What Does It Mean To Be Free?

On the occasion of India’s Independence Day, we revisit the idea of freedom and see what the spiritual leader, OSHO had to say about it!

Photo Credit : happyho,

Nandita Kochar

On the occasion of India’s Independence Day, we revisit the idea of freedom and see what the spiritual leader, OSHO had to say about it.

As per OSHO, freedom has two sides and if we experience only one side of it, our freedom will not be complete. To understand this thought, let’s see what the whole psychology of freedom entails. 

The first side involves freedom from a nationality, a church, an organisation, a race, a religion, a political ideology. Once the masks of these are put down, we become free to experience our own individuality for the first time. Before we were buried beneath all these layers and now we can finally rise above and see ourselves for who we are. 

Exploring this side of freedom will bring us happiness initially but eventually sadness will befall us because we are yet to explore the other side of the coin. So far we got freedom from something. But what will we use this freedom for? All your shackles have been removed and you are just standing still, not knowing where to go. So what to do once you are free?

Either you can use this freedom to further go into the understanding of yourself using meditation or you can also use it to develop a talent that was hidden or not nourished until now. If you couldn’t become a dancer because your legs were tied, then now is the time to become one. If you could not sing because your voice had been crushed by those in power, now is the time to let the rhythm flow. 

Something beautiful has happened. You have found your long wanted freedom. But without any use, this freedom is empty. Only when this freedom has been used to create something, will this endeavour be successful. 

Freedom is not a goal in itself. It is an opportunity to become who you are. 

So who do you want to be?