Declaration of Independence: Freedom from Fear

The celebration of Independence Day has come upon us once again and as we commemorate the birth of this nation, a country whose infancy saw freedoms granted to and enjoyed by only a select few among us, let us ponder the true meaning of freedom. The revolution that birthed this nation led to a slow and deliberate evolution of beliefs, culture, ideas, and identity which led us to this prescient moment in time where we are being called upon by the forces of nature to once again evolve as individuals and as a society; to ask and expect more from ourselves, to shed our reservations regarding who we can be, to speak truth while the cacophony of lies and disbelief blares around us, and to dare something worthy that we have always hoped for but for whatever reason we heretofore felt was unavailable to us in our present incarnation.

Freedom is the ability to grow, unencumbered by the burdens of authoritarian constrictions, societal conventions, or the binding expectations and obligations that family and friends often place upon us. Freedom is innate in every single living thing with which the Almighty has populated this wondrous Earth. The inherent intention of every seed to grow and multiply itself in all possible machinations is the same freedom bestowed upon each and every one of us; to grow, to develop, and to become everything of which we are capable, regardless of conditions.

If we are created in the image of the Almighty, and if we are essentially avatars of a divine consciousness that is so magnificent that all possibilities spring from it, then the truth is that all the power and wisdom of divinity is available to each and every one of us; whether we are born into circumstances replete with the amenities enjoyed only by those considered privileged by our society, or if we are born into the abjection of poverty, famine, abuse, war, or second-class citizenship. Destiny is a journey down whose road one can expect obstacles of tremendous magnitude that have the power to knock us off course permanently as well as blessings of incredible fortitude and timeliness that have the power to embolden us and enrich us with new abilities to continue the journey, stronger, wiser, and better equipped.

Fear is the agent that prevents us from evolving. Fear of the consequences of rebelling against or failing to live up to what is expected of us by others and ourselves leads to an unnatural devolution of life and consciousness, resulting in the passing of time and opportunity and leading to the death of spirit and body. Fear is used by both governments and average individuals alike as a means of control and suppression. Fear is the only thing that can halt the natural growth and progression of consciousness on a personal, societal, or global level; not one's enemies, not one's circumstance...Fear.

 Love is the only antidote to fear, and its only true enemy because its reason for being is to liberate. The power of love knows no boundaries and connects one directly to the source of all abundance. Loving yourself is being deeply grateful for all the blessings that have been granted to you by the Almighty, and regarding those blessings with respect and reverence, and not seeking to obstruct others, whether they have more or less than you have, but to share in these universal blessings, and to express your deep abiding love to the people who've blessed you with their presence in your life, while you are in the moment. To truly love oneself is to treasure this opportunity to live freely and to discover the abundance that is available to all who seek it, and to naturally resist any and all attempts from outside or within oneself to cede one's destiny, to follow the path of least resistance, to conform, or to deprive oneself of a life of vibrance and fulfillment.

Whether one believes in reincarnation or not, it's clear that whatever life you are living now, you only have one chance to get that life right. And in this life, you can't simply try to find yourself because it will always leave you right where you started. You have to freely create yourself because this allows the beautiful divine tapestry to unfold. Love is life and love grants us the freedom to evolve dynamically in mind, body, and soul. To want and expect the best of yourself and of the opportunities that abound in this life for your growth and for the growth of those you love is the natural thing, and to speak truth without fear in the face of the obstructive elements of our society that seek to hinder growth is what it means to be truly free.