INDEPENDENCE DAY NEW MOON

This month’s New Moon falls on USA Independence Day, July 4th, making it the perfect time to explore how we can achieve greater freedom in our lives. According to Ayurveda, ‘freedom’ is a mental state and a personal choice. Whether it’s freedom to choose for ourselves or freedom of self expression, we all desire some sort of freedom when it comes to human life. With financial freedom we can afford to travel, hire brilliant minds, and enjoy fine wines.

Freedom can mean many things. Freedom is a peaceful mind and healthy bowel movements. There is nothing worse than wanting to free yourself, but you can’t.

The ecstasy of freedom is in BE-ing present and experiencing our boundless ever-expanding inherent nature.

Freedom in many ways relates to the yogic principle of Vairāgya or non-attachment.

The great Bob Marley resonated this yogic wisdom when he sang: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds!"

What does freedom mean to you? When do you feel free?

I feel free when I’m barefoot, climbing trees and throwing perfect football spirals on the beach. I have felt free as tears streamed down my face and the rising mist met my cheeks standing before the majestic thunder of Victoria Falls, the birth soil of my mother. I have experienced freedom in the solitude of silent meditation and also in surrendering to the arms of my beloved.