Freedom, at the beginning

Soon after writing the last post one received a text that shows essentially the same truth about "liberation". Surprisingly, the source which sent it didn´t know about this blog. And since such kind of "meaningful coincidences" seem to be  inspired by a deeper reality, teaching us important lessons, here we have the text, following the thread:


I think it is important to understand that freedom is at the beginning and not at the end. We think freedom is something to be achieved, that liberation is an ideal state of mind to be gradually attained through time, through various practices; but to me, this is a totally wrong approach. Freedom is not to be achieved; liberation is not a thing to be gained. Freedom, or liberation, is that state of mind which is essential for the discovery of any truth, any reality; therefore, it cannot be an ideal; it must exist right from the beginning. Without freedom at the beginning, there can be no moments of direct understanding because all thinking is then limited, conditioned. If your mind is tethered to any conclusion, to any experience, to any form of knowledge or belief, it is not free; and such a mind cannot possibly perceive what is true.  (Jiddu Krishnamurti)


The term "freedom" is one of those concepts that has been totally misunderstood and misused. It has of course many senses; freedom can be physical, biological, psychological, social, political, moral, and even metaphysical if we consider the transition from Nothingness to a Big Bang was an act of  Supreme Will.

However, isn´t the "psychological", or let´s say "spiritual" sense of freedom, the most important for us? Is it not at the root of our actions and behaviors, and therefore, of our understanding of life? More even than the "moral sense", since our beliefs get fixed in our psyche only after something in us "decides" to make them a place, isn´t that so?

We believe we are free to think, free to live as we want, free to be what we are, especially in the so called democratic societies. But, is it true?. What are we free from? Are we free from thoughts? Are we free from emotions and sensations? How much "stuff" conditions our reactive behaviors? 

The truth is that modern humanity has been in a state of inner slavery for thousands of years, since the processes of destruction became a savage habit. And that is not a natural condition given the fact humans have access to something called Intelligence.

Now, since Intelligence help us see the chains which keep us trapped into suffering, why shouldn´t we use it?

There we have the message of Buddha, or Jesus, who is attributed the saying: The Truth shall make you free.

Paradox of Liberation

This second movement of Gorecki´s third symphony, a classic of minimalist music, radiates a strange quality of dark and bright contrasts, a stillness, timelessness and simplicity that are not easy to express, not even to notice, despite inspiring a familiar flavour. An apparently anecdotic impression that may be telling us more than what the heavy mind can grasp.


An old proverb says the spiritual path is more difficult than walking on the edge of a knife. Yet, it is also said there´s nothing more natural and simple than "being on the Way". Anything can lead to Consciousness and Liberation; but anything can also lead to a trap. 
Is this what makes the journey so complicated and treacherous?
Perhaps that is why human life is so erratic and contradictory, full of dark and bright contrasts, wonders and miseries that coexist.
Yet, which is the root of the human falls? Perhaps a distorted perception of Reality, a lack of discernment? Can inner conflicts, source of the outer ones, cease with a glimpse of that "ineffable and everpresent Something" which is the Source and Destiny of everything?

Only so long as one considers oneself bound do thoughts of bondage and Liberation continue. When one enquires who is bound, the Self is realized, eternally attained, eternally free. When thought of bondage comes to an end, can thought of Liberation survive?

If it is said that Liberation is of three kinds: with form, without form, and both together, then let me tell you that the extinction of those three forms of Liberation is the only true Liberation.

(Ramana Maharshi, verses 39 & 40, 
from Forty Verses on Reality)