Fireworks, Partying, and The Real Meaning of the 4th of July

Dazzling fireworks color the night skies. People are dancing, laughing and having barbeques with friends. The 4th of July is one of those holidays that we seem to always remember: It was the 4th of July many years ago when Ed flew from NYC to Rome on his long journey by air, land and sea to India. There he would train to become a Yoga Master (Swami). More recently he skied high up in the Rockies on the 4th wearing only shorts and no shirt. What memorable 4th of July moments do you have?

But why are we celebrating like this? In the years leading up to 1776, Great Britain was demanding higher taxes and asking that the colonists follow more British rules. This resulted in the American Revolution, where the dominance of the British was rejected in the desire for independence, declared on July 2nd. The declaration became official on July 4th of that year.

This was a very important step and rightly celebrated, although, as Deb is British, we do have some conflicting opinions about this in our family!

But despite the celebration, do we ever stop to ask what real independence means?

Among other things, independence means freedom from control, self-determination, and nonalignment. Which, realistically, few of us practice. Most of us experience some level of being under the control of more powerful bodies, such as the IRS; few of us determine our own thoughts and beliefs but prefer to go with the general consensus; and most of us feel aligned to something, whether it be a political party, religion, race, or country, rather than being neutral or open to all.

So how can we integrate a greater sense of independence into our lives? How can we truly practice such an important declaration, not just as a country but also as individuals?

Five Ways to Embody Freedom

1. Think Your Own Thoughts
Every day we hear politicians, the media, religious leaders and others telling us what they think is good for us. And too often we go along with their opinions, with what everyone is thinking, without stopping to ask ourselves, "Is this what I think or believe as well?" The Buddha offered some great advice about this when he said, Don't believe what I say. Find out what is real or true for you.

2. Say What You Believe
How often do we come from our heart when we express ourselves? So often we are stuck in our heads and think one thing but say the opposite, because it is what everyone else is saying. We may have a great desire to fit in, but this can be at the expense of our real feelings and what is truly meaningful to us. It can be challenging to speak our own truth, but when we do it is ultimately very liberating.

3. Do What You Want To
As long as what we do does not harm anyone else, then freedom is doing just what we feel. This can include dancing in the rain, wearing a red hat, or walking barefoot through wet grass. It especially means feeling free to do all those things we were told we should not do, like singing or smiling for no reason at all.

4. Give Your Heart Away
Do we have things or do they have us? Does having more mean we are less free as we are concerned with protecting what we have or getting more? Some of the freest and happiest people we know have nothing. When we were in India the poorest people we saw living on the streets were smiling and playing and laughing. This especially applies to our heart. The more we love, the freer and happier we will be. And the more we give our heart away by caring and sharing with others, the freer we will feel in ourselves.

5. Be Still
Sitting still and being quiet may seem like the most limited of activities, but this is how we can enter into an inner spaciousness that is the most free place to be. So when the dancing is over, and the celebrating begins to wane, find a way to have time to yourself and enjoy the true freedom within you. Sit quietly, breathe into your heart, and have a smile on your face.

In our new book: BE THE CHANGE - How Meditation Can Transform You and the World, with contributors such as the Dalai Lama, Marianne Williamson, Robert Thurman, Jane Fonda, Michael Beckwith, astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Ellen Burstyn, Russell Bishop, and others. These luminous people share how meditation has brought them greater inner freedom.

What does the 4th of July mean to you? Do you have any good stories of freedom to share? Do let us know as we would love to hear from you! You can receive notice of our blogs every Thursday by checking Become a Fan at the top.

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Ed and Deb Shapiro's new book, BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You And The World, forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman, with contributors such as Marianne Williamson, astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Byron Katie, Michael Beckwith, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Jane Fonda, Jack Kornfield, Gangaji, Ellen Burstyn, Ed Begley, Dean Ornish, Russell Bishop, and others, will be published November 3rd 2009 by Sterling Ethos.

Deb is the author of the award-winning book YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND. Ed and Deb are the authors of over 15 books, and lead meditation retreats and workshops. They are corporate consultants, and the creators of Chillout daily inspirational text messages on Sprint cell phones. See: www.EdandDebShapiro.com

Follow Ed and Deb Shapiro on Twitter: www.twitter.com/raniraji

Comments

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

It's coming close... Fireworks are already blasting many hearts are opening...­..

May we hold all beings in our hearts .. those we love and those we are having difficulty with..May our enemies ... clear their minds and come into their hearts ..may we be compassionate

This is the first day of the rest of your life

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY ... and may the partying begin....

* PEACE PEACE PEACE *

Ed & Deb

[Furby]

Happy 4th of July America, from your neighbour to the north. We'll be lifting a big muggo beer to your health this weekend. Throw caution to the wind, turn off the pundits, and party like it's 2012 and Obama won four more years.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Furby Thanks for your great wishes...m­ay they come true ... Yo Canada! I love this:

Throw caution to the wind, turn off the pundits, and party like it's 2012 and Obama won four more years.

May all things go well for America, Canada, the world and all people, animals ...AL BEING be happy,

Ed

[Furby]

I'll drink to that eh?

[AndiG]

Hello Deb & Ed...I love the 4th of July for the simple reason that I choose to honor my own independence by staying home and creating an environment of peace & quiet .
I find that this allows the ture nature of my being to emerge...I feel really free!!!

I wish you, and all your bloggers, a 4th of July filled with " personal freedom" to BE!!!!

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Lovely AndiG It's always a teat to hear from you!

Deb and I just taught a Yoga therapy 2 day program in the high Rockies.

It included Yoga Nidra .. a deep relaxation

we all can use a YN practice in our lives...if anyone is interested we have CD's in this brilliant method that I recorded

Lovingly,

Ed

[soundheals]

Dearest Deb and Ed:

Thanks so much for your continued extraordinary thoughts about what is independence and how to embody freedom..

For me, July 4th has become a time of peace and tranquility--yes, I watch the fireworks from afar when they occur--but mostly I simply utilize this holiday as a time of freedom from work and activity. Much as I love what I do, it's always nice to just "chill out" and relax. Sometimes, these are the times when my greatest moments of transcendence through inner stillness occur.

Blessings of Light & Love through Sound,

Jonathan

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hey Master of Sound Jonathan - Conrats on winning to Awards at INATS ...

and a Grammy Nominated producer.

I admire your retreat into your silence during the 4th of July... Hope your creative genius manifests another sound wonder!

Love,

Ed

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hello Sound Master Jonathan Goldman -

Congrats on you win @ INATS for the Visionary Awards for Best meditation­al/Healing album with 2012:Ascension Harmonics and Best Website Temple of Sacret Sounds

You deserve it and so do all of us!

Happy 4th

Big Love,

Ed

[soundheals]

Thanks so much for acknowledging the INATS Awards. They were a great surprise, accepted in the spirit of gratitude. Every writing you do deserves a reward. May BE THE CHANGE win a Pulitzer Prize!

[RJPasadena]

Happy 4th of July

Many people suffered, faught, died, and sacrificed for our Freedom over two hundred years ago. They did it not for financial gain. Most of the people who signed the original Declaration of Independence lost their lives and were imprisoned, Take time to reflect on what they did for us.

Most Americans and ALL of our elected officials are ignorant of our constitution and are dismantling it before our eyes. The Iranian people have shown that they will die for the very rights that we have and take for granted. In the past eight years we allowed our basic rights to be stolen...l­ast year we showed that we do care and that voting matters. Don't Stop! Voting is the first step, demanding that our elected officials to do the will of We The People is what they were sent to do. NOT the will of the Corporations. Take Back our Country...­One Elected Official at a time, until we have a TRUE representative government. If someone running for office says Government is the problem...­Don't elect them. They are saying "We the People" are the problem and they work for Corporate interest. Send them down the road packing...­..YES WE CAN....YES WE WILL....

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

RJPasadena - Bravo thanks for your passionate declaration of independence

I appreciate your message nd hope others readthis

Have a joyful 4th of July,

Ed

[Lizzypie]

Being a Brit ex-pat, when people still ask me if the Brits celebrate July 4th, I always say "Yes, they celebrate getting rid of you lot"!! A silly little throw away comment , but it amuses me!

On a more personal note, I call myself a "late bloomer". I did not get a sense of who I was, and start thinking my own thoughts and knowing my own feelings till I was 40 years old - so I always say that for me, life began at 40!! And I celebrate tmy own independence everyday. I maybe a late bloomer - but just think - I could never have bloomed - and that would have been a bummer!

Thanks for the blog - and putting a different perspective on July 4th.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Lizzypie - I always feel good when I see your comments being that you are a Brit like Debs and I am a British citizen ..makes it fun

I love your cheeky comment to people who ask you that silly question,

L- when people still ask me if the Brits celebrate July 4th, I always say "Yes, they celebrate getting rid of you lot"!

I love your more serious message... (see above)

Love ya,

Ed

[Dr. Judith Rich - Huffpost Blogger]

Happy 4th of July!

May all beings be free.

Love,
Judith

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

My sweet Judith the LOVE of the LIVING ... HuffPo bloggers

Hugs Kisses

and HAPPY JULY 4th...

We will meet up soon

Big Love,

Ed

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

To all our friends and HuffPo family

and to the wonderful wonderful's that take time to comment and view

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

Ed & Deb

[CaveatMagnusFrater]

Happy Birthday U.S.A.!

[1088]

Malia's Birthday is on July 4th! Fireworks at the White House I hope!!

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi 1088 - Thanks for informing us---yopu are great

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY

MALIA

May you have many many more HAPPIES,

Love, Ed

[RoadCrossingChicken]

Thanks for another uplifting article. Your positive input is one of the good things that happen every Thursday.

My youngest grandson turns one today. We are celebrating that.

Also, when it comes to celebrating the "Birthday" of the USA, there is nothing wrong with celebrating the ideals of our nation. We are not what we need to be, but we are not finished yet... let's work on being better.

All we can do is to do what we can on a personal level. But, working on me is a hard job. I have been doing it for 53 years now and I ain't through yet!

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hello RCC - I am your fan and always enjoy your input... I also have you as a favorite

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RCC'S YOUNGEST GRANDSON..­.. enjoy the party 1 is a great one....

what you are saying...T­his is so lovely:
Also, when it comes to celebrating the "Birthday" of the USA, there is nothing wrong with celebrating the ideals of our nation. We are not what we need to be, but we are not finished yet... let's work on being better.

also
All we can do is to do what we can on a personal level. But, working on me is a hard job. I have been doing it for 53 years now and I ain't through yet!

I am with ya..

LOL and a HAPPY 4TH

Ed

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

Wonderful how you relate the 4th of July to being under the control of the IRS :-)

If all US citizens would go with the consensus on paying taxes, then John McCain would be among the few who would still pay them - because he loves to do it.

And yes, it can be very liberating to say what we believe. Maybe a not so small number of politicians could use the thought experiment that many don't say what they believe because of fear or because the liberation that's required to do it simply hasn't arrived for everybody. It could keep them from chasing polls.

Indeed, it would be marvellous if only everybody could sit quietly after the party and enjoy the true freedom inside.

[Enid]

Have always felt good about paying taxes and proud of the fact I could do so. When I look at this country our state the equate we share is incredible in a true fiscal sense. True I do not like the way tax dollars are distributed.

LA Times has a calculator budget gadget let you try too budget California check it out. I balanced the budget and had a billion left over. Did not dismiss or diminish the poor or frail or sick too do so either.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Enid -- Thanks for the info

enjoy the 4th

Ed

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi DOA - Great to see you here.. It makes me feel good to read your point of view

I agree with the need for honesty in our politician­s... it seems like those that chose to be the leaders are self obsessed ego involved individuals as with many in the media.

That is why I am a FAN of Arianna, Pico. Sam ...Huffpos­t and why I am happy to blog each week... they are REAL people saying how it is

Let us be an example and remember YES WE CAN... look within and be happy

Have a great 4th,

Ed

[Kari Henley - Huffpost Blogger]

Love it!
Great post to get us thinking in a powerful way for the upcoming holiday- thinking beyond burgers, beer and sparklers that is!
This year, I will be watching the spectacular fireworks with my family in the nation's capital. We have talked about how many freedom's we have here in America.
As we watch the people of Iran struggle for basic freedoms, I think of the women who lost the freedom to choose what to wear after 1979, and have to cover with a veil. They cannot have free elections without government interference.
We are fortunate to be free to hang out on the 4th. A freedom to savor.
Thanks for the great reminders!
Kari

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Wonderful Kari - Always feels good to hear from you and your point of view ..this is worth repeating

As we watch the people of Iran struggle for basic freedoms, I think of the women who lost the freedom to choose what to wear after 1979, and have to cover with a veil. They cannot have free elections without government interference.
We are fortunate to be free to hang out on the 4th. A freedom to savor.
Thanks for the great reminders!

Thanks for being YOU,

Big Love,

Ed

[yoyo22]

Hi Ed and Deb. You can never take the Brit out of the British. I am proud to be an American and glad that I am also a Brit at heart.
Thanks for another interesting blog. Happy 4th

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi yoyo22- Sweet Yvonne- Sister at heart -thanks for your comment-

I love being an American and also a British citizen

Life is sweet,

Ed

[katzimmer]

Happy 4th to both of you! There are occasionally moments when freedom seems to be just a word, so thanks for breaking it down.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

katzimmer- thank you for being the best editor an author could want

HAPPY 4TH TO YOU!

LOVE,

Ed

[Jack Wysocki]

Hi Ed and Deb,
We posted your blog on CSRwire.com :
http://www.csrwire.com/csrlive/commentary_detail/564-Fireworks-Partying-and-The-Real-Meaning-of-the-4th-of-July
Love you Guys!!
Your Friend,
Jack

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Brother jack, Thanks for informing us and being you

You are a friend and as they say in England

afine mate,

Big Love,

Ed