Freedom Beyond Walls… When the Mind Awakens!

Freedom Beyond Walls… When the Mind Awakens!

When we hear the word freedom, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

We generally think of freedom as living without anyone’s control, going wherever we wish, doing what we like, and expressing our thoughts without restrictions. 

Isn’t that what we usually understand by freedom?

But when we look a little more deeply into life, a question arises.

We can go wherever we want.

We can wear the clothes we like.

We can express our opinions to others.

Yet, despite having all these freedoms, why does our mind sometimes long for other people’s appreciation?

Why do we change our decisions out of concern for what others might think of us?

Why do we continue living a life we do not truly enjoy simply because society approves of it?

A profound philosophy lies hidden within these questions.

Freedom is not merely about breaking down the walls around us. 

It is also about recognising the invisible walls that have been built within us.

Let us try to understand this truth by connecting it with our everyday lives.

What Are the Walls Around Us?

From the day we are born, we grow up within certain structures and systems.

Family, school, society, religion, culture, economic circumstances and our circle of friends all influence our lives.

None of these is entirely wrong. In fact, they teach us discipline, unity and a sense of responsibility.

Certain rules and boundaries are necessary for people to live together in society.

But when do these structures become walls that confine us?

They begin to control us when we stop understanding why we do something and simply do it because everyone else is doing it.

For example, imagine someone who wishes to pursue a particular profession because they have a genuine interest in it.

However, their family wants them to choose a different career.

Afraid of what relatives might say and how the family might be regarded in society, the person sets aside their own aspirations and follows the path chosen by others.

Outwardly, nobody may be forcing them.

But what is directing their decision? Is it their own genuine desire, or is it fear created by other people’s expectations?

This is where our reflection on freedom begins.

Freedom does not necessarily mean immediately leaving the environment in which we live.

The real beginning is to understand how that environment influences our thoughts and decisions.

The Invisible Prison Society Builds Within Us

When we think of a prison, we imagine four walls surrounding us.

Yet a person can have the freedom to go anywhere and still remain imprisoned by their own thoughts.

“What will others think?”

“What will they say if I fail?”

“They have something that I do not!”

“Everyone must respect me!”

“Others must accept that I am right!”

Thoughts like these arise frequently in our minds.

Without observing them, we begin to live according to their dictates.

To appear successful in society’s eyes, we may take on debts we cannot afford and attempt to maintain an extravagant lifestyle.

We measure our lives against those of others.

Instead of enjoying what we already have, we keep running after what other people possess.

We can see this clearly in today’s social media-driven world.

Someone shares photographs of their holidays.

Another proudly displays an expensive purchase.

Yet another announces their achievements to the world.

As we look at these posts, we may begin to feel that something is missing from our own lives.

But the fault does not necessarily lie with those who share their experiences.

We look only at the outward appearance of their lives and compare it with our own.

We do not know whether their happiness is genuine, what difficulties they face, or what sacrifices lie behind their achievements.

Nevertheless, our minds begin comparing.

As a result, we may lose the ability to appreciate the happiness that already belongs to us.

The important point to understand here is that social media alone does not imprison us.

The problem deepens when we fail to recognise the comparison, jealousy, feelings of inadequacy and craving for approval that arise within us as we engage with it.

Before attempting to change the outside world, we must understand the thoughts it creates within us.

To Free Ourselves from a Structure, We Must First Understand It

Imagine living in a house for many years.

Without understanding its structure, we cannot make informed decisions about which parts should be changed and which should be preserved.

In the same way, we cannot free ourselves inwardly from the structures of society without first understanding them.

Where did our beliefs come from?

Why do we regard some people as superior and others as inferior?

Why do we believe that only certain opinions are correct?

Why do we feel happy when certain people praise us, yet feel shattered when others criticise us?

We must honestly seek answers to these questions.

Perhaps we accepted something we heard in childhood as an unquestionable truth.

Perhaps we adopted a family tradition without examining it.

Perhaps we developed a generalised belief that people from a particular community must all be a certain way.

But a belief does not automatically become true simply because we have held it for many years.

Nor does it become correct merely because many people believe it.

At the same time, rejecting all our traditional beliefs as wrong would not be wise either.

We need to examine them carefully.

We must understand which beliefs benefit us and others, and which create unnecessary fear, division and suffering.

For example, the cultural value of respecting elders can guide us towards a more humane way of living.

However, if we believe that everything an elder says must be accepted without question simply because of their age, our ability to think independently may suffer.

We can disagree respectfully.

We can ask questions with kindness.

There is a difference between respecting a person and agreeing with every opinion they express.

Understanding this difference is an important part of mental freedom.

What Does It Mean to Understand Ourselves?

One of the most important ideas in the philosophy we are exploring is this: understanding the structures of society is also a way of understanding our own minds.

Let us look at this in simple terms.

Imagine that someone criticises us.

Immediately, we become angry.

We feel like responding harshly.

Caught up in that anger, we retaliate with hurtful words.

Later, when we have calmed down, we regret what we said.

What do we usually do in such situations?

We conclude that the other person was responsible for our anger.

But if we look a little more deeply, we may discover another truth.

The criticism may have touched our ego.

We may have become afraid that others would think badly of us.

Perhaps we were trying to protect a particular image we had created of ourselves.

In other words, an external event may have triggered a feeling that was already present within us.

When we understand this, we begin to develop awareness of our own reactions.

The next time someone criticises us, we may be able to observe the anger arising within us instead of immediately retaliating.

We can examine whether there is any truth in the criticism.

If it is valid, we can learn from it and make corrections. If it is unfounded, we can let it go without carrying it around in our minds.

This is the practical benefit of understanding ourselves.

The purpose of clearly recognising our thoughts, emotions, desires and fears is not to eliminate them immediately.

It is to prevent ourselves from acting unconsciously under their influence.

Understanding Our Thoughts Matters More Than Suppressing Them

We often try to control every thought that arises in our minds.

“I must not get angry.”

“I must not feel jealous.”

“I must always have positive thoughts.”

We make these resolutions.

Yet, at unexpected moments, anger, jealousy and fear arise again.

When this happens, we may blame ourselves simply for experiencing those feelings.

Here, an important distinction needs to be understood.

There is a difference between a feeling arising within us and acting on the basis of that feeling.

Just because anger arises does not mean we must speak angrily.

Just because jealousy appears does not mean we must harm another person.

Just because fear arises does not mean we must abandon our efforts.

If we can observe a feeling when it arises, a small space opens up between the feeling and our response.

Within that space lies our freedom to choose.

For example, imagine that a colleague at work receives a promotion while we do not.

We may feel disappointed and jealous.

Instead of trying to hide these feelings, we can honestly acknowledge them.

“Yes, I am feeling jealous right now. I also want to receive that recognition.”

We can then reflect on what we intend to do with this feeling.

Will we speak negatively about our colleague?

Or will we develop our abilities and prepare ourselves for the next opportunity?

Recognising our feelings helps us choose the second path.

Therefore, mental freedom does not mean reaching a state in which no negative thoughts ever arise.

It means developing the clarity to avoid following those thoughts blindly whenever they appear.

Where Does Freedom Exist in Our Everyday Relationships?

Let us consider family life.

Differences of opinion arise between husbands and wives.

Parents and children experience disagreements because of generational differences.

Brothers and sisters may face conflicts over property, responsibilities and expectations.

In such situations, what do we usually think?

“This problem will be solved only when they change.”

“They never understand me.”

“Why must I always be the one to compromise?”

Sometimes, another person’s behaviour really is the source of the problem.

When we experience injustice, humiliation or abuse, we should not assume that everything is caused by our own state of mind.

Establishing necessary boundaries and seeking help are important when the situation demands them.

Nevertheless, before trying to change others, we should also seek to understand our own reactions.

Why does a particular word affect us so deeply?

What are we expecting from the other person?

Do we expect someone to behave exactly as we wish in the name of love?

Do we mistake agreement with our opinions for respect?

As we examine these questions, our understanding of relationships begins to change.

Loving someone does not mean controlling them.

It means recognising that they, too, have their own preferences, feelings and thoughts.

Likewise, suppressing our own feelings all the time to preserve a relationship is not freedom either.

It is equally important to communicate our needs honestly and respectfully.

When both people understand their own feelings and listen to the other person’s perspective, unnecessary conflicts may begin to diminish.

Therefore, understanding ourselves does not mean sitting alone and thinking only about ourselves.

It also means understanding how we relate to the people with whom we share our lives.

Our Ideas About Success Are Also a Form of Conditioning

In today’s world, we need to think carefully about what success really means.

A good salary, a house of our own, an expensive car, a high-ranking position and social recognition may all be important in someone’s life.

There is nothing wrong with striving to achieve them.

But what happens when we begin to believe that these are the only measures of success?

One person earns a good income but cannot spend time with their family because of the demands of work.

Another holds a senior position but lives in constant fear of losing it.

Yet another is widely admired but struggles to value themselves when the praise of others is absent.

Their achievements may be genuine.

But we must also consider the price they pay for those achievements.

Are we defining success for ourselves, or are we blindly following standards created by others?

This is a very important question.

For one person, a happy family life may represent success.

For another, expanding their knowledge may be the greatest achievement.

Someone else may find fulfilment in serving society.

For another, living simply and honestly may be their greatest source of pride.

There is no need for everyone’s life to look the same.

Meaningful freedom lies in discovering what truly matters to us and shaping our lives accordingly.

This does not mean abandoning our responsibilities.

Rather, it means understanding both our responsibilities and our aspirations clearly, and living in accordance with that understanding.

Why Is Awareness Essential for True Freedom?

Every day, we perform countless actions.

From the moment we wake up in the morning until we go to sleep at night, we make innumerable decisions.

But how many of those decisions do we make with full awareness?

We perform some actions out of habit.

We do others out of fear.

Sometimes, we imitate what other people are doing.

At other times, our decisions are influenced by past experiences.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this. Habits and experiences can be helpful.

But when we live without recognising how they influence us, our ability to choose freely becomes limited.

Awareness does not mean spending every moment thinking at length about everything we do.

It means recognising what is happening within us in a particular situation, pausing when necessary, observing it and making an appropriate decision.

We do not need to be great philosophers to practise this.

When anger arises, we can remain silent for a few moments instead of responding immediately.

When we feel the urge to spend money, we can ask ourselves whether it is a genuine need or a desire triggered by looking at someone else’s lifestyle.

When we accept an opinion, we can examine whether we truly understand the reasons behind it.

Over time, these small acts of awareness can bring about significant changes in our lives.

Some fears that once controlled us may begin to lose their power.

The anxiety caused by comparing ourselves with others may diminish.

We may learn to distinguish between our own genuine desires and the expectations others place upon us.

Through these changes, we learn to live with greater clarity and responsibility.

There is another, deeper dimension to this philosophy.

When we observe the thoughts and feelings arising in our minds, we begin to notice that they are constantly changing.

One moment, we feel happy.

The next, anxiety arises.

At times, our confidence grows.

At other times, doubts appear.

Someone we liked yesterday may upset us today.

Our thoughts, emotions and experiences are constantly changing.

Yet we are able to observe all these changes.

Exploring this truth deeply is the starting point of self-inquiry in many spiritual traditions.

“An thought arises within me, but can I say that this thought alone is who I am?”

“Anger appears within me, but is anger my entire identity?”

“I have a fear, but must that fear be allowed to define my whole life?”

When we begin asking such questions, our understanding of ourselves starts to expand.

We do not need to deny our thoughts and feelings.

Nor do we need to run away from them.

We can observe them clearly and understand their nature.

Practices such as meditation can help us develop this awareness.

When we sit quietly and observe the incoming and outgoing breath, we notice how the mind wanders in many directions.

Thoughts arise and disappear.

Rather than following them, we gently bring our attention back to the breath.

The purpose of this practice is not to force the mind into a state where no thoughts exist.

It is to learn how to recognise and observe thoughts whenever they arise.

As spiritual inquiry deepens, another question may emerge:

“Who am I?”

We may begin to examine whether we are completely defined by our names, professions, relationships, achievements and memories.

These are certainly important aspects of our lives.

But the spiritual journey also involves exploring whether we can understand ourselves beyond these identities.

There is no need to rush into accepting a single answer to this question.

We can gradually develop our understanding by quietly observing our own direct experience.

Here, too, freedom does not lie merely in holding on to a new belief.

It lies in examining our beliefs and experiences with awareness.

So, How Do We Live Beyond These Walls?

The message of this philosophy is not that we must abandon society and retreat to a mountain.

Nor does it mean that we must give up our families.

It does not mean that we should stop earning money, have no desires or refuse to listen to other people’s opinions.

The central message is that we can remain connected to the world in which we live while becoming aware of how it influences our minds.

Let us live in society, but let us not accept every social expectation as a command that must govern our lives.

Let us listen to the opinions of others, but let us not surrender our own ability to think.

Let us pursue success, but let us not sacrifice our peace of mind and humanity in the process.

Let us love our relationships, but let us not try to control one another in the name of love.

Let us acknowledge our mistakes, but let us not declare our entire lives failures because of a single mistake.

Above all, let us make an effort to understand the thoughts and feelings that arise within us rather than hiding them.

As this understanding grows, we become more aware of why we live, what we struggle for and what unnecessary burdens we continue to carry.

Then, certain changes may begin to happen naturally in our lives.

We may reconsider decisions we made solely to please others.

We may devote our time and energy to what truly matters.

We may step away from unnecessary comparisons and learn to appreciate the life we have with gratitude.

This is not a journey that can be completed in a single day.

Understanding ourselves is a journey that can continue throughout our lives.

Every day, we learn something new.

We revise some of our old understandings of ourselves.

We recognise certain mistakes and make efforts to correct them.

This continuous process of learning gradually brings greater clarity to our minds.

In Conclusion

Dear friends,

When a bird escapes from its cage and flies away, we rejoice that it has gained freedom.

But what if, even after leaving the cage, the bird continues to live with the same fear it experienced inside it? Will it be able to enjoy its ability to fly to the fullest?

The same truth applies to human life.

We may have external freedom.

We may choose the profession we want.

We may travel wherever we wish.

We may express our opinions and enjoy many comforts.

Yet, if we continue to live with a mind that longs for other people’s approval, a mind trapped in comparisons, a mind paralysed by the fear of failure, or a mind unable to question its own long-held beliefs, we may never experience the fullness of that freedom.

Therefore, let us understand the structures that surround our lives.

Let us appreciate the benefits they offer us.

At the same time, let us recognise where they unnecessarily restrict our thoughts and actions.

Instead of merely blaming others, let us also pay attention to what is happening within ourselves.

Where do our desires come from?

What gives rise to our fears?

Why have we tied our happiness to the approval of others?

Why do we cling to certain things even when that attachment causes us suffering?

When we begin asking ourselves these questions honestly, our understanding of our own minds deepens.

Freedom is not merely about breaking every restriction. It is about understanding the thoughts and beliefs that control us without our knowledge, and learning to live with awareness.

We may not be able to break down every wall in the outside world.

But we can discover how those walls have found their way into our minds.

That understanding is the first step towards change.

From the moment we begin to understand ourselves, an opportunity emerges within us: the opportunity to transform our lives from copies of other people’s expectations into lives guided by our own awareness and sense of responsibility.

Let us make use of that opportunity.

Let us come to know ourselves.

Let us observe our thoughts with awareness.

Let us respect the freedom of others.

And let us live with an understanding of our responsibilities.

For when a human being sets out in search of true freedom, the first world they must learn to understand is not merely the world outside them, but the world that exists within them.

You can do it!

With affection,

Sakthi Sakthithasan