories, she thought to honor me with guest status to share my undiluted perspectives in my own posts.

So here is my first contribution about a topic close to my heart: ‘My Experiments with Freedom’.

During our annual retreat into the wilderness this last December, I read Gandhi’s Autobiography titled; ‘The Story of My Experiments with Truth’.

From his autobiography I’ve taken inspiration to reflect on my own experiments in life. Upon reflecting what has been my guiding light throughout my life, it has been the light of ‘Freedom’.

By having freewill and being God’s children, I believe we carry as our birth right the torch of freedom. The freedom to live our life as we so desire, creating our life freely as an expression of our greatness as children of God.

I’ve also been keenly and sometimes painfully aware that freedom in fact has not been the context I’ve been born into. On the contrary, it has appeared to me that while the word ‘slave’ is rarely used to describe ourselves, the language I hear and the behavior I observe is consistent with the language and behavior of slaves.
How often do you say or hear people declare how they wish they were free, free of work, free of debt, have some free time etc and as people complain, the helplessness in their voice to do any thing about it is only too apparent.
This is not a problem of poverty or ignorance; wealthy and well educated folk are as likely as any to complain of a lack of freedom.

And yet, we are God’s children, blessed with freewill and extraordinary powers of creation and the best we can do is create contexts of constraint.

Looking back on my life, I could not have articulated what I was doing at the time, but with the wisdom of hind sight, I can see a pattern of seeking my own freedom.

I am compelled to share my experiments with freedom so you will recognize your own experiments in freedom as you too seek to access your God given right to live your life freely, enjoying God’s creation on Earth, as God intended us to.

I believe that in exploring, experiencing and enjoying God’s creations on earth, we are pleasing God and bringing forth heaven on earth as he intends it to be.

This is one of the things one can create;

lsb-day-before-launch.jpg

7 Comments to “My Experiments with ‘Freedom’ by John Channings.”

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  1. David Schischka says:
    February 13, 2008 at 9:17 am

    Hi John and Wilma
    With a personal purpose as “Freedom Liberator” your message strikes a chord with me. Structures of Slavery verses structures of Freedom. Each day I get to choose. Cheers

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  2. Wilma says:
    February 13, 2008 at 10:10 am

    Hi David, welcome and yes, to live in freedom is a wonderful purpose, and yet choosing it is not a thing I do every day. Great reminder, thank you, Wilma.

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  3. D.Lisa says:
    February 13, 2008 at 11:35 am

    Freedom sound like: I get to; I choose to; I want to; I love to………..when I remember to notice I am in a “have to” and “don’t want to” zone, I can change my mind by simply saying: “I choose this”. It’s hard to argue that you didn’t choose whatever you’re doing. Thanks John.

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  4. Beth Webster says:
    February 13, 2008 at 12:01 pm

    Guess I’m concerned to keep a healthy balance between freedom and responsibility..as one does..
    bestest,
    Beth.

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  5. Wilma says:
    February 13, 2008 at 1:50 pm

    @D.Lisa. What you say make so much sense, however it is still clear that most of us are actually still argueing that we didn’t chose whatever we are doing. Most people still argue that they have to be slave to the big mortgage for example, and thatliving in a smaller,cheaper house just can’t be done. However it is lovely to know people like you and David and John who are realizing there is another way AND are daring to say it. There is hope for us yet, keep speaking up please.

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  6. Wilma says:
    February 13, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    @Beth. Choosing freedom doesn’t have to mean that outwardly things change and that this kind of freedom seekers become irrepsonsible self centered egotrippers. That is an old myth. People who chose this type of freedom we are talking about, will still do all their chores, jobs and responsible actions. But they no longer do it grumpily with lots of complaints, because they feel they have to or are under severe obligation. They become love while they do their chores because they know they have a choice.
    Thanks for your comment Beth as this is what a lot of people will say and it shows that we actualy don’t fully understand how it means to live freely from our heart.

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  7. John Channings says:
    February 14, 2008 at 8:42 am

    D. Lisa, I so agree, In the moment we remember that we ‘choose’ what we are doing, we access our freedom. All the time we are in the space of ‘I have to’; like “I have to go to work”, we lose our freedom. Even when I was a builders laborer sweeping the floor, many years ago, I was choosing it and so was both free and having fun.

    Beth, thank you for bringing our attention to the importance of ‘responsibility’, when talking about freedom.
    Contrary to the misconception that freedom means being irresponsible; freedom is all about responsibility. To be free, is to be responsible for the consequences of our free choices. There is no freedom with irresponsibility.
    Again in my youth, I freely capsized my yacht in front of an on coming nuclear powered submarine as a free act of protest. There was nothing irresponsible about that, as I knew and was completely responsible for the consequences of my act.
    To live each moment freely, we choose what we do (even when it doesn’t feel good) and be responsible for the consequences.
    John

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