You’d think that living through a global pandemic when restrictions are tighter than an old saree blouse would leave me feeling suffocated right? Ironically though, the literal slowing down of the universe has left me feeling more liberated than ever! This could possibly be attributed to the fact that lockdown has given me more space to introspect and there’s certainly no denying the part my privilege has to play in all of this, but it’s gotten me thinking about the concept of freedom and what it really means to be free.  Because let’s be honest, this is not the headspace one would expect to have during times that can almost be described as apocalyptic.

So what is freedom? Is it the ability to do what we want, when we want to do it? Is it the ability to live without restraint, to shape our own destiny or break boundaries? I mean, at first glance, this list seems to contradict every single thing culture or tradition brings to the table. In modern times, being traditional is often perceived as being synonymous with a lack of freedom and culture is quickly dismissed as an archaic framework of impractical rules and restrictions. But what do the scriptures have to say about all of this?

Even if we were to look at spirituality quite broadly and not limit ourselves to the concepts of Indian spirituality, one principle rings loud and clear. The mind alone is responsible for man’s bondage OR liberation. Manomoolam Idam Jagat, the whole cosmos is but a projection of our minds, say our scriptures. In fact, in the Kathopanishad, the metaphor of a chariot is used to help us understand how the mind works. The body is represented by the chariot, the senses by horses, the mind by reins and the intellect by the charioteer. The mind lies between the senses and the intellect. When the mind is led by the intellect, it is safely guarded. If it is led by the whims and fancies of the senses, however, it is bound and becomes a victim to suffering.

 So how do I make sense of all this and understand it in the context of my own life? Well if there’s one thing that I know for sure, it’s that nothing in this world is in our control. No amount of technological advancement, money, privilege or contingency planning could help  prevent a global pandemic because that’s the way the world works. It is always changing and it is always unpredictable. But what I CAN control is the way I perceive things, the way I respond to the external world around me. So circling back to why I’ve felt so liberated in the midst of a global pandemic? Someone wise once told me that if you turn your face towards the sun, the shadows will always fall behind you. Turns out that turning my mind inwards to the ever present calm within instead of the chaotic happenings without hits the coveted sweet spot! I have finally realised what freedom means to me, it is the ability to make best of the circumstances handed to me, to break through the shackles of my mind to connect with the permanent fountain of happiness within!