Although we live in the freest society on earth, one that claimed its independence from a powerful oppressor long ago, most of us today are slaves in a free society.
How so? We're enslaved by our habits. We're enslaved by our beliefs. We're enslaved by our past. And we're enslaved by our own and others' expectations.
If you look honestly at your life, you'll probably notice much of it is not actually governed by your free choice -- despite your apparent external freedom. For example, all of us act in ways we later regret, even when we know better. We stop ourselves from excelling, even if we have the talent and the know-how to succeed. We accept less than what is possible because we've allowed ourselves to be enslaved by our own mental constructs.
Our Society Is Based on Slavery
In fact, our society is based on slavery, even today. Not the horrific slavery that we practiced over 100 years ago, but something else. Take a look at your work life. Whether you work for yourself or for someone else, do you ever feel enslaved by your work or your career? Most people don't feel as though they have a choice but to be a slave to their profession. We work to live, instead of living to work -- and our society encourages us in this belief.
The people who hold political power also depend upon our slave consciousness and our desire to be told what to do and what to think. Have you ever noticed that our politicians are more than happy to give us what we want? And by this I mean that most of them are more skillful in telling us what to do and what to think than they are in genuinely representing the will of the people.
Even if we're fiercely independent, we find ourselves being enslaved to past beliefs and negative emotions. Slave consciousness is everywhere in our society, held in place by the tyranny of the subconscious mind and all of its fears and beliefs and conflicting habit patterns.
It Doesn't Have to Be this Way
You may be interested to discover it doesn't have to be like this. If you're willing to challenge your inner enslavement, a whole new world naturally opens up to you -- a world of true inner independence that's already right here, right now, waiting to be rediscovered.
Just noticing how you're enslaved and starting to see that it's not the only possibility will begin a process of unfoldment that will bring new vistas of freedom into your life. As you notice your slave consciousness without judgment, as best you can, it will naturally start to dissolve. And, so you don't lose perspective, remember to also notice the freedom that already exists, here and now, both internally and externally.
Abolish Inner Slavery Now
Here's a simple exercise you can do to start letting go of your inner slavery:
- Take a moment to honestly review your life and look for where you feel enslaved.
Letting go of slave consciousness is not a substitute for taking right action in your life to fulfill your obligations and break down the patterns in our world that hold us all back. As you let go of being an inner slave, you'll discover it's much easier to do what's right and what's appropriate in any situation. And that's true freedom.
As you let go of slave consciousness, you'll discover that you can have a higher standard of living with less effort. You can live life more fully and joyously. You can make choices not based on the past but based on what is real and true for your -- and everyone's -- highest good. You can feel a sense of joy even when things do not always go your way. Like the brilliance of fireworks against the night sky, you can light up your own awareness and discover what's truly possible for you, and for our great society, when every day is Independence Day.
Happy Fourth of July everyone!
To further your inner independence, be sure to download Money Now, a new, free Letting Go app for iPhone and Android phones and tablets. Click here to find out how to ensure financial independence from the inside out.
This post is based on the principles explored in the new movie, "Letting Go: Transform Your Life, Transform the World." It is the culmination of over three decades of experience with a simple, powerful, elegant and easy-to-learn technique that shows you how to tap your natural ability to let go instantaneously of any uncomfortable or unwanted feeling, thought or belief. For more information, visit www.LettingGo.tv or Sedona.com.