Let's do a self-exploration meditation on Freedom to do what one likes is bondage.
Let the eyes of the waker close and let the waker disappear.
Recognize that even with the waker gone,
There is an I,
The Me,
The Myself.
It is still standing tall.
Even though the waker's body arising has disappeared.
Do you recognize that the I is seeking for an identity?
The I brings back the waker's body arising again and again.
The body arising of the waker appears and disappears relentlessly and ceaselessly.
Are you able to see that it is the seeking tendency of the I that is bringing back the body arising again and again?
Do you notice that the seeking of the I for an identification leaves it thirsty,
Keeps it bound?
Let the waker's body arising remain.
It's okay if it does not disappear.
Simply be.
Accept the flow.
Simply be.
Dive deeper into the self-inquiry.
What is the stubbornness of the I for?
Why does it keep bringing up the body arising again and again,
Even after the command for it to disappear?
Are you able to see that it cannot stand by itself?
Are you able to see that it seeks validation in this or that?
Anything will do.
It is irrelevant what the this or that may be.
Any this will do.
Any that will do.
As long as it provides validation,
Identification,
Reassurance.
What is this validation for?
What is the affirmation for?
What is this assurance for?
Remember your favorite ice cream,
Chocolate,
Indian cuisine,
Intercontinental cuisine.
Any food item that you really like.
Recognize that the I is now clinging to the image of the favorite food.
The food image is in the mind.
Notice carefully that the I has already imagined the flavor of your favorite food,
The texture of your favorite food,
Its smell,
Its touch.
All five perceptions of sight,
Sound,
Smell,
Taste,
Touch are but visual images in the mind.
Born of this liking is the craving to have the food item.
Notice that there is already a plan to procure the food item after this meditation is over.
Are you able to recognize that the I has progressed from identifying with the one that likes the food to the one that craves for it to the one that clings to the idea of procuring it?
Do you recognize that the I is not bringing up the waker's body arising anymore because it has found something else to cling to?
The same I that was earlier clinging to the body arising is now clinging to the idea of your favorite food.
Do you realize that even after the inquiry is over,
The I will keep bringing up this craving repeatedly?
Even if you tell it that the food is unavailable,
It will keep flashing the mental image again and again.
This stubbornness of the I to cling on to the visual image is bondage.
Tell yourself that you do not want to think about your favorite food.
Tell yourself to quit thinking about it.
Do you recognize that the I will not quit grabbing and clinging and craving for that favorite food item?
That clinging tendency of the I to the visual mental image is bondage.
Buddha called it Upadana.
Upadana means clinging.
Why is the I clinging so much to this or that?
What is it that binds the I?
Do you realize that the bondage is created by your like?
Similarly,
Your dislike creates bondage too.
Do you see that?
Don't think about the person you dislike the most in the world.
Just don't think about him or her.
Don't bring up his or her visual image in the mind.
Don't converse with him or her in your mind.
Just don't think about him or her at all.
What happened?
Still thinking about them?
Has your dislike bound you?
Do you now recognize that the freedom to do what one likes is bondage?
And the freedom to dodge what one dislikes is also bondage.
Then what is real freedom?
Obviously,
When the I is not clinging on to something.
That is freedom.
When the I gathers the courage to stand alone.
That is freedom.
Attempt to just be.
Be without this or that.
When the I is standing alone,
It is honoring the flow.
It knows that the body,
Mind and world operate automatically in the waking world program.
The I standing at a distance without interference is true freedom.
Stand at a distance without interference.
Let the flow bring what it may.
The freedom to do what one must is real freedom.
It is devoid of likes and dislikes.
Devoid of cravings and aversions.
Devoid of clinging of any kind.
Simply flowing with what is.
Then even if the body arising is,
It is what it is.
If the body arising is not,
It is what it is.
If the visual image of the favorite food is,
It is what it is.
If the visual image of the favorite food is not,
It is what it is.
If the visual image of the one disliked is,
It is what it is.
If the image of the one disliked is not,
It is what it is.
The flow brings it all.
The I stands at a distance devoid of interference.
Honoring the flow as it is.
As it is.
Freedom to do what one likes is bondage.
Freedom to dodge what one dislikes is also bondage.
Freedom to do what one must is real freedom.
And what one must is simply witness.
Be yourself the witness.
Honor yourself by being true to your nature of witnessing.
Are you truly free?
Are you truly free?
Are you truly free?
